Copyright 2006 Mal Keenan

This December coming will be the second anniversary of my full-time home business. Did you know that it took me almost six years to get to the stage of earning enough income to be able to make it a full-time venture?

That's right! Six years of long hours spent in front of a PC. For the last year or two I used a wireless laptop, which at least meant I could move around the house rather than been stuck in one room.

Many of the people I deal with today do not want to spend six weeks let alone six years building their business. They expect INSTANT riches. Are you one of those?

Sure, some people are overnight successes but they are a small minority. The vast majority of full-time internet marketers have taken at least a year or two to make a real success of their home business. I'm a slow learner.....

I am a full-time affiliate marketer. That means I make my income selling other people's products and services. The first product I ever sold earned me $8. Obviously I wasn't able to buy a new car in the first month but the initial sale was a big turning point. It was then that I realised that it really IS possible to make money online.

From there my income grew steadily until I was comfortable enough to take the massive step of making a career of it.

Was it easy? Obviously not, or I would have got there a lot sooner.

The most important thing I have learnt over the years is that you absolutely MUST take responsibility for your own business. Too many people out there are putting THEIR success in the hands of others and frequently blaming people, places, and things for their failure.

If you think someone is actually going to do this for you or even meet you half way then you're sadly mistaken. Many people that are making it won't even answer your emails. That was my experience at the beginning and it still is to this day. Am I complaining? No, this is something that I accept totally. It doesn't come between me and success. If MY success is conditional on what OTHER PEOPLE do then I become frustrated time and time again.

The only lucky breaks you are likely to get are those you create for yourself.

If someone isn't playing ball then move on until you find someone that will. If you don't get a response to your email try again, try the phone, try someone else. Just keep trying! The only way you can actually fail is by giving up, so simple. So true that 95% give up.

The next time you find yourself thinking "if only this...." or "if only he would..." stop yourself and look at how YOU can find another way. How can YOU add to your business on a daily basis?

One positive action every day for your business will eventually lead you to that elusive online career regardless of what other people are doing.