Most successful bloggers dream of writing a best selling book one day.

A book that will impact the lives of MILLIONS!

In this article best selling author Jerry Gillies reveals his own personal secrets on how to write a best selling book.

Jerry wrote the 2 Million selling best seller MONEYLOVE back in 1978 – in the days before the Internet and Amazon.

At a time when you could not fake your book into a “best seller”.

How I Raised Myself from Poverty to Prosperity With a Bestselling Book, plus 7 Secrets That Will Help You Do The Same

By Jerry Gillies

I am not declaring that I am smarter, or even a better writer than you.

In fact, I’d be willing to bet you are in better financial shape right now than I was then.

Two things, however, that led to my success:

1. An overwhelming belief that I had something valuable to say.
2. The willingness to drop everything else in my life, including an income, and focus all my energy and attention on writing.

I was barely getting by after quitting my job as a broadcast journalist in New York and moving to Miami. Then, Moneylove came out and hundreds of thousands of dollars started pouring in. This is not a unique or unusual story. Many writers have seen their fortunes dramatically improve following their first bestselling book.

In fact, there are few single events in life that can produce the results in cash, widespread recognition, and building a legacy than having a book hit the NY Times bestseller list. Being able to call yourself a bestselling author is just as prestigious, though not nearly as difficult to attain, as being able to call yourself an Academy Award-winning actor, or Nobel Prize winner.

In the process of moving from poverty to prosperity, I discovered some truths gathered during thirty years of being a bestselling author and knowing many authors even more successful than me. So, here are the seven secrets, the concepts, the strategies that produced two million sales for Moneylove.

How To Write A Best Selling Book Secret #1:

The Company You Keep

Most of us have heard this or a variation of it ‘You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.’

Well before Moneylove, I wrote a book called FRIENDS–The Power and Potential of The Company You Keep.

In that book, I focused on the importance to a happy and successful life of having what I termed a “supportive interpersonal environment.”

Since all writers need encouragement and praise, it is vital that the people around you can provide these benefits. Particularly, you need to include writers in your circle of friends. And specifically, if possible, writers who are published and more successful than you.

This is a big one you don’t hear about too much. Instead, you hear about how writers are mostly loners and isolated, therefore not available to you for mentoring and support. This is basically a Big Lie.

It is true that a majority of writers keep to themselves a lot, otherwise they wouldn’t get much writing done. But I luckily stumbled upon the fact that there are bestselling authors hanging out at a lot of specific places, and they are very friendly and approachable at those places. The advantage of getting to know some bestselling authors is that you will discover we are ordinary folk, and you fit in very well when we get together.

A bestselling millionaire author would much rather hang out with a beginning writer earning minimum wage as a waiter (while writing his or her book) than a banking tycoon or multimillionaire builder.

Best Selling Writers – Where Are They? How Do You Reach Them?

When I was doing interviews at NBC Radio in New York, I got to talk to a number of bestselling writers, but it wasn’t until I joined and became active in the Association for Humanistic Psychology that I had the opportunity to be in the company of lots of them. One amazing thing I discovered was that I was treated with the same welcoming energy and respect before I had written my first book as I was when sales of Moneylove started approaching their first million copies. And the lectures and workshops at AHP conventions were fascinating and gave me a lot of material for future books.

Next, I joined The National Speakers Association, thanks to Mark Victor Hansen, who invited me to my first NSA convention. Then, the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, where I got to know people like Ray Bradbury and Rita Mae Brown.

Finally, The Inside Edge, the famed leadership support group [Mastermind] that Jack Canfield, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Norman Cousins, myself and Susan Jeffers helped found, and most of the board of advisors had written successful books.

There’s not enough room in this article to list all the advantages of hanging out with other authors.

A strategy you might explore is to get in touch with some successful authors and find out whether they attend any of the writers conferences or other professional associations, and, if so, whether they would be willing to meet with you for a chat.

Of course, if you have any bestselling authors in your city, you can contact them and ask for a personal interview. As a former newsman, I sometimes used this ploy and just asked a favorite author if I could interview them for a possible article or newsletter. Now we have blogs to serve that purpose. No matter how rich, famous, and busy a bestselling author is, they will rarely turn down a new writer who wants to spend a few minutes with them.

A perfect example of this comes from two of the bestselling authors in human history. They are also two longtime friends of mine, going back over thirty years, before they ever wrote or even thought of the first book in the bestselling series
of the 20th century, the Chicken Soup for The Soul series.

I first met Jack Canfield when I interviewed him for NBC. Mark Victor Hansen and I became friends after he wrote me a wonderful note telling me how much Moneylove had meant to him and had helped him become a prosperity teacher. They were both impressed with how successful Moneylove was.

The Chicken Soup for the Soul books, over 225 of them, which have sold half a billion copies in 47 languages, are collections of short true stories from teachers, workshop leaders, and ordinary people. Some of them are funny. Some are sad. But they all have an uplifting message. I’ve written five of the stories myself for three of the books over the years.

I think Jack and Mark would have been astonished, to know two things when we first talked about this first Chicken Soup book: One, how very very successful it would be, making them both millionaires many times over. Two, and maybe even a bigger surprise–they did not start out planning exactly this kind of book, of tales from mostly ordinary people out there.

Here’s a Chicken Soup for the Soul story, which I don’t think has ever been told anywhere before, but I was there.

Shortly after meeting Mark Victor Hansen, he invited me as his guest to the annual convention of The National Speakers Association, being held that year in New Orleans. I didn’t know any of the professional speakers in the group, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover how many knew me through Moneylove. These included people like Zig Ziglar and Denis Waitley and Og Mandino. I became a member, and I then told Jack Canfield about the group and that I thought he’d enjoy it and gain some real value from being a member.

One of the great benefits of seeing all those great speakers in one place, seeing and hearing their best talks, one after the other over several days, was that we got to hear their best stories. Jack and Mark and I talked about the fact that every speaker had at least one killer story he or she told at the end of their talk.

It was either a funny or inspiring or poignantly moving story, sometimes all three.

I don’t know which of us thought of the idea first, but we began to discuss going to all these top speakers and collecting their killer stories for a book.

Jack and Mark took off with this idea as I got involved in other things, mostly traveling and doing workshops overseas. A problem came up that provides a valuable lesson for all authors.

That lesson is:

Since many of the most famous and successful speakers had just one powerful closing story they used for audiences all over, year after year, they were reluctant to allow them to be circulated more widely in a book. Also, some of them were the types of stories that had to be heard with an audience to be most effective. Their power and impact might be diminished by appearing in print.

So, Jack and Mark dramatically changed their focus. They realized that lots of people had great, moving, funny, inspiring stories. Stories from their own lives. And Chicken Soup for The Soul was born. They also deserve a lot of credit for their persistence and commitment (two more qualities any author needs), since that first Chicken Soup book was turned down by about 150 different publishers in the course of a year or so. Finally, the small Florida-based company, Health Communications, took it on. The rest is truly publishing history.

Some valuable lessons for all writers and potential bestselling authors in the experiences of Jack and Mark. But I think the most valuable one of all was that they were ready to turn on a dime when circumstances changed. They changed the criteria for the stories in the book itself, and they kept going when many another author would have given up after the first 10 or 50 or 100 rejections.

Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer.
– Ray Bradbury

How To Write A Best Selling Book Secret #2:

Happy Talk About What You Do

Many writers giving advice say an author shouldn’t talk about what he or she is writing. It’s true that talking too much to too many people about your forthcoming book, article, or blog post can suck the energy out of any creative project. I agree with that premise, but do want accentuate the positive truth that you should be talking about what you are doing in your own life. Especially the stuff you plan to include in your book.

“You better make them care about what you think. It had better be quirky or perverse or thoughtful enough so that you hit some chord in them. Otherwise it doesn’t work. I mean we’ve all read pieces where we thought, ‘Oh, who gives a damn.’ ”
—Nora Ephron

My Own Happy Talk Experience

A lot of the success for me in writing and promoting Moneylove came from the fact that I was already talking about prosperity consciousness before I even pitched the book to a publisher. I had listened to some tapes of a man named Leonard Orr, who had an unusual concept. He said your attitudes about money itself dictated your financial results.

This excited and stimulated my creativity and I went to one of his evening seminars. I started to come up with strategies of my own to put his ideas into action. I had been doing lectures and workshops on communication and relationships. Now I threw in little tidbits about prosperity consciousness, and how I was using it in my own life.

People got enthusiastic, got results, and asked for more and the rest is all about the momentum that energy generated.

I love the song Happy Talk in the musical, South Pacific. Especially the opening:

Happy talk, keep talking happy talk,
Talk about things you’d like to do,

I would change the second line to: “Talk about things you do.” If you are passionate and excited about the subject of your book, or whatever you are writing, and have found the ideas are making a difference in your life, or the lives of anyone else, then talk about that–not the specifics of your actual book.

One great strategy to put this concept into practice is to prepare, before you even start writing your book, an actual thirty minute talk on the subject. This will also enable you to introduce your ideas and focus on the most important theme. You can even approach local organizations that book speakers about having you do your talk. Even if you do some free talks for charitable groups, churches and such, it’s a great marketing research tool.

This also helps with something all aspiring authors need to do. In today’s publishing world, an author needs to do a lot of the marketing and promotion himself. It is vital that you not only provide a great proposal or manuscript to a publisher, but also tell what audiences will buy the book and how you intend to reach them

How To Write A Best Selling Book Secret #3:

Start Immediately

“My advice is not to wait to be struck by an idea. If you’re a writer, you sit down and damn well decide to have an idea. That’s the way to get an idea.”
~ Andy Rooney

One of the first pieces of prosperity advice I put in Moneylove was from pioneering psychologist William James. He said that in order to change your life, you had to start immediately. So, let us consider this: you are probably not a bestselling author right now, or you wouldn’t be reading this article. What you want to therefore change is to become a bestseller author, at least to begin that process. Start immediately. Start writing, even if you’re not sure what you want to say.

If you are serious, begin to write at least one page a day. It doesn’t have to have a purpose or specific goal, but you have to do it with energy and without exception. Julia Cameron says in, The Artist’s Way, that you should wake up every morning and immediately write three pages. Some folks might find that too daunting. Do it if you can, but at the very least–one page. Once you have done this for a month, check out your first pages versus your latest pages and you will find the practice has made a difference. This will change your results whether you are wanting to write a book, a blog, persuasive emails, or clever Tweets.

Here are several starting immediately strategies I’ve given in my Writing A Bestseller workshops along with personal coaching clients:

Write a simple and clear sentence that explains what your book is about.

