THE THOUGHT OF NEW BEGINNINGS
The Beginning of something new is always filled with Excitement, Curiosity and undoubtedly some Nervousness.
New Relationship, New Career, New Baby or even a New House!
The Uncertainty of the Unknown and what lies ahead is something that Motivates and Inspires some people.
They get outwardly Excited and Aggressively seek out the endless possibilities of what this newfound experience can provide for them! Relentlessly pushing through whatever obstacles and setbacks arise to detour them from their Ultimate Goal!
For Others, that same Uncertainty and the thought of what lies ahead will completely fill them with Fear and Panic!
And every thought they process is another possibility of how things Can and Will go Wrong if they proceed… So In The End, most of these people never take Action and, instead, stay stuck and paralyzed in that Fear Forever.
So The Ultimate Question then is, WHY?
Why Do Some relationships Blossom into Beautiful Marriages, and others last a few Weeks or Months?
With the same Training and Resources, Why do Select few Accel in their Field while others struggle to keep pace?
Why do some People Happily decide to have 4 or 5 Children, while others shy away from Parenthood?
Ultimately, the One Common Denominator in all of these scenarios…
And the Answer were Seeking comes down to One Thing…
YOUR MENTALITY!
The Mental Fortitude and Capacity of the individual or individuals involved in the task at hand will Dictate the Outcome…
Ah, Hold on I’m not sure you understood me, Let me Break that Down Some More—
Let’s say, Your 2 Months into a new relationship and you find yourself, for whatever Reason, Purposely Ignoring calls and/or texts from that person…
(Hey No Judgement from Me, we have all done it)
Regardless of your Reason why, I can Confidently say that at this moment You are Mentally not prepared for The Commitment and Responsibilities of what a Relationship would entale with this person.
And Thats totally Fine, that doesn’t make you a bad person at all, it just makes you Human. It’s Your Mind Prioritizing something else over the Task at Hand…
When your Ready to commit to a Relationship with your Body, Soul and MIND, Trust me, You will not miss a Call or a Text.
You Will always have that Phone ringer on the Loudest Ring and Vibrate Setting possible, and you will Sprint across the Mojave Desert to answer that phone call from that Person! At This Point, there is No higher Priority to you than putting all your Mental Capacity and Energy into ensuring this Relationship continues to Thrive.
OK, Let me make this a little more Personal and see if we can Drive the Point home a bit more… Let’s Jump into my Personal Story, starting from when I first Learned about Affiliate Marketing.
As I began this Online Venture, I was just looking for a way to make a few extra Dollars Online. I have my own Landscaping business as well as a Sublimation Printing Side Hustle, but due to Inflation, the cost of living and the expenses of having Children things are still very tight Financially for us…
Then I learned about this Great Gold Mine of Affiliate Marketing…
I was watching all the same “Make quick, Passive Income While You Sleep” Ads that have fooled so many of us.
I began watching more and more and following different “Online Gurus”, I grew more and more excited as I learned about Affiliate Marketing and all the Amazing opportunities it can Open Up! I was eagerly making plans to leave my Landscaping days behind thinking I had Found My “Golden Ticket” answer…
Unfortunately, what I came to realize was that making Money Online through a Computer, Legitimately and Legally, was going to require the 3 Things I had the least amount of on a Daily basis… Time, Money and Mental Capacity.
As Days went by I grew more and more discouraged…
To tell you I was devastated is a bit of an Understatement…
After all the “Online Millionaire Gurus” were promising me Thousands and Thousands of Passive Dollars and promoting how easy this Soccer Mom or that Retiree is doing it!
And I fell for it Hook, Line and Sinker…
I was In a Negative Headspace, feeling Hopeless, stupid, embarrassed and most of all Stuck!
I need to go to work Landscaping to pay my bills, but I need more time to sit and learn this Affiliate Marketing Industry to Level Up my life, But taking time to learn this Industry means I am not Landscaping and paying the bills to feel comfortable enough to Focus my Mind on Learning… UGHHH!!! I was Mentally Screwed…
Listen, I am no stranger to Hard Work. I have owned my own Landscaping Business for 8 1/2 Years now and I am still out in the Field everyday grinding away as hard as Day 1. And just for context, Summer here in Las Cruces, New Mexico reaches 105 degrees regularly.
