What is Your “Because”? Eliminate Your Obstacles

obstacles

What is Your “Because”?

Hi everyone!

In the last post I wrote you may recall that I spoke briefly about obstacles that can hold you back. Also, back in April I wrote a post all about motivations, the “why” behind what it is you’re doing. Well this post is the follow-up post to both of those, this time dealing with the “because” that so many of us face many times. In fact, just as there are many “whys” there are also many “becauses”. “Becauses” – is that even a word?? Well, it is now!

So then, what are yours? In other words, what are your excuses, your reasons for not doing something? I could probably write a whole book on these, but let’s consider some of the most common ones.

Also, this isn’t meant to be an in-depth analysis of each obstacle because, again, we’d probably be here all day! Rather, I’m just going to address each concern and look at what I believe will help you to look at them differently than you perhaps have been doing. Once we have taken a look at these and hopefully helped you to eliminate them, then I hope that this will give you the confidence and determination to eliminate some of the others that you may have:

“I don’t know where to start.”

If you feel like this then I totally get where you’re coming from, I really do. I’d been researching, experimenting, buying, trying all kinds of things for a number of years and never got anywhere at all. I’d accumulated quite a lot of knowledge about various things, including quite a fair bit about Internet marketing. Yet, I didn’t know where to start. The obvious answer is, “Start at the beginning”, but unless you know where it is you’re looking then it can be difficult to wade through the quagmire to find just where the beginning is.

Ultimately, you need guidance and, ideally, you need a proven system to follow. If you can see the direct results of it then that can give you the confidence that they system teaches what it claims to. For example, take a look around my site. How have I managed to get to the point where I’m at now? Before I launched this website I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing, how to start, where I was going or how I was going to get there! But by following the steps of a proven system and putting into practice what I was being taught, I was able to piece things together, learn as I went and improve all the time.

“I don’t have enough knowledge.”

One of my favourite sayings is something that Alex Jeffreys says a lot: “Don’t get it perfect, just get it going”. If we wait until we have enough knowledge then we can end up waiting and waiting and waiting, never getting anything done. We can always acquire more knowledge and we will have to start somewhere.

Rather than wait until some perceived ideal moment, just take action and get things moving. If you have the guidance and steps to follow as mentioned in the previous point then it’s not as though you even have to do it alone. But even the best teaching will do you no good unless you act upon it.

Knowledge doesn’t lead to results – action does. You can always accumulate knowledge as you go along, but you can’t obtain results without taking action.

“Why me? Who would be interested in what I have to say?”

Why NOT you? Listen, don’t sell yourself short! I’ve seen a lot of blogs. Some appear so professional that they could easily make a beginner wonder what they could possibly bring to the table amidst so many experienced and established bloggers. But I’ll tell you what I often find in these cases…

The blogs are BORING! Now it would be very unfair to say that this is the case with all of them, but so very, very often I find that it’s the slick, corporate looking blogs whose content is devoid of any feeling or engagement with the reader. Remember – it’s the CONTENT that’s truly important, so be yourself and write from the heart. True, some are more gifted than others when it comes to writing, but if you put yourself into your writing then you’ll find that people will relate to you far easier.

Also, people enjoy a story. So tell it! Tell your readers about yourself, your struggles, your ambitions, your desires. Tell them about what you’ve learned, the mistakes you’ve made and how you’re progressing. This keeps things personal, believable and people can relate to it. Furthermore, if you have readers that aren’t so far along as you then they can even learn from what you write!

This doesn’t only apply to blogs, it applies to whatever it is that you’re writing – blogs, e-books, articles, e-mails, etc. Just remember to be genuine and be yourself.

“Who would buy from me?”

I think that this is one of the simplest concerns to address, the answer being: “anyone who wants what you’re selling”. Think for a moment about the products you buy. Putting aside for now the aspect of brand preference or previous experience, why do you buy them? It’s because you have a need or a desire and you perceive that the product will meet this need or desire, no?

Your potential customers will view your product in exactly the same way. So if you present it in an appealing way that clearly states the benefits then you will generate interest. If your product is good (which we would hope it is!) then people are more likely to buy from you again and perceive you as an authority, regardless of whether you’ve been doing this for 10 years or 10 days.

“I don’t have enough money to invest.”

You don’t need it. This doesn’t mean that you can miraculously start raking in money overnight from nothing and with zero effort, despite what some of the supposed gurus would have you believe. If such a way does exist then please, let me know!

In order to get started, whilst it’s true that it’s best to invest in certain things such as your own domain name, hosting, etc, it isn’t absolutely essential.

