Giving Up - Are You Thinking Of Giving Up?

There comes a point in any business or venture when you come up against a brick wall. You feel you are doing everything you can, but you are not getting any results. You begin to ask yourself whether it's all worth it and whether you should really be doing this at all. This is the point where many people give up.

We all have our own breaking points, but in the home business industry, there seems to be a two to three month point where many newbies get disillusioned and start to think about throwing in the towel.

The main reason for this is probably an overly high expectation of the speed of results. This is not necessarily the new business owner's fault; many advertising campaigns imply (if not overtly, then covertly) that you can make money fast, just by signing up. While this may not be an exact lie (some programs do pay out quickly) this does not mean that you will make a profit, or become rich, very fast.

So, at the breaking point, the newbie begins to realise the reality of what they have entered into. It suddenly seems that they will NEVER become rich. They may feel overwhelmed at the amount of work that needs to be done in order to make the tiniest profit. Some may even blame the company they have joined (usually unfairly) and think they have been hoodwinked.

The truth of the matter is that two or three months is rarely enough time to start seeing the kind of results we all dream about. At this point, one is barely scratching the surface. And if you are a complete novice in network marketing, you will only have learned the very basics at this point.

In my (humble) opinion, the industry would see a higher percentage of successful entrepreneurs (though a lower sign-up rate) if they were more up-front in their marketing about what this business really involves. I, for one, would prefer to have a few successful downline members rather than a huge list of affiliates that do nothing or give up too soon.

However, we are all responsible for our actions, and if we are a victim of anything, it is usually our own high expectations. All this needs is a little adjustment in our thinking.

If you are one of those people who are thinking of giving up, here is my advice:

1. Don't give up.

2. Accept that things usually take much longer than you expect. Decide on a time limit for your business by all means, but make it at least six months, preferably longer, and make a commitment to doing everything you can to make it work in that time.

3. Treat your business as a business, not as a hobby. If you do this in your spare time, then make sure you allocate several hours a week and that your family friends know you are working in this time.

4. Join several network marketing forums and ask for advice. Most people in these forums are very friendly and eager to help newbies as they have been there themselves.

5. Make a list of the things that you are avoiding doing and commit yourself to getting help with these. Most of us have weak areas of marketing (e.g. SEO, blogging etc) and these are things we tend to avoid, but probably need most of all. Get some training in these areas. Ask in forums. There are also plenty of free e-books available on all of these subjects.

6. Focus on one thing at a time. Many of us (me included) have made the mistake of trying to do everything at once. Remember, this is not a sprint; it's a long haul business. Take your time and focus on learning one thing and applying it before you go on to the next.

7. Set yourself a budget and stick to it. It's easy to overspend at first because you feel this is the only way you are going to make money, but you really don't have to spend thousands. Many people have built successful businesses for an initial outlay of less than $100. As your income grows, you can always increase your budget.

8. Finally, and most importantly, relax and have fun! If you're not enjoying yourself, it will seem so much harder to carry on. Forums are great resources for meeting other people and sharing successes and a few jokes. You are not alone; talk to other people and get some encouragement.

I believe that if everyone keeps to these eight points, they will eventually begin to see the kind of results that makes this business worth while. Be patient and you will be rewarded.