1 major flaw you must beat to start making BIG money writing online

If you’ve been following my writing for any amount of time, you know that I failed a lot before I ever started making big money writing online.

I was a serial website starter who never followed through on anything.

I’d get all jazzed about an idea and create concepts and logos and website designs.

And then when it came time to actually populate my sites with content — i.e. the part that would produce real income — I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

A major obstacle to riches

Recently, a reader comment from Fiona Chapman got me thinking about this major obstacle to riches again.

Here’s what Fiona said:

“I can completely identify with this and it made me smile. My mum said once that I never finish anything. In hindsight I think she meant I was too quick to give up on something before starting the next. Fortunately, having awareness of this now has made me even more determined to keep going. I don’t need to finish. I just need to progress. And I feel happy in the knowledge that I’m always growing and learning along the way.”

A great, self-aware comment.

Here’s what I responded:

“I’ve always been very much the same way. It’s only in the last year and half that I’ve actually tried things and stuck with them long enough to see if they ACTUALLY work.”

I think this is a problem for all of us to some degree.

I think my lack of attention span was probably supercharged by my ADHD mind messing with me.

That novelty-seeking aspect of my brain caused me to develop a 15-year alcohol addiction that sapped my energy, positivity, and general joie de vivre, too — also not helpful when you’re trying to get through the grind of building a business from the bottom up.

All these factors created my biggest flaw as a creator.

Adapt or die

In the content game — and in any entrepreneurial pursuit, really — you cannot have a short attention span and you cannot be impatient.

When I started out building websites, my expectations were all out of whack.

It took me about five months to start making $50+ per day writing online.

When I started out launching websites, I’d quit because I wasn’t making $50+ within five days.

And my start as a creator is not typical.

Most will tell you it takes 2+ years to get any traction.

While I got off to a raring start as a writer, my progress on YouTube is more in line with what you can expect early on.

Here’s a look at my earnings in the five or so months I’ve been monetized:

And keep in mind it took me nearly a year just to get monetized, so I was busting my butt for zero dollars!

I’ll admit I’m proud of myself in this spot.

There was a time I would have quit YouTube after two videos.

• I would have complained that it was too much work.
• I would have angrily stated that I don’t work for free.
• I would have probably had a drink and watched some TV.

And then what?

Start the cycle again with some other pursuit that would ultimately die off.

Now, I’m currently approaching 60 videos, and I think I have a strategy for big growth in 2024.

I wouldn’t be here had I not corrected that major flaw you must overcome to find any success: impatience.

Seriously, listen to what I’m saying to you now, and don’t forget it:

I had to learn the hard way.

I’m 42 years old and I’m just getting my business going now because I finally stuck with something long enough to see it grow into something special (to me). I have deep regret about the time I’ve wasted.

Don’t make the same mistake I did.

Give it a year. Give it two.

You can change your life. But it won’t happen overnight.

I want to go back to something reader Fiona said:

“I don’t need to finish. I just need to progress.”

This is the most important thing.

It’s great to have big, long-term goals, but the problem is that people get fixated on them and they don’t materialize immediately, those people get discouraged and quit.

Instead of focusing on the goal of “I want to quit my job and be a full-time writer,” focus on a goal like “I’m going to write for 45 minutes today.”

And then focus on writing (or whatever you’re working on) for 45 minutes tomorrow.

And in a year or two, you will be shocked at how far you’ve come.

Exponential growth comes later.

For today, you don’t need to finish.

You just need to progress.

Publish Every Day project update: Day 89

I’m experimenting to see if I can make enough money to leave commuter life within 1 year by publishing every day on various platforms and putting my earnings into passive income investments.

How much I need to retire: $250 CAD per day

What I earned on Day 89: $20.01 (writing) + $0.86 (YouTube) = $20.87 total

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Friends, thank you so much for taking the time to read! If you enjoyed this piece, please give it a clap or two so others can find it and please let me know in the comments!

Have a wonderful day!