There are free options out there for those who are on a very low budget. I will be covering this subject in more detail in my forthcoming free e-book and video course.Having a certain amount of capital to invest will help, that’s for sure. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t have any or have very little.

You can absolutely start from nothing and work your way up. It can take time to scale up but, as we’ve already said, we’re not expecting overnight success and riches.

“I’m not technically minded.”

Take a look at a lot of other people’s blogs and notice how many of them say the same thing, whether it be how they are currently or how they were to begin with. You’ll see lots of ‘non-techie’ types who have created amazing websites and deliver fantastic content.

These days it is so quick and easy to do what, just a few years ago, was difficult, confusing and time-consuming. There’s an abundance of good, free information online and also, if you get involved in an online community of like-minded individuals then you’ll be sure to get lots of help and advice.

“I feel overwhelmed.”

Firstly, you need to establish why it is exactly that you feel this way. Write down anything that you feel is causing you to feel this way. Next, try to narrow things down to the absolute basics that you feel would be necessary in order to start. For example, if you’re just starting out but are worried about how to manage a mailing list of 100, 000 subscribers and how to best deliver content by means of a membership site, then these are things that you can put away for the time being.

Don’t allow yourself to get worked up worrying about things that don’t concern you right now. Just focus on the absolute basics to begin with and take things one, tiny step at a time.

So take a look at your list, think about the things that aren’t essential to concern yourself over right now and cross them out until you’re left with your absolute basics. Remember – making money online requires hard work, but it needn’t be difficult.

“What if I fail?”

You won’t, not completely and not unless you allow yourself to. It’s not all going to be plain sailing, few things in life ever are. But when you hit an obstacle, how will you deal with it? Will you just give up? Or will you look for a way to remove or go around the obstacle and keep going? Even what can appear as the most difficult obstacles can be overcome and learned from.

So never give up and you won’t fail. And never be afraid to ask for help! Again, being part of a community of other people on the same journey is really in invaluable source of help, encouragement and expertise. Internet blogging expert, John Chow has a brilliant view on problems – you don’t have problems, only opportunities. Take a look at his inspiring video below, I love this:

And finally, no matter how many times this keeps popping into your mind…

“I can’t.”

… always remember, “You CAN!”

I hope that you enjoyed this post. Don’t forget that old Albert is waiting for you to tell him below! I’d love to hear about what obstacles you’ve faced and how you overcame them, or if you’re just starting and you have any ‘becauses’ that you feel are holding you back, please share them too.

And if you want a great starting point that will help you to get going step-by-step, then I highly recommend checking out this fantastic course that has already transformed hundreds of lives:

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32 thoughts on “What is Your “Because”? Eliminate Your Obstacles”

  1. Adesanmi Adedotun

    Many thing can contribute to blogging or career obstacles like inferiority complex, poor expression, peer group and the set goal. Great!!!

    1. Hi Adesanmi,

      Yes, many things can get in our way. The key is how we deal with them. We all have the power to take charge, change things if necessary and push forward.

      Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment.

      Kind regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…How to Remove Gmail TabsMy Profile

  2. PNG Travel

    Amazing blog and very interesting stuff you got here! I definitely learned a lot from reading through some of your earlier posts as well and decided to drop a comment on this one!

  3. Glenn, you’ve completely eradicated any excuses for why anyone can’t start an Internet business or for that matter any business. I believe strongly that the biggest one is FEAR. Just the simple fear of failure.

    I’ve heard it said in times past , that if you do the thing you fear, the death of that fear is certain. Just think about what’s on the other side once you get over it. Thanks for a brilliant post my man.
    Jerry Handy recently posted…My Latest Traffic Results-$1400 in 2 weeksMy Profile

    1. Hey Jerry,

      You’re absolutely right, fear of failure is a crippler for sure. But if we confront our fears and just give it a go then we’ll never really fail. The only thing that guarantees failure is inaction.

      I believe the benefits far outweigh any fears and when we reach the other side we’ll be sure to be glad that we stuck with it and gave it a go!

      Thanks for your visit and support as always, Jerry 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Five Tips for Taking ActionMy Profile

  4. yogesh pant

    very motivating article indeed.
    It is for the cowards to make excuses.
    Brave are the men who are determined enough to accomplish what they have set as a goal for themselves.
    Problems are the only signs of life. What we have to do is to learn some ways to overcome these.

    1. Hi there Yogesh,

      Thanks for visiting and contributing your thoughts.

      I think there can be a lot of reasons as to why people make excuses but you’re absolutely right, determination is an important quality. Those who are determined to succeed and learn to find ways to overcome their problems are the ones who will reach their goals.

