Have you ever read someone’s success story and it encourages you to do the same thing as him or her. I sure have and let me tell you, it did not work that way for me. I thought that there was an easier way to make money online then by working a 9 – 5 job. I will explain the steps to help you decide whether the internet lifestyle is right for you.
Have a Plan
I remember when I wanted to start my own website/business I had no plan what so ever. If you believe a plan when you say something like “I will start my website this week and make loads of money in the next 3 – 4 weeks” then you’re absolutely wrong.
Starting a website/business takes time, work and commitment. When most people start something they hardly ever think about what needs to be done. A website/business is not something that comes with instructions so you have to make sure you know what direction your going and what you’re going to need to go in that direction. Be sure to diversify your online work to provide better security.
Have you ever heard this? “The more time you waste the more money you’re losing”. That is completely wrong in my eyes. Rushing into something causes a lot of frustration and anger. To avoid that take your time and plan out your goal/ideas. The better prepared you are the more likely you are to succeed.
Steady Income
Many people quit their jobs then realize later that they have no money to spare. Quitting your job to work on the Internet is a big mistake when you do not have any source of income coming in from the Internet.
When starting a website, blog, or business nothing comes free. You need to invest money to receive money. Quitting your job will leave you with little money to invest in projects and you will always find yourself stuck because of money.
I know there are other solutions like free hosting, domain, and free templates but do you really want something everyone is using or do you want to stand out? I found out going down the cheap road causes a lot of problems in the near future. So just remember whenever you quit a job make sure you have enough money saved to invest in new things.
Don’t Rely on the Internet Alone
Relying on the Internet is something everyone does at some point in his or her life. I think relying on the Internet is not good because what if you do not succeed, then what? I often found myself saying “I’m going to quit my day job and become rich like others did and work from home”.
I now understand how much work it takes to get to that level and let me tell you that is way more work then a 9 – 5. Whenever you decide to work online always have a backup plan just in case your plan or idea doesn’t work.
Internet Lifestyle Vs The 9 – 5
Wouldn’t you just love to wake up at anytime of day, work, and get paid for it? Doesn’t that just sound like the life. Well I guess that is the facade of working online. Let’s get into what really happens. Experience from working online is that the hours are way longer then a 9 – 5 job and you are not guaranteed to receive a paycheck anytime soon.
Don’t rely on the Internet for an income or to get rich. The ones who’ve made it has went through a lot, but they do not tell you that because they would like for you to believe it was all easy work. Sometimes a 9 – 5 is not as bad as many people make it seem.
The Conclusion
The whole point of this article is to let you know don’t get caught up in the famous “I quit my 9 – 5 in now make $5,000 a month”. There are ways to make money online but they do not come easy and require hard work. If you’re working a 9 – 5 job right now continue to work and blog or something on your free time but do not quit unless you have a stable income on the Internet. If you believe you’re going to become rich and you quit your job then my best advice would be to keep at it and work hard. <b>Hard</b> work = $uccess.
We would like to thank Marcell for his guest post and add that working online has its risks, but in today’s economy don’t all jobs! Be smart and cautious…
35 Discussions
I think that it is important to work part-time on the Internet before quiting your job. The thing with the Internet is, there really isn’t any quick money. At first, you will put in a ton of effort for little result. Once you get going, money grows on trees. Therefore, it is probably best to work part time.
Great post, I am glad that the Internet has worked for you. Say “no” to cubicles! (:
Jake | Web Journey´s last blog ..Forget Search Engines for a Bit
I agree most people think its quick money when it’s really not. You have to work hard to get to a point of success. Working part-time would be great because you could save up little money and invest it into projects.
Thanks!
Hey Marcell! Nice article. There are definitely some people who fall into these get-rich-quick schemes and become successful. They are the vast minority, but these stories tend to stick out on the Internet. Kinda like how everyone hears about plane crashes. But they don’t ever hear about the planes that land safely. I know, not the greatest metaphor, but it gets the point across.
Also, I consider my time spent on the Internet as an investment. Not many people know how to do this stuff. And a lot of people are willing to shell out the cash to the people who do (take Alex as an example).
Blogging should be treated like a college education. You don’t expect to land that $40K job after taking a months-worth of college courses. Don’t expect become rich after a months-worth of posting articles.
