November 22: it’s snowing lightly outside, and a cool breeze continued to remind the world that winter has arrived once again, and with it the icy cold tendrils that shot up your spine. I still didn’t have Novembers rent paid, and it wasn’t looking too good for December.

I had gone on several interviews, though I hadn’t heard back from anyone. I was starting to believe that I was unemployable.

While searching for jobs online later that evening I came to a realization that someone has to be making money from all of these ads on the website. With that realization came the second: I had a computer, an internet connection, and basic website development skills. I could make money online.

A Home Based Business

I sat at my computer for 12 hours straight, racking my brain for a way that I could use to earn an income. After the 12th hour I had a third revelation: I could sell someone else’s products online for a commission.

A few searches to see if people were already doing that introduced me to the affiliate marketing world, and my life has not been the same since. That December I made $4,000 on the internet - boy, what a Christmas present that was!

My home based business saved me from complete financial ruin. It has enabled me to pay off my debts, afford my car, rent, food, and clothing, and has given me the free time to grow and learn about myself.

In essence, my home business saved my life. My decision to earn an income online and my subsequent success at accomplishing it has kept a roof over my head, and I don’t mean the one on top of my house. I now know, beyond any kind of reasonable doubt, that all it takes to succeed with a home business is time, dedication, and motivation. Trust me, starving to death is just the motivation that you need.

The Conclusion

I don’t make millions a year. In fact, I have yet to clear $100,000 a year. However, I am making $70,000 a year from my home and I have never been happier. Every day I push myself harder, working to grow my business and expand my reach as a business owner. The results are quite clear, as my income grows steadily every day and I am able to mark the differences in my income from month to month.

I guess what I’ve learned is that all it takes is the right amount of guts, determination, and desire. That’s all it takes to succeed.

Recommended Resources:

• 100 Free Business Cards
• Debt Genie
• GooglePro (Recommended)

The basis of Afiliate marketing is you are producing traffic, and then getting that traffic to convert on a specified niche. So if the product you are promoting is a Diet product, your job as an affiliate marketer is to get relevant traffic, send users to the product landing page and collect the profits.

Getting Started

Okay this post is just intended to get you guys ready for the upcoming guide, Affiliates usually take a few days to verify your account. You will need a few things to get started i have outlined these below for you.

Traffic Sources
PPC - Pay per click traffic [ AdWords ]
SEO - Organic traffic

Products To Sell
HydraNetwork Affiliate Network

The next post will go over utilizing our traffic sources.

Whenever I find myself in some kind of confrontation with someone I always take a few moments (usually while the other person is talking/yelling/whatever) to determine if it’s even worth my time. Has something happened that deserves a significantly negative response from me? Has the other party done something to justify a response, or are they reacting to something that justifies a response? And, of course, will this actually solve anything?

Most of the time the last question is almost always a “no”, and so I simply move on. That doesn’t always end the argument, however, and often simply “moving on” leaves a fair bit of animosity remaining on both sides. So how do you deal with that?

• Seek a professional solution.

Keeping control of your senses and seeking out a professional way to conclude the conflict is the smart move here. Don’t belittle the other party, don’t ignore them, and don’t lash out that them. Simply state that there’s no reason for the conflict to continue and that you want to end it now. Ask for concessions on their end, just as you will have to give concessions as well.

Most (rational) people have no problem with compromise as long as they feel they are being treated fairly.

• De-escalate the situation.

If it’s an “in your face” argument, tone it down. Lower your voice and ask the other party to do the same. If they refuse, simply inform them that you won’t continue this conversation so long as they are going to act in that way. Once they’ve calmed down, come to a rational conclusion. What have you done that’s upset them? What have they done that’s upset you?

Answer both questions and a compromise will almost always appear.

• Do not gossip or drag it on.

Offices can be a breeding ground for social gossip and chit-chat. Participating in it makes you as guilty of perpetuating a conflict as anyone else, even if you aren’t directly involved. The bottom line is that you don’t need to go there, so don’t. It will save you headaches down the road.

• Seek a higher authority when necessary.

This is your work, not a playground. If someone else is going out of their way to make your life miserable talk to your boss. Let them know what’s going on, and ask them to bring about some kind of solution. That’s part of the reason why they’re there in the first place, so take advantage of it.

Recommended Resources:

• 100 Free Business Cards
• Debt Genie
• GooglePro (Recommended)

By now we’ve figured out how we’re going to make our half a million dollar salary. I don’t mean the steps or the method, but the vehicle that you will use to make that happen. You might have chosen to open a business or two completely restructure your current occupation. I, for example, chose to abandon my corporate obligations and focus my efforts on internet marketing. I know of quite a few people who have made a killing off of real estate, and a friend of mine went from $80,000 a year to $216,000 a year simply by moving around within her company’s corporate structure.

Regardless, once you’ve got your sights set we’re going to make that push forward. Remember, your chosen vehicle should meet some basic criteria:

• It will actually allow you to make your desired income.

