Up until this point, we’ve essentially been covering the requirements and prerequisite knowledge necessary to increase your chances of building a successful online business.
Today marks a turning point.
It’s time to begin focusing on your personal situation, and to turn our attention to your future business…
(Watch this video…)
Main points:
Without vision, your business probably won’t succeed.
I describe vision as being able to “see” a clear picture of your fulfilled goals in your mind.
It’s like the box cover of a difficult puzzle…
You must begin with the end in mind.
Almost every success in my life has come AFTER having a vision for it. (For example, when I won the state championship, and every time I launch a product)
The successful business owners that I’ve known ALL have vision.
It’s kind of like looking at the world from 30,000 feet. You see the big picture, and not the problems.
If you lose sight of your vision, you lose hope. And if you lose hope, it’s game over.
As we progress in the lessons, we’ll keep moving forward step by step, but if you don’t start by getting a vision, further efforts could be somewhat futile.
If you set your target too low, you may hit it, but there is almost no chance that you will exceed it. On the other hand, if you set your target too high, you may fail, but you will be further along than the “low” target. Therefore it’s better to set your vision higher.
One of the biggest things I see holding people back is a “victim mentality”.
“Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop this picture. Never think of yourself as failing; never doubt the reality of the mental image. That is most dangerous, for the mind always tries to complete what it pictures. So always picture ‘success’ no matter how badly things seem to be going at the moment.” – Norman Vincent Peale
Many of us have taken on a “just get by” mentality.
The size of your vision will dictate the size of the result.
YOU are valuable. Don’t sell yourself short.
Here’s my “disclaimer” that I forgot to include in the video…. “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
Action steps:
I want you to take a moment to tell me your vision for your business. The vision can involve other areas of your life too, but since we’re working on building your business, it should be focused on your business.
It’s important to write your vision down, so go ahead and post it in the comments below. This is YOUR vision, and there is NO wrong answer.
Focus on the big picture. Don’t worry about the details of how you will get there. We’ll worry about that stuff when we learn about goal setting and business plans, and I’ll be talking about those things in the next lesson.
As always, you are welcome to post your questions and comments below.
Have a great day!
My vision is to have a successful online business selling and promoting Ebooks on tutoring basic math and writing skills and health and diet Ebooks. I will work less than 40 hours. Spent more time giving back to my community. Go back to school to obtain advance degrees. I will take lots of time off to travel all over the world. My final visions is that I will create an after school program for middle school students on how to be a successful business persons.
I have been storing these lessons and have just now got to them. Wish it had been sooner.
Would like to earn $10K gross per month, continue to manage God’s money well, to live a life that is glorifying to Jehovah God, and allows me to teach bible truths to others.
My vision is to have a healthy living making minimum of 20 to 100 thousand $ a month in online marketing and to help others build this kind of income. Travel all around the world with my family and use part of the income contributing in charities and community.
Mustafa
My vision is to update my home and add a few things to it to make it more liveable. To give back to my community, do some traveling and help my sons and family out with whatever they might need to secure their future.
Hello Eric… I’m a musician, and my vision is pretty much exactly like the Basic Example in the video. I really had to struggle with my offline business in 2009, but I will never lose my vision. I’m sure that I can succeed in Internet Business.
Thanks again,
Arne
My vision is to quit working 10 to 12 hours a day for someone else, work for myself, have a successful business, live comfortable, give my daughter a position with me, allow my husband to stay home or change jobs. But most of all I want to be SUCCESSFUL! I want to be able to say I DID IT!
Build a business that will give me the ability to have time to spend with my love ones
and family, doing and enjoying life that it is pleasing to God. Be able to be in the habit of staying healthy by eating right and exercise with my significant other. Give back to society and others. Make family trips to places we can only see on TV or movies with a starting income of $800,000 a year without having to live an extravagant life of luxury. Just a life with very little stress and simple.
Earn $50,000 per month and work less than 40 hours per week. Help the church and others.
Go on Three vacations per year.
MY VISION IS TO EARN $150000 AFTER TAXES EACH
MONTH,WORKING 4 HOURS A DAY ,4 DAYS A WEEK FROM MY MINI MANSION.
how?
my goal is to have an online business that will make me more than $500,000 per year.i would be able to spend time with my family
Hi Eric, the information you provided is right on the money. My vision is to have one finest online enterprise. It will consist of three divisions: 1. a internet marketing biz making over 25 million dollars in ten years. 2. a vacation travel biz making 5 million dollars in over 6 year. 3. A real estate investment biz making over 5 million dollars in 5 years. My aim is to provide quality service regardless whether if they are family,friends,email,phone,or walk in.
