As I have said before, I’m trying to make Mondays a day I devote pretty much to things on my mind and ways to help people succeed in general. These thoughts usually (but not always) have a direct living, retiring or working in the Philippines connection.
One thing that troubles me a lot about the time I put in on this site is I so often answer the question of “how can I earn a living in the Philippines”, and yet I virtually never hear a word from anyone who even gave one of my ideas serious thought … let alone from anyone who tried one and succeeded. I never even here from anyone who tired and failed … failure is an important milestone on the road to success, in case you didn’t know.
“Success is 99 percent failure.”
Soichiro Honda … yes, the founder of that Honda
I do, however, get my share of “hate mail”. Negative thinkers who take the time to tell me why my ideas won’t work, although they don’t put their money where their mouth is and prove anything they say.
One fellow, not long ago, bought a “How to do it” course on making money on the Internet. he then promptly returned it (for full refund, I sell or recommend nothing that isn’t one hundred percent risk free).
His comment to me … “Well, perhaps I should have actually tried the how to course, but I read some comments about it in a forum that were negative, so I decided to return it, because I was sure it wouldn’t work for me.”
Yes, indeed. Perhaps I actually should have tried. Wish I’d said that. Why even take the time to read here if you aren’t going to exposed enough effort to find out if something will work for you? Boggles my mind. You know when people make comments on line about virtually any business or service, there are going to be a large number of tem that are negative. Happy customers rarely make comments. Just check with your local better Business Bureau for example, I’ll bet the volume of negative comments to positive comments about local businesses is ten to one unfavorable.
A good friend of mine is a “real” book author and an online marketer of some note and great success, Frank Rambauskas. Frank just wrote something in a news letter that I thought I should share:
… I get so much hate mail I can’t even keep track! The people who write it, however, apparently don’t realize how encouraging it is to me and how much it drives me on to even greater things.
In a conversation with Robert Kiyosaki, the author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," he explained to me that hate mail and other opposition is a sign that I’m actually accomplishing something and helping people to further themselves. A lack of hate mail and opposition would be a red flag that I’m not achieving enough through my efforts, so keep that in mind for when you encounter it in your own life…
Makes good sense to me. And it should to you too, if you are planning to move to the Philippines, planning to start a business for yourself, or any one of a number of “non-conventional” ideas you might be thinking abut trying, and are hesitating because you are afraid of ‘what people will think”.
They don’t matter. Only you do.
So I am not yet as successful as Frank … I don’t get more hate mail than I can keep track of … but I’m trying. Keep those cards and letters pouring in folks ..
And for those of you who keep insisting you want a job instead of a business of your own, I have something of interest for you today. Learn how you, too, can work at home, legitimately!
So is this legit? Yep. If you do what they teach you, you will earn money. If for some reason you don’t, you get 100% of your money back, no questions asked. Can anyone do it? Yep. You need no special technical skills and you can do it from anywhere there is an Internet connection.
Does PhilFAQS recommend it? Well, yes and no. Here’s my issue. I think there are ways to make money, much larger money, that are not trading hours for pay ..but … and it’s an important but, many of my audience does not want their own business, they want something more like a conventional, punch the clock job … and that is what this is, except you set the hours, you decide who to work for and you put in as many or as few hours as you chose to. In that respect it certainly sounds pretty interesting to me.
But please do me a favor? While it is true that if you click and then sign up for this program, I make a small commission .. I do NOT want you to click unless you are going to give the program a chance to work for you.
If you click the button and then let the training sit on your hard drive and fail to take action, it will be a worthless exercise for all of us.
So Do Not Do It (click the link that is) unless you promise that you are going to Do It, work the program … fair enough?
Popularity: 7% [?]
Dave:
There’s a couple of things at play here…
First, there is naturally a substantial amount of skepticism with self employment claims. So many charlatans out in the market. That being said, everything you offer is above the table and your endorsements are backed up with guarantees.
Secondly is that people are lazy. They want someone to do things FOR them. Working at home is still work. It takes effort. It takes ambition. It takes dedication. It takes at least some very basic understanding of business. It takes time.