If you have such a clear command of your purpose in writing a book (or anything) that you can convey its essence in a single sentence, you are starting out way ahead of most authors.

Write the copy for your book’s jacket.

For the research necessary to do this, you will have to go to the library or a bookstore and check out the jacket copy on hardcover books, particularly the side flaps. Writing your own version of this for your own book can provide momentum, even if what you write now won’t accurately describe your finished manuscript.

Start doing what I call Sampling Your Future Success.

I did this by cutting out a copy of the NY Times bestseller list, and typing Moneylove on the list before putting it on my bulletin board.

In addition to a proposal or manuscript, you need to have a clear idea of who your audience is and how they can be reached If you have a blog with thousands of hits, that’s an easy one.

I also always visualize myself appearing on a major talk show and imagine what questions the host (I use Oprah a lot, since I actually was a guest on her show) will ask, and how I would respond.

How To Write A Best Selling Book Secret #4:

Capture the readers attention with your opening lines

One way to always guarantee you will intrigue, attract, interest, and capture the attention of a reader is to become a master of the opening line, or even the opening several lines.

Even before you fully write your book (or even a blog post) getting the opening clarified and clear in your head is essential.

I don’t know about you, but when I am browsing through books in a bookstore, the library, or online, I always check out the beginning sentences. The first words either trigger a desire in me to read more, or they don’t. In Moneylove, my opening lines in the Introduction were:

“You deserve to be rich, and you can be rich. MONEYLOVE can help you have a life of abundance, filled with love and creativity and, incidentally, all the cash you want.”

I call this, beginning the begin!

Business experts doing a lot of market research and psychologists doing a lot of studies, have both reached the same conclusion, that first minute of contact is vital. It’s that minute that determines the progress of any interaction–personal or professional.

Widely considered the best opening line in literature is Jane Austen’s for Pride and Prejudice:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

This sentence lets the reader know what kind of a book he or she has chosen. It sets a tone.

And here’s a shocking truth about being a bestselling author: you can learn as much or more about good writing from reading really great opening lines from books, as you can from almost any college course on writing. And this is the best time in history to do this, because you can find those openings online without having to go to a library or bookstore. If you put into your search engine a request such as “great opening lines in books,” or: “the best literary opening lines,” you will gain access to an unlimited stream of the best ones out there.

In nonfiction, look at the opening line of the foreword to Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich:

“The Thirteen Steps to Riches described in this book offer the shortest dependable philosophy of individual achievement ever presented for the benefit of the man or woman who is searching for a definite goal,”

How To Write A Best Selling Book Secret #5:

The Short and Sweet of It

Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.
– Henry David Thoreau

Short words and short sentences are pretty much norm now in most writing courses, but when I first started talking about this in the 1970s, the standard was flowery language and complex sentences, except for a few brilliant writers who knew this secret. That it is no longer a secret is pretty much due to one man, Rudolf Flesch (see Secret Seven below for more on him).

As you can see by my opening for this article, I do not always follow the popular advice to keep sentences short. Sometimes long is more expressive. Sometimes a few long sentences interspersed with a lot of short ones can create a pleasing rhythm. Back and forth. A master of this quality in her writing is Harper Lee. Her opening for, To Kill a Mockingbird, is a brilliant example of mixing short sentences and long flowing ones. She didn’t go for flash or shock, but simply started with the kind of statement a child might make,

“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.”

Look at how simply Harper Lee conveys the life of a sleepy old Southern town in very few words. “There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and nothing to buy it with.”

To Kill a Mocking Bird, one of my very favorite books, is the epitomé of clear and simple writing. As the best books in fiction or nonfiction always do, an author should create a dialogue with the reader that resembles a good friend telling a good story.

In terms of cutting down on wordage, I have had any number of successful nonfiction and fiction writers tell me that one of the most important disciplines any writer can master is to take a paragraph or sentence, or even a page, that you really are in love with, and cut it from your manuscript.

I had a whole chapter left out of Moneylove when I got the final galleys prior to it going to the printing presses. The book originally had seven chapters, and my editor, Herb Katz, without telling me, cut a whole chapter out because he felt it didn’t fit with the other chapters. After a while, I was forced to agree with him, but not until I had ranted and raved for a week or two.

Writing can be like music. There are high notes. There are low notes. And once in a while, there are no notes, as you pause to let the mind breathe between paragraphs.

A Warning Note:

If most of the writing you have done has been of an academic sort while taking college courses, you will be at a disadvantage in writing for a larger mainstream audience. Most readers today are most comfortable with a 5th grade level of vocabulary, and anything more may go right over their heads.

How To Write A Best Selling Book Secret #6:

Become a One Trick Pony

This cliché phrase is often used in a pejorative way, to describe someone who has only one talent or skill and nothing more to offer once that is displayed or presented. However, for a writer starting out, it can be a valuable strategy, No matter how many subjects you have mastered and how many tricks you possess, It’s useful to appear as if you are a supreme master, a real expert about one important subject.

One of the bestselling authors I had some impact on was Spencer Johnson. Spencer has been kind enough to tell me my two hour seminar on writing a bestseller at the National Speakers Association really made a difference in his approach to writing. What he was doing with corporate clients was teaching them the value of praising employees, in a very short amount of time. This one minute praise technique led to the huge bestseller he wrote with management expert Kenneth Blanchard, The One-Minute Manager, which has sold over thirteen million copies. Spencer Johnson went on to write the bestselling, Who Moved My Cheese, as well as the ValueTales series of children’s books.

Spencer Johnson is obviously a very creative writer who has lots of ideas for books, but his first effort was so successful because rather than just come up with a book he thought would sell, he focused on what he was already doing. And once he became a master of that one idea, he and his co-author, Ken Blanchard, came up with the add-ons of One Minute Goals and One Minute Reprimands. They thus became three-trick ponies and much more.

Louise Hay is another multi-million copy bestselling author who started out with one trick, which led to You Can Heal Your Life — over 50 million sold and counting.

I remember back in the early 1980s, Louise, her assistant, Julie, and I sitting in a hot tub in the backyard of her rented house in Santa Monica. She had produced a cult classic, You Can Heal Your Body. A small booklet, it was beloved by the holistic health community. But Louise had delayed turning this material into a full-length book, even though she had a publishing contract to do so. A lot of our conversation focused on trying to motivate Louise to finish the book. I can assure you that, at that moment, Louise did not have a clue, or even a dream, about being a bestselling author. And she certainly could not have foreseen that she would create a large publishing empire (Hay House) and influence and help millions of people around the world. And it all grew out of her original idea that certain emotions trigger certain illnesses and symptoms. For a one trick pony, Louise Hay certainly picked the right trick.

We were friends, so I wouldn’t have even thought about charging her for the coaching I did in and out of that hot tub. I earned a lot more money than any coaching fees would have produced, however, as she mentions Moneylove very favorably in You Can Heal Your Life. This led to thousands of sales for me.

Often, when you want to be focusing on an upcoming book project, no matter how multi-dimensional you are–no matter how many tricks you have up your sleeve–it is best to focus on a single strong subject or theme. For an aspiring bestselling author, multitasking can be a mental vampire, sucking the energy out of the big idea you have.

How To Write A Best Selling Book Secret #7:

Bookworm Your Way to Success

A simple truth: your success as a writer of books is affected by your reading habits.

Ask any successful author…

“If you stuff yourself full of poems, essays, plays, stories, novels, films, comic strips, magazines, you automatically explode every morning like Old Faithful. I have never had a dry spell in my life, mainly because I feed myself well, to the point of bursting. I wake early and hear my morning voices leaping around in my head like jumping beans. I get out of bed quickly, to trap them before they escape.”
—Ray Bradbury

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Stephen King

“I never desire to converse with a man who has written more than he has read.”
Samuel Johnson

I don’t know any good and successful writers who don’t surround themselves with books, both fiction and nonfiction.

I have long asserted that fiction is important to read, especially for those who have limited themselves to nonfiction. I have had a number of professional speakers and motivational teachers say they only read nonfiction because that’s information they need for their careers. Wrong!

Fiction is important because novelists are some of the great thinkers and philosophers about the human condition. I have learned more about life and people from novels than from any nonfiction books on the subject. There are parts of the brain that are stimulated and enriched by reading fiction that no other method seems to duplicate.

I also have never met a successful author who didn’t have a few favorite books on writing.

So, here are my seven favorites on being a better writer:

1. The Elements of Style…by Strunk and White. This is the classic on writing style that almost every writer of note has a copy of. It is an enduring masterpiece whether you are writing a nonfiction book, a novel, an article or blog post.

2. The Artist’s Way…by Julia Cameron. A book not just about writing but an instruction manual on training your mind to be more creatively productive.

3. On Writing Well—by William Zinsser –This addresses directly the problem most beginning writers have with too many words, sentences and paragraphs that are just too long. And Zinsser demonstrates how it should be done by his own crisp,clear, simple writing style.

4. The Art of Readable Writing—by Rudolf Flesch. You might as well start with this classic from 1949, though almost any of Flesch’s books on speaking and writing plainly and clearly are well worth reading. This was the very first book I read on writing, as a high school student. It may just be the single book that most influenced my writing style. Flesch was also the author of the iconic bestseller, Why Johnny Can’t Read.

5. Bird by Bird—by Anne Lamott. One of the most outrageous and down-to-earth and funny books you’ll find on the subject of writing. She is one of my very favorite writers, and unusual in that she has had bestsellers both on the fiction and nonfiction lists.

6. Zen in the Art of Writing – by Ray Bradbury. The late genius created this collection of essays on writing and creativity. A lot of the material was introduced during his annual opening night lecture at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, where we were both on the faculty. I was proud to be his friend and for him to be my generous mentor. Those of you familiar with my Moneylove philosophy will understand why I love this book. While many writers talk and write about how difficult and lonely writing is, Ray thought writing was more fun than anything else. He said, “If you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer.”

7. Starting from Scratch: A Different Kind of Writer’s Manual – by Rita Mae Brown. While still in her twenties, she wrote Rubyfruit Jungle, a novel about growing up as a lesbian in the South. Rita Mae is also one of my all-time favorite authors, and listening to her erudite lectures at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference was a delight and powerful learning experience.

You may choose your own favorite books about writing, there certainly are hundreds, perhaps thousands, to select from, and maybe a friend or teacher or writer you know has recommended one or more. For me, these seven books contain the essential information I want and need to practice my craft, though I have read and collected many others over the years.

