This may seem like an obvious statement to many of you but keep reading as there are many different ways that others can dictate what you do. Some of them may surprise you.
The world is on information overload. You can turn the TV on or turn on your computer 24 hours a day and find new information about almost any topic you can imagine. Because of this, it’s natural that you’re going to find a lot of different opinions out there that may or may not be based on fact.
For this reason, it’s imperative that you never let other people dictate your path to success.
Here are the most insidious ways other people can get you off track. At one time or another, I have fallen victim to all of them so hopefully, this post will help you avoid some of the pain and failure I have experienced over the years.
Manage Shiny Object Syndrome
Distractions are everywhere. Every day, a new software is born that promises to make your funnels work automatically. Every day, a new marketing idea is hatched. Every day, something new comes out that may or may not affect your business. The only way to really avoid these types of distractions is to give yourself permission to only look at new things part of the time. Schedule limited testing of new ideas while continuing with your plans already in place.
Watch Out for Gurus
There is nothing automatically wrong with a guru, well, unless the guru calls themselves a guru. Guru is a term that should only be imparted by someone else, not the guru. Well-meaning people can find themselves at guru status with a cult-like following, and that type of power can get to their head. They may even start saying things that seem a little off like, “Email marketing is dead.” or other black and white statements that simply cannot be true.
Don’t Believe All the Hype
While most business owners try to be honest with their presentations, sometimes hype can get so overblown that even a good plan seems disappointing once it’s in place. It’s important that you understand that marketing sometimes includes hype, and you should take it with a grain of salt. But also consider avoiding anything that just seems to be all hype and no substance as much as possible.
Know How to Find Trusted Sources
When you were in school, usually English class, you learned how to evaluate sources. You can use this in your business now. However, the main way to find trusted sources is to take your time. Before buying anything from anyone, follow them, get to know them, and find out if they live up to their hype first. And as usual, asking your community for recommendations always goes far.
Practice Finishing What You Start![start and finish]()
When you find a new way of doing something that you want to try, such as content marketing or something, don’t do only part of what you’ve learned. Do what you learned the way you learned it the first time you learn it. That’s the only way to know if it really works for you or not. You can tweak any method later but finishing what you start instead of continually switching is the best course of action.
Implement Before Learning More
When you learn something new and decide to try it, don’t keep learning more things about the same topic without implementing it. If you have any type of how-to on your hard drive now that you think would work for you that you’ve not used, make plans now to use it. Schedule it.
Don’t Put All Your Faith in One Tool
Remember that tools are just that – tools. No one uses an abacus to do math now, and internet companies, funnel software, email software, and social media platforms all come and go. Don’t depend on just one, and don’t depend on any of them to be here forever.
People who want to take money from gullible people are everywhere. If you want to build a long-lasting business that you can be proud of, focus on learning from trusted sources, managing your distractions, and implementing the strategies fully. If you don’t do that, you’re not going to ever know what is working or not working.
