I Cannot Believe I Got So Lucky!

Really, I am lucky and blessed.

See the picture above? That is Kelli, my fiance, in Quepos, Costa Rica a few days ago, feeding monkeys with me snapping the shots.

Life is good. Many people feel we are REALLY lucky, and luck is one of the main reasons why we are living the internet business dream, traveling the world.

As a matter of fact, I was so lucky that I:

• saw my money dwindle down to 4 cents; re-read, yes, 4 pennies, I had in my pocket, at one time in my life
• went into debt to the tune of $50,000
• was sued by creditors
• went bankrupt
• suffered through severe depression
• generated difficult resistance from folks regarding the lifestyle choices that I have made.

I mean, if I am lucky now I MUST have been lucky back then, right? Or was it just an unlucky, lucky thing, where the tide turned for me, due to some cosmic...well...luck?? 

I write in jest of course, my online business buddies. I have traveled the world because I....

Made Uncomfortable Choices

It is 11:09 PM local time in Quepos as I write this post. I am tired as hell. Uncomfortable choice, of course, which will open many doors for me.

Tomorrow is a travel day. Heading to northern Costa Rica. So since I am on the road, I write, now, staying up late, exhausted, but hey, I like being lucky, right? ;)

Pulling a rabbit's foot out of....a designer hand bag...

Too many folks see snapshots on sites like Facebook, or Twitter, or on my blog and have absolutely no idea, of the sour stuff I experienced to get to this sweetness.

People do not see the snapshots of living a life in turmoil. My financial situations or my online business failures, or anything that I needed to go through, to become an online success.

Before you call someone lucky, or believe the idea that luck is in someone's pocket, remember that at one time, they were not so lucky.

Luck does not exist. People make uncomfortable choices, and live their dreams, or they avoid making uncomfortable choices, and do not live their dreams.

What Is the Difference?

Making uncomfortable choices to grow your online business. Some people do it; staying up late, getting up early, giving up their weekends to work their online business, since they work a full time job.

Some folks do this and succeed. Some folks move into a space of financial ruin - not necessary, but it DOES  happen - to reach a space of wealth, of freedom.

Making the choice to cut all sources of retreat makes you the luckiest SOB on earth to people who lack the courage to cut all sources of retreat.

When you have something to fall back on, you fall backwards willingly, ducking situations and uncomfortable choices which would accelerate your growth.

When you have nothing to fall back on you fall - and fail - forward.

Where are you falling? How are you failing?

I never got lucky. I had bad luck, I guess, until I stopped believing in luck. Then I got serious about running a series of prospering online businesses....got to work.....dealt with uncomfortable situations....then...voila....here I am.

Stop waiting for luck to strike you. Make uncomfortable, freeing choices now.

Never trust the Facebook snapshots. 

You have no clue what went into developing the picture, do you?

Do you believe in luck?

Why?

Why not?

- Image http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovemaegan/

Why Guest Posting Can Damage Your Blogging Career

Now that is some serious damage...

OK, let me write this guest post. Wow! I know this; those home business opt ins will be flowing in, lies bees to honey, after the post gets published.

The waiting list is 3 months? No worries. I just KNOW this post will go viral, and so much targeted traffic will flow through my streams, that, I will have no clue what to do with the extra surge, and all the money which will flow in too.

Write a guest post. Wait. Wait. Hang on social sites. Write a post or 2 on your blog, during the time frame, while you wait.

You see how attaching yourself to 1, or a series, of guest posts, can damage your blogging career, right?

Guest posting can:

• influence you to develop a wicked attachment to an authority blog; attachments are painful burdens to carry, let me tell ya ;)
• force you to get lazy with your own blog; some rabid guest posters never build THEIR brand because they have no identity on their blog, they are serial guest posters without a cyber home
• cause you to wait, in the name of "patience", for your success to flow in

Hey I am a huge fan of guest posting. Snag a massive, targeted home business audience, pronto, through this approach....just take care of your home, first, by tending YOUR blog shop.

The Damage Part: Beware this Sneaky Error

Some well-meaning bloggers wait for their success to find them. The crowd writes a guest post then waits the days, or weeks, or months it takes for the post to be published.

During these days, and weeks and months, you should have written tens to hundreds of blog posts on your blog.

When I say hundreds, over months, I do mean hundreds, because you need to post 1 or more times daily to improve your writing skills

Writing guest posts does not provide the IMMEDIATE fix you need, unless you have fully posting and publishing rights on a guest post.

The fix? Heck you need to publish content now to make an impact. The sneaky error made by most bloggers is not so sneaky really; the crowd puts off doing uncomfortable stuff by developing a wicked attachment to "Their Big Break."

Nope, your Big Break starts now, by publishing as many posts as you can, on your blog, today, and meeting as many home business pros as you can.

The Big Break Never Arrives Until You Do

Success follows successful people, folks who push themselves each moment of each day. Attaching yourself to a guest post opportunity on a well-read blog blocks your success, because you are in Waiting Mode.

Even if the post goes live today, you are waiting, checking for comments, or page views, or the dream client, or the surge in ad revenue.

Meanwhile, I wrote 6 to 9 posts on my home business blogs today, making my star shine, branding me, while you wait, and wait, for your Big Guest Posting Break.

I arrive, because I push, and create, and create, and you will never arrive, because you are too attached to some opportunity, that you forget to push yourself, and brand you.

Write guest posts. Just make sure to push those home business posts out on your blog like a champion.

Has guest posting damaged your career by making the Big Break Attachment Mistake?

Or have you seen a massive surge in web traffic since guest posting?

- Image http://www.flickr.com/photos/gee01/

3 Tips to Make Commenters Drool Over Your Blog

Goad commenters to drool all over your blog...

Comments makes your online business blog a big old party. Who likes a good party? Most people. Bloggers and readers like being seen where all the cool people hang out.

If you are fed up with not seeing any comments on your posts, take heart. You can:

• draw in more interested, genuine commenters quite quickly; just give out whatever you want to receive
• boost your brand awareness as your blog becomes an in-demand hang out for other online business entrepreneurs
• get a nice little ego boost; hey, we all like seeing 10, 20 or 50 comments on our latest blog posts...do not let these liars fool ya hahahaha...

By getting comments you gain the trust of your audience. Yep, social proof counts for that much. But getting is always preceded by giving...so....

