Are You A Business Opportunity Seeker?

You might have winced at that question just now. These days, the words “business opportunity” just don’t have the ring to it they once did. Instead, we think things like MLM, pyramid schemes, and disguised affiliate programs where you make somebody else rich and get screwed.

I see some of these things. They advertise as if you’re “starting your own business”. There are promises of thousands of dollars per month with just a few hours of work per week. They parade success stories of people who quit their job and now make more money at home than they did when working. Come to find out, all you are is an affiliate for them. You’re selling THEIR stuff. You’re using some cookie-cutter affiliate site which you’re supposed to go market. In some cases, you actually have to PAY THEM to get started with this.

Just horrible. That’s not a business. You’re making them money – and it usually stops right there. Sadly, I’m hearing more of this now given our current economic situation in the country.

Here’s the common traits that makes these bizopp things attractive to people:

1. You just want to make money online.
2. You don’t really care how you go about it.

These people are the easiest marketing bait in the civilized world. You easily fall prey to promises of riches. You also want it on a silver platter. Because you don’t want to work. You don’t even really care how the money is going to be made. You’ll do whatever works, and the easier the better.

The “make money online” world is kept alive by bizopp seekers, and the efforts to cater to these folks are what has helped to sour the reputation of the online marketing community. These days, even honest and legitimate marketers are sometimes painted with this brush.

Are you a bizopp seeker?

What I have observed, after years in this business, is this:

1. Most newbies to this world start out as bizopp seekers. The idea of making money online is fascinating to them. They have no idea how to do it, and they’ll grasp onto anything with an attached promise that it’ll work. Problem is, they’re being barraged with such promises every day – all with different business models. These bizopp seekers end up getting jerked around. Not by marketers, but by their very own lack of an internal compass on what the hell they want to do with themselves. They’re tire-kickers, and they get led from bizopp to bizopp like a hungry dog gets led to a juicy steak.
2. The people who actually make it in this business have an internal compass. They are driven by a mission of some kind, even if it is just being happy. They have a sense of ethics. They strategically learn information with the specific purpose of furthering what it is they want to accomplish. These people love money (don’t get me wrong)… however, generally, not everything they do is driven simply by dollar signs. In the end, it is driven by a passion.

In other words, there is an issue of mindset here.

One reason I like helping bloggers is because many bloggers got into this simply because they wanted to HELP. They wanted to SHARE. And that’s noble as hell and I want to help those people cash in on their passion. It drives me.

But, I also have many people who read my blog simply because of the whole money thing. Blogging is just another option that leads them to the pile of gold. Many don’t even have a blog yet (classic tire-kicker). They have no niche and will write about whatever brings in the bucks. The only internal compass is a promise of cash flow.

Now, don’t get me wrong…. if that’s you… I’m not knocking you for it. However, I AM, in my  not-so-subtle way, trying to realign your expectations.

Business opportunity seekers rarely find the goal they’re after because they’re not operating on an internal compass which is aligned with desire and passion.

It takes real tenacity to pull off the ultimate, six-figure win in a new business (online or offline). You’ve got to be driven by something internally to make it happen. You can’t walk around like the usual bizopp seeker, who gets led around with promises of juicier carrots.

So, if you want to make money online – awesome! But, let’s start with your passion and your interests. What would you ENJOY doing every day? You’ve got to answer this without any monetary aims whatsoever.

Money is the result of manufacturing happiness.

Do it. You’ll win.