How To Write A Best Selling Book – Bonus:

It always astonishes me how many writers don’t know what a tremendous resource the magazine, Publishers Weekly, can be. It’s the trade publication for the publishing industry and aimed at publishers, editors, bookstores, and literary agents. If you are serious about writing a bestseller, it is a must-read. Or I should say it’s a must-browse. With hundreds of pages every week, actually reading the whole thing would be overwhelming.

Publishers Weekly will help you keep up with what books are coming out, which authors just got a big advance, how social media is promoting book sales, and whether an editor you were thinking of sending your book proposal to has just left and gone to another publishing house. For me, however, the best part of PW is the review section, with nonfiction as a separate category. In those mini-reviews, you will find books you wouldn’t know about otherwise, books that aren’t to be found in your local bookstore or library. I’ve lost count of how many books I’ve ordered after first reading about them in Publishers Weekly.
It is more than worth your while to check out this little-known publication (among the public, including writers). Your local library probably has a copy, and most bookstores do. You can therefore check it out at no cost.

I cannot imagine any writer who follows all seven secrets will have any difficulty in creating at least one huge bestseller. Go forth and prove me right!

About Jerry Gillies

Jerry Gillies passed away late 2015.

Jerry was one of the first prosperity teachers of modern times – writing International Best seller: MONEYLOVE in 1978 – His reach and influence was considerable. Although Jerry is no longer here in body, he will always remain in the hearts & souls of the people whose lives he’s touched over his 75 years on this earth.

IncomeDiary is honored to feature a number of posts and an interview with Jerry.

The post 7 Secrets To Writing A Best Selling Book That Sold 2 Million Copies! appeared first on How To Make Money Online.

But before he was a legend, he was a person.

We can’t all be Steve Jobs, but we can all learn from his extraordinary life.

Life Advice From Steve Jobs

#1 Skate to Where the Puck is Going to Be

In 2007, Steve Jobs said, “There’s an old Wayne Gretzky quote that I love. ‘I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.’ And we’ve always tried to do that at Apple. Since the very, very beginning. And we always will.”

Steve’s ability to anticipate future trends helped Apple dominate now-burgeoning markets like digital music sales (through the iPod and iTunes Store).

#2 Accentuate the Positive

Steve started life out on the wrong foot. He was given up for adoption at birth.

Tough break? Young Jobs didn’t think so: he was thankful for his loving adoptive parents — who happened to live in Palo Alto, California (which would eventually become Silicon Valley).

#3 Learn from Others

In high school, Jobs attended lectures at a small computer technology company called Hewlett-Packard. Before turning 21, Steve had worked for both HP and Atari. He saw what these companies were doing and learned what he wanted to do differently with Apple.

#4 Start Early

Because Steve was still a sponge-brained teenager when he started working with computers, he learned quickly.

It also helps that he started Apple in his early 20’s: when he was still full of energy, fresh ideas, and not yet restrained by a family or career.

#5 College is Important…

At its best, higher education challenges us to make connections and solve problems.

Jobs credits a college calligraphy course for part of the Macintosh’s development:

“If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts.”

#6 …But it’s Not Necessary

Reed University was expensive and Jobs didn’t want to drain his parents’ savings. If Jobs hadn’t dropped out, he would have been a junior in 1975. He co-founded Apple Computer that year instead.

#7 Travel the World

The year before he founded Apple, Jobs journeyed to India. Travel has a way of broadening a person’s perspective and expanding their sense of what’s possible – good traits in an entrepreneur.

#8 Surround Yourself with Good People

Steve Jobs wasn’t a great computer engineer. Apple would have had no chance if Jobs was the only one building the computers. That’s why he recruited Steve Wozniak.

Through the years, Jobs’ companies have blossomed thanks to the brilliant people he’s brought on board – like Apple CEO Tim Cook and Pixar CCO (Chief Creative Officer) John Lasseter.

#9 Expect Greatness

People tend to rise to expectations.

#10 Fake it Before You Make it

In Apple’s early days, Steve recognized that Palo Alto, California was the epicenter of innovative computer technology. Steve wanted his company to be associated with this place – but Apple was still headquartered out of a garage in nearby Los Altos.

Jobs’ solution was to set up a PO Box in Palo Alto and hire a voice answering service. A potential client would get the impression that Apple was a big company in the heart of Silicon Valley – even though the truth was that it was still just two sweaty guys in a garage across town.

#11 Obstacles are meant to be Overcome

The post 21 Life Lessons from Steve Jobs appeared first on How To Make Money Online.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

The post How To Sell A Website For The Most Money Possible appeared first on How To Make Money Online.

I started my entrepreneurial career in the Summer of 1982, selling door to door.

Some would call it ‘hard selling’.

But, the master sales closers I met, made it look easy.

Prospects fell in love with them.

They never had to close anyone hard.

Truth be known, I wanted to be like them.

I learned a lot from these sales mentors.

Strategies and techniques that have made me a lot of money.

You see, being a commission only sales person is not that different from being an Internet Marketer.

They both get paid by results!

To succeed in sales…

You have to convince your prospect you care…

Selling is not a battle with a winner and a loser, it is an encounter with either two winners or two losers.

This is an essential clarification.

One that is often missed by people who do not understand the true ethos of selling and persuasion.

The most successful salespeople really care about their customers and this comes across in everything they say and do.

Selling is not about tricking anyone, it is about helping people own products that make their life better.

Persuasion is not manipulation…

Persuasion is not manipulation – manipulation is coercion through force to get someone to do something that is not in their best interest.

Persuasion on the other hand is the art of getting people to make decisions that are in their best interest.

This clarification is essential because without it you will become nothing more than a Conman or woman!

Finally, in this introduction, I should also tell you about the salespeople I admire most…

They are called COPYWRITERS or as Ray Edwards calls them: Cash Flow Engineers!

To succeed in face to face selling is great but my ultimate admiration goes to those Master Sales Closers who master the art of selling from a web page, email or in PRINT!

15 Things The Best Sales Closers Taught Me About Selling Online

#1 Prospects rarely buy the first time you ask.

One of my early sales mentors explained that all the best relationships start with a No. (His wife had refused to marry him a number of times before eventually saying yes)

And so it is with selling, you will hear No more often than Yes.

How does this apply to making money online?

Consider an email sequence for a typical product launch…

a) a launch email… telling you about the product. Explaining how it solves a particular problem or pain. Normally, there will be scarcity, limited numbers of memberships etc available. This will be your first opportunity to buy.

b) a followup email telling you of a success story related to using the product and a reminder of everything that is included. Another opportunity to buy.

c) an FAQ type email, listing questions people are asking followed by answers. Another opportunity to buy.

That’s only three emails, most product launches consist of 5 – 6 emails.

And most of the sales come in the last few hours of a promo!

It is human nature to procrastinate.

It was that way for me as a rookie salesman back in 1982 and it is still the same today.

In a recent affiliate promotion, I was party to, 12.5 % of the sales came with the first email, a further 25% on the second email and a whopping 62.5% of sales on the 3rd email.

Imagine how things would be if the affiliate had only sent one email? And imagine what may have happened if the affiliate had emailed 4 times or even 5.

I do not advocate pressure selling.

However, if you believe your subscriber or prospect will benefit from your product and it is in their best interest to own it, you should take the time to explain your offering in detail and why it is in their best interest to own.

In any case, if your subscriber does not like your offering or is put off my your emails, they can unsubscribe.

The best internet marketers actively encourage subscribers to unsubscribe if they are not a buyer.

If your products help people save money, make money, lose weight, live longer or enhance their life in any way, customers will thank you for helping them to buy!

The best sales closer believes they are doing a disservice if they do not close the sale and the prospect has to buy elsewhere.

The top sales closers are almost evangelical in their belief in their product.

#2 Top Sales Closers, use Questions to Sell

I remember it like it was yesterday, the first time a sales mentor told me selling is asking, not telling.

He was quite clear – telling was a waste of time!

Asking was where the money is!

As soon as I started applying it my sales skyrocketed!

Example Questions:

What concerns do you have? [What is the pain? Why are you looking for a new car today? a new home? ]

What’s the most important priority to you with this purchase? [The No 1 thing they want to fix/solve]

What prompted you to look into this?

If you are selling offline and responding to an Internet inquiry ask:

How did you find our website?

9 times out of 10 the answer will be via GOOGLE.

You then ask, what search term did you use to find us?

The answers you get, allows you to adapt your sales presentation to the prospect rather than reciting some ‘canned sales pitch’

Above all, asking questions removes pressure in face to face selling.

How does this apply to selling online?

Clever copywriters ask questions in sales copy. However, there is one important distinction…

Only ever ask questions that prompt your prospect to give the answer you want.

In sales copy, the answer should never be ‘I don’t know’.

Here is one particular style of questioning you will often come across…

It is the open-ended question: “Who else wants __________________?”

This type of question works because it implies lots of people are already getting X result.

e.g.

“Who else wants to learn these secret copy-writing strategies?”

“Who else wants to learn a second language in 30 days?”

Questions need not be exclusively about making sales.

Many Internet Marketers use surveys to research buyers motivations prior to creating a product.

Tools that allow you to do this include Survey Monkey – but there are others.

#3 Top Sales Closers Know Facts Tell but Stories Sell

The best salespeople LOVE to tell stories … and they are great at telling them.

People remember well-told stories and in a competitive sales situation, the best storyteller wins!

Telling stories sets you apart from your competition and make you stand out.

Better still combine that story with the benefits of your product and you will create a memorable and positive association with your product in the customers head.

All the most successful companies have a great story (or two)

A great place to start is with a Founders story…

How the founder came to create the product.

Richard Branson is a great example of this.

Stories create curiosity.

Stories allow your prospect to experience ownership of your product or service in the present moment.

Stories give you license to say things to your prospects that might otherwise be risky or too personal that in turn trigger powerful emotions that motivate your prospect to buy.

and above all…

Stories allow you to make a personal connection with your potential buyers.

How does this apply to Internet Marketing?

Every great Internet Marketer has their own unique Founders Story.

What is yours?

Why did you create your product? What is the pain are you are fixing?

Tell your story!

#4 The Best Sales Closers are Great Listeners

“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” – Epictetus

If you stop and really listen the prospect will tell you why they should own your product. Especially so if you guide them with the right kind of questions. Importantly, the less you talk and the more you listen, the less pressurized the sales environment will be.

#5 A confused mind says NO!

The top sales closer is clear and concise in their communication.

The best sales closer talks low and slow.

They are not the fast-talking salesperson that popular culture would suggest.

Talking calmly and slowly makes it easier for your prospect to listen and believe you.

If you talk too fast and in a high pitched voice, you will come across as pushy and not trustworthy.

The top sales closer takes the time to explain everything in detail and clearly before asking for the order.

