Just do it.
Ok, that being said. Read on and let me tell you a few things that have happened to me and are very true. I know some of this has happened to you also.
First, age is no excuse.
Been there done that myself. I am a 71 year old widow. No college education either. When my husband of 50 years passed away in 2010 I was left high and dry. I went to a little over one third of the income I was used to. No insurance money left. So, I moved from Seattle WA where I had lived a goodly portion of my life to the Atlanta GA area. I had just enough money to live on barely. I’m talking Social Security. We all know how skimpy that is right? But, I do have my own modest and comfortable little home.
My next step was to find a job. Well, that was laughable. Even Walmart wouldn’t hire me! I have arthritis of the spine. Can’t stand more than a few minutes. So I started looking for a job online. Well, I bought a few things. Did you know there’s a lot of crooks doing business on the internet? Haha. Of course you do. Well the problem I had with these programs was:
- Some of them never worked – when they didn’t work I could not get anyone to answer me.
- Some won’t refund your money no matter how hard or how long you try.
- Some would have worked if I had enough knowledge about computer programs but, I didn’t. They told me how easy it was. Even a newbie could do it. No. That’s a lie most of the time.
- Or I took one look, didn’t like it and put it in the closet because I was too afraid to try. I was afraid that everyone would laugh at me if I failed. So I didn’t try. We all hate rejection right? So, in this case I got in my own way.
- Or I listened to other people tell me “you can’t do that” and I believed them after all they were my loved ones. BIG MISTAKE. So, once again I got in my own way.
But then I started looking around and really talking to others about who was honest and who was not on the internet.
Well, that’s not the easiest thing to do. One of those things where you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you get to the prince. Right? Well trust me I have kissed a lot of frogs in the last ten years while I was trying to dig up some gold on the internet. I have actually been trying this off and on for about ten years or so. But, really digging for the last three years.
I read all of the get rich quick ideas and how I can make a bazillion dollars in about 2 days if I just buy this or that or the other thing. We all know that’s a lot of hooey. But when you’re desperate well, you know you’ll almost jump into any one’s swimming hole. Watch out for the shallow one with a lot of mud at the bottom. Got a lot of mud on my face for a while there and wasted some moolah in the process.
Found a few things that worked too. They’re not all bad (gurus I mean).
- I sold things on Ebay and Amazon, I still do and make about $100 per month.
- I wrote some cookbooks using Debra Conrad’s Public Domain Treasure, I make about $25.00 a month on this.
- I bought Stuart Turnbull’s, Prints Make Profits. (still am doing this and making about $30 to $40. a month – If I’d get off my butt and do a little more with this I know I could make more money at it!)
- I also bought Tiffany Dow’s Ghostwriting Cash and am still using that also. I write articles for magazines, newspapers, trade publications etc. Just started this and am already making about $100.00 per month.
Now I know you’re going to say,”well I don’t have the money to buy those books”. Me neither. So, I saved pennies, nickels and dimes literally until I had the money to buy them. If I can you can too.
Now my financial circumstance is improved. Am I getting rich? No, but I’m better off than I was and sure am having a great time and can afford those books I need now. The things I do now keep my brain active and I feel better about myself. More fulfilled. I feel like I’m worth something again. I know that’s how you want to feel too. Hey, who doesn’t right?
So, just get out of your own way and get up and just do it. At least don’t stop trying. Life can be better for you too, you know it can.
So, let’s just do it together.
Doni Healy
Click the links to visit the websites mentioned in this post:
Debra Conrad’s Public Domain Treasure
Stuart Turnbull’s Prints Make Profits
Please leave a comment below to share your story of success over adversity to encourage your fellow readers
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Doni,
What an awesome, inspiring story. Perhaps you should write an eBook and publish it on Kindle. I am certain you have a lot more to say. I believe your message would inspire others to get off their b**t and do something that would give their life a purpose.
Keep inspiring us and keep laughing!
Best Wishes,
Henry
Hi Doni,
Well done. You are an inspiration. What a brilliant story. You can now move on, like Andy said purchase books each month and build on what you already have. I also sell prints on eBay. I follow Stuart and a few other marketers.
Good luck.
Regards
Donald
Hello Doni, You made my day, Congratulations!!
What an inspiration to everyone regardless of age.
About your age…who cares. Results is what count.
I wish you just the very best with your online efforts.
Cheers,
George
Thanks to all for your encouraging comments. Keep on keeping on everyone. the best,Doni
Thank you Doni, for sharing your inspirational story with us. I know it took a lot of courage, but seeing you be so positive when you had every reason to be negative is inspiring. So many people younger than you have given up their goals and dreams. You are a pleasant reminder that you are never too old to try new things and make a difference in your life or the lives of others. May you continue to work at what you’ve started. Before you know it, you will surprise yourself at where you end up :0)
All the best to you!
Way to go girl!! I am in the boat with you and am starting to finally see what works and what doesn’t. Stick with Stuart. He is AOK.
Hi Doni,
Great inspiring article. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I too have bought courses and found crooks – and then found the good people who actually teach you and inspire you and mentor you. They are Gold – truly invaluable mentors. You just can’t put a price on them.
I too follow Debra Conrad, Stuart Turnbull, Deb Henry, Jim Cockrum, and others. They have been so helpful in my journey to my own successful business.
I love your saying – you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince – so, so true.
I too live in Atlanta and if you find yourself on facebook, please feel free to friend me. I love knowing other friends in Atlanta who are in the biz 🙂
To Michelle Steinke: Please friend me on facebook. Would love to get together. Thanks, Doni
Congrats Doni,
What a great story, it takes courage to keep going when things don’t work out at first and you have truly earned your success.
Now you have a few money making channels in place it’s just a case of doing more to get more. Once you can make a few hundred online you can make a few thousand, my advise would be to expand the channels that need the least input from you time-wise like the prints business, a few more well selected books purchased each month could triple your profits.
I wish you the best of luck with your online efforts and thanks for inspiring us all.
Andy
Wholesale-Help.com
Great story. Can relate to her. Sorry to say I have done the same.
Stuart and all who read the blog,
This was a good encouraging story and most of us can identify with parts of it. We are generally our own worst enemy and attitude means everything. Many quotes come to mind on this topic: ” where there is a will there is a way”, ” seek and ye shall find”, ” sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful” ( Zig Ziglar), and on & on you could go. But I think determination, believing in your self, and listening to those that have been successful are among the most important, along with being willing to work hard at something that you enjoy doing. Being satisfied with where you are and what you are can spell defeat, I know I’ve been there and done that myself, intense desire comes to mind now. Thanks Stuart, keep up the good work!
I can relate to everything Doni has said in her guest post! I am just now really trying to get out of my own way, save those pennies as she did so that I can afford to jump right in. I’m in sixties and can’t find a job either and I fear it is because of my age though I can’t prove it. The internet is and will be my answer. Thank you for affirming that those of us who are struggling to make it online are not alone! I wish Doni the best.
Karen
Good for you, Doni! Yes, sometimes a learning curve can seem more like a noose than something to be celebrated. It’s so important to learn how to ask for help when we need it, be it with resources, advice, or feedback to our ideas.
I’ve been selling online for about 14 years now and it’s been a huge roller coaster ride, to say the least. eBay is becoming too stressful with all its changes (open and hidden) but I’ve branched out onto Etsy now and that’s a breath of fresh air. I wish you continued success.