Finding my focus (again)

Well, I'm back again....

Getting back into the "habit" of writing in a blog will be difficult but I'm doing my best. Just to let folks know what I've been up to for the past year or so, I'm working on experimenting with different ways to make money online. Passive income, multiple streams of course.

The gurus make it sounds pretty easy, and once you have a "pattern" down and a few basic skills in can be. However, learning those skills can take awhile as many of you may have found out too. Developing habits that support your business rather than hinder it is another issue, staying focused on what actually works can be a real difficult thing when you are getting several emails per day screaming about the latest technique for making money (like $10,000 in the next 2 weeks, or whatever).

I've learned to tune out the B.S. and focus on what I do best - namely put up well researched, laser-focused micro-niche sites that get traffic with little or no backlinks. This is important, because if you must spend a huge amount of time building thousands of backlinks then you lose time.

The reason I had to start doing this was out of some financial need since I lost my job in a layoff back in October 2010. I was determined to make that the best thing that ever happened to me, and turn what most would consider a "negative" into a compete and utter positive gain by becoming financially free with my own business.

Along the way, I learned a lot about marketing. I learned a lot about Google, and how fickle she can be (I say she because Google is a woman to me). I also learned a lot about myself, what I'm made of, and how far I have to go in order to make this dream of mine come true.

I never thought it would be easy, and now after about 10 months of slowly building my sites, doing more research than I've ever done before, watching countless videos on how to do every thing from Wordpress tweaks to being more productive, I'm making about $1000 a month. Not bad, but not nearly enough! So lately I've focused once again on what's working, and trying to do more of it. That is my basic philosophy, find what works and do more of it - oh, and be as productive as possible every single day.

Find your focus, take massive action, and keep track of the results! If you don't know how far you've come, you don't know how far to go, so track everything in your business. For that matter, track everything in your life! What's working? My diet program, my exercise program, when do I sleep and for how long, how much "me" time do I get every week?

These are the things I'm focusing on now, so let me get to work....

Make every day count - Doug

Are you unfocused? How do you know

Hello again,

I have been working on many different areas of my business the past several weeks, and it dawned on me that maybe I wasn't being as focused as I should be. Like a dog chasing rabbits, I get distracted every time a new one pops into my line of sight!

Of course what mean is that I work on one website for awhile, then check my email, get distracted and check some new "trick" to get more traffic, then go back to what I was doing...you get the picture. Why can't I just focus on one thing until it's done?
I'm quite sure I'm not the only person that does that, whether you have your own business or not. If you just get distracted while doing one task (cleaning house, making dinner, sorting laundry, whatever) without finishing it, it's kind of frustrating isn't it? How do we combat that?

Maybe the answer isn't to stop getting distracted completely, but to at least cut down on the frequency? I'm trying out a new technique myself, but if anybody has any suggestions I would be glad to listen to them. Here is my battle plan:

1. Set a time limit to your task - "I will work on _____ for at least 30 minutes". That way you at least have a conscious plan in mind, rather than nothing at all.

2. Realize what is distracting you most, and STOP doing it - for me, checking email is like a habit. I know, it's insidious. It can be stopped though! I will check my email only X times a day from now on, and only at set times of the day. This will stop me from being so casual about it. I know in my mind there's nothing that can't wait, so make it wait while you accomplish the more important things.

3. Prioritize every thing - set up a daily list of priorities! I know, what a freekin' pain, right? But just think how much more organized you will be, and how much more work you will get done. Every morning, rise and shine - then make your list. And stick to it! Some priorities may change depending on certain circumstances, but at least you will have a PLAN. Yes, a PLAN! Don't like broken records? Well then, just do one thing... make a PLAN!

4. Most important of all, make time to play! If you are all business, and no fun, sooner or later a part of you will hate yourself. Huh? No, you will hate your life at least and won't be very happy. It's a part of my life's plan to be successful and happy, both should be equal. So do yourself a favor and live life, don't work yourself to death. Nobody every said on their death bed "I wish I would have spent more time working...."

Hey, I still expect some suggestions from the "crowd" so please, follow up! Holla back! Give me your 2 cents worth...?


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