They use questions to discover what the prospect already knows and tailor their presentation to the prospects particular need.

If they use an acronym the top sales closer makes sure to explain what it stands for.

Above all, the top sales closer knows their product back to front and enjoy talking about it.

They know their subject so well that they could explain it to a child.

If you can explain yourself effectively to someone who has no background on the subject, then you will certainly be able to make a persuasive case with someone who does have some background.

How does this apply to Internet Marketing?

When you send out an email or write a blog post it is important to not assume anything.

Every email or sales page should explain why your subscriber should read it.

What did you promise them in the subject line? Are you delivering?

Tell them something cool. (Stories are good)

Above all:

o Explain the value of your offer
o Remind the reader what they’ll get out of taking action (remove the pain)
o Use bullet points to highlight the important parts of your offer.
o Make your content easy to scan

#6 The best sales closers know their stats!

The best sales closers know their stats!

At least weekly and often daily they will be comparing their closing rates and commissions earned.

As a 21-year-old Rookie, my first sales manager introduced me to CAPS.

Contacts | Appointments | Presentations | Sales

I knew that for approx every 20 cold calls (doors knocked) I would get one person to agree to an appointment.

Of those potential ‘appointments’ a certain number would fall to the wayside – typically 3 appointments would result in one presentation to a qualified prospect.

My closing rate of appointments to sales averaged out at around 2 sales for every 3 presentations, but even if it was only one sale per 3 presentations and the average commission per sales was $600, that meant I earned $3.33 per cold call.

(180 cold contacts | 9 “appointments’ | 3 Presentations | 1 sale for $600 commission)

600 / 180 = $3.33 per cold call

Not bad for a penniless 21-year-old back in 1982

How does this apply to Internet Marketing?

One of the most frequently used is EPC – earnings per click, but there are many more. Check out this link.

Knowing your EPC is particularly important if you do any pay per click advertising.

Additionally, you should know how many visitors to a web page it takes to get a subscriber and then in turn you should know what that subscriber is worth to you.

Or another measurement one blogger I know uses is ‘earnings per visitor’.

In this case, he earns 7 cents per visitor. Now when you have 400000 visitors per month that starts to add up! ($28,000 per month)

Smart marketers are more likely to focus on the lifetime value of a customer – some will even be prepared to lose money on their first transaction, but that is not something I recommend to you.

#7 Cover the objection before the customer does

Selling is about handling objections – covering of the reasons not to buy before the customer even thinks about them.

Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust. – Zig Ziglar

Average salespeople think that Objections are a bad thing which indicates that their customer is not going to buy.

But the truth is that Objections are in fact Buying Signals.

I mean, if you had no interest, you would not even bother to object!

The top sales closer sees objections as buying signals.

#8 Always remain positive – especially with nasty customers

Someone years ago said the customer is always right. I don’t 100% agree but in the main, it has been my policy to give the customer the benefit of the doubt.

Of course, customers can be scammers but my experience is that it a small percentage and it is best to “allow” for these occasional scanners as a cost of doing business.

In any case…

Statistics suggest that when customers complain, business owners and managers ought to get excited about it. The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business. – Zig Ziglar

You never really know the true character of a business or an individual until something goes wrong. It is how you handle these issues that define you.

Handled correctly, the angriest customer can turn into your greatest cheerleader.

Remain polite and considerate – it pays handsome dividends in the end.

#9 Twist my arm but don’t break it

The best sales closers and copywriters use humor to sell

When faced by a customer wanting an extra discount old sales closer I knew would say:

“Twist my arm but don’t break it”

It got a smile just about every time and more often than not, the sale.

When you make people smile, they relax and often forget their objections.

Of course, there are plenty of other ways to handle price ‘objections’ – using humor is just one.

With the possible exception of the funeral business, humor sells!

Another example of humor, this time used in negotiation, is the I’ll throw in a pet frog technique.

Of course, you don’t have to throw in a pet frog, it can be any semi-ridiculous offer as long as it makes the prospect smile / relax.

If you can get a prospect to laugh, then you can get him to buy.

Humor does not have to apply exclusively to the closing process, it can be used in your marketing and lead generation as well.

For examples of how you may use it online, our friend Neil Patel article has a great article on using humor in your content marketing you should check out.

As Victor Borge said: Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

#10 Connect at a Heart Level

When you are in the company of a master sales closer it is as though you have known each other all your life.

The master sales closer knows how to build rapport and create trust.

My friend and mentor Craig Ballantyne is a master at connecting with his audience and building rapport.

To demonstrate, below is a paragraph from a recent email promoting Craigs ETR Product Launch Course.

“The ETR Product Launch Blueprint isn’t like any other course out there. You see, Craig describes his students as his family. They don’t just give you a bunch of information and then let you sink or swim. Instead, they guarantee your success.”

The best sales closers make you feel like family – you want to spend time with them and you want to buy from them.

#11 Timid salesmen have skinny kids

Timid salesmen have skinny kids is a 1978 book by Judge Ziglar.

It is also one of my favorite sales quotes!

To succeed in selling you have to be brave.

Overcoming fear of rejection is perhaps the greatest obstacle for any salesperson.

Most people will have heard of Napoleon Hill and his book Think and Grow Rich

Less well known but highly recommended is his book “How to Sell Your Way Through Life” from which the following quote is taken:

Fear is man’s worst enemy. Like a demon of hell, it sits upon one’s shoulders and whispers, “You can’t write that. It will hurt your business; it will deprive you of an income. You can’t write this or do that because of public opinion. You must not express new ideas nor advocate new ways of doing business because people will laugh at you.

The top sales closers interpret No and rejection differently — they appreciate every no is one closer to a yes

They are not afraid to pick up the phone to call a ‘cold’ prospect. They have confidence in their ability, confident that whatever the prospect responds with they can handle it.

#12 The Top Sales Closer Has A Plan

One thing that sets the average salesperson apart from the top sales closer is how they plan their day.

Plans will change and delays will happen but whatever happens, the top sales closer will make the best of it.

Above all, the top sales closer does not confuse being busy with being productive.

For example, if an appointment gets canceled or changed around, the average salesperson will have a coffee or catch up on gossip, but the top sales closer, on the other hand, would use that time to prospect or follow up with an existing customer.

Time is your most valuable asset. Don’t waste it!

Discover How To Create And Live Your Perfect Day

#13 Scarcity Sells

This is a subject that divides opinion.

Using scarcity implies ‘pressure selling’, but is it?

In my experience when people really want to do something (this applies to relationships, everything) they will use any ‘excuse’ to justify it.

The salesperson/entrepreneur just has to provide the reason.

Let me give an example…

Some friends of mine recently released a new Plugin for WordPress. (a relatively expensive plugin)

From memory, they sold this Plugin on the basis that the first 125 copies were one price, up to 250 copies was another price and thereafter up to 500 copies was another price. After 500 copies, everything was full price.

Clearly, I was not as good a friend as I thought I was, as all 125 copies of the lowest priced option had gone by the time I knew about it.

I inquired would it be possible to but at the 125 copy price? But the response was clear, all copies had gone. (I bought at the 250 price)

There was a reason why my friends offered this special pricing. They had invested a significant amount in development and wanted to recover some of that cash ASAP – hence the special initial pricing.

There has to be a reason why the prospect must take action sooner, rather than later!

Another example…

Have you ever bought a Limited Edition?

We have limited editions of coins, cars, trainers, art print, watches and just about everything you can imagine.

This is an everyday example of scarcity selling!

A wise old closer told me to think abundance – but sell scarcity.

Wise words to remember in business and in life!

Very important – once an offer expires, it has expired! If I had been able to buy at the 125 copy example above that would have been False Scarcity – and that is wrong!

More copywriting gems!

It has been my privilege to hang out with some of the best sales copywriters on the planet.

There is never a dull moment.

In their writing they always…

Inject scarcity – Find a way to deliver this…via increased price, limited time, etc. [special price today only]

Give a guarantee to remove/reverse all risk. [I have a consulting friend who charges a yearly 6 figure sum – his offer is that if he can’t demonstrate how his services will generate at least 10 times ROI on his fee at year end, then he will return the fee]

Call to action – Be specific and tell the reader what they need to do right now

Give a warning that if they don’t buy, this is what will happen [i.e. the pain will still be there]

Still struggling with the ethics of scarcity selling?

Check out: Ethical Use of Scarcity to Light a Fire Under Your Prospects

It is unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money … that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the things it was bought to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot … it cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better. ~ John Ruskin

#14 Sum Tertius

Sum Tertius is Latin for I am third.

One of my all-time favorite books on selling is The Closers.

It is not a politically correct book!

But if you are serious about understanding selling face to face, it is essential reading.

It was this book that introduced me to the concept of I AM THIRD.

In “The Closers” the author tells the story of an old sales closer called Sam Johnson and his mentorship of a young rookie salesman.

Sam wore a gold ring with the inscription “sum tertius”.

Sam’s explained that Master Closers put God first in their life, the other guy second and themselves always third.

For the non-believers, I have seen some variations of I AM THIRD, such as Putting Family first, the other guy second and yourself third.

Something Important…

Putting yourself third is actually how you become No 1 in sales and business.

It is a strategy I have used throughout my business career.

#15 Be honorable.

Don’t let greed for a sales commission get in the way of success.

What does that mean to a sales closer?

Well, this may surprise you, but sometimes it includes knowing when not to sell something.

I mean, if something is not in a customer’s best interest or the solution you offer is not the best option available you should have the integrity to let the customer know that.

Trust is a hard-won thing, it is precious, not something to sacrifice for a quick profit.

As my sales career progressed I became the master sales closer that prospects fell in love with.

But with that comes responsibility – a responsibility to always do the right thing and not abuse that trust.

I have always believed first and foremost that selling is about SERVICE and this quote by Zig Ziglar, in particular, resonates with me…

How does this apply to Internet Marketing?

For starters only ever promote products you believe in and have used yourself.

When you build a large list online, you could be tempted to promote all sorts of dubious offers just for the commission.

Don’t do that.

Your reputation and integrity are more important than any quick commission.

The Master Sales Closer knows that and you should too.

Be honorable, not selfish.

Commit to making the world and society a better place.

In the end, your opinions and what you think, count for nothing.

In life, you are measured only by what you do.

“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.” – Oprah Winfrey

Author Bio:
Barry Dunlop is a lifelong entrepreneur, Mastermind Facilitator and sales coach who launched his first Internet Business in 1998. He also invests in renewable energy technology, Domain Names and Website Flipping. You can follow / message Barry on Twitter

I have never worked a day in my life without selling. If I believe in something, I sell it, and I sell it hard.” – Estée Lauder

Save

Save

Save

Save

The post What The Best Sales Closers Taught Me About Selling Online appeared first on How To Make Money Online.

