reality_of_earning_money_online_with_internet_marketingMany people ask me what it’s like to earn money online with internet marketing.

My simple answer is usually “It’s Great!” there are tons of reasons to build a web business. That said, the reality of earning income online is that it isn’t the right job for most people.

In this post I’ll explain why, and help you figure out if starting an online business is something that you’re really interested in.

For more information you can also read my posts on A Day in the Life of an Internet Marketer or The Internet Marketing Business Review: My Life As An Online Marketer.

The Reality of Earning Income Online

The truth is: succeed online takes a lot of work.

It isn’t hard, per se, and I truly believe that anyone can do it if they take the time to learn the basics, but in order to be successful you need to be willing to commit to working several hours a day for many months, if not a year or more.

Working Online Is Like A Job

To do this successfully, you need to have the right mindset.

My biggest hesitation with recommending that people start affiliate marketing is that I want them to have realistic expectations about what they’re going to achieve.

For many people, the idea of starting a website, not working too hard, and magically earning a ton of money is firmly supplanted in their minds.

If you currently have that mindset, internet marketing is NOT for you.

If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a real way to earn money (earn being the key word here!) then it is a legit way to do so.

I approach my websites like I would a job. I need to spend time on them in order to earn any money.

Could you imagine going into an office, spending all day on Facebook and Youtube goofing off, and then going in to ask your boss for a raise? I doubt it. Online marketing works the same way.

You Need To Be Driven

Unlike a normal job though, internet marketing requires you to be extremely self-motivated.

In a word, you have to be driven.

You are going to be setting your own goals, you are going to be figuring out how to achieve those goals, and, at least in the early days, you are going to be the one sitting down to make sure that everything gets done!

If you can’t do that each and every day, if you need someone to stand over your shoulder, hold your hand and tell you what to do, then this is NOT the right business for you to be in.

If you’re self-motivated, on the other hand, there are plenty of tools and resources to help you. I have a 6 week schedule for success posted here as a good starting point, or consider joining a community to find other marketers who have “been there and done that!”

So what do you think, does this sound like something that’s right for you? If so, be sure to check out my Ultimate How To Affiliate Marketing Guide.