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4 Principles I Try to Live By

Posted: 08 Mar 2011 07:26 PM PST

I have been working online (full time now) for almost 10 years. And, as I approach this milestone in my professional life I find myself becoming much more retrospective of things past and trying to contemplate what the future will mean for me both personally and professionally.

In the last 10 years, I have went completely broke 3 different times and suffered numerous setbacks that I will chalk up as both my own cause and “bad luck”. I have seen my business grow to 110 employees and go back down to just myself working at home, only to find that I had to somehow find the resolve to pick myself up and try it all again. Despite all of that, I would not have done it any other way!

The following 4 principles are certain truths that I have come to know during this wild ride.

1) All you have is trust!

If your clients, co-workers, or partners don’t trust you . . . then you don’t have a business. You might have a organized crime syndicate or your might have a dictatorship, but you most certainly do not have a business.

Work hard as you grow your business to develop trust around everyone you know. Do what you say, and always only say the things you can or are willing to do.

2) This takes hard work!

If you are working on the internet and you are expecting a huge pie in the sky pay-dirt to come your way . . . go bet on a horse race. You will probably have better odds hitting it big there.

Everything from SEO, to PPC, and product development takes a HUGE amount of work and a lot of sleepless nights and long hours. Be ready to give it your all and most importantly make sure that your family is behind you in your endeavors. I could write a book on that truth alone (getting your family to buy into your dreams), but we will save that one for later.

3) Everything that happens to you is your own fault!

You might say “But Mike, above you mention ‘bad luck’?” . . . that’s right and when I think about it, I made that bad luck come my way.

The choices you make and the people you surround yourself with are entirely up to you. Make sure that when you set out to build your business that you only choose those who have the same or higher ethics that you have. This will ensure that you are not brought down by their poor decisions as often the case might be.

4) I never plan on retiring!

Now, my employees and partner might read this and say “But, Mike . . . that’s not what you told us!”. While it is true that I have told them in 3 years I want to retire that doesn’t mean that I want to stop working.

The idea of setting around and growing old on a golf course simply doesn’t strike a chord with me. As I move forward in life I am going to strike to work hard to help others and never stop building.

Just food for thought . . . .

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