What does it take to create the world’s largest online retailer, amass a personal wealth of over $83 billion, and be chosen as Time’s Person of the Year?

Better ask Jeff Bezos.

He’s the founder, chairman, president, and CEO of Amazon.com. But he almost wasn’t. Below, I’ll share Bezos’ amazing story and 15 lessons from his life that you can apply to your own business.

#1 Act

It is only through deliberate action that we can bend the universe to our will.

But there’s a common misunderstanding about action too: that we must know the exact right action to take before doing anything. This way of thinking leads “analysis paralysis” and inaction.

Bezos is not the type to fall into this trap. Though he’s well aware that taking the wrong action will have negative consequences, he doesn’t mind:

In 1994, Jeff Bezos was faced with the biggest decision of his life: should he quit his “well-paying” job as NYC hedge fund manager to create an online bookstore… or should he stay put?

He decided to drive across the country and buy the domain rights to Amazon.com. The rest is history.

As Amazon has grown, Bezos has encouraged his employees to err on the side of action. Sometimes this has resulted in pure brilliance (the development of one-click shopping). Other times it has resulted in total failure (the development of Amazon Auction, which couldn’t compete with Ebay).

Bezos doesn’t mind the occasional misstep:

It’s all part of the Amazon company philosophy. Bezos lists having a “bias for action” as one of Amazon’s six core values.

#2 Minimize Regret

When Bezos was debating whether or not to quit his day job and start Amazon.com, he realized that he lacked an analytical framework for making big life decisions. So he made one up:

In this big-picture perspective, the right decision was clear. He wouldn’t regret losing his job at the age of 80 (surely he would have found another good job by then), but he would still be kicking himself for not cashing in on the online gold rush (at that time, the Internet was growing at a rate of 2300% per year).

Give Bezos’ “regret minimization framework” a shot for yourself. You may be surprised what action it inspires you to take.

#3 Grow Slow

How long should it take before a startup becomes profitable? Maybe six months?

For Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com, it took over six years. Even then, the company made only about $5 million in profit out of revenue of over $1 billion.

That might seem like a long time (and a razor-thin margin), but it all went according to Bezo’s unusually slow-paced business plan. Bezos was in no hurry to rake in a profit because he wanted keep prices low while reinvesting as much revenue as possible back into the company.

This strategy frustrated investors in the short-term but it paid off in a big way when Amazon survived the bursting of the dot-com bubble and started posting bigger profits quarter after quarter.

#4 Encourage Word of Mouth

When Bezos started Amazon he didn’t have a marketing budget. The only way his company would succeed was if it was so good that it spread by word of mouth.

There’s no better way for a business to grow than through positive word of mouth. The only way to achieve that is to deliver a product or service that’s worth talking about. Part of that means providing excellent customer service…

#5 There is Nothing More Important than the Customer

Everybody knows that the customer is always right. But Bezos and Amazon have taken the customer-first philosophy to the extreme. For Bezos, customer satisfaction isn’t just everything, it’s the only thing. It’s the very foundation of his business model:

Bezos considers customer service to be Amazon’s biggest competitive advantage:

The customer experience has never been more important than it is online. Word of mouth spreads quickly on social networks and your competitors are always just one click away. If you want your brand to thrive online, focus like a laser on customer satisfaction.

#6 Charge Less

Some companies are always trying to find ways to charge you more. Just think of all the extra fees that airlines and car dealerships tack on to the advertised price.

Amazon could probably make a killing with this strategy, but they don’t. Instead, Bezos tells his employees to find ways to cut costs and increase efficiency so that they will be able to charge their customers even less.

It’s easy to raise revenue by raising your prices, but it can also lead customer dissatisfaction (which will lower your revenue in the long run).

Before you charge more, do everything possible to make your business model cheaper and more efficient. You’ll help your bottom line and you may even be able to charge your customer less. That’s win-win.

#7 Never Stop Innovating

Normal human beings fear change. Jeff Bezos is more afraid of becoming stagnant.

His tendency to push the envelope has given Amazon.com a reputation as a nimble, always-evolving company.

Amazon started out simply selling books, but it hasn’t stopped expanding since its inception. Today, Amazon sells just about everything – but it also creates its own products, offers a host of web services, and even delivers groceries to your door (if you live in Washington).

#8 Be Flexibly Stubborn

Bezos is a man who understands the value of a good paradox.

It seems impossible to be both stubborn and flexible at the same, but that’s exactly what Amazon is. Bezos explains:

Stubbornness and flexibility are both valuable traits. Like just about anything things in life, the key is finding a middle road between the two.

#9 Be Realistic

One of my favorite quotes is from Will Smith: “Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity.” The idea is that if you never allow yourself to imagine an extraordinary life, there’s no way you’ll ever obtain one.

On the other hand, it’s possible to dream a little bit too wildly – and I think this affliction is particularly common with entrepreneurs. If you expect overnight success with minimal effort, you’re setting yourself up for never-ending frustration and disappointment.

As Bezos points out, being realistic about your business is also a way to ease the pressure of being an entrepreneur:

#10 Imitate

It’s good to be unique. But it’s even better to put a unique twist on something that’s already been proven to work.

Don’t turn a blind eye to your competitors. Chances are they’re doing something you could learn from.

#11 Work Backwards

How do you develop a product that’s guaranteed to sell?

The best advice I’ve heard is to first figure out what your customers truly want and need. Provide that with your product and you’ll have no trouble selling it.

This is a strategy that Amazon has implemented many times, most famously with the Kindle e-book reader. Bezos explains:

In 2006, Amazon was an online retailer – not a maker of handheld electronics. But Bezos recognized that Amazon’s consumers needed a way to read the e-books that they were purchasing from his site. So they worked backwards to meet that need.

When Amazon released the first generation Kindle in November of 2007, it sold out within six hours (and remained out of stock for five months). To this day, Kindle remains the leader in the e-reader category and in November of 2011 they reported sales of “well over” one million sales per week.

#12 It’s Good to be Misunderstood

When you’ve got a business idea that’s destined to change the world (like Jeff Bezos did in 1994) there are bound to be people who just don’t get it. The more revolutionary your thinking, the more likely it is to be misunderstood.

Bezos has particularly thick skin when it comes to this kind of thing:

Amazon never shies away from a good idea because they’re afraid some of their customers won’t like it. According to Bezos, they’ve “always had a lot of skeptics,” but they’re confident in their vision – and confident that they can convert skeptics into believers.

#13 Be Picky About People

One of Amazon’s core values is to have a high hiring bar. That means they only bring on a new employee if he/she is a perfect fit.

Bezos is so particular about who he hires because he realizes that great company culture flows naturally from the people who you bring on board. As of April 2012, Amazon.com employs about 56,000 of the world’s best and brightest people.

#14 Be Far-Sighted

Bezos recognizes that “a lot of people believe that you should live for the now.” But he’s says, “I’m just not one of them.”

He recommends that people “think about the great expanse of time ahead of you and try to make sure that you’re planning for that in a way that’s going to leave you ultimately satisfied.”

The Benefits of Long-Term Business

Amazon is a company that will sacrifice guaranteed profits today in hopes of scoring even bigger profits decades from now. Bezos has said that “sometimes we measure things and see that in the short term they actually hurt sales, and we do it anyway.”

Here’s his reasoning:

#15 Make History

For us, it seems like Bezos has already reached his zenith – the pinnacle of entrepreneurial achievement. But in his mind, he still has miles to go. He’s openly said that he hasn’t yet built “a lasting company” and that “the Internet in general and Amazon.com in particular, is still in Chapter One.”

Bezos is out to make history. And if you want to find similar success, you’ll have to adopt his “go big or go home” attitude. I’ll leave Bezos with the last words:

Read more: ‘The 100 Richest Internet Entrepreneurs’

Save

The post 15 Business Lessons from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos appeared first on How To Make Money Online.

They approach problems, fear and failure differently to the ‘normal’ person.

Successful entrepreneurs know that the impossible is not a fact, it is an opinion!

Above all, the successful entrepreneur has an optimism and a zest for life that transforms everything they do.

21 Ways Successful Entrepreneurs Think Differently about Life, Fear, Failure and Success

#1 Failure is only failure if you believe it is

Hands up! Who knows a successful entrepreneur who has not experienced failure?

Take Jeff Bezos for example – founder and CEO of Amazon.com. Amazon was not always the huge success it is today and a long the way Amazon made some ‘wrong turns’ and ‘learning experiences’ as I call them. Examples include Amazon Auctions, Amazon zShops and more recently the Fire Phone.

But Jeff Bezos did not let those ‘failures’ define him. In referring to failed projects Bezos told the Business Insider Ignition conference in December 2014 that “I’ve made billions of dollars of failures at Amazon.com. Literally billions.”

He also told the conference that dwelling on the failures would be akin to having “a root canal with no anesthesia”.

Even the Big Internet Gurus will tell you they failed before they succeeded!

No great Entrepreneur has achieved much without first overcoming the Fear of Failure.

Failure does not define you.

The entrepreneurial journey will have many twists and tunes – sometimes you will be cash positive, sometimes you will be cash negative. It is how you handle these twists and turns that defines you!

The Top Entrepreneur makes Fear their Slave, not their Master!

“If you‘re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you‘re not doing anything very innovative.” – Woody Allen

Recommended Reading: Failing Forward: How to Make the Most of Your Mistakes

#2 The meaning you attach to events determines your attitude and response

Your interpretation of events is what really matters!

For example, successful entrepreneurs ‘give up’ all the time. Except they don’t call it giving up!

I mean, if something is not working, what is the point in repeating it endlessly?

No entrepreneur gets every decision correct – Even the best sometimes hire the wrong staff or misjudge the market. (Think Jeff Bezos again)

Yet, so many people just can’t let go, even when it is obvious something is not working. They are too focused on the time and money they have invested, imagining that somehow investing even more time and money would fix it!

Above all, successful entrepreneurs have great business judgement – they know when to cut their losses and move on!

As Albert Einstein said:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Of course this does not mean you should give up easily – we still need to work and apply ourselves but as one of my mentors said to me many years ago: “He always reserved the right to change his mind about anything in the light of new information…”

I have always thought that a good strategy to live by.

In any case, no time is ever wasted if you learned something new or grow as a result!

#3 Successful Entrepreneurs take responsibility.

Successful people don’t blame others, they take responsibility for their outcomes.

Losers on the other hand make others responsible for their failure.