My vision is to have a solid internet business that will give value beyond the customer’s expectations. A business that produces several millions pounds per annum, and growing stronger each year. That will enable me to support myself, family and children’s charities
We are a one income family with an salary of $52,500. My wife homeschools our two sons. I am going to work from home, increase my income to $75,000/yr within 2 yrs. My end vision is to become a “reverse tither” (i.e. live on 10% of my income and give away 90%). Therefore, I will be making $750,000/yr.
Hi Eric,
I have been looking frantically for Internet business to start, since quite some time but very much confused by too much of info. THEN I STARTED Visualising daily as Some one would teach me to have a GO!! and very shortly I hit ERIC’S TIPS. I am experiencing this magic of vision by your courtesy, Thanks Eric.
MY VISION—
I would built on line business which would earn me a) LIFE TIME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
b) Vacations around the world with wife c) 1M+ $ / year in my bank account regularly.
d) Become an internet Guru like YOU.
THANK YOU.
My vision is to be debt free and to establish an online store that will feature local and little-known artists, authors and craftsmen to enable their businesses and ministries to grow. I want to vacation at least once a year and be able to help others when led to without being concerned about having the means to do so.
Hi Eric
I just discovered Eric’s tips last night and I have been hooked ever since! I started exploring internet marketing about 6 months ago and I am trying to educate myself as much as possible but all this learning is maybe making it harder for me to take action…
Anyway thank you for all the information that you are providing for free. I really appreciate it.
Last February the company I worked for filed Chapter 11, then 7 and so I was laid off. I also work as a massage therapist but living in a seasonal resort the work is sporadic. My husband works in a restaurant at night so he is never around at bedtime for our 2 young children. And again it is very seasonal, the restaurant closes for 3 months of the year and being a waiting tables job you never know how much you’re going to make. In the Summer he does tree removal and works from 7am to after dark.
I am from Ireland and my parents and 3 brothers still live there. Meanwhile I live in Breckenridge, CO, I have a sister in Charlottesville, VA, a sister in Sweden and another sister in Melbourne, Australia… so my vision involves making the kind of money that would permit me the jet set lifestyle that I need to have to stay in touch with my family. I have 2 young children and when I travel I envision myself traveling first class. I envision having a driver meet me at my destination and deliver me to luxury hotel. My husband will not have to work and can just spend his days doing what he enjoys – hanging out with the kids, snowboarding, teaching the little ones to ski, hiking, biking.
We will keep our house here in the mountains but we will also have a home in Europe, south of France or Italy, near the beach.
I will pay off my in laws debt and mortgage so they can stop stressing over money.
I will teach others how they too can achieve financial freedom so that they can enjoy their families.
I will work just a couple of hours per day leaving me lots of time to enjoy the precious time with my babies as they grow way too fast…
We will travel as much as we want to places we want to go and stay as long as we want as I can work from anywhere.
We will have a nice RV to travel around the US and see all that there is to see in this great country.
I will have the time to cook, which I love to do, as my husband will be around to entertain the kids in the evenings and to share the meals with me and the children.
We will live comfortably and enjoy life.
We will be debt free.
We will be able to help others out financially when they are in need.
We will give to charity.
My business will earn $250k minimum per year on mostly autopilot.
hi eric i see myself as a person of worth no just in the material sense i am a person of maturity with a wealth of experience good and bad I believe I can help others from making mistakes that i had made but to do this i need the financial stability to give me the freedom of choice in what i do. I once was successful and lost it because of not having the vision of what i wanted to do with the monetary success id gained I now know a lot of the pitfalls but instead of looking for a return to my success i dwelt on the bad luck and decisions made without thinkin them thru i am determined to work as hard as it takes and gain larger visions along the way and as i progress and get better at what im doing
My Vision is to live in Northern Michigan in the summer where my children live and to live in Florida for the winter near my parents. I want to have a golf membership this year 2010 and play more golf. I want to be making 50,000 a month residually and have all my debt paid off in the next 5 years. I want to see money deposited into my bank account automatically and never to worry about owing anyone ever again. I will contribute to my community by creating jobs and donating to the local charities doing this by growing my business to exceed my needs. I want to be able to travel the world and take adventures with my daughter April and visit her in Africa and stay with her for a month or two.
