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<p class="has-medium-font-size">Many years ago. I coined a phrase that summed up what is a constant battle for most Internet Marketers. The phrase was Internet Marketing Attention Deficit Disorder (IMADD). It's a thing. I know. I've suffered from its effects for years, It's closely related to "Shiny Object Syndrome" but it isn't quite the same thing.</p> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Internet or affiliate marketing is an exciting and potentially lucrative occupation. The problem though is that there are so many options and so many methods that seem to be possible that it can be really easy to fall for the trap of being lured down many different avenues without ever really planting your feet, and taking a stand.</p> <p class="has-medium-font-size">One of the really easy mistakes for marketers to make is to confuse a business opportunity with being their business. It never is. It's someone else's business. Your business is you. It's what you stand for, what you represent and what you believe in. There are a raft of products and services that you can choose to be an affiliate for without compromising your values or your core business. Some of these products will enjoy brief times in the sun when they're as popular as a cold drink on a hot day. Many will just bubble along beneath the surface, generating the odd occasional sale. </p> <p class="has-medium-font-size">The point is that you are in control. You decide what your business is and how you want to run it. The moment that you drop everything to solely promote a product or service, you are no longer in control. The product is running you. </p> <h2>Running a business is hard work</h2> <p class="has-medium-font-size">There's a lot of what sports coaches call unrewarded running. You put in a lot of effort and no one sees it. But you've just got to keep doing it. Be consistent in everything you do. That doesn't mean promoting the same thing forever. It does mean that you need to be consistent in your recommendations. I made the mistake some years ago, of compromising my brand and my profile by chasing easy money. It's something that ultimately caused me to take a long breather while I reassessed my options. It was a hard lesson learned. It doesn't matter what the payoff is - you have to actually be able to own what you do. </p> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Showing up for work is a lot easier when you actually like doing it. </p> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Always ask yourself a series of simple questions. Does this product/service/method reflect my values? Will this complement or compromise my business? How will this help me to achieve my overall goals?</p> <h3>Goals, Vision and Planning Help you to stay the course</h3> <p class="has-medium-font-size">I'm pretty sure that IMADD kicks in when we're really not sure of where we're going or why. It's really important to find your "why." Very rarely is it solely about money. There are such elusive concepts as freedom, self-esteem, vindication, a need for recognition and a need to belong. You can't be someone else. You need to be you and you need to be able to understand how running your business helps to build your own self rather than reduce your perception of yourself.</p> <p class="has-medium-font-size">It's absolutely vital that you take the time to set your goals around your skills, your personality and your time availability. IMADD ultimately results in frustration and lower results. You usually get some sort of sugar hit with some initial success but there's no consistency and ultimately no satisfaction. You end up spinning your wheels and never gaining traction.</p> <p class="has-medium-font-size">Decide what your business is going to look like first. Then make your stand and build. The wins will come. they will be small at first. Celebrate them. then rinse and repeat.</p>