Give Out That Which You Want

Ryan always seems to bring up sowing and reaping, or karma, or any idea related to getting by giving first.

Why?

Because it works! If you want commenters to drool all over your online business blog drool all over other people's blogs, by posting helpful, insightful, thoughtful comments on your buddies; blogs.

Read the blog post. Formulate your opinion. Note one point made. Expound on the point. Attract 1 more blog commenting fan.

Sowing and reaping rocks because it is the quickest and easiest way to get what you want. One problem though; most people lack the patience to sow for even one day.

Get over this block. Be patient. Rake in comments by leaving genuine comments on niche-specific blogs.

Write Intriguing Blog Titles

I admit, for quite a while my comments dropped off. Big time.

I wondered, why? I built a network of loyal comment-givers and I also aggressively commented on other blogs from within my online business niche.

I was flummoxed until I realized this; my titles sucked. I missed out on 1 oft-missed key to generate comments.

You must create comment-worthy posts to generate more comments. Bloggers have a gazillion choices to choose from, via tribes, and social networks, so you must stand out from this crowd by getting down to online business and creating a memorable blog posts.

Note your title; is it interesting? Or does it grab your attention by the cajones? Make something memorable to boost your comment numbers and grow your work at home venture.

Respond Frequently to Get More Comments Quickly

People need to be heard. Even successful, drive, self-confident online business entrepreneurs need people to listen in, process their voice and respond.....if these folks are showing up again.

Respond to comments in a timely fashion to get more comments.

If you struggle to generate even one comment and tips 1 and 2, you got down cold, well tip 3 might be the culprit.

Try responding each hour to better generate comment mojo. 

If people see you responding quickly they might comment more quickly.

One note; as you gain comment mojo you can check in a few times daily. 

Do you get many comments?

Do commenters drool over your blog?

- Image http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrote/

3 Tips to Manage Your Time Effectively

Take a nice healthy bite out of time.....manage your choices more intelligently....

Do you need to cram more time into your day? We all do. Since getting the 25th hour is not possible you should learn how to make better choices.

Choose. Yes, YOU choose how to spend your time. This makes it easier to spend time effectively, if you realize the driver, the chooser, reads these words now.

Managing your time effectively:

• alleviates home based business stress to a great extent; you can get more done in much less time by removing stress from your life
• improves your ability to finish work if you are hitting deadlines
• helps you to concentrate all of your power on the task at hand as you no longer worry about the past or fret the future 

The idea of managing your time hinges on choosing how to better spend NOW.

Make Better Choices Now

Example; I woke up, ate a banana, drank 2 glasses of water, did some exercise and now I write this blog post to grow my home based business.

The cumulative time spent on eating healthy, exercising and now, churning out a few words, totaled 20 minutes.

20 minutes well spent if you ask me! Now I could have rolled out of bed, hopped on Facebook, saw what my friends were up to, then bullshitted away 30 minutes, wasting my precious time.

Most people who say "I have no time to write 5 posts a day" are the bullshitting, time wasting-types.

Take Frequent Breaks to Block Up Your Day

My goodness! If I rarely broke my home based business would crash and burn. I would squander away time by BSing on social networks, or by watching TV for hours on end.

The list goes on forever. I would never be aware of what flowed through my noodle - that is, mind - if I rarely took breaks.

Blocking up your day makes you aware of your choice. Once aware you can use your time more effectively.

Break every 40 to 60 minutes, for 10 minutes or so. Exercise. Meditate. Do anything but work. Effective idea smack you upside your home based business head if you break.

Pull attract. Become a work at home whiz. Use time wisely.

Model Your Day after Driven People

I remember superstar marketer David Wood explaining in detail how he scheduled his day.

I noted in detail how he works and got right down to business. Success are smart. Pay attention to these home based business pros.

People who manage time effectively should be studied in depth. Note how the crowd emphasizes getting down to business fast.

No dawdling, or checking emails for hours, or responding on social networks.

Failures usually do this stuff. Remember it all comes down to the choices you make in each moment.

How do you manage your time?

What tips can you add to this list?

- Image http://www.flickr.com/photos/37054091@N06/

4 Tips to Create a Money Making Blog

Use these 4 tips to create a money making blog...

Are you blogging to help people? Why not make money? You deserve to prosper. 

Avoid the problem faced by most newbie - and even veteran - bloggers; feeling *funny* about posting ads on your blog.

Money making blogs:

• help you take extended vacations; not a bad gig
• can improve your credibility; readers generally gravitate toward people who have had success making money online
• can sweeten up your virtual real estate; once you make a few ducats through advertising expect more advertisers to line up, ready to pay top dollar for a post on your blog

Monetizing your blog is not a difficult endeavor, but making money persistently through blogging can be challenging.

Why? Persistent folks are few and far between. Cashing in grows difficult unless you persistently create relevant, targeted content on your home business blog.

Create Content Daily

If you create, you prosper. Wise home business buffs know the secret to creating; find inspiration around you.

Nature rocks. Fellow blogger's content rocks. Observe what happens, make a connection between your online business and the event, write.

Provide value. Receive value....aka, money.

Make Friends Daily

Make friends to make money. OK, make friends to make friends, to grow your network and to expand your influence. 

After all that good stuff, and after detaching from outcomes, you see that having 500 people retweet your latest post fattens your bank account.

This is a great thing, because you are also helping your buddies, promoting them through Tribes.

Rich people build large, massive networks of like-minded people who readily promote their content.

Of course, to make friends you must be a friend. Be a friend by promoting other folks aggressively across multiple networks, and also post valuable comments to their blogs.

Open Up Multiple Cash Channels

Never paint yourself into a corner. Think abundance. As your skill set improves open up channels through which you can prosper.

Example; generate ad revenue, run a prospering home business team, offer your ghostwriting skills, write paid guest posts (opportunities flow to you through your blog), or brainstorm 101 other ways through which you can prosper.

No limit exists to your home business prosperity channels. Be creative. Generate cash online through multiple channels.

Go Heavy on the Linking

Link up like a mad blogger. Why? 

Create a resource, that makes people stick around. As more people stick around a neat thing happens; you attract loyal readers.

Loyal readers tend to line your pocket by:

• clicking on your ads, creating passive cash flow for you
• hiring you out for your consulting services
• joining your home business team
• spreading the word by promoting you to their following

Think of your blog as a money making center. Content drives the money making.