      Thanks again, feel free to drop by any time 🙂

      Kind regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Five Tips for Taking ActionMy Profile

  5. Hey Glenn,

    a very timely post for me in fact, as I’m going through a bit of a period right now where I’m doubting myself, because of lack of progress. Not really because of any of the points you mention, but just because it all seems to be taking forever to get not very far.

    I get over it in a day or so. I imagine everyone has ups and downs from time to time. It’s just that for me they’re quite rare and I’m normally able to maintain solid enthusiasm.

    OK, got it off my chest. Onwards and upwards 🙂

    Cheers buddy,

    Paul
    Paul Henderson recently posted…How To Add a Filter To GmailMy Profile

    1. Hey Paul,

      Nice to hear from you, buddy 🙂

      I understand where you’re coming from, I’ve felt the same way on many occasions. What helps me is to look at, not what I haven’t yet achieved, but what I HAVE achieved. Sure, I’m not yet seeing the accomplishments of my big goals yet, but when I look at what I’ve managed to accomplish so far this year I’ve no doubts that I will get there.

      I think the key is to stick with what works and leverage it. Just remain consistent with something that’s getting results, no matter how small they may currently be. Eventually things will gather momentum, I’m sure.

      I hope you feel better soon, Paul. Stick with it, never give up and, as I said in the post, don’t forget to ask for help if you need it. Sometimes even just a fresh perspective on things can make all the difference.

      Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Keep in touch 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Your Business Needs YOU!My Profile

  6. Hi Glenn

    I love Alex Jeffrey’s saying “Don’t get it perfect, just get it going”.

    I was preparing my free eBook for ages to give away to people for signing up to my list.

    I just couldn’t seem to finish it but eventually I did and whilst it’s nowhere near perfect, it’s out there.

    I do have lots of other things going on outside of blogging looking after the kids and I guess that’s my “because”.

    This post will help everyone who has doubts and is thinking of giving up. If you give up, you get nothing!

    And it’s very true that you should ask for help. I know I do. Sometimes it depends on who you ask as to whether you get a response or not. But if you don’t ask you’ll never get, right?
    Tim Bonner recently posted…Does Getting Blog Comments Matter?My Profile

    1. Hi Tim,

      Thanks for visiting 🙂

      Looking after your kids is of paramount importance, you should always put your family in first place. This is something that isn’t really an excuse, it’s a need. Things only become excuses when we use them to avoid doing something that we could otherwise do.

      Even when things get difficult and we hit an obstacle, the only time it becomes a real problem is when we give up. Giving up yields zero results. As John Chow says in his video, you don’t have problems, only opportunities. So whatever problem we encounter, the only way it will beat us is if we give up. Sometimes an obstacle can’t be easily removed but it can be gone around…

      It’s great that you got your free e-book out there, Tim. That’s my next job, finishing up my first free e-book. Hopefully it should be done any day now.

      Thanks for your input and support as always, talk soon.

      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Consistency is Key & the Golden RuleMy Profile

  7. Hey Glenn,

    Another fantastic post man.

    I definitely have had most of those excuses at one point or another, and till I got into the mindset that I NEEDED to do something about the obstacles rather than letting them overwhelm me.

    Also being a bit of a perfectionist, I do struggle with just getting it going. Getting better at it though 😉

    Another thing too is that just taking action is not the whole story, taking MASSIVE action is what has led to others that have gone before, to become successful. I can see you taking massive action on here, which is fantastic.

    Keep up the great work and content. 🙂
    Ben Solomon recently posted…Why Internet Marketing?My Profile

    1. Hey Ben,

      Thanks for dropping by, great to see you here again 🙂

      I’m a bit of a perfectionist too. I always say that if I hadn’t discovered Alex Jeffreys and then Dean Holland I’d probably still be sitting here acquiring knowledge and trying to get things perfect without just taking action and getting things going.

      As you say, not just action but massive action is needed. It was certainly massive action on my part to get on board with Dean’s iPro program, there’s absolutely no doubt that this will generate some big success!

      Thanks again, buddy, drop by any time 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Five Tips for Taking ActionMy Profile

      1. That’s very true Glenn. My starting point was going to a seminar where Derek Gehl spoke about IM and product creation (I’ve always put product creation in the too hard basket). When Alex’s program came out as a WSO, I HAD to jump on it. Going through it has given me the necessary kick in the backside I needed to take action. Now thinks are in motion, although very slowly. Will get there. once momentum builds in IM and we continue to take action, it will keep building in a positive manner. 🙂
        Ben Solomon recently posted…How to Choose your Niche?My Profile

        1. Indeed, I felt exactly the same way. It was funny that, although I was on Alex’s list it wasn’t through him that I learned about his program being released as a WSO, rather it was through an e-mail from Dean Holland! But I felt exactly the same way as you, I HAD to jump on it.

