Most internet marketing experts suggest writing a blog in language that an 11 year old can understand just in case their readers (.ie. you lot) don’t have the mental capacity to understand what I’m on about.
Speaking as someone who just had to Google the word ‘persuade’ in order to spell it correctly, I’ll take my chances.
Drag your knuckles this way, and see what you think to this post:
‘Deferred Gratification’ is what sociologists call it.
I can’t remember from my University days which sociologist conducted the study, but it was about ‘deferred gratification’
His hypothesis was that it’s one of several indicators that help sociologists to determine what kind of background (I suppose I mean ‘class’) a person comes from.
Working class parents (used to be called lower class but we got really angry about it) alledgedly influence their children toward ‘instant gratification’ – they leave school without further education to get a job to have wages to spend NOW rather than remain poor for a few more years at university which would supposedly bring qualifications and a better paid job.
They put off the ‘later’ for gratification NOW.
Middle class parents it seems do the opposite. The persuade their chidren to endure a little more hardship in the present in order to reap the rewards in later life – deferred gratification.
You follow?
Basically sensible people put off rewards in the present for greater rewards in the future.
Well I want to know what idiot came up with this idea.
As someone who is genetically prevented from leaving half a bar of chocolate or half a bottle of wine ‘to enjoy tomorrow’ I’m declaring war on whatever government department has been pushing this down our throats for the last 100 years.
Take the retirement myth for example.
In the UK there was a pensions crisis a few years back.
People who had paid into company pension schemes for thirty years or more were robbed – ROBBED – of THEIR money by at best incompetants and at worst criminals who couldn’t manage to pee in a straight line let alone run a pension fund.
One week after this I heard a financial advisor on the nation news giving advice to new graduates that one of the main things they should do is to start a pension.
Absolute insanity.
So the way it goes in the West is that we work hard, get as good a job as possible, earn as much money as possible (work like a dog if the overtime is available), start a pension scheme if possible then after 45 years retire to ‘enjoy’ high blood pressure, prostate problems and the fact that you’re never EVER going to have an affair with an underwear model.
Eventually one of the above or depression caused by one of the above finishes us off and that’s it.
If you’re lucky you retire at 65 and get 15 years of being able to enjoy life before you end up hovering above your body and waiting for the tunnel of light to appear.
15 years isn’t that great when we live to an average of 80 years.
If this system wasn’t already here and someone tried to introduce it we’d laugh.
So I have a radical theory.
Enjoy yourself NOW!
There definitely IS a present because we’re all IN it.
But a future?
Who knows -I might explode or something this evening. War, famine pestilence, a car, a heart attack, a dodgy meat pie or even a strong bout of laughter (remember that?) could finish any one of us off in the next 5 seconds.
Then what you gonna do with your pension plan? If of course it hasn’t been devalued or stolen by the time you need it.
So why NOT enjoy yourself now?
A small internet business could cover 2 days wages for you.
If it does can you go part-time at work?
Yes your husband/wife will have a fit, but after realising that you could maybe go out more (or stay in 🙂 )together they’ll soon come round to your way of thinking.
If not could you get away with saying ‘no chance’ when you’re asked (and in many workplaces this means ‘forced’) to do some overtime this weekend?
It’s your LIFE we’re talking about now – does it matter if you piss your boss off a bit? He won’t be thinking about it when he gets home (which will probably be considerably earlier than you)
The key to it of course is to bring in a little more money and the internet is the best way to do that.
Would you rather have an extra $75 or work one day less a week? After tax you possibly only come out with $50 anyway.
I know we all have bills to pay and children to feed – I really do, but you’d be surprised how little you need to survive on.
Now I’m not talking living like a monk – if you want that new Wiiiiii console then buy it. But wouldn’t it be great if your business paid for it?
Just a few dollars from an online business can be such a huge boost to your ego and confidence too. I’ve seen it so many times – once people make their first $100 online, their first $1000 is so much eaiser because they KNOW they can do it.