By posting daily and growing your friend network you can create a money making blog over a period of weeks or months.

Do you generate steady cash flow through your blog?

How?

- Image http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/

Online Business Mastery: 3 Tips to Write Magnetic Articles

Me on the beach in Phuket, Thailand...

Reel in readers! Write magnetic online business articles to:

• generate more ad clicks quickly; people tend to click on solutions if they are interested parties
• recruit more team members to your online business crew; targeting people with keywords and magnetism expands your team quickly
• have much more fun with your online business gig; that is the goal, right?

Writing magnetic articles take time and energy. Devote the time to increasing your skill set. Learn how to raise your energy during your writing sessions.

With supreme patience you can draw in hungry readers easily.

Craft Compelling Headlines to Draw in Voracious Readers

Take 2 minutes now to visit The Huffington Post. Then visit The Daily Mail.

Why do you think these monstrous blogs/newspapers draw in viewers?

Headlines, headlines, headlines...are 1 part of the magnetic equation.

To see major league online business success take a page from their book. Write interesting, intriguing, captivating, shocking, stunning, vexing, eye-grabbing headlines.

Post Huge Colorful Images to Boost Your Article Views

Take 2 minutes now to visit The Huffington Post. Then visit The Daily Mail. Noting a pattern here?

See the big, bright, shiny pictures? They work. Well. Which is why these 2 sites get pretty much the most blogging page views on earth.

People love bright, shiny things. So give the people what they want.

The worst piece of advice I ever received; make your pictures small so the image does not dominate the article.

Bullshit. People are driven by images. Your copy ain't that good, Shakespeare, sorry to break it to you.

Use big, bright, shiny images which snag your reader's attention and make 'em stick around to read your articles.

Do not fear turning off readers and do not fear missing out on ad revenue, or growing your list, because you feel that your images dominate the post.

Again, study the top blogs on earth. These people and bloggers use big, shiny, attention-grabbing images for a reason.

Folks need something to SCREAM at their attention, to pay attention. Use shock value through imagery. Grow your online business intelligently.

Short and Punchy Paragraphs Do the Trick

I write my articles and blog posts like marketing whizzes write their newsletters because most people do not READ articles, they SCAN articles....

....if people scan my articles for online business tidbits I want to create scan-able articles, to create magnetic articles.

Create articles with the reader in mind. Virtually all folks scan content.

People:

• are too lazy to read a full article; make it easy for them to scan and take away the tidbits they wish to sink their teeth into
• are too busy to read a full article; cater to their impatience by writing short, curt paragraphs so readers can go North to South as quickly as possible
• hate going left to right for more than 1 or 2 lines; again, save them time by doing the North-South bit

Write short, curt paragraphs, mixing in bullet points, and headers, and bold text, and italics, and all types of formatting to grab your reader's attention.

Using this strategy keeps your reader focused on your content; the power of contrast.

Do you use these tips to write magnetic online business articles?

Avoid this 1 Mistake - Which Pros Taught me to Do - to Boost Your Page Views

Kelli and I in Phuket, Thailand, one of our favorite spots in the world....

Just because someone is a pro does not mean they are infallible. Online business pros know pros. We all have our fears.

I learned one thing from pros, many years ago, which I stuck to. I rarely changed this aspect of my blogs.

Bad, bad, mistake, because correcting this mistake:

• helped me generate more online business blog page views in record time
• kept readers and prospects on my website for a longer period of time
• increased my brand awareness; when more people show up and stick around for a long time you tend to influence folks to spread the word
• made my blog look nice, and readers were also able to navigate around my blog with greater ease after I corrected this mistake

What was the mistake? That many pros make?

Not Linking Up Frequently: "Too Many Choices" Syndrome

I learned from many online business pros - and I heartily agreed with them - that in order to grow your list you need to minimize choices.

This means taking down all linking, or ads, save 1 or 2 banners or opt in forms directed at influencing your readers to take the call to action, which almost always was to join your list.

Take a look at my sidebar; no call to action to join my list.

Online business suicide, right? Not really. Because ever since I took this approach AND decided to link up like mad, my page views went from around 300 daily to 900, 1200, or more, daily.

Why?

I previously adopted a lack and limitation mindset when it came to linking, and made the "I will link up nowhere and simply include an opt-in form on my blog so readers opt-in" mistake for YEARS.

Then I studied the top online newspapers/blogs on earth. These folks linked up like mad because they created a valuable resource.

What About the Pro Advice?

Turns out many of these online business pros had massive, targeted audiences in their pocket before using this strategy. They already had their audience; I did not.

They also were not focused on generating ad revenue, or boost their Alexa, or PR, or placing higher in search engines.

Totally different strategy which required a totally different approach to growing their work at home venture.

I learned better though, by beginning to model sites like The Huffington Post. Link up like mad to create a resource and keep fannies on our online business blog.

Think abundance, not lack. Give away your best free information, being as generous as people, to keep people around and boost the prices you can demand for ad space.

Change your mindset; by linking up along your sidebar, and below your blog header, and after your posts, you are providing readers with a comprehensive solution.

No longer a need to go anywhere else for their online business questions.

They can stick around, soak up your content and spend a few hours on your blog.....THE work at home solution.

Yeah, google likes this, people who stick around for hours on blogs. Means the blog is doing things the right way.

Have you made this link minimizing error in the past?

How did you fix it?

3 Proven Tips to Push Yourself Past Your Online Business Limits

Our squirrel monkey neighbors are on the prowl for bananas....in Quepos, Costa Rica...

I read the Wiki about actor Daniel Day-Lewis a few minutes ago. The dude is a freaking animal! If you want to see online business success pushing yourself is part of the game.

DDL takes this to new levels, including:

• being carried around for the ENTIRETY of a film because he wanted to stay in character; when he was cursed at and criticized by crew members he said he better knew what it felt like to be a burden, as some folks treat handicapped individuals in such a manner
• he refused treatment for a violent illness while filming "Gangs of New York" because his character Bill the Butcher did not have access to such treatment at those times; told you the dude is a beast!
• Losing or gaining serious amounts of weight for various roles

The man pushes himself WAY PAST his limits each time he takes on a film. He is serious. The 3 Oscars did not show up by accident. 

He did what no other man has done because he pushed himself farther than just about any other actor, save Christian Bale.