          Just the first module was enough to start a complete turnaround for me. I found that he was going over things that no-one else was teaching and in such a way that was so very obvious yet so very unusual to hear from an Internet Marketer.

          You’ll definitely get there, Ben/ As you say, once the momentum builds and you continue to take action, it will keep going up and up for you. I’m looking forward to seeing your success, buddy 🙂
          Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Are You Consistently Consistent?My Profile

  8. Hi Glenn,

    Awesome post! I completely agree with everything in this post, and we need to stop making excuses and just go out there and take the right action, because life is too short to not go after what you really want. A lot of people complain about that they don’t have enough money or lacking technical knowledge, and have that as excuses why they cannot get it going. Instead we need to get out of our comfort zones, and stay there!

    Also love the saying by Alex Jeffries, “Don’t get it perfect, just get it going”. It is so true, and we can always correct things along the way if something doesn’t work out the way we intended.

    John Chow is a big inspiration, and he really started from the bottom and worked hard to get to the top, despite immigrating to the USA without anything. Now he’s one of the biggest bloggers on the Internet, and makes a lot of money doing it. We need more people like that!

    Keep up the good work 🙂

    Navid
    Navid Moazzez recently posted…Interview with Jesse Krieger: Become a Lifestyle EntrepreneurMy Profile

    1. Hi Navid,

      Thanks for your awesome comment, buddy 🙂

      Yes, making excuses doesn’t do anyone any good, I think it just serves to demoralise you. If you’re determined to succeed and fail along the way then at least you can learn from it and carry on. But making excuses is just a hindrance and doesn’t achieve anything.

      I made excuses for too long, now things are changing and are going to change much, much more! 😀

      Kind regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…What is Your “Why”?My Profile

  9. Hi Glenn,

    If anyone has read this post and still comes up with excuses then they just ought to be ashamed of themselves.

    Now I had lots of questions in the beginning but they didn’t hold me back or stop me. I just had to take a different road to figure it out because I wasn’t getting them answered where I was. I know some of the excuses that people have because it’s overwhelming, it’s scary, our fear holds us back and we’re challenged in ways we never imagined. But boy it sure is exhilarating when we break through those walls and stand up and say I did it.

    We’re beginners, we don’t know it all but we have a voice just like anyone else and they all started at the beginning too.

    I hope everyone can have some breakthroughs after reading this one.

    Thanks for sharing this and I know it will be extremely helpful to some newbies.

    As my mentor always said, you don’t have to get it right you just have to get it going. Sound familiar?

    ~Adrienne
    Adrienne recently posted…WordPress Safety And Security Issues (Infographic)My Profile

    1. Hi Adrienne,

      Thanks for your awesome comment!

      What you said about your own experience and breaking through walls reminded me of a post of Neamat’s that I commented on not too long ago. Talking about walls I mentioned that the thing about walls is that they can be broken down or gone around.

      So the beauty of walls is that they only present a problem while they’re in our way. Once we’ve broken them down or found a way around them then they no longer present a problem. And don’t we feel good once we’ve gotten past them?

      Yes, everyone has to start somewhere, whether we’re Glenn Shepherd, Adrienne Smith, Jay Abraham, Frank Kern or Alex Jeffreys. But in order to start then we have to do the obvious thing – to start! We can’t start without taking action and, as Alex likes to remind us, it needn’t be perfect. If I hadn’t taken that on board right at the beginning then I’d likely still be trying to get it perfect and still not be accomplishing anything. Instead, I got it going and I’m still not getting it perfect, but I know that I’m on my way to achieving my goals and I like to think that I’m making a difference as I go along.

      Every journey requires taking a first step…

      Thanks again, Adrienne, keep well 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Are You Consistently Consistent?My Profile

  10. Neamat Tawadrous

    Hi Glenn,

    I believe that the only excuse which is valid for you to give up is when you die. As long as you are alive, you have to keep trying until you succeed. Not that I believed or realized this as soon as I started my business. No, I had many of the excuses you mentioned here especially being overwhelmed as I used to overwhelm myself with so many things and at the end I realized I don’t need all these at the moment.

    Although certain situations may seem impossible, but we must remember that a key to achieving our dreams is to never stop believing, no matter what happens.

    Thanks Glenn for a great reminder. Have a great week ahead.

    Be Blessed,

    Neamat

    1. Hey Neamat,

      Yes, when you die it will pretty much cause you to give up! But until that happens then we really don’t have any excuse for not taking action or giving up.