Doe Zantamata, the creator of the Happiness in Your Life book series has something very powerful to say about responsibility and blaming others…

“If a person doesn’t want to take responsibility for their actions, they may try to blame others. Don’t accept blame or try to fix things when you’ve done nothing wrong. They need to learn that if they want different outcomes, they will have to make different choices. If you fix things for them, it deprives them from learning to take responsibility and their actions will repeat with different circumstances. You’ll then be the first they’ll blame or try to have fix things for them because you did before. That can lead to a very destructive cycle which will only stop when you do.”

#4 Successful Entrepreneurs ask better questions

Successful entrepreneurs know that the questions they ask yourself determine their feelings.

We have conversations that are going on in our head all the time. These ‘conversations’ determine our feelings!

Ask yourself poor questions, get poor answers.

Common conversations entrepreneurs have include:

What if this doesn’t work out?

What if I can’t make payroll this month?

On the other hand, successful entrepreneurs ask creative and inspiring questions like:

What is the problem I’m looking to solve?

Who is going to buy and why?

How will my idea benefit my customers and society?

Recommended Reading: 5 questions entrepreneurs should ask themselves

I like this question in particular…

Are you learning from the mistakes you’ve made?

You are in charge of your feelings.

#5 Money is merely a form of energy

For many entrepreneurs, their biggest worry is debt / money.

Be an entrepreneur long enough and the chances are high that you will have face bankruptcy or having to make arrangements with our creditors.

When you’re in debt, you’re controlled.

But what if you looked at it differently?

There’s an old banking proverb: “If you owe the bank thousands (a small amount), then you have a problem. If you owe the bank millions (a large amount), then the bank has a problem.”

Or to put it another way: “If you owe the bank thousands (a small amount), then the bank owns you. If you owe the bank millions (a large amount), then you own the bank.”

Many years ago, a mentor of mine called Stuart Wilde gave me an education about debt.

Stuart pointed out, that when you’re in the business of lending money, you actually allow for some people not paying you back.

In fact, he said, “Barry, if a certain percentage of borrowers did not repay occasionally it would upset the whole apple cart!”

I mean, they had factored in risk and bad debt and it would be a shame to disappoint them!

OK, tongue in cheek, but hopefully you get the point.

Of course, if you borrow money you should use your best endeavors to repay – but never let that debt own you or destroy you!

In his book, The Trick To Money Is Having Some, Stuart Wilde shows you that money is merely a form of energy, and that the difference between having it and not having it is merely a small but subtle shift in consciousness.

One final thought here…

Average people think MONEY is the root of all evil. Rich people believe POVERTY is the root of all evil.

#6 Successful Entrepreneurs focus on the opportunities

A successful entrepreneur is always on the look out for new profitable opportunities that fit in with their personal objectives and long term vision.

The average entrepreneur on the other hand is more likely to focus on the obstacles, what can go wrong and the risk.

The successful entrepreneur is comfortable with calculated risk!

#7 Every no is one closer to a yes

Long before I even knew what an entrepreneur was, I worked as a direct sales person. (commission only).

This involved knocking on a lot of doors – and I experienced a lot of rejection.

To start with, hearing NO got me down.

But I was fortunate in having a sales manager who helped me reinterpret NO in a more positive way.

He would say:

“Barry, every NO means you’re one closer to the YES.”

Maybe I was a little more ‘innocent’ than the average person – but that made sense to me!

(We even worked back from my commissions what each No was worth! A massive $4 a rejection – and that was back in 1982!)

As you can imagine, when I started to interpret every No and slammed door as being worth $4, I felt entirely different about the process!

Now, of course, you should not go off and fail and fail and fail indefinitely. If something is not working, you should determine why and one great way to do that is to hire a Mentor (like my sales manager) or join a Mastermind Group.

The greatest entrepreneurs have heard the most no’s! Have failed the most!

Remember, as Zig Ziglar said:

“Each failure brings you one step closer to success.”

#8 This is NOT how the story is going to END

Every entrepreneur has challenges to overcome – and the most successful entrepreneurs often have had the most challenges to overcome.

They don’t dwell on the bad times – they know the final outcome is in their hands.

Remember:

“At any given moment, you have the power to say that this is NOT how the story is going to END”

Christine Mason Miller

Recommended Reading: The Perfect Day Formula

#9 Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid of failure.

A relatively new term in entrepreneurial jargon is the term “fail forward.”

I’m not sure if everybody understands it. You see, many of us feel that we succeed forward.

But it doesn’t work that way. We fail forward.

Again, ask yourselves the questions every time you fail, “What’s good about this? What have I learned? How can I reinterpret this in a positive way?”

When I ask people, What is they are fearful of?

I get replies like: “Well, I’m afraid I’ll look like a fool” or “I’m afraid that people will realize I’m not as successful as I thought I was, or I pretend to be, or whatever.”

I like to talk about what I call the worst case scenario.

What’s good about failure?

Say that to most people and they will say nothing!

But again it is a matter of interpretation.

How about turning it around and saying instead:

‘You have just learned something that doesn’t work” or “How not to do something’

Can you see that that’s a better way of interpreting failure than just saying:

“I failed! It’s the end of the world!”

My friend Craig Ballantyne signed of an email recently saying:

Be prepared to stumble.

He went on to say:

“Fail forward. Learn your lessons. Move on. Never stop. Keep growing. Act in the face of fear and build extreme self-confidence. Bring the Energy & Enthusiasm. Celebrate each victory and build on your momentum.”

These are the qualities of every successful entrepreneur!

Recommended Reading: Failing Forward

#10 An successful entrepreneur knows there is no such thing as luck.

I’ve always worked very, very hard, and the harder I worked, the luckier I got. – Alan Bond

#11 Laugh, even on your darkest days!

There will be challenging days, but in the end how you handle those challenges determines your eventual success.

Count your blessings every day. There is always something to be happy about if you ask yourself the correct questions.

I’m a big fan of Rudyard Kipling’s Poem: If

These lines in particular I have always felt related well to entrepreneurs….

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same…

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it…

#12 Successful entrepreneurs do not moan, bitch or complain!

A successful entrepreneur know that they have the power to create the life of their dreams.

They know that the outcome is always down to them – they are responsible for their business, wealth, relationships and health.

Successful entrepreneurs do not moan, bitch or complain!

#13 Successful entrepreneurs know that time is more important than money

A successful entrepreneur never trades time for money.

#14 The best entrepreneurs are great listeners

Remember we have two ears and one mouth, use them proportionally.

The more you listen, they more you discover.

I remember as a young sales person being told that telling is not selling and if I wanted to succeed in selling I needed to ask questions.

When you ask questions, you have to listen.

More importantly the other party (buyer) feels they are part of the process. They are buying, rather than being sold!

Great entrepreneurs use smart questioning to build their businesses.

#15 Truth Matters!

Successful entrepreneurs don’t fool (BS) themselves. When business is good they celebrate and see how it can be even better, but when they have challenges, they are honest about it, they don’t pretend.

They are positive realists who understand risk and appreciate that whatever their financial position, they are in control of it.

“Truth shakes out when ideas and perspectives are banged against each other” – Jeff Bezos

Truth really matters – beware of Fake Gurus.

#16 Successful Entrepreneurs have Great Vision

Successful entrepreneurs never stop aspiring to even greater success.

They know that what you focus on is what you get!

A strong desire to achieve something great is the secret sauce of all great entrepreneurs.

As Real Estate Entrepreneur and Bestselling Author Frank McKinney puts it:

“Motivation washes off and goes down the drain with the soap at night, inspiration lasts about as long as a bad sunburn, but aspiration can alter your DNA and forever change your life, and in turn, the lives of those you love.”

See yourself as the success you really are, driving the car you wish, taking the vacations you wish and living in the home you wish.

#17 Stay Away From Negative People – They Have A Problem For Every Solution

A successful entrepreneur knows that – Impossible is not a fact, it’s an opinion.

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

Muhammad Ali

#18 Successful Entrepreneurs have no tolerance for drama and fake people

Top entrepreneurs are very selective in their friendships and relationships.

Social Media can give the impression that the modern entrepreneur is a very social being – and often they are. But anyone ever involved in a Start Up will tell you that the life of an entrepreneur is lonely. Long hours, ‘worry’ and pressure are common and we all handle that differently.

One thing for sure, is you have to be selective in your friends and the ‘distractions’ you allow. Reaching your goals take grit and determination and you really don’t want anyone in your life who distracts you or adds to that pressure!

Some of the most successful entrepreneurs are actually quite anti-social. They recognize they have no time to waste. They have no time for gossip.

Sometimes those who don’t socialize much aren’t actually anti-social, they just have no tolerance for drama and fake people

#19 It is not what happens that matters…

“Man is Affected not by events, but by the view he takes of them” – Epictetus

#20 Contribution is your legacy

Successful entrepreneurs are driven by contribution. Sure, they may have been motivated by making money and success but ultimately it is the difference that we make in the lives of others and society that gives us our greatest satisfaction.

And I am not just talking about how entrepreneurs stimulate the economy, in terms of employment, investment and contribution to the GDP.

#21 Successful Entrepreneurs believe in Self-education

Formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune. – Jim Rohn

Personally, I’m a great believer in things such as masterminds and groups of people collaborating together and sharing what they know. Mastermind Groups are a great way to create deep and lasting connections with some incredible people and today some of my closest friendships started in a Mastermind Group.

Masterminds are about sharing what is working – but also they can on occasion be about sharing about what is not working!

Don’t make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up

– Thomas J. Watson

Seek out others that challenge your thinking.The reality is that many times the greatest support and inspiration for an entrepreneur does not come from family or friends, but rather from fellow entrepreneurs – especially the ones who practice: Tough Love!

Successful people are always learning, while poor people feel they have learned enough already.

Recommended Inspiration: The Richest Man in Town: The Twelve Commandments of Wealth

Final Thoughts on Life, Love, Everything!

# Remember it is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver

The capacity to recover and heal is natures greatest gift. I have not always made the best decisions with regards to my health and fitness (That breakthrough is a more recent event) but the amazing thing is that despite on occasion treating my body very badly it has always fought back and I have recovered – from deaths door on at least one occasion.

Now of course we should treat our bodies better, watch what we eat and exercise regularly. As Mahatma Gandhi said:

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

# It is human nature to be kind, helpful and generous

OK, some will not agree – but it is my experience that it is human nature to be helpful and generous and that includes your customers and even your competitors.

It is amazing how helpful people will be if you give them a chance. Even unhappy customers whom you may have let down will help you and work with you if you give them a chance.