How can you push yourself beyond your online business limits?

Go a Bit Beyond What You Deem Possible Each Day

I am tired. But I will write 10 posts today. This is #10.

 Some days I might push myself in another area related to my online business. I push myself. You need to push yourself.

Make another connection. Call another online business prospect. Push yourself to write another blog post or shoot another video.

These limit-breaking moments precede brilliance. The more you push the better you create, the more quickly you reach your online business goals and the more you make people scratch their heads.

Push through the Intense Pain

Forget the uncomfortable crap. Experiencing intense physical pain - or mental pain - at times is part of becoming successful.

Your limits are typically shrouded in pain, or paralyzing fear. Now my body hurts. My neck feels stiff, my back hurts, I just want to eat and go to bed.

But I write. Pushing past my online business limits has been good to me; how many people travel the world, for a living? I mean, I write, and prosper online and live in my paradise of choice. All because I push past my online business limits.

Push through the intense pain. Feel it. Keep going. Unless you have reached the point of exhaustion, your body can handle it!

ONLY Surround Yourself with Winners

I am blessed. Kelli is a winner. So I sit across from a driven person 10 to 12 hours each day as I get to working my online businesses.

I only surround myself with online winners too. Because winners do not except excuses, nor do they baby you, nor do they excuse you when you are pussing out on blasting through your limits.

Hang with driven folks. Take on their qualities.

Do you push yourself through your online business limits?

How?

3 Tips to Boost Reader Engagement Immediately

This is what I see by looking out of my bedroom window in Quepos, Costa Rica...Bienvenidos a la selva!

If you are an intelligent blogger you know engagement can make or break your blog.

Influencing people to respond and share your posts expands your home internet business presence quickly.

By engaging you:

• increase your trust factor fast as more people tend to trust someone who listens and shares answers or responses
• influence people to take your online business call to action
• build up a tremendous body of social proof, as your Facebook Shares, twitter retweets and LinkedIn shares go through the roof....yep your G Plus Shares jump too ;)
• have much more fun as you grow your internet business ventures in the online realm

Now you know why engaging is so darn important. You can grow your business by being a live body, by being a person, not some profile, or online persona.

People need to know, like and trust you before people buy from you.

So.....use these tips to boost your reader engagement immediately.

Ask Frequent Questions to Receive Frequent Answers

Have you noticed how each of my blog posts is summed up with a series of questions?

People dig being asked questions; it gives them a chance to write answers to the questions, to respond, to let their voice be heard.

Smart home internet business entrepreneurs allow people to be heard, because everybody just wants someone to listen once in a while, ya know?

Ask a bunch of questions to receive a bunch of online answers.

Show Up Frequently to Provide Answers to the Questions

Now you must prove that you are listening, to achieve some level of home internet business success.

Smart entrepreneurs listen in and answer quickly to prove that yep, they are not asleep at the wheel.

You need to be a live body to gain the trust of your audience. You have seen automated twitter accounts, or automated blogs.....as for the latter, I mean folks who write, post, and never listen, like how a machine would blog.

No personalizing, no engaging, no money. No good. Engage by responding frequently to questions or comments concerning your home internet business.

Do Not Quit When Nobody Shows Up

I cannot tell you how many times I asked questions for weeks, through my blogs, and received like 1 or 2 comments during the stretch.

This happens before you become popular. No worries. Keep asking. At least if you desire to grow a successful home internet business venture.

Your other option? Stop asking. "Immediately" can mean today, or tomorrow, or next week, so if you find that Tips 1 and 2 have not yielded, keep asking more, and responding quickly, to see a nice spike in engagement.

Keep showing up daily. The comments will come, and if you respond within a few hours, more comments will poor in, and your blog will be a hip place to party....ie - leave helpful, insightful comments.

How do you engage your blogging audience?

What tips can you add to this list?

1 Mistake Made by Many Experienced Bloggers

Shalom! No, I was not in Israel, but Cusco, Peru a few months ago when I took this picture....

I often receive requests from bloggers - many of them experienced - to respond to every comment made on a post.

I feel this is a mistake.

Why?

Logic. Think it through. The 10 minutes I just spent responding to 20 comments from 2 months ago makes little sense.

Who looks at posts from 2 months ago?

The Blogger and The Guest Poster....LOL!

Now I do believe that responding to as many comments as possible is important, but this one thing stops many experienced bloggers - and guest posters - from growing.

They need to be creating new content!

New Content:

• draws in traffic steadily, helping you generate ad revenue or attract new clients
• helps you form alliances with new bloggers
• helps you expand your online business presence quickly and easily

Responding to blog posts from 1 or 2 months ago:

• is not efficient use of your time; people check dates before reading posts and most will not read old posts
• is spending time you could be using to write new online business posts
• can be a bit annoying when you have new posts to write ;)

I am friends with many top shelf bloggers who have their heart in the right place; I feel they are making a mistake.

Of course this is not a right or wrong issue; you just want to use your time efficiently to grow your online business.

Who is looking at the post? A few people, the blogger, and the guest blogger who decides to respond to comments after being asked to do so.

I can see the benefits but the rewards pale in comparison to the effort spent responding.

People wonder why I am do prolific. How I create so many blog posts.

I make my day ALL about creating new blog posts! And new guest posts, at certain times!

If you spend 5, 10 or 15 minutes responding to new or old comments you cannot write as many online business blog posts, because you cannot be in 2 places at 1 time.

Stop responding to every comment. Think about how you spend your time.

I will help out bloggers who ask me, of course, if I can, and if I am not in some UBER busy time frame.....and I am responding to comments on an old guest posts now, as I write this ;)

All because I respect a different point of view.....I just want new, and even experienced bloggers, to think this strategy through, before they continue with responding to comments....even from weeks, or months ago

Even if you run a well-read online business blog you would be much better off spending that time to write a new blog post.

Effectiveness means letting go the old and worn out to make room for the new, and exciting.

Use your logic. New post, and hundreds or thousands of page views, or responding to 12 comments from 4 months ago, for 20, or 40 page views?

Do I make sense?

Or do you disagree?

How long should you wait before closing out comments on a post, or before saying that you will not respond to comments?

Or will you always respond to every comment?

Who Wants Banana Shakes?