      All too often people’s decisions are influenced by external factors when, in fact, we all have the power to make a choice. In any kind of business you must have the right mindset and self-belief is an essential part of this. Then you must take action based on that belief. If things don’t go according to plan, try again. To again refer to John Chow – you don’t have problems, only opportunities.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Neamat.

      Kind regards,
      Glenn 🙂
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Five Tips for Taking ActionMy Profile

  11. Hi Glenn, and nice meeting you here on your blog.

    You came to my blog recently and I wanted to pay you a visit back. I wanted to click on home and make sure there was not a more recently post, but this one caught my attention, because it’s my kind of topic, so I decided to say on it.

    People always have a huge list of things they can’t do. I hear that all the time.
    wow, you speak three languages? I could never learn another language… bla bla bla.. Why the heck not? Don’t you have a brain too?

    Now when it comes to becoming wealthy, it worse even. No way they can do that! The video is proof that we can. That man mentioned a key word “visualizing. That’s all there is to it!

    Thanks for this great topic!
    Sylviane Nuccio recently posted…How To Reprogram Your Subconscious MindMy Profile

    1. Hi Sylviane,

      Thanks so much for paying a visit, you’re very welcome 🙂

      Your comment, “wow, you speak three languages? I could never learn another language… bla bla bla.. Why the heck not? Don’t you have a brain too?” made me smile 🙂 People make all kinds of excuses as to why they can’t do something but usually that’s all they are – excuses. Sometimes it’s down to social conditioning or upbringing and admittedly it can sometimes be hard to overturn these strongly entrenched ideas. At the end of the day, though, we all have the power to change and anyone can make a decision to do something or not.

      Thanks for being prepared to look around for a more recent post, but I’m happy for comments on any of my posts, whether they be recent or otherwise. In fact, when I leave a comment on someone else’s blog and can pick a post of mine to link to, I often choose something that’s not the most recent if it’s a post that relates to the one I’m commenting on.

      Thanks again for coming to visit and thanks so much for sharing your input, it’s very much appreciated. Please stop by any time 🙂

      Kind regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…You Have the Knowledge!My Profile

    1. Hey Gary,

      That’s one of my favourite quotes! As you probably know, it’s ascribed to Henry Ford, although there seems to be some question as to the authenticity of the claim. Nevertheless, it’s still an awesome quote, no matter who came up with it!

      One thing’s for certain – I can do it and I am right! 😉

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…What is Your “Why”?My Profile

  12. Hi Glenn,

    those “because” are excuses. depending what we focus on. We can chose to focus on excuses or successes, but we cannot have both.

    I also realized that if someone starts with excuses, because this or that, there is no sense to argue or prove anything to them. This is the right to make a choice. I even don’t listen…

    Making a decision and chose which way to take is the first step towards freedom.

    I like the saying: When you meet a fork on the road, take it. because…
    Margarita recently posted…Do You See Yourself As The Person You Want To Become? | How To Model Leaders? | Deep Trance IdentificationMy Profile

    1. Hi Margarita,

      Yes, it’s much better to make a decision based on a “because” rather than use one as an excuse to do nothing.

      Those who focus on excuses are doomed for failure unless they change because, as you say, you can’t focus on both excuses and success.

      Thanks for stopping and sharing your thoughts.

      Kind regards,
      Glenn 🙂
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Your Business Needs YOU!My Profile

  13. Wadud Peterson

    Hey Glenn,

    Nice post. It’s so true that we make so many excuses for why we can’t do something and to tell you the truth, that takes a lot of effort. If we used that same energy and payed more attention to ways to become successful, it would be a lot easier than most of us think.

    Remember, the beginning of learning something new is always the most difficult time. Once you get past that point it can only get easier.

    Stop making excuses and focus on your success!

    Thanks Buddy
    Wadud

    1. Hey Wadud,

      Nice to see you again, my friend. Thanks for stopping by and giving your input.

      You’re right, if we expended the same amount of energy into taking action as we sometimes do in making excuses, worrying, wasting time on other things, etc then we’d accomplish a whole lot more.

      That beginning part of learning something new is only a comparatively small part of the big picture and we shouldn’t let that one small thing hinder us. Very often, once we’ve got past whatever obstacle was in our way, we even realise that it wasn’t such as big a problem as we thought it was or was going to be.

      As you say, it’s much better to focus on our success. That way we’re keeping positive and are much less likely to allow anything to drag us down.

      Thanks for your awesome comment, Wadud, I hope things are going well for you.

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Five Tips for Taking ActionMy Profile

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