(This is an Actual Picture Of My Favorite Client’s Property)
My Daily routine consists of running my Landscaping business 7 A.M. to 4 P.M., Coaching my Sons Baseball team from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. 3 Days a Week, Dinner Time from 730 to 830 P.M. and using whatever little time I have left before I call It a Day to catch up with My Girlfriend and her day while we fulfill any Obligations for our Sublimation Printing side hustle. Our weekend are filled with Travel Baseball 13 Year Old (Jayden)and Wrestling for our 18 Year Old (Jojo).
Obviously I can’t just Stop Working, Leave My Son without a Coach or Sacrifice Dinner every night…
So, Needless to say, I just didn’t think I could make anymore time or energy other than the couple hours after dinner that I had left before Bed…
more Importantly I wasn’t sure I Had the Mental Fortitude or Capacity for it, especially that late in the Day…
MY MOMENT OF TRUTH
This is where my most recent Progression Session presented itself to Me!
In This Moment I Must Now Make A Choice…
And if we think back to Earlier in this post when we discussed The Thought of New Beginnings, in each of those situations We must make a Choice… New Relationship, New Job, New Baby
We must each decide for ourselves, Am I Ready To Commit? Why Am I Ready To Commit? And What am I willing To Sacrifice to See this Commitment Through?
For myself Personally, having gained the Knowledge I had already, The Thought of Not Trying felt like Quitting on my Family… Everytime I felt like “This is too Hard or not worth the Effort” I pushed on and kept going…
I wasn’t willing to Regress and Walk away from this Amazing Opportunity in front of Me!
In an effort to create the necessary time began waking up at 530 am instead of 7, trying to get out of work as early as possible, utilizing evenings and any available time on weekends to Learn… Anywhere there is Wifi I can work!
Anywhere I Can make time I will Make Progress!
I Started Listening to Affiliate Marketing and Self Improvement Podcasts during my Workday instead of just Music and Sports (Which I both Love Very Much) and watching less TV, to allow my Mind to make space for all the new Things I have to Learn…
I Will Create The Mental Fortitude and Capacity Necessary to Achieve the Task at Hand!
Slowly but surely, I can feel myself Changing, my Mentality is becoming more Positive and my Confidence in my Ability to Succeed gradually Increases…
It’s been about 6 Months and I Have yet to make a Single dollar through Affiliate Marketing… But that doesn’t bother me because I have already started to become a Better Person!
I Don’t Know Where this Journey is going to end up, but I do know I am going to maximize this Opportunity!
I hope you will check back often to seek Updates on my Affiliate Marketing Adventure, My Progress and discuss with me your most recent “Progression Sessions”!
Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below or Reach out To Me Personally through my Social Media Accounts!
See You At The Top,
Hello – You have such a great story and great reasons for starting this online business! You are right, being new is exciting, scary, thrilling, confusing, etc. But, it can also be fun with the right mindset. I love your thoughts on Mental Capacity and Fortitude. And, I so remember the days of little league baseball with my kids. I miss those practices and games that I thought were so hard and time consuming at the time. I checked out your landscaping FB page and you do beautiful work, my friend! I see you went to NMSU. I went to UNM and I am a proud and loud LOBO (please don’t hold that against me 🙂 ). I look forward to following your progress and watching your business grow.
Hey Ernie!
Thank you very much for your comment and all your kind words. Yes it’s a busy life for sure, but after my oldest moved away after graduation, it definitely put a lot of things in perspective for me. Now I’m trying to take advantage of every practice and game, time is flying by way too fast!
Honestly, thats partially why I am on this journey, Landscaping has been good to me but I need a way to stay working even while travelling with my Son.
Yessir AGGIE UP! Don’t worry, I actually have friends that attended UNM as well so you won’t catch any slack from me for that lol!
Glad to hear from you, Talk soon. See you at The Top!
Hey Ray,
Great story.. You did a great job telling it and how you are over coming it. Time is definitely not on our side. But you are right, getting up earlier is a better way to add more. I myself need to do a better job. I’m a hit the alarm clock 3 times person. And I do hate that. You are inspiring me now. (Thanks!)
I have also been on this journey about 6 months now. I’m never going to be able to retire if I don’t change something. Here’s to all of us making it! 🙂
Awesome job, You are a super dad!