Kelli and I picked up banana shakes an hour ago in Quepos, Costa Rica...we preserved the moment ;)

I have a life, ya know?  Driven online business pros forget to prove that yes, they have a life. I miss this point sometimes.

Sure I hang out and share images of my most recent - or current - vacation spot, but hey, I rarely write about this stuff.

This blog is all about running an online business. I get that. But I also know the important of pulling back, sharing your human-ness, and simply selling the dream.

Doing so:

• boosts your trust factor immediately; people tend to trust someone who proves that they do people stuff
• improves your posture; someone who pulls back from online business outcomes detaches from their biz, showing that you are not desperate to sell your know-how AND that you have some success
• sells a dream....and by selling a dream, or the internet lifestyle, you influence individuals to do the same
• changes things up so you do not bore your audience to death with the home business content

I Have Struggled Mightily in this Department

I have struggled to do this. I like solving problems, staying on topic and writing practical usable content.

But I also know people like to see that I am human, not some online business automon. I travel the world. Yep, you know, if you see the banner above or the images on the sidebar.

I even weave travel stories into my biz-themed posts.

But sometimes you need to let go the biz stuff entirely and talk about how you just bought banana shakes, and how grateful you feel to live the internet lifestyle, and how:

• you saw 4 massive Magnificent Frigatebirds in the past few hours
• your nextdoor neighbor in Costa Rica served as an assistant to Charles Merrill, Jr, the heir to the Merrill Lynch Fortune
• you saw a Jesus Christ lizard earlier today RUN ON WATER at the beach....google 'em!
• you are on a new bodybuilding kick

Yeah I can tie this stuff into my online business, and I do, but today, I am all about pictures of me on the beach in Quepos, and sharing banana shakes, and talking wildlife here in Quepos, and all that good stuff.

Sell a dream. Prove that you are real. Detach from business outcomes. Let your personality come out.

Be a person, not a profile, or some online business persona. Gain the trust of your audience. Inspire your readers. Establish your human-ness.

You Need to Pullback

Your success grows if you pullback. Brilliant ideas flow into detached spaces. This means you can generate your biggest money making ideas by not talking or even thinking about making money.

A challenge, until you decide to get a life, and share it with your blogging audience.

Do you pull back and prove that you have a life outside of running an online business?

How do you detach from your business?

1 Critical Mistake You Aspiring Networkers Need to Avoid

One of our cheeky little squirrel monkey neighbors in Quepos, Costa Rica....noshing on a banana...

You might read more than a few of my question tweets. I ask a query, usually related to growing a home based business, then I share a post.

Sometimes I avoid linking up but many other times I do link up.

The link contains the answer.

So.....why do some people answer the question without reading the link?

Laziness...or maybe they are in a rush, or maybe they are too busy to read the post.

If you do not click the link, do not respond. Why?

• you effectively proved that you lack mindlessness; not a good thing for aspiring or even veteran networkers
• you are in too much of a hurry to do stuff, and hurried people are desperate people, and desperate people are repelling to calm, confident successful people on social networks
• you just performed a comment drive-by type of interaction; you clearly do not care about the content, you just want your voice to be heard

Mindfulness makes you a happy, rich and successful home based business entrepreneur.

Few people are mindless. Most people are 10 years - or 10 seconds - in the future, and a few more are 4 minutes, or 4 years, in the past.

Being here and now is the quickest and easiest way to grow your friend network quickly.

The critical mistake you make: NOT paying full attention and being mindful when networking opportunities arise, repels folks.

How Can You Correct the Mistake?

Be present. Being in the moment helps you attract home based business buddies. More home based business buddies help you grow your home based business.

See how nicely it all works out?

Example; instead of responding to my linked up, question tweet, with an answer - effectively proving that you did not click the link and read the post - how about doing the mindful, impactful thing.

Click the link. Read the blog post. @reply me with evidence that you read the post. You can just say, "Great Post Ryan!!!", but to stand out and become a home based business networking champion, say, "Love the point about making an impact Ryan!....I believe.....".....after this statement you can add your take.

See the difference? The former example was mindlessness run amok. Nobody cares about a mindless, hurried, desperate person.

The latter example stresses mindfulness. Mindful people make an impact on your mind.

I have 24,000 plus twitter followers. I remember  a select few who mindfully display that they care enough about my links, to click on them, and who care enough about my posts to read them.

If you want the lesson of home based business lessons try improving your mindfulness. Read posts, answer questions armed with the knowledge you acquired from reading the post and make a serious impact.

Newbies and Veterans Make this Error

We are all in a hurry at times but if you discipline yourself to chat only when you become informed, or to answer, only after you click a link, and read a post, you will become a champion networker.

Do you read each post you comment on?

Do you skim each post you comment on?

How do you make an online business impact?

1 Proven Reason Why You Get Infinitely More Page Views

Another stunning sunset in Phuket, Thailand...I took this picture a few months back...

I see more page views than ever on my internet business blogs. The reason?

Well it is kind of simple. And proven. People crave 1 thing over most other things, when it comes to blogging, or building a website.

People tend to click if they see something.

The reason:

• ties into most people living completely through their senses
• is quite irresistible to virtually all people; no you are not too sophisticated to ignore this reason
• relates to a basic instinct that you just are not going to quell; at least if you are not a monk

How can you get infinitely more page clicks quickly? What can you do to grow your internet business blog fast?

Post Bright, Shiny Images to Your Blog

Have you noticed how I post images to each blog post these days?

I was formerly lazy. I used to be a fool. I wanted to churn out blog post after blog post quickly and had no time to post images.

This hurt my internet business prospects in a big way because although I saw a quick spike in views by overall views dropped off. Quickly.

Work at home types - like virtually all people on earth - love eye candy. Nobody - well almost nobody, outside of spiritual masters - can resist a bright, shiny image.

I am partial to posting my vacation pictures each day because I have so many stunning images I wish to share with you.

I want to sell the dream. I want to help you live your dream, and inspire you to charge forward, despite any obstacles, to become successful in the work at home niche.

Why Do People Click So Quickly?

Most folks live through their senses. This means you behave in a reactive manner. You see a picture associated with a blog post on Facebook. You click. 1 more page view.

No real thought goes into the process, nope, you see, click, and the blogger registers another view.

Internet business pros play on this tendency. Blogging pros play on this tendency too.

