With the rapidly rising cost of living, a family can hardly subsist with the monthly take home pay of the sole breadwinner. Others, most often the stay-home mom, has to find ways to earn extra. Fortunately several opportunities have sprung up to meet these demands. There are many home-based jobs available online that are not only save time and effort but can offer higher than average full-time employment. Foremost are virtual assistant positions like those offered by Mr. Outsource.
There also online multilevel and affiliate marketing schemes you can try. However, with proliferation of scammers, extra caution is necessary to avoid falling victim to these illegal rackets. Do not be gullible to give in to their ‘to-good-to-be-true’ promises and let go of your money without thoroughly checking the companies’ legality and tract records in this kind of business.
However, despite the many legitimate and reputable online companies, only 5% really earn from them. Here is what the remaining 95% often do that makes them fail in this type of market:
- They fail to consider the actual investment involved
Every business requires an investment. Do not ever believe that you could earn thousands without putting up a capital — if you invest air, you harvest air. Sometimes, the investment you read in the ads of these online companies is ‘only’ the initial cash out. If you do not read the fine lines in contract you are signing, you will not be aware of this provision. They may not be actually being dishonest; it is merely their way of encouraging you to join them. They may be honestly offering good income ‘once you invest the full amount’. A good advice is: put up only the amount you are willing to lose just in case things do not work out as planned. Never gamble your lifetime or retirement savings for the hope of making it big later. It is too big a risk to take.
- Lack of discipline
Strict self-discipline is very important when you are on your own. Home-based jobs are basically based on this system. Having no one looking over your shoulder to guide you, you tend to be lax and be too flexible with your work schedule and rely mostly on your mood when to move. A homey environment is not really conducive to working seriously with all the conveniences and distractions around. Being free to follow your own thing is the envy of many but it comes with a big price— uncompromising self-control and strict time management skill.
- Putting their hearts above their heads
Managing your own business is unquestionably better than slaving yourself in a 9-5 full time job. Unless you are a bigwig in a company, your chance of retiring comfortably is slim. However, working alone from home can be a very lonely game and requires higher level of skills since there seldom people around to assist you. This is more so if you are still a beginner since you learn on your own and frustrations can be difficult to overcome. Therefore, you must learn to control your moods and emotions, especially during those periods when you are stressed and nothing seems to work out right.
- Envy on what others are doing
Knowing about your competitors is a good management technique so you will be guided on your marketing strategies. However, constantly looking over the fence can frustrate you unnecessarily. It is often not true that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. In case it is, it not because the soil is much fertile there but because the grass is better tended. Instead of comparing yourself to others and losing your focus on your own business, concentrate on what you are doing and find ways to improve it. Also, what makes you sure that the grass over your neighbours’ is really greener? They may also be thinking the same way about the grass in your own turf.
- They are lazy
Never be complacent. Do not entertain the notion that your business would grow automatically like mushrooms after a thunderstorm. You reap what you sow and if you sow nothing, you reap nothing—nada! Some people, due to lack of authority to control their actions, spend only a few minutes a day working and expect exponential growth in their business! There are those running online businesses that are too lazy to make plans on how to reach their goals. They think that business planning is only done by companies and big corporations. They do not even bother to take the time or effort to learn about planning. Unfortunately, many realize th
eir mistakes too late. It’s either after they had lost the capital to revive their business or they had been traumatized deeply by the crash that befallen them due to their laziness.
- They do not use their heads
It is indeed unfortunate that many entrepreneurs do not learn from their mistakes. Despite their many past failures, they keep on doing the same things and getting the same dismal results. If any, they can be commended for being constant—in their stupidity.
As the late Martin Luther said: “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity”.
Taking on an online job is a great way to earn. You only need to take extra caution to avoid these common mistakes that may cause your failures, as many online businesses did and, unfortunately, keep on doing still. Good luck!