Building a successful business at home using the internet as your playing field takes a fair amount of self motivation, and without a daily list of things to do one is hard pressed to make a living at it.

That's because most people need a boss to tell them what to do.  Let me explain.

You may say that you don't need a boss.  That you are self motivated.  That you don't need anyone to tell you what to do in order to accomplish something.  Great.  But I bet you still make a list of things to do don't you?  You might even be in the rare 1/2 of 1% who don't even need to write anything down in order to bring a project to its successful conclusion.

Either way, The List exists in some form.  If it does not, you are probably not even reading this far down the page.

I am a true believer in The List being the boss.  Obviously someone has to write the list.  If you are self employed, you are the one making the list after all.  You can justifiably call yourself  "your own boss".    Congratulations.  If you haven't leveraged every thing you own and all of your credit cards to the point that you are now just breaking even, I salute you.

If you are drowning in debt, having panic attacks, losing sleep at night, and generally feeling a sense of bewilderment about when things are going to change, then I suggest you cut your losses now, file bankruptcy if you have to, and start over.  Maybe all that you need is a debt settlement attorney.  Either way...

Yep.  Take your lumps.  Do it.  It will be the best thing you ever did.  Take it from someone who's been there.  Find yourself a bankruptcy attorney that you can afford (they will negotiate), and stick your middle finger to all of those who believed in you.  That you gave your word to.

Yeah.  It sucks.

If you know deep down inside, that your current business model has no chance of succeeding, even with five more years of 12 hour days and a lot of luck then it is time to pull the plug.  Shed some tears if you have to.  You'll come out better in the end.  Trust me.

Okay.  All of that out of the way, I have a few more things to say about that Damn List.

Building a business online, or anywhere else takes an awful lot of time and energy.  I don't care about all of those emails you get from the self sanctifying gurus who tell you otherwise.

Those guys are full of shit.

Everyone of them.

Not that they don't have something good to say.  A lot if their ideas have some value.  But if you are buying everything that comes along that is called something along the lines of Emergency Money Machines and wondering why you aren't able to make money online, I will tell you.

YOU DON'T HAVE A LIST!!!!

A list is a plan of action.  That you follow. The list is your boss.

I have yet to buy an online money making course that actually gave me a list of things to do.  Yeah, they might talk about this or that, and give you a general direction to go in, but I have yet to see 1-2-3 and A-B-C.   Save for the Keyword Academy.

Even as much as I respect Fraser at Keyword Strategy, his stuff is for the middle and upper tier marketers who already have something going on.  There is a place for all of it.  I pay both the KWA and KWS monthly because they provide me value.  And they are honest.

I still occasionally work a 10 or 12 hour day.  It is exhilarating.  But the thing is... two years full time in internet marketing , and a previous decade of 16 hour days and another 100 dollars in debt (every day) for the effort ( and a couple of bankruptcies) has taught me a few things.  One thing in particular.

I need a list.

A list of things to do.  Otherwise I barely get anything done.

You should have one too.

Without The List, I would not be making a living at home, in my man cave, without anyone to answer to but myself (and occasionally my wife).

All the best,

Jack Folsgood