Nick Tart | JuniorBiz´s last blog ..10 Trusty Twitter Tips
It’s definitely an investment. Your skills will be honed and so whatever you do, whether online or offline, you will have the ability to use your blogging and technical skills to increase your productivity and worth.
Hey Marcell, congratulations on your first post! It’s great. Yea I definitely agree, I’ve worked with people who struggled with their career. Because they thought making money online is a quick process. I remember when I switched from my Job to working online full time.
Making money online, is not a easy process. But if worked correctly can be worth your wild.
Bilal´s last blog ..Using Twitter to drive massive traffic to your website
I’m not sure I entirely agree. Working 9-5 can be easier than trying to build a full-time income online, but is easier better? Easy is what most of the population wants and does and as result most of the population are not happy. They have no drive or passion, nor a sense of accomplishment. Working for someone else means that you don’t own your job and at any moment can be taken away from you. You lack independence and your effort is ultimately making someone else rich.
Working online is more than just about money, it’s about challenge, hard work, adding value to people’s lives on your terms, independence, flexibility of schedule, sense of accomplishment, etc. Money is just one aspect.
However, I agree that you should be wary of the scams and hype. I’m trying to build a full-time income eventually online and it’s hard work, but I’m loving it and plan not to ever get a “job” ever again.
Thanks for the post. Keep on blogging!
Lifestyle Design´s last blog ..Move Over Aweber and Feedburner. FeedmailPro Is Here.
I agree with some of the points you brought up in this article, like “you need hard work to succeed”. But, what doesn’t? If you want to be promoted in your 9-5 job, what do you need to do? Usually you have to prove you’re worth promoting by maybe doing your job slightly better, or whatever. But, now, in this tough economy time, that’s not enough. You have to do more than typical 9-5 just to stay in the company. So you work overtime without getting additional pay, just because you’re afraid of getting fired next week.
Sure, working online is also tough. You might not get paid for months in advance. But take it as building a business. Having a business doesn’t guarantee success, but all your hard work is worth it because you’re building a passive income source for yourself. And it also have much lower barrier of entry than small businesses. So, I say, as long as you have a plan (as you suggested), why not try it?
Andi Putra´s last blog ..7 Things I Learned from John Chow
writing really helping stuff as before. thanks
Dzinepress´s last blog ..35+ Free HTML Email Newsletter
Boy have you hit the nail on the head! My girlfriend keeps asking me why I want to spend my free time on the Internet, and we’ve gotten into several heated discussions involving my will to blog and try this Internet thing out. She doesn’t understand why I do it if I’m not making a quick buck, and I keep saying it takes time and effort, it’s not something that comes quick.
@Andi – I don’t think he’s saying not to give it a try, but more around the lines of “Don’t throw all your eggs in one basket, yet.”.
I don’t agree with not relying on the internet completely.
The thing about success is that you are much more determined when you “burn all the bridges” so to speak.
When you have nowhere else to go other than succeeding on the internet, than you will most definitely succeed.
Igor
Igor Kheifets – IgorHelpsYouSucceed´s last blog ..Review: “Make Money Blogging” Free Ebook By Daniel Scocco
But still, real business is more proftable. I do blogging as a hobby and for second income source.
Reza Winandar´s last blog ..The Make Money Online Program System
I will i agree with the part that says never leave your real life job for making internet online, only if you got the legs to stand up
but i disagree with you that online riches try to hide there stories, well at least not all of them, i rode all Darren Rowse story and really it inspired me and show me nothing in blogging is impossible.
Generally this article is absolutely right , and i agree with the idea .
Bader Alrayyes´s last blog ..20 Free Twitter Accessories Tools
( This is just my opinion )
Well I guarantee you that Darren Rowse is hiding something from everyone. Sure you may know that he makes money from internet, blogging and affiliates but he will not tell you how he got to that point exactly. I can tell you “I made $5,000 last month from affiliate marketing, and referrals” but what I do not tell you is what I did exactly to make it. See that’s how people get brain washed with these MMO/Blogging stories. They tell you how you can do the same thing they can and you buy there product they get paid and you want to make the money he or she is making but it just dose not happen like that for you. Everyone hides something from their audiences. Telling them would put you out of the business and make other person richer.