Sandy
Hey Sandy,
You hit me right in my sweet spot with the “Super Dad”! I have always said I am Great at 2 things: Being a Dad, And Being A Father!
Listen, the waking up early is definitely the biggest adjustment for me… I am such a night Owl so the hard part is getting to bed at a reasonable time. It gets easier as the days go on, and eventually just becomes your new body alarm! Glad to talk to someone who is on the same timeline as me, I hope to see us both at the top very soon! Take Care!
A. Ray Aguilar
Ah Ray, what a post! I loved it. So much goodness. I don’t know where to start.
First. New beginnings. so true, we can love em or hate em but it will be our attitude, beliefs, and willingness to take responsibility for our mindset that will carry us through.
To be sure, you have a lot on, and am sure many of us with that much work would reconsider, but I like that you are waking up earlier and catching every moment in the day to take advantage of this amazing opportunity.
That and your years of running your own landscaping business have prepared you to achieve whatever you set your mind to.
I believe in you.
HI Eleanor,
WOW Thank you so much, Im blushing over here lol!
It has definitely been a long road to being the ME I am today…
I have lived a lot of life in 36 Years, seen a lot of things I wish I hadn’t and done a lot of things I know I shouldn’t… Now that God has removed me from there and placed me in a blessed position, I feel its my Responsibility to show Him he did not make a mistake and return that same favor to others. Looking forward to staying in touch!
A. Ray Aguilar
Hi Aveeno,
I am inspired by your discipline and determination.
Having to take care of your family, while running two businesses is already no mean feat, yet you are still able to find time for affiliate marketing.
I love your positive attitude despite not making any sale for the first 6 months. The starting is always the hardest but as long as you persist, you will see a breakthrough.
I also admire your goal of being the first millionaire in your family lineage. I wish you all the best and hope you will achieve it as soon as possible. All the best!
Hey Alan,
Thanks for your comment! I am on a mission to create a better life, but so far all I have created is a better ME… and I am Completely ok with that. As I continue through I am figuring out that a Better ME is the first step to a BETTER LIFE, Im All In! Looking forward to staying in touvh my Friend!
A. Ray Aguilar
I absolutely love what you’ve shared here! I completely agree that mindset is crucial and something we should always be focusing on. Building mental strength and resilience can take us so far in life. I’m excited to see where your journey takes you! Can’t wait to follow along!
Hey Alison,
Thank you so much for the Encouraging Comment and kind words! I am most excited about the Self improvement and Positive Mentality that I haved gained throughout all of this… I know even if I dont ever make a dollar with Affiliate Marketing, those things alone are going to be habits and skills that will go a long way for me in whatever my future holds.. As long as we are always willing to work on ourselves personally, we will always be making Progress! By the way I havent gotten a chance to read your posts yet, but your Blog design is Amazing! The Simpsons, so many Memories! Thanks for the Flashbacks! Im excited to follow your journey as well! Take Care!
A. Ray Aguilar
Wow you have quite a whirlwind life! I admire your insight into all the things you manage. Please take good care of yourself. Think of the old adage of applying the oxygen to yourself first so you can better help those around you, as the airplane goes down. In those moments of serving self before others, we are better equipped for what is yet to come.
Hi Kate,
Ya I definitely have spread myself out pretty thin, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I will definitely keep that adage in the Forefont of my mind and Thank you for reminding me of it. Finding that balance of helping and Serving others while serving yourself and personal needs is a balancing act for sure, but Im up for the Challenge. Thank you for reading and commenting, Hope to stay In touch!
A. Ray Aguilar
Great post! The confidence and certainty you express at the end of the article are inspiring. Your statement that you are going to Maximize the Opportunity is a motto we can all follow… I just wrote in on a sticky note and stuck it on my monitor. Congrats on your first post
Thanks Steve,
I appreciate your comment and Very kind words. I was taught by a mentor we only get a certain amount of Opportunities in Life to change the Future, to change our Destiny! The thing is if your too busy, blind or distracted you miss your opportunities… I have missed too many already, Im looking to take full advantage of any I got left! Glad to be on this Journey together my friend!
A. Ray Aguilar
Ray,
I agree with you about our mentality. It is a critical part of this journey we are on. As you stated, it can be exciting for some, and terrifying for others, to start something knew and unknown. We just have to keep our WHY in focus and keep pushing forward.
Here’s to much success!
Kelli
Hey Kelli!