Observe sites like dailymail, or The Huffington Post, or Mashable. Some of the most popular blogs on earth know the secret to more page views because:

• they know people love eye candy
• they know people would rather see images rather than text
• they know that pictures do count for a thousand words - or more - and play on this truth

Think about how you digest images. You might see a picture online or offline and dwell on the image.

Thoughts and feelings race through your mind. You might find a picture stunning, or revolting. In either case you are captivated on some level.

Because of this human tendency you must post images with each blog post to see more page views.

Also use an eye-catching banner, as well as image-heavy widgets along your blog sidebar.

Go above and beyond in the image department to see a quick spike in page views, and to promote your internet business success.

Readers just cannot resist bright, shiny things, ya know?

Do you use images to snag your reader's attention?

How can you better use pictures to boost your blog page views?

Online Business Mastery: Do You Have a Vision?

Smiling on the beach in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica....Kelli and I hit the beach - a 10 minute ride away - pretty frequently during low season here...

Are you writing blog posts to write blog posts?

Or do you have a vision in mind?

You cannot write to make money online, or to generate advertising revenue, or to snag home business leads, or to do stuff other than, helping people.

Sure you can make a few bucks, but without a vision:

• you cannot possibly get past obstacles
• you will quit when times get tough
• you will lack the drive to make real money online
• you will lose right of what really matters when you need that extra push.

If you do have a clear, pulsating vision of where you need to be with your online business success is a formality for you.

Success is yours because you have so much faith in yourself and where you need to be that you cannot possibly give up when times get tough....and times WILL get tough, with your online business. Trust me on that one ;)

Example; I went broke at one time, and I had no clarity around what I wished to do, and my team seemed to bail on me, and folks backed out from joining my home based opportunity.

Fast forward a few years; I have multiple income cash flow streams. I am prospering, traveling the world, living in tropical paradises - Costa Rica now - and life is good.

I built a vision.

Focusing on Your End Goal Makes Your End Goal Arrive Quickly

Your goal makes a beeline for you.

We live in a Universe of attraction. You attract ideas, people and circumstances to you.

By shifting your attention to a vision, a goal, a dream, you make the dream come real. You attract ideas to create the dream.

You move into actions to make your online business vision come alive.

You will attract the people to help you create your vision.

Online Business Mastery

But you must have a vision to have a vision.

You must picture a detailed, particular picture of yourself achieving your dreams if you want to make the dreams come true.

Get it in fear, folks! Are you working to pay the bills, or to generate a bit of online business revenue, or do you really want to make your dreams come true.

Do you want to travel the world, or to buy your dream home or to help people live their dreams?

Do you want to be a world-changing online business entrepreneur?

Whatever you want, you need to see it, in vivid detail, to influence your goals to make a beeline for you.

Take a deep breath guys and gals. Get on purpose. Avoid straying off course.

By having a vision:

• Obstacles disappear
• You push yourself farther and harder than you would without having a vision
• You stay up later and wake up earlier to reach your online business dreams
• You persist like heck to make your dreams come true

Do you have a clear online business vision?

How do you build your vision?

What are your ultimate goals?

How can you better build your vision?

1 Quick Way to Grow Your Online Business without Being a Jerk

I took this photo on an early morning in Rawai Bay, Phuket....stay on the southern end of the island folks.....paradise!

I know good-intentioned people who come off as jerks.

These people want to do the right thing, and help people, but they make 1 grand mistake which forever makes them....well.....jerks.

No matter how nice they are, once they go down this road, they are doomed. Jerk-dom.

What is the mistake?

LYING

What is the quick way to grow your business without being a jerk?

Telling the Truth

By telling the truth you:

• keep your good karma intact
• attract online business leaders eager to accelerate your growth
• sleep soundly
• attract more affluent people to your online business opportunity

I have spoke to people who lie with their advertising.

Then after lying these individuals reluctantly ask me if they should "tell the truth" when speaking to prospects, knowing that the lazy ad magnets will never join a venture where you must bust your ass.

I had these discussions with people, honest to goodness. I am floored by the lack of scruples, the lack of honesty and the outright jerkiness, in these folks, who are by all accounts, OK folks....just jerky online business entrepreneurs.

But of course, people who know you as strangers label you an online business jerk and forget you forever if you lie to them.

You have 1 chance to make a positive impression on someone. Telling the truth is the quickest, easiest way to make a positive impression.

Resist the urge to tell a lie, to make a quick buck, and you can earn a fortune now, and in the future, with a solid reputation.

The quick way to grow your business while being a nice guy or nice gal is to be honest.

Avoid:

• making inflated online business claims
• creating hyped-up advertising copy
• associating with a-holes
• fighting people who catch you in a lie
• learning from people who build their marketing campaign on the idea of being a jerk

If you tell the truth you can grow your business fast because truthful people become popular people and popular people make plenty of good friends and your good friends will grow your online business quickly.

Stop lying. Tell the truth each time you write  post, or post an advertisement, or help people.

Do not lie to get an online business sign up. Do not lie to make money online.

Tell the truth, sleep well, keep your good karma intact and grow your work at home venture from a high energy, helpful space.

Examples

• Do not add an extra 1 or 2 "0's" to your income claims
• Do not make income claims that....well....you have not MADE yourself
• Be honest in all of your business dealings
• Do not lie about how much many you can make to trick a prospect into signing up for your online business

Do you intend to tell the truth?

Do you follow up on that intent?

How has telling the truth helped you?

How has telling the truth aided your online business growth?

How Do You Deal with Annoying People?

I snapped an image of this stunning sunset in Penang, Malaysia earlier this year...

You might be disgusted with how much time you spend catering to annoying people.

Or you feel guilty for labeling certain home business folks as, "annoying."

Forgive yourself. Even if you possess the patience of Job you will get annoyed by:

• people who constantly complain
• people who say they are ready to join your home based opportunity with they "have the money"
• people who criticize you after you have completed a job well done
• people who see the negative in virtually all circumstances
• people who hate you for what you do, even if you are doing really great things

As you can imagine I have run into these louses - umm, I mean, unhappy people - from time to time. At times, I have a compassionate heart.

At other times I give people a verbal beat down. But I soon learned that by doing one thing, I could generate cash online at a greater clip and grow my home business swiftly.

I could save myself hour's worth of agitation, and annoyance, and heartache, and heartburn, and nightmares, all by doing this 1 simple little thing...

