The problem with being a 'successful' IM.

First a little definition - the base level measurement of 'success' from internet marketing, according to me, is owning your time, being location independent, being free from tasks, and having a 'good' passive (or almost passive) income. Sure, you build on it, and build it some more, but I say one is already successful when they meet these criteria - it's all just numbers after you own your time & location.

So here's the problem: when you don't spend your time doing 'things' to earn an income, what does one actually do to fill their time, in the long term?

Sure, there's the usual suspects like "travel, go out with friends, find a hobby, read, spend time with the family" blah blah blah, but I'm here to say that those things don't feel very fulfilling after they've been at the core of your life for a significant period.

In a past life of 'real' offline businesses, it was quite different - because even as I was free from 'work', there was at least an office to go to each day and pretend that I had work to do, even if I just drank coffee and chatted to my business partner and staff. Also a rather meaningless existence, I'll admit, but it wasn't quite so obvious because I felt occupied.

I presume I'm not alone in feeling utterly bored when I don't have 'work' to do... I truly wish I was the type of person that could get joy from reading, or gardening, or... whatever. But it doesn't excite me.

I agree 100% things can get boring a lot especially if you dont have many hobbies going on!

tony_d said:

it's all just numbers after you own your time & location.

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Well said Tony_d, time & location are the first two things that one should have to be successful in IM. Thanks for a rejuvenating post.

I know this feeling VERY well. Movies and netflix started to get boring. I decided after 3 years I would play a computer game. Bored after 2 days. I always get dragged back into IM to try and turn more and more. Not really sure what the long term has in store. Maybe I should open up an offline biz.

You hit right to the point.. 100% Agree..

Maybe we just get easily bored.. Playing online games or watching movies (adult) are getting boring the more you do it..

the solution is to create bigger goals. aim to build meaningful companies...its whats kept me going, long after financial stability was reached.

I have discovered that helping others in my spare time gives me the feeling of accomplishment.

Very true post tony. I wonder what the future has in store for successful imers

IM is a very lonely journey without like minded frds that can share what we really doing everyday life.

A friend of mine spends his time helping under-privileged people. I.e. he goes to the squatters and helps distribute food and clothes. Sometimes he helps people in jail as being their only person to talk to. Keeps him busy for 2 days a week.

branch out into other industries. If I had as much money as you guys, I'd invest in another business right away and then another and another and hire smart people to run the business for me. Look at Richard Branson.

infoasian said:

A friend of mine spends his time helping under-privileged people. I.e. he goes to the squatters and helps distribute food and clothes.

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Yeah I did something similar for a while, but then I took the view that these 'underprivileged people' were, for the most part, actually lazy and didn't want to do anything to change their situation, so all I was doing was enabling their laziness, because my dreams for their lives were bigger than their own.

It's not a very 'nice' view to have, nor do I claim that it's universally true... but, it is my view. God, I hope I'm not going to be a cynical grumpy old man in years (decades) to come

zubidoo said:

branch out into other industries. If I had as much money as you guys, I'd invest in another business right away and then another and another and hire smart people to run the business for me. Look at Richard Branson.

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My point goes to what's interesting, and enjoyable, not making money... the making money part is actually much easier when your head is in the right place, and getting your head in the right place is somewhat predicated upon enjoying life, I think.
And, to follow your red herring - I would make the point that 'branching out into other industries' is just giving yourself more work to do, assuming the money is just a number and won't materially change your life. And from where I sit, I think there's something fundamentally broken about existing to just give yourself more work to do.

I'm quite the opposite maybe because I haven't had huge success yet.But when I do make a little bit of money, it makes me work harder to make even more.Although I have a ton of hobbies also, so my mind is pretty occupied.Best thing is don't let your work consume you and set aside some "Your time" everyday.If you don't have a hobbie, go try something you never thought you would do.Step out of your comfort zone and you might find something you dig.

I can totally relate to this. I sometimes wish I had an office to go to, but I look at my corporate office-going friends and I don't particularly envy their life either. I sometimes have friends over, and that's fun, but you can't do that everyday. If things go as planned, I am thinking of renting an office space and have a couple of employees, and maybe students. I think that would make my life more fulfilling as opposed to the usual smoking, sleeping, movies, check stats, movie, refresh stats, drinking that I'm doing right now.

You could always do a project that is non work related. Maybe a DIY project related to something that you like (like how fans of fantasy books do cosplay). Or maybe you could hit the gym and get a 6 pack or become a scuba diving instructor, perhaps learn to cook or mix drinks... In my experience i have found that while netflix and hitting the pub with friends is fun for a bit, doing a fun passion project is way more rewarding and keeps me from getting bored.

tony_d said:

First a little definition - the base level measurement of 'success' from internet marketing, according to me, is owning your time, being location independent, being free from tasks, and having a 'good' passive (or almost passive) income.

...

So here's the problem: when you don't spend your time doing 'things' to earn an income, what does one actually do to fill their time, in the long term?

...

In a past life of 'real' offline businesses, it was quite different - because even as I was free from 'work', there was at least an office to go to each day and pretend that I had work to do, even if I just drank coffee and chatted to my business partner and staff. Also a rather meaningless existence, I'll admit, but it wasn't quite so obvious because I felt occupied.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I see it that way as well. I don't think it'll be worthwhile to quit our jobs and build a bussiness, whether online or offline, that owns us. Then it's no difference, as we are still deskbound. (Read "4 hour work week" by Tim, and I had a good glimpse of how it's like to be free)

I get that feeling of a sense of boredom or lack of direction sometimes as well, being an online entrepreneur at home (yeah I quit my job). Then it is easy to fill the time in with meaningful activities that don't add to our income. It's like what you said about feeling "occupied". Over time, there's this sense of feeling like I've done a lot of things, but yet feels like I have done nothing, and I can't even remember what things I've done..." (Hence, being occupied does not necessary equate to being productive)

I set goals and clear purposes for my goals to motivate me to go on towards the success (as you have defined it).

Good post!

this might not interest you but it didn't with me initially but I have got into cooking, trying new recipes, experimenting, sourcing local ingredients. It becomes quite a challenge to improve and I love a challenge.

Yeah it gets boring but not as boring as working in a fast food chain or something i choose marketing =p

just buy a run down house in a good area - you'll never have a spare minute again. I know I don't!

I already am the master at doing nothing.nothing. Haven't worked in over a year,it does get boring sometimes but I just think about how much I despise waking up at 5 am just so I can go make somebody else some money and get 9 bucks an hour.