There’s a very big push these days toward “being successful”. Everyone is about climbing that ladder to more/better/faster.
But I have a secret to share with you – success is not measured in how many things you’re good at, it’s measured in how good you are at certain things.
Take Warren Buffet for example. He’s not a particularly handsome fellow. He probably didn’t make the best grades in school, nor is he a star on the field of sports. But he has studied the stock market and can track and anticipate its movements better than almost anyone and this has made him successful.
Or look at Michael Jordan. He didn’t make the cut on his high school basketball team. He could’ve quit right there –but he kept going, practicing and learning by hard the basics of basketball until he became one of the most recognizable names in sports.
You Don’t Have To Be an Expert in Everything.
The same advice applies to online marketing too. You don’t have to be an expert in everything – just find one area and stick with it.
If you jump from strategy to strategy, you’ll only end up learning a little about a wide range of things – a “jack of all online trades” if you will. And, being a marketer, you won’t be able to get the same kinds of results as you could if you focused on one specialty – say SEO or email marketing. Be the name that people know and trust to get results for them.
Live Your Passion Every Day.
Take a moment to reflect and find out what you’re passionate about – then find a way to make money with it. Success is as simple as that.
I believe we spend far too much time, even when our children go to school, focusing on the things they’re not very good at – like science or grammar. While I agree that knowing these skills is fundamental to their success in school, if you don’t like science, you’re not likely to do well in it – and any amount of hitting the books won’t turn you into an Einstein overnight.
But on the other hand, you may have a great aptitude for art and therein lies the possibility of getting your work exhibited at shows and sold to the public.
Turn Your Passion Into Profits.
When was the last time you relaxed and did something you love just for pure enjoyment’s sake? It’s probably been awhile right?
Think about possible ways that you could turn that passion into a potential business or even a blog.
As the great Aristotle once said:
“Where your passions intersect with the needs of the public therein lies your vocation”
You don’t have to be good at everything, but there are a few things that no one else can do quite as well as you can. That’s your unique skill set – so make the most of it.
Please share your opinion by leaving a comment below.
Thanks
Comments 8
Nice post Alex. This is very true.
I love keyword research and that is the key to my success. Your tools are a huge part of that enjoyment that comes from finding a needle in a haystack after finding thousands of kw phrases!
Cheers Claire
Hi Alex,
Another great post. I am so guilty of jumping from one thing to another trying to find something better. I sure wish I had all that money back that I have wasted.
Thanks for reminding me to focus on one thing at a time.
Herschel Lawhorn
Author
Thank you guys
Nice article; thanks Alex.
For me, the most import part of being successful, is living a mindful, conscious and loving life, that is well balanced and as far as you can get from being one sided/one focused.
Hi Alex,
Enjoyed your post very much.
It’s so important to follow your heart, so to speak.
However, it is a two-part equation.
Yes, people need to not only think about what things they enjoy doing (part 1), but then determine if there is a way to serve others with it (part 2).
After all, someone might say… I enjoy watching TV…
but is there a way to serve others by doing that? If not, then cross that off your list.
Don Pasco
Author
Hi Don,
And therein lies the wisdom in Aristotle words: “Where your passions intersect with the needs of the public therein lies your vocation”
Alex has been so inspirational to me…he is the only GURU i didnt unsubscribe after getting Mark Ling’s strategy to deal with information overload syndrom and just when i feel like giving up you sent this mail as if your intended it for me alone!
“If you jump from strategy to strategy, you’ll only end up learning a little about a wide range of things – a “jack of all online trades” if you will”
Arigato Alex!
As “Henry Ford” said,
“Specialization, not Generalization”
Blu-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha !
Genio
“The Marketing Scientist”
Genio