I Ignore Them

I ignore annoying people. I am selectively ignorant. This is 1 secret to my success.

 I help people when they need help but I am a leader, not a savior, so I also let people figure stuff out on their own when they need to do so....this goes for my home business team, and for anybody who I meet.

I love people. But I love my precious time here on earth even more, and I love being blessed with a mind, and I would never dishonor God by allowing annoying people to waste my time or poop on my mind.

Sorry, but it is true.....because if you placate annoying people you make yourself a doormat. If however you ignore these individuals, claiming selective ignorance, they will:

• solve their own problems
• find problem solvers
• stop bugging you
• vanish as quickly as you move your attention away from them

I know how difficult it might be to let go annoying home business prospects or even team members but if you want to be a servant, you must let go people who no longer deserve your service.

You are a leader, not a home business savior. You help people who want to be helped, not who need you to save them.

After I changed my vision of self I stopped attempting to do the Savior Thing and simply did the Leader Thing, helping hungry people, future leaders, and my annoyances vanished for the most part.

You are not responsible for other people. Do your best job, help who wants to be helped, leave things at that.

Annoying Critics

When I run into an annoying critic, I smile, wish them the best, then leave them be.

I never engage a charging bull. That would be assinine. I simply ignore them after wishing them the best.

Leaders - who I allow into my mind - never toss angry, critical barbs your way.

Leaders are supportive, and nurturing, and of course, you can almost always take a leader's advice, assess it, and then decide whether or not to take the advice to heart.

Nasty critics on the other hand need to be swiftly ignored, and eradicated from your life, because these sniveling, weak-minded folks will trample all over your mind if you allow them to do so.

How do you deal with annoying people?

Do you annoy them back? lol....

Do you ignore annoying home business team members or prospects?

Or do you try to help every single person who meets you, even the people who want you to be a savior?

How to Spike Your Blog Traffic Quickly

The always placid Rawai Bay in Phuket, Thailand, where I snapped this image earlier in the year...Kelli and I like staying on the southern tip of Phuket; totally different, laid-back vibe on this part of the island...

I like spikes. Yes, with my hair, and with my online business blog, because more targeted traffic means:

• I help more people and this gig is all about helping people, right?
• I make more money
• I grow my subscriber count
• I have more fun as my influence expands quickly

No magic formula exists; if you want to increase your blog traffic quickly try writing a load of content and meeting a ton of people.

Since you have only 24 hours a day to write a ton of content and meet scores of people to grow your online business blog try leveraging yourself.

Join as Many Tribes as Humanly Possible to Spike Your Traffic

I am a member of Triberr, to help drive traffic to this blog and meet a ton of bloggers I also belong to many other tribes, including 3 on Facebook and 1 on Google Plus.

 Joining tribes increases your presence quickly if you actively participate. If you rarely participate you will see little home based business growth, and you will not generate much cash online.

 Join a slew of tribes, share people's content, spike your traffic.

Write Multiple Quality Posts Daily

Write 2 or more quality, targeted posts, formatting each bad boy and using SEO to drive targeted, increased traffic to your online business blog.  

If you want to spike your traffic write 3 to 5 posts daily on any one blog.

That is pushing it, I know, but if you want to see 50, 100 or 400 more page views a day you must bust your tail.

You reap what you first sowed, and nobody in this world gets something for nothing, so get down to writing like a champion to see champion-like results.

Chat Chat Chat Chat Chat Comment Comment Comment Comment

Joining tribes is not enough; trying chatting people up on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and through their blogs to increase your trust factor and drive more traffic to your online business blog, or sales page.

 People we trust tend to listen to us, and chat with us, and they help us, by adding value-packed comments to our blog. 

 If you want to see these benefits then get down to chatting, and quite 'o bit, and yep, you will see a quick spike in blog traffic.

Chatting:

1. Establishes the fact that you are a listener
2. Shows that you can be a problem solver; problem solvers need to be listeners
3. Shows that you care
4. Is a helluva lot more fun than trying to grow your online business without interacting

Chat a lot. Now avoid spending all your day BSing; you need to write some posts and share content too...but feel free to chat like a champion to note an instant increase in blog traffic.

If you really want to grow your online business quickly focus on boosting your blog traffic quickly using these tips.

Do you use these tips to spike your online business blog traffic?

What tips can you add to the list?

Online Business Tip: When Do You Drop 1 Opportunity?

I snapped this stunning sunset on Promthep Cape in Phuket, Thailand earlier this year....the Cape yields some of the most breathtaking sunsets on the face of the earth...

I almost dropped 1 opportunity a few minutes ago. I tried logging in to a blog to write a guest post. The log in process was uber slow.

In an impatient moment I opened up my blogger back office, churned out a post, well, not quite.

I hopped back into the guest posting opp because I know rich online business opportunities when I see them.

The problem? Indecision. For 4 minutes I waffled....which can be a serious issue because:

• indecision paralyzes even the most driven online business entrepreneurs
• waffling creates fear and doubt
• holding on to 1 poor opportunity blocks better opportunities
• you stifle your growth by refusing to drop a worn out opportunity

I have 1 little secret that will help you release old, worn out online business opportunities to make room for new work at home opportunities.

The little secret takes a few minutes to put into practice, in the morning, and a few minutes each hour.

The secret has NOTHING to do with blogging, or practical tips for running an online business, because worrying too much about your online business kills your decision making ability.

What is the secret?

Being in Quiet Strengthens Your Power of Release

You have a small, still voice, which guides you in the perfect direction - for you - in each moment.

Call this voice your intuition, or God, or The Universe, or whatever....just know that developing your ability to listen to the voice makes your life easier because:

• you confidently know which step to take
• you release on poor opportunities quickly
• you accept good opportunities quickly
• you quell your fears and dissolve your anxieties

I go into quiet by meditating for 20 minutes each morning and by taking 10 minute breaks after working for 50 minutes, throughout my entire work day.

Meditation

Meditation helps you observe your feelings. In the moment, a few minutes ago, I could observe my anxiety around releasing on the guest post opportunity, then I saw my impatience, worry, doubt....then I decided to be patient, wait for 4 minutes, and write the guest post to expand my online business presence.

Sit quietly. Observe your breathing. Focus on the in breath and out breath, and when your attention drifts note the object of your attention, then move your focus back to your breathing.