Yes, your right! the WHY has to outweigh the fear, distractions and temptations that will continue to detour us from our Path to Success! Mental Toughness is not a choice, its a necessity here!
Hi A. Ray!
Congratulations on your first post! You did an amazing, inspiring piece!
Being a busy parent, full-time professional, and part-time side worker when the unexpected finances reared their ugly heads is something I can definitely relate to.
Your growing determination to learn something new and stick with it is commendable.
I look forward to reading future posts and following you on your affiliate marketing journey!
All the best!
Milissa Neirotti
Hey Milissa,
Thanks so much for your amazing comment, I feel special! Inflation is everywhere and affecting everyone these days and doesn’t look like it will be adjusting anytime soon… So I guess all that is left is for us to do is find a way to Inflate too, Inflate our lives, Inflate our skills, and Inflate our bank accounts hopefully lol! I Am inspired by and commend all you do as a Teacher! It is such a Thankless, underpaid and underappreciated Profession and you all deserve more for what you do for the Futures of our Youth. Thanks for Commenting, looking forward to staying in touch!
A. Ray Aguilar
Great story and it is so true. It is all of those things, excitement, curiosity, a good dose of fear, but at the same time a great adventure!
You are off to a great start.
Well Thank you so much Kae! Yes I am excited for the adventure and all you amazing people I get to meet along the way. We shall see what comes of it, Good luck in your own Journey and I will be cheering you on!
A. Ray Aguilar
First times for anything we do is always scary. I commend you for stepping up and trying. Most would fold up their tent and go home. I have always had the fear for putting myself out there on social media and I still am. Knowing it is a necessary evil that I need to conquer.
You have outlined a plan of action for yourself, which is great advice for anyone that wants to be successful online needs to listen to.
Thanks for your insight and honesty,
Lenny
Thanks for the kind words Lenny much appreciated! I hope this journey has something amazing in store for the both of us once we get out of our comfort zones. Keep in touch, Talk soon!
A. Ray Aguilar
Hi A. Ray,
What an amazing story of your life so far. Your life’s experiences are so different from mine, we could be living on a different planet. Your life should get a little easier as your boys grow and leave the nest.
However, if you want to listen to my advice, which, of course, you can ignore if you don’t agree, is as follows. – Based on my understanding of what you have written, my main piece of advice is, on no account should you drop your landscaping business. Keep up-to-date on the Affiliate Marketing stuff, and be pleased that you have Dean and his team to back you up. By all means, try to make a little from Affiliate Marketing, but keep it as a side hustle like your sublimation printing business. Your landscaping business should be your main focus of attention. I’m sure it is physically demanding, and as you pass, say, the age of fifty-five you’ll find that it will start to become more of a strain on you physically,
That would be the time to sell the landscaping business, with its clients, as a going concern which will give you more capital and time to concentrate, almost full-time on Affiliate Marketing. That’s my two-penny worth, A.Ray, consider it or bin it, it’s up to you. I may be barking up the wrong tree, but who knows?
Cheers and good luck
Phil
Hey Phil,
Thank you for the Awesome comment and Great advice! Yes the Landscaping business has been good to me and while my Original plan was to move away from it, I have now shifted my plans. Having gone through a few months now with Dean and the IP Accelerator Program, along with the education I have picked up from other sources like Podcasts, videos, etc. I now realize that I want to scale and build the Landscaping business, Then do the same with the Printing Business, and if I can successfully do that I will continue using my newfound skills and confidence to help Startup and Scale businesses and Brands from the ground up! I am hoping by the Age of 55 I am well into my future planning phase and no longer in physical labor for a living. One lesson I always taught my kids is” Strengthen your Mental muscles to create Opportunities for Wealth and Stability rather than your Physical Muscles. The Physical muscles will Leave you, the Mental ones never will!” Hopefully I am leading them in the right direction.
A. Ray Aguilar
A.Ray, very great blog really great story of your journey and growth. Well done. Mindset is everything and with confidence we can do anything. I look forward To what you do next, thanks, Atif
Hello Atif,
Thank you for your Comment and I apologize for my delay in responding as I have been away from the Computer for a few days. I have been trying to find some consistency and create a routine that works for my schedule. I am very Inspired by your Commitment and passion for this Affiliate Marketing Journey with Dean and his team. I hope to have as much success as you soon!