Well put. I worked on my sites after work for almost a year before I was comfortable enough with the revenue to quit my job. Even though it wasn’t quite enough to pay all of my bills, I had some money saved up to buy me time. Never underestimate how long it can take to build a significant income online! New sites are up against a lot of established competition, and overnight success is incredibly rare these days.
The reality of the transition can be shocking if you aren’t mentally prepared for it. When you’ve got everything riding on a few sites, you may find yourself pulling 20-hour work marathons or sacrificing social and leisure time. Really, how can you sleep when there is so much work left to be done? And there’s always more work left to be done…
Of course, the reward is really as great as the effort that goes in. Now about two years from my first domain registration, I know that I can wake up and write about the topics I’m interested in and find opinions about those topics from other skilled writers. Once you find that rhythm, you remember why you set out on the crazy voyage in the first place. If writing or coding or designing or promoting is what you really love, those 20 hour marathons don’t even seem like work.
John´s last blog ..Fixing the Wordpress 302 Blues
Yeah … life – like driving a bicycle. To maintain a balance, you have to move..
I always wanted to start a blog or website, but didn’t have the time to do so until I lost my job in May. I’m glad I researched first because I realized I needed to develop a plan and set some goals for myself to advance that plan. I decided to start a cost-free blog on Google Blogger and when I reach 1000 unique visitors a day for 7 consecutive days, I’m going to take the next step and buy a domain and some hosting and start a Wordpress blog. This allows me to learn about blogging, decide if I like it, and learn how to build traffic all before I actually invest any money. I’m so glad I did it this way. I have been blofgging for a little over 3 months and I’m at the halfway point. I have 500 unique visitors per day. It was way more wotk than I ever thought it would be. I spend at least 4-6 hours per day working on my blog. I also learned another lesson and that is that I absolutely love blogging!
Chris Mollo´s last blog ..Four Ways I Make Money From Twitter
Having a plan and working up to your goals is really important! I think using your time to build up towards a career in blogging and internet marketing is a really positive thing. It allows you to build authority, experience, and future investment money for when you can finally take it very seriously.
I would make sure that I was in a position to pay my bills with the help of a side-job or maybe some freelance work before I decided to say good bye to a normal job.
Seth´s last blog ..Giving it all up: Job vs Internet lifestyle
Great Post Marcell, very true ..
Hope some take help and advice from your post and don’t just think about making thousands of dollars is as easy as clicking survey ads, ahha !
Enk.´s last blog ..What do you tweet about ?
I think the most important lesson to learn whilst developing your internet based business is that you actually have to work for it. Remember the old saying: “Success is 10% talent and 90% hard work.”? If you take your internet business seriously, you will discover that if you work only with an effort of 10%, you will only earn 10%, that if you work 110%, you will earn 110%. In simple words, you get out what you put in. SY
Niche Blogging´s last blog ..Do you text and drive?
i think some times we will need to hack the way life goes on. So be lifehacker..
BlogTemplate20´s last blog ..Lizard: White simple elegant Blogger Template
I agree with most of your points but I have to comment your first quote:
“The more time you waste the more money you’re losing”
I have never heard this quote before but I think the person behind it is right. Everything is within the word ‘waste’. By spending a few hours writing a plan you are not wasting time, but rather investing it. If you on the other hand spend time playing games and re-reading old information you are, by my definition, wasting time. With that said it is a great post.
I envy the internet lifestyle because of the passive income that the internet can bring. I know some people who solely rely on their adsense income and don’t work anymore. One is a known SEO guru here in the Philippines and he makes around $5k to $6k monthly on adsense alone.
Tyrone | Millionaire Acts´s last blog ..What is an Entrepreneur?
yes i think to make money online is great but we should not only depend on internet. this article is really a helpful one and useful too.
It can even be true to think that running a site isn’t a 9-5 job. I guess that this is just an expression and we know what is meant by it but running a site can be a 9-5 job. And in some cases you might be better off by structuring your day in this way to ensure an appropriate work/life balance. Especially if you have a family and children to fit in.