Always approach conflict positively and with a kind heart. It makes a difference.

# Successful entrepreneurs make every second count

Author Bio: Barry Dunlop is a lifelong entrepreneur, Mastermind Facilitator and sales coach who launched his first Internet Business in 1998. He also invests in renewable energy technology and Domain Names. You can follow / message Barry on LinkedIn or Twitter

The post 21 Ways Successful Entrepreneurs Think Differently appeared first on How To Make Money Online.

Now I realize Musk is a super hero. I’m not just saying that because Robert Downey, Jr. used Musk as real-life inspiration for Iron Man’s Tony Stark. I really think Elon has super powers:

• Musk can predict the future
• Musk has a super-human intellect
• Musk has the ability to work forever without stopping

He also has lots of high-tech gadgets, like his own rocket ships and a device with a holographic 3d interface. Elon Musk is a utility belt away from being able to take on super villains.

In all seriousness, Musk is one of the most influential entrepreneurs of the 21st century. If he keeps succeeding at this unprecedented rate, history will know him as the man who ushered in the age of electric cars, solar paneled homes, and private space travel. Below I’ve carefully compiled 15 lessons for business and startups from Elon Musk.

Who is Elon Musk?

• Elon Musk was born on June 28th, 1971 in South Africa.
• Musk moved to Canada in 1988 at the age of 17 to avoid service in the South African military.
• Musk earned undergraduate degrees in business and physics from The University of Pennsylvania.
• In 1995, Musk dropped out of Stanford University to found his first company.
• Musk is a twice-divorced father of five.
• Musk’s job is the CEO of Tesla Motors, the CEO and CTO of SpaceX, and the chairman of SolarCity. His 2013 salary is over $78 million.
• Musk’s net worth was estimated in September 2013 at $6.7 billion.
• Like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, Elon Musk has pledged to give all of his money to charity.

Photo by Brian Solis, via Wikimedia Commons

Companies Started by Elon Musk:

• PayPal
• SolarCity
• SpaceX
• Tesla Motors
• Zip2

Musk is one of only two people ever to found three billion dollar companies.

15 Business & Startup Lessons from Elon Musk

#1 Think Out of this World

“[Elon Musk] is very much the person who, when someone says it’s impossible, shrugs and says, ‘I think I can do it.”

Max Levchin, PayPal Co-Founder

Elon Musk isn’t here just to make companies; he’s here to make history.

His innovations in the auto industry have him being compared to Henry Ford and Jon Favreau famously interpreted Tony Stark (a.k.a. Iron Man) on Musk. The grandiosity of his goals haven’t escaped Elon:

“There was the advent of single-celled life, multicelled life, the development of plants, then animals. On this time scale, I’d put the extension of life to another planet slightly above the transition from life in the oceans to life on land.”

Elon Musk to Inc.

That’s right. Musk just put one of the items on his to-do list on the same scale as the development of sentient life. It’s plausible. SpaceX is seriously planning to be build a greenhouse and eventually a colony on Mars.

#2 Look for Opportunities in Emerging Industries

Musk only starts companies in emerging fields

In 1998, that emerging field was the Internet. Zip2 (and later PayPal) both succeeded thanks in large part to getting in on the ground floor of Internet boom.

Next, Musk identified three more emerging industries and got in on the ground floor on all three. SpaceX (space transportation), Tesla Motors (electric cars), and SolarCity (solar power) have all benefited from the high growth potential and low-competition that comes with being a pioneer.

# 3 The Quality of the Product Comes First

“I’d say stay very focused on the quality of the product. People get really wrapped up in all sorts of esoteric notions of how to manage etc., [but] I think people should get much more focused on the product itself – how do you make the product incredibly compelling to a customer – just become maniacally focused on building it better. I think people get distracted from that.”

Elon Musk, from Rock Solid Finance pioneer new territory.

#4 Be Prepared to Pivot

To pivot in business is to change direction while keeping one foot grounded where you started.

That’s exactly what Elon Musk did when he turned X.com (online bank) into PayPal (a global payment transfer provider). The change rendered X.com totally unrecognizable, but Musk was able to use much of its resources. Those resources included an innovative method of securely transferring money online through the recipients email address, which Musk had developed himself.

The pivot was a gargantuan success: once PayPal became featured on Ebay, its use exploded.

#5 Embrace an Exit Plan

Can you imagine if Musk had stayed running PayPal? He’d still be rich and successful – but there would be no electric sports cars or rocket ships to his name. Thankfully, Musk long ago learned how to extricate himself from his own startups.

In 1995, Musk founded Zip2 (an online city guide) and in 1998 he sold it to Compaq for $307 million. Musk’s portion was $22 million. He was 28-years-old and free to do whatever he wanted.

That meant founding X.com. Again, Musk jumped ship after a couple of years, selling PayPal for to Ebay in 2002 for a cool $1.5 billion. For his trouble, Musk got $165 million in Ebay stock. Now Musk had enough personal capital to start the pair of truly extraordinary businesses that he still runs today.

When you start a business, you should have an end in mind. Michael Dunlop recently wrote about how to make your website your millionaire exit plan.

#6 Invest Earnings into New Businesses

Both times Musk cashed in a company for millions of dollars, he invested at least 45% of his earnings back into a brand new business within the calendar year.

• $10 million of the $22 million Musk made from the sale of Zip2 went to founding X.com (later PayPal).
• $100 million of the $165 million made from the sale of PayPal went to founding SpaceX.

Musk also invested heavily in Tesla Motors (33,076,212 shares) and SolarCity (20,724,991 shares). It’s the ownership of these three companies that constitutes the vast majority of Musk’s $6.7 estimated wealth.

#7 Hire Carefully, Fire Fast

Musk is known to be meticulous about building his staff:

“I think you definitely don’t want to grow too fast. Make sure that every person you hire you really need to hire that person.”

Elon Musk

Elon has called hiring people his “biggest single challenge”:

“I have an exceptionally high standard for people that get hired, and especially for SpaceX. We really aspire to hire quite literally the best people in the world at their job. Finding such people is so hard… When we find them, we are generally able to attract them to the company… But the number one issue for me is finding superlatively talented people. I think we’ve been fortunate to find some very, very talented people at SpaceX, but that is always the governor on growth.”

Elon Musk

He’s quick and unsentimental when it’s time to correct a hiring mistake:

“One lesson I learned [at PayPal] is to fire people faster. That sounds awful, but I think if somebody is not working out, it’s best to part ways sooner rather than later. It’s a mistake to try too hard to make something work that really couldn’t work.”

Elon Musk

#8 Be Your Own Happiest Customer

Musk loves the Tesla Model 6 so much, he’s going to drive in it across the USA next year with his five young sons. On September 5th, 2013, Musk announced via his Twitter: “Just finalized the LA to NY family road trip route in Model S. 6 day, 3200 mile journey with only 9 hrs spent charging.”

This is more than just a great PR campaign to highlight all of Tesla’s new charging stations across the country. By putting himself behind the wheel of his company’s product for weeks on end, Musk will gain first-hand insight into how to improve Tesla’s premiere electric car.

In the case of SpaceX, Musk gets extra motivation for the company to succeed from his desire to one day be a SpaceX customer. The sooner the better: “I don’t want to be doddering around up there, needing a quadruple bypass,” he says. His plan is to be a on a rocket to Mars by 2030, when he’ll be 61 years old.

Many great inventions and businesses start because their creator wanted the product for his/her own use. Income Diary founder Michael Dunlop’s PopUp Domination was originally developed for Michael’s own websites before he turned it into a public product.

#9 Make Failure an Option

“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”

Elon Musk

Good business decisions are often very safe. But great business decisions are almost always risky.

All of Musk’s business successes have come in emerging industries with a dubious history of turning a profit: the Internet (in 1995), electric vehicles, space travel, and solar panels. Musk knew going in that there was a high risk of failure, but while he never planned on failing, he always had a contingency plan to allow for failure.

For instance, when Musk set about sending rockets into space, he knew that the first rocket likely wasn’t going to succeed. That’s why he invested enough money into SpaceX ($100 million) to “make failure an option” and allow for up to three launches.

Musk also sees failure as an important part of the creative process: “If every time somebody comes up with an idea it has to be successful, you’re not gonna get people coming up with ideas.”

#10 Leadership Requires Putting Yourself Forward

Musk’s leadership was tested like never before on August 2, 2008. It was the day of SpaceX’s third launch attempt and the future of the company was on the line.

The Falcon 1 launch vehicle made it through the first and most most dangerous stage – the one where it actually breaks away from Earth’s gravitational pull. But the rocket faltered soon after and they lost communication. That was it: mission failed

The 300+ SpaceX employees in attendance were heartbroken – and fearing for their very livelihoods – when Musk stepped up to speak to the crowd. Elon revealed that he had already secured further investment in SpaceX so they would be able to continue their mission in case of complications (again, making “failure an option”). At the climax of his speech, he told his employees not what they should do, but what he was going to do: “For my part, I will never give up,” Musk said, “and I mean never.”

Dolly Singh recalls the crowd’s response:

“I think most of us would have followed him into the gates of hell carrying suntan oil after that. It was the most impressive display of leadership that I have ever witnessed. Within moments, the energy of the building went from despair and defeat to a massive buzz of determination as people began to focus on moving forward instead of looking back. This shift happened collectively, across all 300-plus people in a matter of not more than five seconds.”

SpaceX’s very next launch was a complete success. On September 28th, 2008 the Falcon 1 became the first privately built rocket to achieve earth orbit.

Photo by U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

#11 Be Driven to Work Hard

“If you don’t mind things being really hard and high risk, then starting a company is a good idea. Otherwise, it’s probably unwise. It will certainly stress you out. So I think you have to be pretty driven to make it happen. Otherwise, you will just make yourself miserable.”

– Elon Musk

Musk’s work ethic is legendary. “He is a machine,” says Dolly Singh, who worked under Musk as the head of talent acquisition at SpaceX.

Elon is said to regularly put in 100 hours of work week between Tesla and Space X – and he considers this the bedrock of his business success. When asked to give advice to entrepreneurs, Musk offered, “Just work like hell. If other people are putting 40 hour work weeks and you’re putting in 100 hour work weeks, even if you’re doing the same thing, you know that you will achieve in four months what it takes them a year to achieve.”

To aspiring entrepreneurs, Musk doesn’t mince words: if you’re lazy, don’t waste your time starting a business.

Photo by marcella bona via Compfight cc

#13 Know Your Limits

Musk may be the smartest and hardest working entrepreneur of the 21st century, but even has limits.