And once you start earning online you never go back. How many people have you heard say
‘Yes the money was good, I was my own boss, had lots of free time because I only worked 3 days a week but I wanted to go back to the security of a full time job’
People will get angry if you talk to them about this – you might even be getting angry reading this yourself. It’s because of fear. When something is suggested that makes you question why you do something, and that there might be an alternative it’s easy to get scared and angry.
I do know – I’ve been there and I know that if you can free up a little, tiny bit of YOU time, and dedicate it to your online business your chances of success will go up 500%
Don’t wash the car or do the shopping, if you manage to reduce your workload by just one day consider not telling anyone because they’ll only want a piece of you to cut the lawn or walk the dog.
People think in terms of work days and non work days.
We should be thinking in terms of ‘life’
And if you don’t agree then that’s cool. You’ll be able to retire happily, with your pension fund (if it’s still there) and live out the rest of your life (however long that might be) relaxing.
Here’s a great quote from Billy Connelly who says something like:
‘They say we’re all living twenty years longer than we were a century ago. That’s all well and good but why does it have to go on the END of your life?
I want it NOW while I’m laughing and shagging like a rhino rather than when I’m semi conscious, peeing into my shoes and dribbling into my cornflakes’
Me too mate.
Me too.
I’m taking my children for a ride on a steam train next monday morning.
What are you doing?
I’m no cleverer than you. Not a single percent.
Please work on your business. If you need monthly motivation, techniques and guidance CLICK HERE to get the lot for around $7 a month. Warning: I WILL bug you to keep moving!
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Fantastic stuff Tony, when I finally got round to quitting my job it was like the shackles had been taken off and I now have so much more time to build my business.
In fact, my income rose by about a third in the first month I was off work…it gives you the space to knuckle down and really get things going.
So yeah, less time making money for someone else and more time making money for yourself is a GOOD THING!
At the risk of nit-picking : Middle class parents it seems do the opposite. The persuade their chidren to endure a little more hardship in the present in order to reap the rewards in later life – instant gratification, sounds more like deferred gratification to me.
That said – could not agree with you more on the rest of your argument!
Mike – spot on – just edited it – ta
Loved the post Tony 🙂
And I have to agree with it all.
I’ve been there and done that as far as the listening to the bosses is concerned…
They promised the earth if I worked 100 hours a week for a very high salary and commission.
I did – it wrecked a relationship … 4 years later I was out of work…
As for the cash – I did have loads of it on my pay slip – but … amazingly – the deductions were also huge!!
I’d much rather have fun now and make enough to be comfortable 🙂
Randy
Still having fun while paying my bills from my online income 😉
http://www.RandolfSmith.com
Hi Tony,
THANKS for this post .. I was actually moved towards
the end, when I read the Billy Connolly bit and realised
I had heard him say this, on telly.
Now then …. You’re ” No Cleverer than me” ? (Maybe
not, *I* can spell persuade.. he he he ) but, seriously,
you ARE … you went to Uni, I never got past the 11 plus
(what’s that, he says) and, I am beaten by what I NEED
to do to GET an internet business up and running as you
have …
I WANT to … have, for years but, as I’ve said, I’m beaten
by the ‘Know How to actually do it’ … naw … don’t tell me
to go and read up … I’ve done all that and got cupboards
FULL of “How to’s” … but, actually DOING it …. aaaaaarrgggggg
Hi Tony
Another great post – and being at university myself there was a little of that which was slightly uncomfortable 😀 – but I’m building my business today – and I’m confident I’ll be able to do this full time at some point in the (hopefully) near future. I’m tasting what it’s like to do this full time at the moment being on my summer holiday.
and the great thing about IM is that it IS fun. So I can have fun now AND have fun later. It’s rather good being able to have it both ways 🙂
Dan
Of course, makes serious sense Tony, but – and it is a big one – it’s knowing how to go about it that is the be all and end all don’t you know.
I’ve been interested in developing something simple online to make some money (not rich, just money) for many months; years, even.
I’ve read numerous ‘books’, tutorials and so on, and while some have been very good (yours included), I must be honest and say that as a techie dummy I am *still* looking for complete no-nonsense, non-jargon (or jargon explained), literal step-by-step (in the right order), absolutely nothing left out (however obvious it may seem to the writer), instructions on this, that or t’other online venture. No rocket science, no ‘resource boxes’, ‘HTML’ or ‘tags’ (unless explained), no camping at the pc overnight…
Well, you get my gist.