There’s no point in spinning your tires, so do it once and do it right. If your career doesn’t have an income level that high, find one that does or start a business.

• You’ve got your stuff together.

Tons of debt? Payments eating up every cent of your paycheck? No savings? Deal with all of that before you even both considering this.

• You have what it takes to make it happen.

Someone actually posted a comment (that I’ve since deleted) on the other post about how he wants to be a movie star and that my post doesn’t work for that industry. Well duh! I’m not talking about going from a patent attorney to a movie star, I’m talking about going from a comfortable situation to a much more lucrative one. It’s the catalyst required to make it all happen, so don’t let me down.

If you can’t make it happen, or if you simply don’t have the personality required to be successful in your career path, don’t bother reading further.

All of the above make sense? Good, time to move forward then.

What we’re going to focus on now is letting the world know that we’re capable of success and exude confidence to make it happen. What does that mean in plain English? We’re going to get down to business and take things seriously. The change in our attitude, mindset, and ability will be noticed by everyone, from your family to your employer (or employees). This attitude change is going to mentally prepare ourselves for the coming changes, as well as passively let the world around you know that big things are happening.

This doesn’t mean that you suddenly become cocky and self-righteous, but instead you become confident. Know that you are capable of great things, and put your mind into your objectives 110%. Approach your boss and let them know that you would like to start taking more ambitious projects on; let your family know that one of your main objectives is to grow spiritually as a person and lean from it; become a supportive and influential member of your professional community. Tell the world what’s happening and why.

This does a few things for you:

• Over time, you expect success and lament failure.

After all, why should you be content with anything other than achieving your goal?

• It makes your objectives attainable.

There was a time when making $500,000 a year for me was something that was simply out of reach. Now I’ll be disappointed if I don’t make twice that next year. Why? Because now I know I can.

• It just makes it work.

Successful thoughts and attitudes tend to manifest success. If you truly believe in your ability to make something happen it will happen. Believe me- I know from experience.

Got that mastered? We’ll get to something real in the next post.
Recommended Downloads:

• Free Business Cards.
• Free Business Plan Template.
• Google Pro Plan

The Career Ramblings Career Masher is perfect for those that plan their work and work their plan, yet still can’t move up in today’s crazy economic paradoxically-challenged world. In fact, the Career Masher is so good that even moguls like Slim Shady and Dirk Lerkins have used it in the past to get the jump on their competition. The Career Ramblings Career Masher, your solution for everything but the career!

Is the Career Masher for you?

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The Career Masher will show you how to appeal to their better side, even if they aren’t seafood fans.

• Does the thought of easily and effortless climbing the corporate career ladder excite and amaze you?

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Clearly there is no other solution quite like the Career Ramblings Career Masher available for 61 easy payments of $91.23.

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Recommended Resources:

• 100 Free Business Cards
• Debt Genie
• GooglePro (Recommended)

Please note that the Career Ramblings Career Masher is not responsible for shipping or providing any products or services. Career Ramblings is under no obligation to provide any products to paid customers, including those who have purchased the Career Masher. This a joke- April Fools

- Cam

No, instead they did what they had to do and are now a pair of the richest people on the planet. So if they can take something from nothing and make it worth billions of dollars, surely you can take something and turn it into $500,000. I can already hear what some of you may be thinking: “well gee Cam, you make it sound so easy”.

Well, yes, I make it sound that way because in the scheme of things it really is that easy. There is no rocket science that goes into making something work- it comes down to a good idea, some common sense, and a good amount of blood, sweat, and tears.

Over the next few days I’m going to outline each step required to go from $0 to $500,00 a year. Remember to keep your mind open, but most of all, remember to think about how you can relate what I’m saying to you.

How to Make $500,000 This Year Step One

The first thing that you need to establish is the vehicle that you are going to use to achieve your desired income level ($500,000 is just an arbitrary figure that I pulled from thin-air- you could use $100,00, $1,000,000 ¦ whatever, it’s all the same). If you’re of the enterprising ilk, it may be a business idea or investment opportunity. If you’re looking to bump your income while adding as little risk as possible, you may want to become comfortable with the idea of a career change or a chance in your employment situation.

Regardless of the vehicle that you choose, you need to become as comfortable with it as possible. This means really sitting down and researching any and all risks associated with it, the advantages and disadvantages associated with it, and what you’re going to need to do to make it happen. It might sound like a lot of work, but believe me when I say the payoff is huge.

The whole point is to know what you’re getting into, and at the very least, being aware of what it’s going to take for you to get to where you want to be. There are so many different ways that someone might become wealthy that there’s no possible way for me to list them all off. All I can do is tell you the golden formula that seems to work for people. It’s all up to you to make it happen for you.