Hi Eric
i have a small vision and that’s to make a 3d chat program such as imvu and second life i have no job,no money,trying to work with what knowledge i have on the pc.my only goal i have right now is your lessons and the 18 hours a day i’m research and planing the success of getting this project up and running and providing the fun of it to the world it will grow as big as the other ones and my happiness of doing this will bring the money in to provide jobs for people that are out of work here in Michigan thank you so much for all these great lessons i now have the guide that i need to follow
Being a reasonably successful “polymath”, my vision is to have a range of online businesses that fully exploit the off-line elements of my working activities – advertising and marketing, property and voice-over work. Financially, the vision is about generating the kind of income that sets me free to persue other activities – not necessarily the money-making ones!
My vision is to build an internet business focused on marketing financial courses and like information as well building an affiliate based business at the same time that will generate a 6 figure a month income. I will spend more quality time with my kids and grand kids and make sure they are set up to get the best life has to offer.
Hi Eric,
My vision is to balance my life; in body, mind and sole.
I see my self with a successful online business with multiple streams of income generating well over six figures a year.
I see total financial abundance and prosperity for my wife and I, owning our home free and clear.
I see my revenue from my business being invested so my money works for me.
I see my life balanced through: Exercise, with a healthy tone body at my ideal weight of 150, filled with vitality and energy; Education, with a strong desire to always keep learning; and gratitude for what I have and giving back what I know.
Hello Eric,
I can’t thank you enough, like the countless people whom you already have helped and continue helping through your honest and caring mentorship.
This is my true beginning on studying internet marketing after searching for over a year for a mentor. As I wanted to earn through online business to replace my day-job income for my retirement, as a newbie, I envision myself to be a very successful internet marketer earning minimum of $10,000 every month starting 2011 through a successful website/s that I will build (it would follow that I will build through Eric’s resources,) through affiliate marketing, information/digital products, blogging, etc. When I start earning steadily and carve a name/website online, I will start helping others become successful too. Eric has become my hero and I’d like to emulate his noble deeds.I’m diabetic and the time that I have sufficient resources, I’ll build a foundation for diabetics providing knowledge and know-how on self-care. My ultimate earning goal would be $1 million by 2015; then I would be financially free and devote more of my time to helping others especially the diabetic people. I would also be providing the good life to my loved ones who I see deserve life’s goodies after countless years of economizing. With Eric there in front of me as my leader and teacher, and with the Good One up there guiding and blessing me, I’m confident that I can make it.
• Monthly income of $10,000 starting January 2011 from my internet marketing business
• Second home with swimming pool by January 2012
• Savings of $1 million by January 2015
• My dream vacation in an exotic country like Hawaii by June 2011
• Healthy and happy family and myself starting right now.
• Total time and financial freedom by January 2015
The bulleted points were my previous life goals before this lesson, which were accidentally included in my business vision. Above the bullet points is my business vision after going through Lesson #13.
My vision is to promote my e-course and other programs to the leaders in my niche market and be a valuable source of information and education as well as help those students avoid all of the over 15 years of mistakes that I’ve made to create thriving successful business.
I will continue to develop my computer and internet marketing skills at the fast pace that I am now to make a 6 figure income within 2 years as well as continue to run my brick and morter biz.
I know that it is MY time now and that my experience and hard work have paid off but I’ve just scracthed the surface so far.
I thank you Eric for the honesty, the education, and your simple approach to helping us create a better life while having fun in the process. I’d like to show you my idea which is a great opportunity in the Health & fitness industry to make such a positive impact for the proprietors and members of thousands of workout facilities across the nation and world.
Respectfully,
Armando Gutierrez
President/ Fitness Trainer
The Gym
My vision is to have an affiliate business that the Lord blesses so that we don’t have to worry about money. A 6-figure-a-month income sounds great, but I don’t want to be greedy… 🙂
Hi Eric
We found your tips to be very helpful. We are a travel consulting firm and we are in the business of selling travel solutions to our clients (who are loacted across the worls). These are inboud customers coming to India.
Our vision for the organization
” To be the largest and most reputable Travel Firm providing top class solutions to our clients” In terms of targets, we want to achieve a target of INR 20 Cr by the mid of 2011.
I requet you to go through our website and give us feedbacks regarding the same. The link is http://www.bespokeindiaholidays.com
Regards
Jay K
My vision is to have a successful online business that produces $300,000 net. This will give me the resources to help others and be able to stay home and teach the Bible to others on a full time basis with out the worries of money.
Best Wishes
Tom H
My vision is to have a successful online busiess that generates lots of income so finaly i can quit my day timejob and build my online business bigger and bigger i would like to have several websitessuch as mebership sites,affiliate sites, perhaps coaching sites.
so i have a big vision and iam going to do what ever it takes to make it happen.