Nothing happens overnight and nothing happens without putting in the effort. If you don’t educate yourself by trying the products, then you at least have to have the will to educate yourself by some other means. It doesn’t always have to cost money: Last time I checked, most libraries were free and there is an enormous amount of information on the Net.
In my case (The project you and I discussed), life intruded….My regular work got highly time critical and I’m delayed (Time is a perishable commodity and more precious than money). However, I haven’t just thrown in the towel and said, “well, I can’t do it.” It just takes a bit longer to get moving.
As to the BBB, that is one organization with which I have serious issues. One step away from being a scam. Off topic, but let me ask this: Who monitors the BBB?
To paraphrase WC Fields: “I don’t want to be a part of any club that would have me as a member”
Ha ha, that’s a good one from Fields, indeed. I had my own issues with the BBB when I ran a business in the US. Main point is, they only collect the bad stuff.
As an example, that program I advertised in the article? If one signs up, and doesn’t “do” it, they won’t make money … so is it another ‘scam’?
A lot of the ‘scams’ out there are not really ‘scams’, but they only work when the participant works.
Anyway, just bowing off steam here, a necessary part of life. Hope your business all turns out on the plus side.
Good Morning:
I generally enjoy your Monday Morning rants!!!
This is one that I figure I will reply to.
I have not really had what I call a JOB-JOB since late 1975. It was more out of necessity, than choice. I ended up being a single parent of 2 RUG RATS under the age of 2.
Did pretty well, that is until we moved from Northern California, to the wilds of Northern Minn., 60 miles above Duluth. The reason for the move was the school that my children were attending at the time, was going to be converted to a school for “Special Education Kids”. The principal, of new school came and gave a presentation, and basically said that the biggest problem for the kids would be getting on the school grounds, thru all the “DRUG DEALERS” around the school. I decided that at a 2nd an 4th grader did not need that kind of hassle. We moved.
After a couple of years it became evident due to the down turn in iron ore industry, that my kids would need better education options. I looked around for private education options. Found one school , sent the oldest there. It was 350 miles away, one way, and a boarding school.
The youngest stayed in the public school, after a couple of months, it became evident, that it was not going to be able to satisfy needs. Checked with the teachers, asked if the youngest would be able to skip 5th and 6th grade an go into 7th. the consensus of opinion was YES!! Enrolled 2nd child in 7th grade.
FAST FORWARD, both have good jobs, the youngest is a GS-15, has 2 years of college, the oldest has a college degree. Both work in computers.
Came to the Philippines to RETIRE!!
Was introduced to a LADY, knew immediately she was a KEEPER. She was a MANICURIST, had been working for herself for about 25 years, since graduating from High School.
About 4 years ago, she was given a handmade pair of earrings, from Gold Wire. We both saw the possibilities of that. She started to learn how to make GOLD WIRE JEWELRY. After a bit when she got good enough, started to sell locally. Got a good reception to her efforts. The problem is there are only about 5,000 families, in the small town. Not big enough market.
Went up on EBAY, tried for 8 months to get her a bank account with a real DEBIT CARD, one with Visa or Master Card Logo and security code. She went in with all of the requirements, New Biometric Passport, NSO Marriage Contract, NSO Birth Certificate, Postal ID. Would not give her a bank account.
Gave up, got one in my name, took about 30 minutes. Using only my Passport!! Tied card to her PayPal Account, Got verified in less than an hour.
Dumped EBAY, went up on another site, get more traffic in 1 day than in on the other in 8 months!!!
Need a lot more work on other site yet, only been up 8 days!!
So two things:
1. YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT YOU CANNOT MAKE HIM DRINK!!
2. WINNERS NEVER QUIT, QUITTERS NEVER WIN!!!
Very inspiring, Fred. Thanks for sharing. Some important lessons here, especially for those who care enough to read and think. Whenever someone says ‘it can’t be done’, challenge them. No, I don’t mean challenge by starting an arguement with them .. that just wastes time. Challenge them by finding a way and getting in done anyway. There is almost always a way.