Back in 2006, Elon had an idea for a solar panel company. But he knew that if he started it, he would be overextended and unable to give everything necessary to SpaceX and Tesla. So he shared his idea with Peter and Lyndon Rive, who founded SolarCity in July of that year. Musk was the principle investor in the company and has served as chairman of the board since its inception – but he’s kept a safe enough distance so that it doesn’t eat up too much of his time and energy.

Solar isn’t the only industry he sees huge opportunity. Supersonic jets, hyperloops, and virtual reality interfaces have all earned his attention. He’s skimming the surface in these fields, but not diving in headfirst.

#14 Find Your Higher Purpose

Colonizing Mars is much more than a business decision. It’s about the future of the human species:

“I think it’s important that humanity become a multi-planet species. I think most people would agree that a future where we are a spacefaring civilization is inspiring and exciting compared with one where we are forever confined to Earth until some eventual extinction event. That’s really why I started SpaceX.

Elon Musk

Musk used to struggle with his purpose until he found out what really mattered for him. He described the realization:

“I always had an existential crisis, trying to figure out ‘what does it all mean?’ I came to the conclusion that if we can advance the knowledge of the world, if we can expand the scope and scale of consciousness, then, we’re better able to ask the right questions and become more enlightened. That’s the only way to move forward.”

Elon Musk

#15 Start Businesses that Align with Your Higher Purpose

Musk’s mission to “expand the scope and scale of consciousness” has had him looking beyond simple profit benchmarks to found businesses that are making a global impact for good. Every day when Musk goes to work, he knows he’s helping to reduce carbon emissions, produce renewable energy, and help save the human race in case of collision with an asteroid.

How’s that for motivation?

The first step to leaving a legacy is to answer Musk’s existential question for yourself: “What does it all mean?” When your business is aligned with your purpose, you will work harder, smarter, and better to achieve your goals.

Inspired Yet?

If you want more lessons from legendary entrepreneurs, check out our articles on Richard Branson and Steve Jobs.

The post Elon Musk’s 15 Lessons for Your Startup Business appeared first on How To Make Money Online.

How would you define your Perfect Day?

What would you do, who would you do it with and how would you feel?

Ask most people these questions and you will get replies like…

… a feeling of accomplishment, a big business deal closed, a promotion at work, time with good friends, family time and that mystical feeling of being in “the zone”.

But how do you balance closing a business deal with spending quality time with loved ones or getting a work promotion with family time?

Building Blocks For A Perfect Day

Solid foundations are essential…

=>> Create a Not-To-Do List!

Quite simply – a list of things you do not do under any circumstances!

I am not here to make any moral judgement on what a Not To Do list may include – but for example it could include at one end deciding to never do your own laundry while at the other end it could be to never discuss politics or to never use profanities. We are all different and what may be on my not-to-do list may well not be on yours and vice versa.

=>> Create your own set of Life Rules

Now most of us have admirable beliefs and values and hold ourselves up to high standards – but not so many of us write them down. I was inspired to more carefully define my own set of Life Rules by fellow IncomeDiary contributor – Craig Ballantyne

As an example I repeat below one of Craig’s life rules (which is also something for the Not-To-Do list) below…

I do not engage in confrontations with anyone, in-person or online. This is a waste of time and energy. If I have caused harm, I apologize and fix the situation. And then I take a deep breath, relax, breathe out, and re-focus my efforts back on my work and goals

Why are these so important?

Quite simple really – with a Not To Do list and your own personal set of Life Rules you are less likely to come across conflict situations and anything that gets in the way of having a perfect day.

Also, life is a lot simpler once you start adhering to your own personal philosophies – and stop worrying about what others think. You spend less time ‘thinking’ and agonizing over a response because you and your closest friends know your position on the important things in life!

=>>Develop A Positive Morning Ritual!

Each persons ritual may be slightly different but the important thing is to develop a ritual that empowers you and sets you up for the day.

Examples…

a) Give yourself at least 15 minutes of no screen time.
(Do not check email or Social Media)
b) Swap the coffee for a glass of water, or a herbal tea.
c) Stretch. (Good time for morning Yoga or Tai Chi)
d) Open up your daily motivational readings.
(read some of your favorite, inspiring quotes)
e) Review your goals and life purpose
f) Meditate / Pray / Give Thanks.

I honor the fact that some of us are religious, some of us are semi-religious and some of us are not religious at all. The point here, is to incorporate something that allows you to focus and start your day with energy!

=>>Make Exercise Part Of Morning Ritual!

Now, I am not one of those people who could be described as an Athlete – but one thing I have always enjoyed is a brisk morning walk. The thing about exercise (walking, running, cardio or strength training) is that it gives us a wonderful feeling of well-being. In my case, I found walking – often on my own, by the Beach in West Sussex, was the time when I had some of my best ideas. Actually, I would go further and say that I rarely if ever had my best ideas in the office!

So stop wasting your life in bed, start getting up early to exercise and experience the many benefits of morning exercise.

7 Key Actions For A Perfect Day

1) Reflect and Journal – the night before.

Before you go to bed create a routine that allows you to think about your day.

What did you learn today? (from your mistakes)

Mistakes are meant for learning – not repeating.

What will you not do in future?

What are you grateful for? How did you progress towards your goals?

I recommend you answer these questions via a written word brain dump (Journal). Write down how you feel about your day, what you learned etc and then take it one step further by pulling out the key points and structuring your upcoming day accordingly.

2) For a Perfect Day – Plan your day ahead – the night before.

Most us have heard of a TTD List (Things To Do List) – and for many years I have diligently sat down each evening and set out my TTD list for the following day. It is a good policy – but if you want to step it up a gear, PRIORITIZE! Far better to have three important life changing priorities that you must accomplish rather than a long list of relatively average things that frankly will not make a lot of difference on way or the other.

Many TTD lists are far too general and lack prioritization, covering everything from picking up the laundry to launching a new business.

By all means have a list for the household chores but the TTD list I am referring to here is the one that reflects your life goals and ambitions.

When you do tomorrows TTD list tonight – ask yourself this critical question…

What is my No 1 Priority Right Now? and No 2 and No 3. I would suggest that those priorities would rarely be collecting the laundry!

3) Wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual and focus on solving your #1 problem in life.

Wow – this is super powerful.

Apply this immediately and you will start to experience a more productive and perfect day, everyday!

Honestly it is that ‘simple’ – try it

4) Maximize your magic time

Know when you are most productive and dedicate that time to your #1 project.

Most people have a period of time during the day that they are most productive. First try to identify that time then attempt to position yourself so you’re completing your essential task during this time. For me personally, my productivity decreases as the day goes on. Therefore, after my morning routine I immediately try to complete the most essential action of the day as soon as possible.

I know that the longer I wait to complete my essential task the harder it will be to focus and the slower I will work. In turn I become frustrated with my inefficiency. Avoid this by completing that key action during your optimum productivity period.

5) Batch your work … have a time to do emails, calls, and focused work. Don’t multi-task.

Remember:“The man who chases two rabbits, catches none”

Confession time – Multi-tasking used to be something I almost prided myself in. Ever heard the term: BUSY FOOL? That used to be me!

If you need to send emails and reach out to people, devote an hour to doing this exclusively. If you’re creating a course that you’ll eventually sell and you need to create videos, break it down into workable batches (filming, editing, etc.). Doing so allows you to take the same actions over and over again for a short period of time. This helps to get into a rhythm and can often lead to the feeling commonly described as “in the zone”.

Did you notice that term “focused work” above – the fact is that many of us handle our emails, make the phone calls and post on social media before we do our FOCUSED WORK. But really it should be the other way round!

It is the focused work that gets us to our goals and it is the focused work that pays the bills!

6) Always Be proactive – follow your plan

If you are following the strategies above it is almost impossible to not be proactive and following your plan.

Simply doing the above, creates FOCUS and what you focus on is what you get!

7) Stop living in the past – Live in the NOW!

“Living in the past means I’m living in regret. Living in the future means I’m living in anxiety. Learning from the past means I’m becoming wiser. Being excited for the future means I’m doing what I need to do now to make that exciting future happen” ~ Matt Hearnden

Living a Perfect Day – Expanded

Creating and scripting your own Perfect Day is well worth the investment in terms of time and energy. Actually I would go further – you cannot afford not to do it!

These 7 key actions and the earlier foundations are starting blocks only – there is more to do and learn. That is why I enthusiastically recommend Craig Ballantynes Perfect Day Formula to all my friends and colleagues. It has made such a huge difference to how I live my life and manage my day. My hope is it will do the same for you.

Before getting to know Craig, the truth is that many of my days were far from perfect. Fortunately implementing the Perfect Day Formula and having Craig as a mentor has changed that!

The Perfect Day Formula is about multiplying your productivity, having more fun, making more money and enjoying more freedom into your life…

Buy Perfect Day Formula

I am honored that Craig used my review of The Perfect Day Formula on his website and I cannot do better than repeat it below…

“For a long time I confused hard work with discipline. And even though I was a very hard worker in business, I was not disciplined in many other areas of my life, including my health and relationships. I allowed too many toxic people into my life simply because I did not have a clearly defined set of life rules and I lacked a NOT to-do list. Being hardworking in your career does not mean you are disciplined. Success in business is ultimately of no use if the rest of your life is out of balance. This was the #1 lesson Craig taught me through his Perfect Day Formula and personal mentoring. The inside look that Craig gives us into Warren Buffett’s success helped me appreciate the power of Morning Rituals and create my own. I get up earlier every day and have made time for what matters. Craig’s formula has refocused my desire to leave the world a better place for having been here, and I only wish I had been given this information when I was much younger. If I had implemented Craig’s Perfect Day Formula earlier it would have saved me a lot of heartache and money. It is essential for anyone who wants balance in their life.”

– Barry Dunlop,
London, England, entrepreneur, and father of 4

Perfect Day Quotes!

Everything happens for a reason, live it, love it, learn from it! Make your smile change the world, But don’t let the world change your smile.

“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ~ Buddha

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” ~John Wooden

Life is not always perfect, but it’s always what you make it. So make it count, make it memorable, and never let anyone steal your happiness.

“Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational.” ~ Hugh Mackay

“Stop waiting for the perfect day or the perfect moment… Take THIS day, THIS moment and lead it to perfection.” ~ Steve Maraboli

Author Bio: Barry Dunlop is a lifelong entrepreneur, Angel Investor and sales coach who launched his first Internet Business in 1998. His many interests include Blockchain development, Website Flipping, Domain Names and his newest interest: Hashgraph Technology. Follow Barry on Twitter

The post How To Create And Live Your Perfect Day appeared first on How To Make Money Online.