Hi Eric
my vision is to have a very successsful online business that generates lots of money one day i would like to quit my day time job and work on my online business and make it grow bigger and bigger .My vision and goal is to have several websites like membership sites,affiliates sites, coaching sites, weight loss sites and so on .my vision also to become a debt free and able to enjoy life and have a good future for my kids and be able to travel when ever i want any where i want.
Alfred
Hi Eric,
Good stuff so far. I have had some successes in other ventures so far, but find myself not real happy with where I am financially or with my self esteem right now. Because of poor investments, a stroke and back surgery I find myself basically starting over at age 61 and I have a family to support. My wife is working her rear off and I’m not helping much right now. My vision is to return our bank account to 7 figures minimum, have a college fund of $200,000 set aside for my 2 sons age 17 and 12. Obviously, because my older son’s age, $100,000 of that needs to be in the next 2 years. I would like for my wife to be able to quit her job in the next 2 years. I need to cover her salary which is over $100,000 per year. Our vehicles are paid for but I would like to pay off the balance on our home in the next 3 years, approximately $180,000. Beyond that I would like an investment account or business that comfortably produces $20,000 per month in after tax income for both myself and my wife. With our home and the boy’s college paid for, $20,000 per month would allow us to travel some and be free to do thing we like to do.
Because I am a 65-year-old woman with lots of unfulfilled dreams, I feel an urgency and determination to succeed at this business, even at my age, for all of the following reasons:
– My husband has retired about a year ago, and we find our retirement income not sufficient to do most of the things we would like to in our “golden years”;
– I feel I have the background and intelligence to make an internet business succeed;
– I have a goal of helping my two adult children, their spouses and children enjoy the “good” things of life without having to worry about what everything costs;
– There are many Christian missionaries in our church who need financial help, and I am going to dedicate no less than 10% of my income from this business to that end;
– I want to help the homeless, contribute to medical research, children’s hospitals, and our veterans of foreign wars in a much greater way than I have been able to do in the past;
– I have always been a very creative person, and have many special “projects” that I would like to see accomplished as a matter of personal satisfaction;
– I want to have the income necessary to take care of my loving husband as his health continues to deteriorate because of having lived with diabetes all his life (50 years now);
– And finally, I want to buy a great big motor home and travel with my husband all over the United States whenever we want to, travel first class on commercial airlines to vacation spots all over the world and stay in swanky hotels, and go on exotic cruises to faraway places.
Boy, am I going to have to get busy!!!
My vision is to have a very successful online business through affiliate marketing that would earn me $200k by Dec 2010.
Continue building my business into 2011 and to help family and friends start up their own businesses.
I wish to start by saying thank you. I feel I have wasted a lot of time and money and not being able to focus on anything anyway, your tips are definitely helping out.
My vision is to have a bigger house with gardens where I could work on and exhibit my sculptures. Build a pure solid income stream on which I could travel the world with my daughter and support life-aid beneficiaries and animal sactuaries. I want to make a difference in people’s lives.
Eric,
Thanks for asking me to put down my vision statement. I never have the courage to put it down.
My vision is let my online business to bring in huge income for my family and I so that I can quit my job and start my ‘Prayer and Healing’ ministry and share my fortune with missionaries/churches who need financial support to run God (our Big Boss) business.
Karen
hi eric, my vison is to work from home and from where i’m traveling.As i’ve spent most of my working life as a road work’s contractor liveing in camp’s and away from home 85% of the time, although the money was alwrite it cost me my family.I see the internet marketing business as a way to regroup my life and make a few bob along the way(it’s a great challenge)your’s sincerly wesley wyer.
Hi Eric, My vision is to make at least 10K a month. Trying different ways of marketing online and mostly marketing so it will be pretty much on auto-pilot. I would like to be able to do this to replace my current self employment (time for Money-:) to be able to stay home and be there for my 4 kids as I’m a single parent. Marketing online has always been a dream of mine…and it’s taken me to get really tired and sort-of angry of my current situation to be head strong on making it work. I know I can do it! Thanks so much for the lessons I feel I’ll be able to finally live my dream.
My vision is to make at least 20k a month and to be able to go fishing without thinking about an everyday JOB.
Also, to help others build an online business while I work from my computer, daily to bring in thousands a month and millions a year.
To be able to go on a vacation when I get ready or chose to do so.
my vision is to have numerous turnkey info products bizs to achieve personal and finacial freedom, to make 50,000 a year and to give back to my comunnity by giving back to ealderly, kids, and animals
Hi Eric
Well – Here goes!
I own a bookkeeping/accounting firm that employs a few freelancers. My vision is to establish a reputation of great service/great price. Will be the biggest in UK, and have the best (free) resource centre on the internet. Haven’t decided if I want to open branches or sell as franchise (I think i’ve got enough time to make up my mind!) Would love to employ lots of people and make a difference to the economy in UK.
