by Joe Vitale
I admit it. I'm frustrated. I'm tired of getting
emails from people who write, "I can't do what you did
because ---."
Just fill in the blank with whatever excuse you can
think of.
People say they can't write as many books as I have
because they don't have the time, or they're too old,
or too young, or too married, or too single.
People say they can't make their book a best-seller
like I did because their book is different, or they're
different, or the timing is different.
People say they can't ask celebrities for
endorsements because they feel insignificant, or
insulting, or imposing.
The list of excuses is endless. Here are some more
actual ones I've received:
"You're more famous than me. I could never write
people and ask for their help, as they wouldn't give me
the time of day."
I started asking people for help, advice, input,
suggestions and direction when I was a teenager. I have
letters from FBI king J. Edgar Hoover, boxing legend
Jack Dempsey, and master magician John Mulholland.
I was certainly unknown then. Yet people always helped
me. I've managed to connect with Evel Kneivel, Donald
Trump, Jimmy Carter, best-selling authors and more---
and I did it before anyone knew my name. I simply
ASKED for their help. They were kind and replied.
Today I'm doing the same for anyone who writes
me who sounds sincere and respectful.
"You have a large network of people to ask for
things."
Yes, I do. NOW. But I didn't when I first started.
I developed my network by building relationships. I
reached out to people, helped them, they helped me,
and trust was formed. Because I've nurtured my
relationships online for almost ten years now, a bond
is set. When I announce that I want contributions for
a new book, my network responds. When they want
something, I respond. I was able to compile all the
information for my most recent book, "The E-Code:
47 Surprising Secrets for Making Money Online
Almost Instantly," in less than 7 days --- all
because I asked my network for help.
"You have a big mailing list so you can sell things
faster."
I went online with no mailing list. NONE. I didn't
even recognize the importance of having my own list
until one day I offered my first e-class to my then
tiny list and made $22,500 in one week. Then I woke up.
I've been working on building my email list ever since.
Anyone can do it. And while you're waiting to do it,
you can always joint-venture with people who already
have mailing lists. How? Just ASK. One day some
person in Norway wrote me. He wanted to know if
I would help him sell his new software. I liked his
program and agreed. He didn't have a list. I did. He
had software. I liked it. I did a mailing and split the
profits with him. It was a win-win.
"You are more talented as a copywriter so you can
sell better than me."
I learned to be a copywriter by investing time,
money and effort into studying the greats and getting
out there and doing it. My first sales letters were
garbage. I still write and rewrite to make my letters
as hypnotic as I can. I wasn't born writing, reading,
or even walking. I learned it all. Can't you?
"I don't have anything to offer free to get people
to buy what I am selling."
There are a million things for free online. You can
find thousands---thousands!---of free e-books online.
Just grab a few and offer them as your incentives to
get people to buy your product or service. Anyone can
do this. Just look around online. The fruit is there
for the picking. I've seen people take classics of
literature---now in the public domain and available as
e-books---and offer them as incentives for prospects to
buy their product. It works. How do you find them?
SEARCH.
"I can't teach an e-class like you because I have
no credentials."
Your credentials are you. They are your life
experiences more than anything else. Few today care
about whether you have a degree or any other
credential. They care if you can deliver on whatever
you promise. My lifemate, Nerissa, is about to teach
an online video editing class. Anything you can teach
off-line can be taught on-line. With video, audio,
graphics, text, and chat rooms, you can have a
virtual classroom on ANYTHING you can
imagine. Why not?
"I can't make money selling my stuff on the
Internet."
Look around. The Internet is so big and vast and
even incomprehensible that truly anything can be sold
online. I've seen people sell tumble weeds and buggy
whips, greeting cards and computer generated art.
Anything sold off-line can be sold on-line. Go look at
Ebay. People sell cars, used clothes, dirt and even
snow there. I once sold an "Elvis Mermaid" at Ebay.
(You can see a picture of it at www.mrfire.com) Are
there really any limits to what can be sold online?
"I missed the right time to sell my idea."
Really? Just look at the title of one of my books:
"There's A Customer Born Every Minute." A new crowd of
prospects appears every single day. You can sell
virtually anything at virtually any time if you think
of what people want and cater to them. Sometimes you
have to think of other uses for the same product, or
other audiences than what you originally had in mind.
But the best time to sell what you have is now. What
are you waiting for?
"You live in America and I live in Mexico and
selling doesn't work here."
Give me a break. Friends of mine always go to
Mexico (and other countries said to be behind us)
and they come home with truck loads of things they
bought. Besides that, with the Internet, where you live
is almost meaningless. Take your product and go online.
Then you're not selling to your poor neighbors, but to
the entire planet. Think BIG.
The list goes on and on.
To me, excuses are the #1 thing people do wrong --
online and off. While all of these excuses seem legit
to the person saying them, they are virtually all
hogwash.
Excuses are beliefs. If you buy into them, you're
stuck. If you believe instead that there's always a way
around whatever the excuse is, then you'll move
forward. My philosophy is, "There is ALWAYS a way."
So let me try to help you here.
First, what are your excuses?
When I began this article by asking the question,
"I can't do what you did because ---", what did you
say? How did you complete the sentence? Those
are some of your excuses.
Second, ask yourself if there's any way on earth to
get around your excuses. In other words, are the
excuses you stated real or imagined? Have you tried to
get past any of them? Has anyone else, ever, gotten
past the same excuses?
Finally, what would you do if you had no excuses?
Whatever your answer, get out there and JUST DO IT.
Leave your excuses behind and your prosperity will
begin to come to you.
Leave your excuses behind and you can achieve
success, too.
Leave your excuses behind and your life will begin
to soar.
If you don't act now, why not?
Whatever your answer, THAT'S an excuse.
Are you going to let it stop you?
*****************
Dr. Joe Vitale's most recent book, co-authored with Jo
Han Mok and a cast of Internet celebrities and super
stars, is "The E-Code: 47 Surprising Secrets for Making
Money Online Almost Instantly." Joe is also the author
of the #1 Amazon best-seller, "Spiritual Marketing,"
the author of the #1 best-selling e-book "Hypnotic
Writing," and the author of the #1 best-selling
Nightingale-Conant audioprogram, "The Power of
Outrageous Marketing." His newest book is "Adventures
Within: Confessions of an Inner World Journalist,"
available now at
www.amazon.com
Sign-up for his
free monthly newsletter at
http://www.mrfire.com
Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, "What's in it for me?"
Brian Tracy
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