LozWilson

...so what is an expert or guru? Along time ago I was reminded that the term expert means "a has been under pressure".

It stuck in my mind. Because of that it's a term I hate.

As for gurus? Well I do believe that there are some people who are genuinely a guru. But perhaps more concerned with the spiritual wellbing of people than anything else.

What I really do believe is, there are some people who have achieved a critical mass of knowledge, experience and skills. A critical mass that is overwhelmingly self empowering for them.

In turn they are able to share this with others. So that they achieve a critical mass of knowledge, experience and skills too. And so on down the line.

If you can do that, then maybe, just maybe, you're an expert or guru in the truest sense of the word.

...all this talk about work - oops creative activity - makes me think about holidays.

You know last year I took a one week break in May then worked through to Christmas non-stop. Result: declining performance. Well I did know I'd be away in January for a month. But none the less things were not going as well as they should.

So January came and I took that well earned break. Result: I came back with renewed vigour. Things moved on much better and much quicker.

So for the remainder of this year I've promised myself that I'll take a break every twelve weeks or so. Just so I can keep fresh.

The other thing I noticed about taking a break is that I forgot all the detail. All that remained in my mind was my overall goals and vision. That was there at the back of my mind quietly resurfacing above all the daily clatter of detail.

So... Easters here... have a great mini-break and give your brain that well earned rest. Just putting in ever more hours to achieve your goals can be non-productive.

It's quality effort that counts. And you can't put that in if your brain needs a good rest and de-frag.

Have a great Easter.

Work Who Needs It...

... It's that four letter word again. Conjures up a whole host of negative feelings in me. Probably because I've spent too much of my time as an employee selling my time or even as a freelance consultant and trainer doing the same.

Since then it's all changed. I don't do work anymore. Not that I'm retired either. I hope I never do. Too much chance of getting bored and losing your purpose in life. Which incidentaly will keep you alive - literally!

No, work is out- creative activity is in. What's the difference? Alot.

Those two words sum it up nicely for me. Firstly, creativity and imagination are more powerful than knowledge (Einstein said so, so it must be true). And nothing happens unless you take action.

Put the two together and you have a much more powerful way of thinking, being and doing.

But what's all this creative activity about? It's about multiple, recurring independant revenue streams.

And yes, you probably will go to bed tired, you will be challenged and there will be obstacles to be overcome (many of them in your mind and nowhere else!)

So have a very nice creative and active day.

Lower Literacy Users and the Internet

...well that's what Jakob Nielson calls them, not me. In my first prototype web site I built I focused very heavily on useability issues. Having discovered Jakob Nielson I subscribed to his newsletter.

Since then my interest in useability has diminished to almost zero. Why? Because if you're using the one page sales letter format useability is much simplified.

Really all you have to do is scroll down, hopefully with a wheel mouse. Then click to order if you're sold.

Then Jakob's most recent newsletter hit my e-mail in box. Now I'm thinking again.

There's too much to cover (as in re-type) so best I give you the link. www.useit.com

If your writing direct marketing response sales letters published on the internet then you'll find Jakob's article on Low Literacy Users (March 14) of great interest.

It also covers the needs of other people on the web like teenagers and senior citizens, their special needs and problems.

Check it out... It might help boost your conversion rate.

The DNA of Business: People, Process and Technology

It doesn't matter what business you look at there are only three main things to think about: People, Process and Technology.

That means that if you look at Internet Marketing, say, and you think it's about technology you'll be wrong.

Sure, without Internet technology, and all that goes with it, you wouldn't be able to do much. If anything.

So just because you think you know something about the internet and computers, don't assume that knowing that on it's own will lead to success. Because quite simply it won't.

That means that in the case of Internet Marketing it's an opportrunity that's open to everyone. Particualrly people who understand the people and process issues.

Going back to my software development days. Most projects that failed didn't fail because of technical problems.

They failed because the people and process issues were not understood.

At the end of the day it's about people and processes that exist, in and on, a technical infrastructure. And there are lots of technical people out there that can help you with that.

So stay focused on the people and processes. Because that's where the real money is.

Rich Reading

...While I'm on the subject of becoming what you think. Here's some reading matter for your grey matter, or "Neck Top" as Jenny Armato calls it.

"Think and Grow Rich": by Napoleon Hill, try reading one chapter a day first thing in the morning. It'll cost you 20 minutes a day for a couple of weeks. And maybe help you make your fortune.

"The Science of Getting Rich": by Wallace D. Wattles, a short read and great read.

"The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari": By Robin Sharma. Based around a great story with messages along the way. If nothing else this book will remind you that life's not just about building a gross superfluity of money and assets.

"Living Your Best Life": by Laura Berman Fortgang. Just read it! It'll help you lead your life on purpose!

"The Wealth and Poverty of Nations": by David Landes. A rich read. If you're like me you'll need to read a bit and think a bit. Go with David on this fascinating journey back through time.

"Rich Dad Poor Dad" series by Robert Kiyosaki.

Almost anything from Dr Wayne Dyer and Depak Chopra.

Just like the old Paul Newman film "Cool Hand Luke": "yah gotta get yah mind right"... Because that's where it all starts and ends!

First Time Through's a Special Case...

...This is true for almost anything. And especially true for all those people out there getting to grips with making money through Internet Marketing - for the first time.

There is positively so much you could do it's almost overwhelming. There's so much to learn, so many different tools to get your head around...

It's all to easy to get completely buried with it all. Result you achieve nothing!

Well here's what to do. Keep it really simple.

Bear in mind that the purpose of your first project is NOT to make your first million. All well and good if it does. But...

Quite simply the purpose of your first project is to find or make something and sell it using the simplest and least number of tools possible.

Once you've tunnelled through to the other end you can improve what you've done and the way you do it later.

But remember the old 20/80 rule. 20% of what you do will deliver 80% of the benefit.

So rather than try to absolutely perfect something. Find something else to sell and repeat the process. This time using one more new tool. And so on.

Don't try and do everything yourself. Use other people as much as possible to do the technical bits.

But learn from what they are doing for you. So at the very least, you get to know what is going on.

Remember, first time through is about getting something done adequately. So you get to learn the process and a few tools.

Not getting it done perfectly using all the tools possible! That'll come with practice.

The Penny Finally Dropped

Indeed it did. And it took along time to happen. Like the best part of my life. The well trodden path of school, college, career, retirement etc may have worked way back when but I'm not so sure in todays world.

Going right back to basics the world of work is all about making money. Enough hopefully to live on. Trouble is, that formula will do just that and probably little more, unless you have an extremely well paid job and then there's always the ceiling of how much time you can spend working and earning before you drop with shear exhaustion.

If you think about it the role of the job as a means of making money, enough to live the life you really want rather than have to settle for, is barely adequte. If you accept this as true then you may also accept that you're real job in life is to make money. Enough to enable you to live how you really want to.

I'm talking about money as a tool to be used, spent and invested to create the world around you in the way you want it. In todays world there are opportunities that barely existed even only a few years ago to do just that!

Basically that's what Renegade Electron is all about. Creating an alternative wealth platform to the good old job where you work for someone else and just about squeek by.

Making Money with Marketing

If you're in business you're in marketing. It's a fact of life so many business people forget.

I hear so many business people say that because they're only a small outfit, they don't have the money to spend on marketing. And it's only the big companies that have the money to spend on marketing.

Well get this if you get good at marketing you can be in almost any business or many businesses.
And if you want to make sure you prosper, being in many businesses sounds like a better idea than just relying solely on one.

Experts and Gurus...