Starting Your Internet Business: Knowing WHY You Want To Do It Is The Key To Your Success

Online business is like offline business - there are a large number of tasks to do in the start-up phase, and just as many when you are up and running.

One thing to get out of the way first - it really is possible to run a successful online business when you follow a proven plan.

The key point is really understanding WHY you want an online business. This is vital and more important than understanding WHAT to doo and HOW to do it.

It is the WHY that will get you past the roadblocks... it is the WHY that will push you on when things are going wrong and it is the WHY that will propel you on to greater success.

The WHY gets you going, you can learn the WHAT and outsource the HOW. The WHY is deeply personal.

Let's take some examples of people who are thinking of starting an internet business:

Pete is 42, married with two teenage boys. He likes sailing in the the summer, has a rather dull, safe job (well safe at the moment...). Funding college and university is a real worry with all the fee rises. Pete doesn't know how he's going to find the money.

Pete has a big WHY - for him, starting an internet business is about funding his kids' education. Secretly he really wants to grow it into something that would give him a replacement income, with more free time to go sailing and buy his own yacht.

And there's Anne. She's coming up to retirement soon, her children are grown up, and she's been divorced for several years. She's always had a dream of owning her own business and now she sees that the internet is the way to do it.

Anne is convinced there are loads of baby boomers out there who would buy the products she's thinking about. She like the idea of being a silver surfer, starting an internet business isn't just for teenagers!

Mike is in his 40's, like Pete. he's been through a pretty tough time. A business has failed, his marriage has broken down, his confidence has taken a knock. But deep down, he knows he's got something to prove. He wants to test out an idea he has online. He'll start by selling other people's products and has some ideas for his own.

It's really important to Mike that he regains his confidence and other people's respect. This is the WHY that's propelling him forward.

Finally, meet Lynn. A stay-at-home mom. Her WHY? You've probably guessed it - build her online business while spending time at home with her kids.

See how the WHY propels each of these people? You may be a lot like one of them - or you may have your own, personal WHY. When you are starting your online business (AND when you're further along the road), make sure your WHY is clear.

First, think about the 'top', level. For example: make more money for your pension, pay for college education, prove you can build a successful business.

Then ask yourself: what will this give me? Your answers will be more abstract, for example: security, a feeling of satisfaction excitement, freedom. And what will that give me?

Keep going until you get a real emotional 'kick', until you really feel and understand the WHY. Write it down. The WHY will be your commitment to starting and running your successful online business.

If you've got a really strong WHY, you'll understand your motivation. Your WHY will give you energy, drive and focus. You will know where you are going. Now you just need a roadmap.


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Amanda Prout works with online and offline business owners helping them grow their business successfully. http://www.internetmarketingtoolsreview.net has more practical tools on getting clear on WHY you want to start an internet business plus a detailed review of the Internet Marketing Start Up Kit for the WHAT and HOW.