This practice expands your awareness, helping you see when you need to release on one opportunity to make room for another opportunity.

Take Frequent Breaks

Taking 10 minute breaks every 50 minutes helps me clear my mind. Clear thinking promotes the habit of release, or letting go what needs to be let go to make room for something better.

Example; I formerly wrote 9 to 15 posts daily.

The posts were OK, but the formatting was poor and I never used SEO. I had to release on the number and focus on writing 1, keyword-rich, well-formatted post, at a time....which would promote my growth.

I noted this change that needed to be made by taking frequent breaks to clear my mind.

Never marry yourself to 1 method of doing things. Practice being in quiet, clearing your letting, letting go and growing.

How do you grow your online business through the habit of release?

What tips can you add?

Online Business Tip: Why Delay Your Riches by Doing this?

3 of our neighbors in Quepos Costa Rica...plenty of chickies running around our legs when we trudge through the streets....

One silly thing holds back most online business bloggers.

The struggling blogger creates the thing; strange, right?

You can free yourself or imprison yourself; your choice.

Once you can release the thing, you can:

• Reach your blogging goals
• Move into higher online circles
• Be free
• Inspire others to live their dreams
• Make money online with stunning regularity
• Release low energy bloggers who might be hampering your growth

1.    

What is The Thing?

What are you doing to hold back your riches?

Making Excuses!

 I cannot possibly succeed online. I cannot run a prospering online business, because…..

·        ****I have a family*****big-time excuse here!!!
·        I work a full time job
·        I have no creative ideas
·        I am lazy
·        I am slow to learn
·        I hate blogging
·        I hate working online
·        I have no time
·        I hate criticism
·        I am not lucky like those successful online business entrepreneur
·        I have no connections
·        I have no friends in high places
·        Insert your excuse of choice here…..

All excuses. You can make excuses until you die.. Or you can stop making excuses and start making money online.

You choose what to hold. You choose what to release.

Example; I held to an excuse for a long, long time; I am not a skilled enough writer to make money online by writing.

I experienced horrible financial struggles for many years because I held onto the excuse.

One day, I said, “Screw this”, sent out my sample articles, connected with a few folks, and I landed a paid writing gig.

Then I offered my paid ghostwriting services.

Then I landed another paid writing gig.

See how simply saying, “Screw it”, to the excuse, releasing it for good, can allow riches to flow into your life?

The Challenge

When you say, “Screw it”, attempting to release your excuses, you will experience all types of uncomfortable feelings.

You will become angry, upset and worried as your worst home business fears come to the forefront of your mind.

You might see yourself failing horribly or going broke or running into harsh critics or causing all manner of problems in your life.

Here is a little secret; if you want to be rich you must listen to these words, feel the feelings, and do it anyway.

Moving forward despite your fears:

·        Makes you infinitely powerful
·        Boosts your self esteem
·        Makes you comfortable with being uncomfortable
·        Helps you make money online easily

You must go forward, you must grow through the moments where you release excuses, if you want to succeed.

Most people in the world make excuses, most of their lives, and die with unlimited worlds of potential lying quiescent inside of them.

You want more. You want to succeed. You want riches, success, and maybe even fame.

At the end of your life, do you really want “He or She Paid the Bills”, to be on your tombstone?

6 Quick Steps to Blogging Success

Gorgeous countryside view from Cusco, Peru.....2 stops ago on my current world tour...

No shortcuts exist on the path to blogging success.

Silly online business bloggers try to find the secret road, the easy, quick way to make money online and develop their influence.

This crowd becomes terribly disappointed after 3 years of trickery, when they are at the same exact spot where they started…..3 years before.

If you patiently follow these steps you can:

• Establish your authority quickly
• Drive steady, targeted traffic to your blog
• Make money online at a consistent clip
• Attract like-minded bloggers 

If you work, you generate cash online through blogging.

If you bust your tail you can grow a prospering online business through blogging.

Resist the urge to take shortcuts….unless you want to fail, year, after years, after year.

Be Prepared to Embrace Criticism

I hate nasty criticism. For this reason alone I held back from guest posting, for many years.

After I got up my online business gumption I churned out guest posts, generated some criticism and drove a sick amount of traffic to my internet business blogs.

Be prepared to embrace criticism, so you can learn from helpful feedback and develop a thick skin, if releasing negative, worthless feedback.

Get Up Earlier

Get up earlier than most other bloggers to become successful more quickly.

While most bloggers are sleeping in on this Sunday I am up at 7 AM, meditating and exercising down, now I churn out the post.

Getting up earlier to grow your online business takes the bullshit “I have no time to write posts” excuse out of the equation.

Go to Bed Later

Going to bed later than most other online business bloggers gives you the edge. You can wake 30 minutes earlier and hit the sack 30 minutes later for 1 full extra hour, which translates to 2 to 3 extra blog posts daily.

Does that sound like too much of a sacrifice?

Well, if you think I am lucky to live a life few live, traveling around the world for 2 years running, visiting countless tropical paradises, well, this is how I did it.

I get up early and stay up late to lap the online business blogging niche.

Work Harder than Everybody Else

If you can work harder than everybody around you, look out! The accolades will flow in, as will the money, and overall success.

Make money online by outworking your blogging competition.

Work smart. Work persistently. Work, work, work, to succeed as an online business blogger.

Treat Blogging like Going to College

I remember the early days of my blogging career. I opened my Wordpress backoffice. Wrote a post. Published. Then I watched TV, or hit the weight room.

LOL….of course….because this pipe dream style of blogging promoted my failure for many months.

When I studied authority blogs, took notes, and did what the bloggers told me to do – like using SEO, catchy titles, h2 tags, keywords, different fonts, smaller paragraphs, etc, etc, etc – I attracted more readers, money and success.

Treat blogging like going to college. Study authority blogs, take notes and put the knowledge into action daily.

Never Make Excuses

1 constant rings true, through all failing online business bloggers.

The crowd makes lame excuses.

Release any/all excuses if you want to succeed.

You have 24 hours today. I do not care if you have a family and work full time; these are personal choices, that you made, so live with them…..

….then, use most of your free time to build your blog – your kids will appreciate the extra vacations, freedom, etc…..and you will be able to leave your 9-5 – and yes, you will kill the habit of making excuses and promote your blogging success.

What tips can you add to this list?

How did you become a successful blogger?