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My perfect job would be as a novelist. Same hours, same freedom, maybe less pay, but at least you're creating something unique and giving people something to do while they're waiting at the doctor's office. The good thing about Adsense/AM is that it gives me time to work on my hobby writing, so maybe there's hope of being published eventually ;)
Summer is just about over though and it's time to get a new consulting contract. :(
Maybe by next summer I'll be a full time Webmaster. It's hard when you have a mortgage and 2 college educations to save for.
ant
You are up that early! I think all of my neighbors assume that I am a drug dealer. I never go to work yet I have a corvette parked out front, and I am always taking vacations.
When it comes to freedom and flexility this is probably the best job out there. When it comes to actually feeling some sense of satisfaction and accomplishment I would rate it one of the worst.
I am personally viewing it as a quick money maker so that I can focus on other things other than making money some time down the road.
How do you stay motivated?
Addiction >;->
No seriously, I find there are a lot of rewards quite apart from the financial ones - friends asking if they can write articles for me to have their name in print, readers writing in and saying thanks for all the hard work in developing the site, all the free time and never having to work for someone else's agenda.
joined:Apr 22, 2004
posts:528
votes: 0
true no?
However, on the matter of the hair split, I use AM/AS as shorthands to define where the money come from, but whereas "Affiliate Marketer" is a profession, AS doesn't quite stand for anything along the same lines, and if we really think about it, in both instances we only get paid if a specific action gets done, be it at the click level, or at the purchase level. I suppose someone who does exclusively AS might be harder to be labeled as an AMer, but I'll let the philosophers ponder about that one. I had a thread started way back a year ago or so about that went something like(paraphrased) 'what do you tell people when they ask you what you do for a living?'. We could go and look back into it for more accurate words...or... get a nice comb and just brush over the whole thing :)
to go a bit back on topic, although I do find great satisfaction in earning money doing this, I also find the need to find something else to fill up all the free time that's left over. Right now I've got the travelling (and, at the risk of sounding cliche'd, cuz I don't use the word L often, I'm afraid I've fallen in a state of deep emotional connection with Paris, enough for a weeklong stay), but anyway, eventually i'll have to settle down someplace for the long term and figure something out to do. But I probably should start working on it now. If my writing sounds disjointed, it's because I've been reading "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". In fact, Doug stole that idea from me.
joined:Apr 22, 2004
posts:528
votes: 0
I stopped reading your updates awhile ago, last time I read it you were something like 80/20
anyways
I like making sites and trying to game search engines
Working for the man is for chumps.
Right your own rules my friends. Right your own rules.
Writ large.
Travelling and the freedom to take off when I want and where I want to is the biggest motivator.
But there still seems to be a sense of satisfaction that is missing. I dont think anything online will ever fill that void.
But there still seems to be a sense of satisfaction that is missing. I dont think anything online will ever fill that void.
I agree 100%
The money can be great, and often is. Sometimes it totally sucks, but I find that it still averages out to be WAY more than a full time job (in my case anyways).
The only problem is that with all that free time, you tend to get bored faster and working from home leaves me thinking how nice it would be to share an office with about 15 co-workers... sometimes anyways. :)
All in all, it's not so bad. I really can't think of anything better at the moment... maybe rockstar?
I'm just about to add my 3rd site. First two are doing o.k. but not all that well yet. I'm still trying to break the XX perday mark on a consistant bases.
Hopefully, in 2-3 months or so I'll be a lot closer to my goal.
I feel I am blessed. But not just because I do AM. I feel I am lucky because not only do I have the luck to be the few who make it in AM, but I enjoy it as well. My husband and friends could eventually do it, I am sure, but they would be miserable, so I doubt that they would see it as a blessing.
let's face it, you have to have a steel stomache to deal with month to month AM, especially if you have kids
That's true but it is also true for all types of business. Actually, you really need to have a very strong mental strength and the rest will follow.
Being an AMer is not even a job, it is a business. While it is good, its obviously not the best job or business or occupation or whatever.
IMHO, being a super successful investor is better because that's really passive income :)
With a "real" job I get to interact with co-workers and do things with them without disassociating from society. My real job allows me to go "somewhere" on a daily basis instead of being confined to the home on a 24-hour-per-day basis.
With AM I no longer have to worry about monitary needs. I like to challenge myself with AM and that's why I do it. I discover new things that seem difficult and will work on it until I conquer it. The challenge and money is what motivates me.
As far as I'm concerned, it's the best of both worlds. There may come a day where I "reduce" my hours at my "real" job somewhat so I can go on more vacations, spend time with family etc, but I'm not at that point yet.
Cheers,
Dave.
OTOH, if there's one thing cancer research isn't, it's instant gratification. "Instant breakthroughs" take years, and more times than not turn out to be less than hoped for. Grant proposals fall through more often as funding gets cut back. Having some websites that I know people actually get some use from now, today is kinda nice.
Otherwise, I'd repeat everything Davewray said (except about no financial worries - my goal is to get there by next spring). My mother died suddenly 10 days ago, and the people I work with have been incredibly supportive - they really are like a second family. If I quit my day job, I'd have to go visit them all the time, anyway, so I might as well get paid for being there (and have health insurance, and a retirement account...). ;)
I’m talking about Entrepreneurship, where The Sky a limit. Bill Gates, many others did it. I’m not flying soo high, 100 mils$ in 7 years will satisfy, and it is achievable. It can be done many ways. One way that’s sale on line with AFF supports. Other that’s selling traditional way, it can be done too. After stop worring about paying bills, everyone will be more productive and life will be more fun.
I stop dreaming to win on capitalistic lottery ( Wall Street), stop reading Journal and Barron’s and start looking for something else. I want to sell something, not only my time and knowledge.
In the past I start in US few businesses. Some were temporary success,… after few years completely broke. To find better, less expensive products I start be interested in China. Again almost broke, because Chinese product was cheap made, customers returns were 60%. Now I call it “Chinese Syndrome” - we want less expensive product, Chinese produce from cheaper material and lousy made, we can’t sell with good profit because it is cheap and bidding price down, Chinese produce even cheaper,….. etc, etc.
To stop this I desired to organize own production, own factory. And made it. In just 2 years I build 120 000 sf 3 buildings factory where I may produce a lot.
Why I’m writing this? We are selling on line OK, still just touching single % digit in my niche market. To be much bigger, we need expose, need more sales. Advertising by PPC is too risky, too costly, best way that’s Affiliates. Ebay and Amazon are good samples. I’m looking for good, experienced AM, why will be willing to trade his work plus standard 10%/2% AFF/AM pay plus and I’ll help him/her to set-up similar factory as mine. You will choose own product to sell. You don’t need to be a Chinese, I’m not. You may even stay in our Chinese factory, free room, board and access to Internet.
Serious responds please, don’t need another seminar or e-book. Please contact me by PM
Jan