Hiya Matt,
Nice to hear from you – thanks for posting. Think I’ve got an email from you in my inbox. I’ll drop you a line tonight.
Tony
Hi Randy,
From piecing together your posts I’d say you’ve been through the mill in your online quest!
Thanks for posting
Tony
Hi David
Thanks for posting. I can actually feel the angst in your post mate.
I’m NOT any cleverer than you because I went to University, as any student will tell you. Learning (and it is a skill not intelligence) how to pass exams is a necessary life skill, like knowing how to place a bet or mix a martini. Nothing to do with intelligence.
Made no difference at all to my online career either.
Question for you – and I mean this in the least insulting way possible. What have you actually DONE to increase your income. You’ve got to make it easy for people to give you money.
I struggled with this for ages then realised that although I had what I thought was a ‘business’ I had very very few pages out there with Paypal buttons on them. That’s why I was struggling.
How many payment buttons have you got?
Thanks for posting – really good post, and I think one that a lot of people will relate to. Hope you don’t think I’m being arsey with you – I’m not – I’m interested.
Tony
Daniel,
No good trying to persuade people you’re building a business when we all know you’re really just drinking lager and ogling the women’s rugby team. I’ve been to Uni mate!
Tony
PS Congrats on how far your business HAS come in the past few months.
Hi Bob – thanks for posting.
I don’t think you’ll EVER find a how to book with nothing left out.
There are some parts to all info that you’re going to have to go and find out for yourself, possibly by trial and error.
What techy bit – specifically – are you stuck on?
Tony
No specifics Tony, really; Just all the techie bits, the jargon and the order of play. Perhaps I’m naive, but it seems to me that it shouldn’t be that difficult for someone to whom it’s second nature to write it *all* down in simple language for someone who is rather overawed by it all.
I mean, I make a mean coriander and chilli chicken (it says here) and I could write the recipe down without missing a single move so that a child could understand. It shouldn’t be that difficult, should it?
Pension? Aye, at best ’tis a rubber ruble. It’s taken from you when it’s a ruble, and given back when it’s nowt but ruble rubble! Inflation, and all that rot! Even disregarding disasters along the way, you’re guaranteed to lose before leaving the starting line!
At 76 years of age, I’ve successfully lost my shirt quite a few times in various flubbed endeavours while self-employed, both off-line and on. But I would still sooner sell my sheep than slave for someone else. Right now, I’m just gearing up enough courage to have another go at the windmills. So, take heart, young uns, we’ll all get there some day if we just keep trying. I don’t know about you, but I’m still partial to the concept of living to 180, and being shot by a jealous husband.
Very good post Tony.. INSPIRING! I just retired at 63 and 5 twelfths and I am now building my web biz. I’ve been reading yours and Sara’s stuff for while now – like it.
I’m 63 and 4 twelfths Dave. Thought you’d like to know that. Am not progressing as well as you, unfortunately. Have often said that next time I’d like a piece of my brain to be designed to cope with all matters technical. Would like to sing, too, but that’s another matter.
I can cope well with eBay, but find listing tedious and, anyway, don’t like their autocratic management. The recent changes to the feedback system, for example, are preposterous it seems to me. A buyer can leave a negative for a seller, but not t’other way round. How can that be right?
Anyway, be that as it may, I wonder if you – if anybody – can suggest the most straightforward, simple, easy to understand way to make money online. I don’t want to hang around in forums, have to cope with HTML, be confronted continually with jargon I don’t understand, you know, that sort of thing. I’m very willing to learn, but one step at a time…
Great blog and comments.
When I was in a job, as a teacher, I turned into Pavlov’s dog. Every 35 minutes or so throughout the day a bell rang and I had to “jump” into the next lesson or duty. Strangely, I hadn’t realised this until I decided to leave all that behind.Now I can do what I like, when I like (so long as my husband agrees!)