Unfortunately running a website can take more hours than 9-5. Not always because it has to, but often because you can get quite drawn into it. If you get a wind of a good scoop you need to get that article out first to ensure that you get maximum credit and lots of publicity etc. Sometimes it is all to easy to drop small but important things in your life (an evening meal with the wife, your evening run, etc) to get that one last bit of site work finished!
At least with 9-5 you get to switch off at the end of the day! Like most things in life, it is important to get that balance right
BLOGERCISE´s last blog ..How Much Money Do I Really Make Online?
well you should not let you leave your job .the online money is the secondary income source.
its wonderful to read this post. thanks for sharing.
Sorry, but I have to disagree. There are tons of people who make a living from the internet all over the globe. OK, there do seem to be more that do it for some additional income, but there are certainly people who rely on the internet for their money.
Simon | Get Thesis´s last blog ..Review: WebmasterFormat.com
I agree, some people make a great living online. I think Marcell was just trying to make the point that you should not rely on making the your living online until that has happened. Otherwise you are taking a very large risk that few people actually can pull off.
Yeah. I read an internet with Darren Rowse (problogger) which was on Retire@21 I think. He said in there that there are far too many who just jump in at the deep and end give up their job based on the success Darren and other pro bloggers have made.
Simon | Get Thesis´s last blog ..Review: WebmasterFormat.com
Cool article, Marcell!
Many of the young bloggers I speak to over MSN and Twitter seem to really want to live the internet lifestyle, but personally I just don’t think it would work for me. Yes, I would like to run a business, but the whole idea of doing it over a computer really makes me think, wouldn’t you get bored? I mean this in two ways; firstly, the lack of human contact would do my head in, and secondly, what would you do all day?! I’ve spoken to a few people who live the “internet lifestyle” and they all seem to do one or two hours of work a day… what do they do the rest of the time?! I personally get bored pretty easily, so it would do my head in having nothing to do!
Simon | Get Thesis´s last blog ..Review: WebmasterFormat.com
You do make some valid points Simon.
Even though working online has it’s cons the pros out weigh the cons in my opinion.
I attend a lot of conferences which allow me to keep up the social aspect of my career working online and keep a pretty well ran daily schedule. (but that’s me)
I work on average 2-3 hours a day and probably 5-10 when I have some projects planned.
But most def. Working online is not for everyone, it really depends on the person. Especially since I cannot stand beingheld to someone else hours and work positions. I like being my own boss and running my own schedule (:
You asked “What do they do the rest of the time?” for me, I’d take a walk, go to the mall, hang with friends, T.V, catch up on some reading basic general stuff.
Bilal´s last blog ..Five more affiliate marketing tips to help you become a better affiliate marketer
Cool, thanks for the insight Bilal!
I can fully understand the attraction of making a living from the internet, and I’m sure I’d love it for a month or something, but I can’t help thinking that for me the novelty would wear off. Still, I’d love to go to some blogging conferences
Simon | Get Thesis´s last blog ..Review: WebmasterFormat.com
Yea Simon, you should definitely attend a conference sometime you would really like it (:
Bilal´s last blog ..Five more affiliate marketing tips to help you become a better affiliate marketer
Having a plan is very important, as doing business online presents unique challenges and requires new skills. So if fail to plan, you are equally planning to fail.
Thanks for the informative post!
i used to work for a company for about 9 hours and was not even paid properly..but i started working online about a year or so..and now ..it has made my living easy . there is a bit of hard work…but its better to work from your home then to …work for some one else..from a office…so i think ..internet works is far better from working…under some oone else
Great post… I think everyone that has a online business or blog has come to this at some point. For me, it was when going to a “job” was actually hurting my online business… so I quit.
I also agree with not believing everything you here, yes there are a million ways to make money online, and yes there are alot of people making alot of money but what they didn’t tell you when they talk about the $20,000 a month they make is that it cost them $15,000 in Goodle Adwords to make that.
There basic foundamentals of making money online, that works for everyone, stick to those and Work Your Ass Off.. and you will succeed at some point.
Just like you don’t want to monetize your blog in just one way, you want diversify. The same goes for making money online. For me I have a online business,, I have a blog that is making money,and I do Affiliate marketing and CPA marketing, and now sell my own product.
This way if one isnt pulling, you have other options to bring in that money.
John Paul Aguiar´s last blog ..My First Product Launch Results and Reality