Here’s a checklist that will help you get all your bases covered before we actually start talking risks:

• Figure Out your Income Path

Can your career actually facilitate a six or seven figure yearly salary? Is there a market for that genuis product or business idea of yours? Determine this first.

• Make Sure Your Ducks Are in a Row

If you have debt up to your eyeballs and don’t have a cent to your name, perhaps you should focus on brining down your debt (click here for some tips on how to do it) and saving some money first. Having a rainy day fund is crucial.

• Make Sure You Have Support

If you have a spouse, ensure that they aware of and comfortable with your decision to try to shake things up a bit, and make sure that they support you 100%. If you don’t have a spouse, make sure there’s at least one friend who’s got your back. After all, you will need the support if things don’t go as smoothly as you’d like.

• Prepare Yourself Mentally for Chance

Things are going to change really fast, and you are going to have to be able to react to and handle them in a way that is as stress-free as possible.

Stay tuned for the next installment.

Recommended Downloads:

• Free Business Cards.
• Free Business Plan Template.

• Developing a Business Plan

A business plan is essential to your success. This great post from the Blue Fur blog will help you get your business plan on track!

• What Do People Want?

This post from AffiliateWeb.org talks about what people want from a website. The great thing about it is that you can take the information and relate it to anything, not just websites!

• Is “Being Self Employed” One Big Scam?

Becoming self employed: scam, or American dream? I don’t know, but this site does!

Once you’ve read those sites, check out our sections on home business, entepreneurs, and movers and shakers. With all of the information on this site (and the thousands of excellent sites out there), there’s no reason that you couldn’t be making money tomorrow!

Recommended Downloads:

• Free Business Cards.
• Free Business Plan Template.

Truly becoming successful within your career is something that isn’t measured by any one given value. For some, it’s purely monetary, while for others it may be a combination of physical satisfaction, monetary accumulation, and mental stimulation. I know of one person who goes into work everyday and works her butt off just because she knows that it drives the girl in the booth to the left of her insane.

And I’m not even joking.

Regardless of your motives for working, there’s no denying that building strong, sustainable relationships is key in progressing quickly and smoothly through the career path. Some people will provide opportunities, and others will help build your skill-set. Chances are good that there’s always someone who can help you in one way or another.

The same can be said for businesses. Working with other people or businesses for long periods of time is a great way to build trust, friendship, and cooperation. It’s also common for long-term business associates to offer each other perks, discounts, and other incentives as a result of the long-term relationship thats been built.

Never pass up an opportunity to start a new relationship with someone, and never throw established relationships away.

Coming up soon: a dissection of the affiliate marketing industry!

Recommended Resources:

• 100 Free Business Cards
• Debt Genie
• GooglePro (Recommended)

Cliches aside, there is a definite truth to the statement “a happy home is a happy person”, and that applies to all areas of your life: home, work, social, spirtual, and otherwise. For myself, I know that there are times when I struggle to remain balanced and happy. Certain (small) things, such as the cats peeing on my couches or my car breaking down, can set me off on a different path. These things happen, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re annoying when they do.

How you deal with the minor things in life that annoy/irritate/enrage you determines whether or not you will remain happy. If you don’t handle things well, you will quickly go from “happy” to “unhappy”, and all of the time you spent building yourself a happy home will have been lost. Right? Well, maybe in a way that’s not quite as dramatic as I’ve made it sound

In reality, everything comes down to stress and relaxation. Some things will stress you out, and others will relax you. Which does what depends on who you are and what your interests are, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are exacting. If you find that you are unhappy at work, home, or both, try some of the methods below- they’ve worked for me in the past.

• Pursue a hobby

Gardening, photography, cars, computers, stamp collecting… whatever makes you tick, do it. Spend some time doing it and enjoying it, as a hobby is a great way to get your mind off of work, home, the kids, the spouse, and anything else that might cause your stress barometer to rise. Sometimes, when I’m just starting to get annoyed, I’ll fire up a computer game and geek out for an hour or two. Afterwards, I usually can’t even remember what set me off in the first place.

• Cook something nice for yourself

I find that cooking myself a great meal, even if it’s something as basic as steak and mashed potatoes, is a great way to let off some steam (and enjoy a good meal at the end of it). It takes some time to cook, during which you are probably distracted by what you’re doing (cooking), and by the time you’ve sat down to eat you’ve likely forgotten what was stressing you out, or at the very least, won’t care as much.

• Read the newspaper

Whenever I really start to lose it I’ll flip open the paper and give it a read. Sometimes all it takes is a quick dose of reality for me to realize just how good I’ve got it.

• Watch the Thomas Crown Affair

I don’t know what it is about this movie, but every time I watch the Thomas Crown Affair I can’t help but laugh a little and enjoy mself. Maybe that movie’s not for you, but I guarantee there’s at least one movie that makes you happy. Find it, enjoy it, and come back to it whenever you need a mental break.

Recommended Downloads:

• Free Business Cards.
• Free Business Plan Template.