Tony you are right. Life is for living. Not for selling to someone else. As long as there is enough money coming in to put food on the table and pay for other essentials you can cope. Meanwhile it is possible to build up other ‘businesses’ – both offline and online.
I get so confused – mainly by incompetents – that I don’t even know this Billy Connelly bloke. Is he any relation to Billy Connolly?
That said, as for “retire to ‘enjoy’ high blood pressure, prostate problems and the fact that you’re never EVER going to have an affair with an underwear model” – well One out of Three isn’t bad (and I haven’t retired yet).
And anyway what is all this pension stuff? I used to have one of those – and then I started work in an investment company. In fact I have an ebook on the subject. Even without ‘living now’ they really are a hole into which your money will vanish.
Hey ho! Back to selling One Month Magnates. Roll up – get yours here!
Ok Tony, THANKS for the reply and, no, I don’t
think you’re being “arsey” but, I’m surprised that
you said “Interested”.
Hummmm, “Paypal Button” ? …. er … one or two
but, as I said in my above post …. I don’t really
know HOW to, despite all the “How To’s” I have,
and, have read (anyone else with me, on this?).
Let me put it this way, if I may ….. Not everything
works, for everyone, as it will for you … for example,
I have started a Blog using WordPress and, guess what?
I can’t even get the texts in my posts to publish on
the Blog.
I got someone else, somewhere else to post on my
Blog and, it works fine but, for me … nah, it just
don’t “Go” so …… as I said, it’s sometimes VERY
difficult to follow “Steps” when some of said steps
just Won’t DO what You say they will .. no matter what.
Another example, if I may …. we have three laptops
in our household, all three are the exact same make
and model, with exactly the same Operating System
on them, installed by the same person …. All three
will behave differently to any given programme, so,
why’s that ? and, does it illustrate what I am trying to say?
What works for you, and, the steps you take, may not
work for someone else.
So, therein lies the frustration
To You other ‘oldies’ posting in here, I’m just
62 and 4/12ths so, guess I’m the young ‘un, huh?
I’ll bet Tony is a lot younger though and, I only base
that on his ‘grasp’ of the “How to” …. seems us
‘Older folk’ need more nurturing, right?
Maybe we ‘oldies’ should get together and, compare
notes and help each other through these “How To’s”?
Well said Tony. I can’t even imagine going back to a job. Makes my head ache and my stomach turn.
As for pensions. I do remember them them from somewhere in the past. Then if I remember correctly they started calling them 401K’s in the US. Last time I worked for the man, my company 401K bit the dust with the last stock crisis. I so like much better what I do now and controlling my own destiny seems to work better than having someone control it for me.
I’m with you David, although in the best sense of saying it I don’t think Tony is any cleverer than me (or you). In fact, not to brag, but simply in the context of this discussion, I’m a Bachelor of Education (Hons) and, like Jean, am teacher-trained (although I never actually taught and have spent most of my professional life working with the written and spoken word). So, getting to grips with understanding how to make money online should be easy-peasy, eh. Well, it ain’t, for me, and just like you David, I’ve read many ‘books’, courses and tutorials and I’m *still* looking for the one that talks to me in a language I can understand and takes me through *every* step of the process in minute detail, with absolutely nothing left out.
I must say David that while one is still compos mentis it seems to me that age is not a consideration here, other than in terms of energy. I may be quite wrong, but I feel my brain is working better than at any time in my life – although I don’t have the mental of physical energy of younger days – but I still can’t quite get to grips with all this techie stuff.
You see Tony, it’s possibly not PayPal buttons we want at this stage, but to know how to get them and ‘post’ them once we reach that stage. Before that, though, we, well, I, want to be taken by the hand and led through the maze slowly and carefully with absolutely nothing left out.
Hi All
Your comments are very welcome and very appreciated.
It’s a weird one is internet marketing. I learnt how to do it by making mistakes. They didn’t cost me much money, but quite a bit of time which of course is a resource that many don’t have.
Regarding the hand-holding approach that many like (and I can see why), I learned to put a Paypal button on a site by getting it wrong a dozen times – going through the ‘merhcant tools’ link in my Paypal account and trying to make a button, testing it and seeing what happened.