Now on a personal note – Once I figure out how to start and sustain a ‘Successful Company’ I would like to work closely with 1000 people and impart all my knowledge/skill.
Stay Blessed
D
I am a disabled,middle aged man on ssi that sees himself marketing a product online,allthough I have yet to find that product,to generate enough income to get off SSI,and eventually support my true passion of finding,and reselling antique and older motorcycles,buying in texas and shipping to a buyer in say canada,have you ever seen american pickers on NGChannel,I need a business to eventually support my long term goal.I have failed with sportcards so this time I plan to follow Erics advice instead of flying alone,because I will achieve my goal of getting off SSI.this last lesson convinced me I am on the right track,thank you eric.
Hi Eric, thank you so much for your guidance and council.
Business Vision
My vision is of an online business that I will enjoy working on every day at home with my familly; to be be debt-free, travel in a beautiful diesel powered hammer with my family visiting the the sights of our great nation. Maintaining our house and five acres, while my online business brings in an average of one million dollars per year.but i can begun with a healthy living making minimum of 50 to 200 thousand $ a month in online marketing and to help others build this kind of income. Travel all around the world with my family and use part of the income contributing in charities and community.
kone learn new things each day to move
Hi Eric,
I am glad that you ask us to post our vision. It really helps us to stay focused and remind us why we are doing this, especially when it gets tough.
My vision is to earn enough online so that my wife may quit her day job and that we will be able to travel across the US with out having to worry about money. As well as have the money to help family and friends financially when needed with out them ever having to pay it back.
Thanks Erik for being who you are.
Frank
Hi, Eric,
Ihave just completed my vision for 2010. iam going to type this out in large print and place it beside my computor screen,where I can catch sight of it every day..Here goes…!
1. To create an on-line business to enable me to fully retire from the NHS(National Health Service) by 30th September 2010.
2.Pay off all outstanding debts(including mortgage) by end of 2010.
3. To provide a substantial income for all my family(Six Figures Income)by January 2011.
4.To be able give over and above my monthly tythe to my local Church, and other Christian Aid Agencies e,g,World Vision,Habitat for Humanity whom I have been involved with previously.
5.Play Golf with friends on a regular basis
6.Own our own property outright.
My vision is to make a lot of money and for both my husband and I to quit our jobs. We would not only give our tithes to our church, but also give to the community and to various charities. We would probably adopt some children through one of those ministries and go and visit them. We would also do a lot of traveling with our family. We’d also help out our family and friends. We love to give!!
Hi Eric,
My vision is to receive an income from my business that is just right for me and that allows me to pursue my interests and career in hypnotherapy without having to worry about whether or not I can pay the mortgage this month.
My vision is to be a successful online business owner and marketer from home. Generate enough money in the begining so that I can quit my current job. And later want to make 10,000 dollars a month in my online business ventures..
I just wanted to add that I am EXTREMLY appreciative of your FANTASTIC tips Eric and think you are an awesome and rare individual!
Thsnks for being you and taking the time to help us understand this jigsaw puzzle called Internet Marketing!
It took me a while to really formulate my VISION before I typed it out. Well overall my purpose for making sure I have a huge income is split into
a variety of different sections. For me just the win of having a technology and knowing that with the increased knowledge I can guide people to products
and services they want or need through the huge and ever growing communication network that is the Net. I find it awesome and very inspiring.
With this increased knowledge and ability I will have a
greater self esteem and feel more responsiblity which will in turn give me the advantage of being able to help others aswell as myself.
I am going to be making $100,000 dollars a month. This will come from a variety of different internet sales and marketing avenues. Certainly from the
stategies I will learn from through our amazing mentor Eric and his tips – I will persue the Affliate marketing and dowloadable products routes suggested.
From this point I will then venture into the world of Membership sites and progress from here into an offline business of real estate investment.
I know this will happen as my determination to overcome every obstacle is huge. I have made incredible leaps in other areas of my life and now I am going
to make equally magical manifestations in business. I will makesure my children are in a position to more easily obtain there own goals
with the resourses and revenue I am gaining. I have a huge spiritual passion and this revenue will give me a greater opportunity to invest my time
amd energy into these studies too. I also very much like to help others – and have done work in the third world in previous years – so I will ply some of
my considerable assets into this field of work too. Along with this materialistcally I will have exactly the right home and other desirable acquisitions.
Health will be excellent for those near to me and for others I will be able to reach as well of course my own. My overall advantage will be to increase
the survival and happiness for myself and others around me.