Trial and error.
Now I know that’s not for everyone. Bob – does that approach work for you?
Hi Phil, my mobile spell checker and all round pointer outer of flaws 🙂
Your post is possibly the scariest I’ve read in a while – someone who used to work for an investment company saying that a pension is a ‘black hole into which your money will vanish’
That’s terrifying for the poor sods who are being advised to put 20% of their salary into it each month and are struggling to do so.
Makes you think
John, Dave, Jean and David – thanks for posting – your comments are always welcome.
David I can relate to your post. The computer hates you.
My wife is the same – I can do something that takes 30 minutes on a computer yet she tries the same thing and it stop working, goes black or whatever. I’ve seen her computer crash in ways I didn’t know they could!
You’re not alone.
Of course Tony; life is trial and error, but in terms of all things technical, and in the context of not having a techie brain, it simply exhausts and frustrates me.
I’d willingly pay four or five times the average purchase price of a ‘How To…’ book if – sorry if I’m repeating myself here – it took me step-by-step through a certain process with absolutely nothing left out (however obvious to the writer) in simple non-techie language. And in the likely event that it’s difficult to avoid jargon, then let’s have a simple explanation.
Honestly, it doesn’t seem too much to ask to me. Of course I still wouldn’t expect everything to fit into place at the first click, but at least I would know the answer is there somewhere.
🙂
Bob
Hi Bob – I do understand you – and I understand your frustration.
Have you ever thought about having a certain task done for you? – for example putting a Paypal button on a site (drop me an email if that is the case I can help) via elance.com or rentacoder.
You’ll pay for it but if you ask them to screenshot the process as they go or even just dictate it into a mic you’ll have an idea.
A couple of comebacks, if I may?
Firstly, the people who invest your pension money are – by and large – idiots. I wouldn’t trust any one of them to take my money and pay it in over a bank counter. And I spent about 35 years dealing with these morons. Add to which, they charge your pension fund for their services. Not for what they do – which may be FA – but a percentage of the value of your fund every year – irrespective of whether they’ve increased or decreased its value. Think about that for more than 30 seconds – but take care – it’s quite easy to bring on a heart attack.
The second point is to reply to Bob’s thing about being shown how to do something. I agree with him that it’s easy for people who know to assume that everybody knows. However, there’s also a reverse problem which is that a lot of people who don’t know won’t ask. I recently floated a question on a forum for beginning internet marketers in which I asked people to tell me what they didn’t know. The idea being to point them in the direction of the information. There were 2 replies. One of which was ‘everything’.
So, Bob, ask! And if you don’t know where to ask try going to Tony’s guruscam forum. There’s a section there where you can ask – and there are people, amazingly enough, who are more than willing to help you.
And now – back to the honey.
Yes, yes, yes, I’m not afraid to ask; anything! But that’s not really my point. It’s quite a gift, I think, to be able to explain the complex in simple language to simpletons and few have it. If, having followed every instruction religiously, knowing that nothing has been left out, I’m still struggling, then I’ll ask. But in the first instance I need to be led by the hand through a maze with no dead ends.
What a crack up!
I really don’t know about ‘peeing in a straight line’ but I quite agree that one should live for the day. I hope you are not averse to the Bible as Jesus says we should not concern ourselves with today as tomorrow has it’s own problems (paraphrased).
Most of us have been brought up to think that earning say $50,000 in 2 weeks is for con artistes. This has made it really difficult for some to change their mindset to even consider an online business.
It is quite sad really. Well I think we should all be thinking about ‘lifestyle’ rather than so called working hard.
We should certainly plan for tomorrow but don’t take deferred gratification too far.
Lastly ‘instant gratification’ is one reason why people fall for get rich quick schemes online. It’s a sure way to go broke quickly. Making money online requires skill and hard work.
We need to be sensible in what we do. Look for the midway between ‘instant gratification’ and ‘deferred gratification’.
The realization that you do not have to go to work today is an amazing feeling. I spent 30 years as a self employed slave to a retail business. The internet business I started 5 years ago was the best thing I ever did.
Rick