Forgive me for posting this comment so long after you posted, but I have just now been catching up on some of your posts that I missed.

I never heard you mention a child before. Is it your child or your partner’s? What is going on with the child now? Is he/she living with you at your mother’s?

Sorry, as a mom myself, I guess I am curious about these things. I find it odd that no one else has commented about the child.

Pat

portland search marketings last blog post..JetskiRentalsCalifornia.com For Sale

I think the key bit in this post is the fact that you have very little financial commitment plus a nice lump sum in the bank. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for entrepreneurs doing something because they believe in it and are certain they will make a success of it but would you have gone to a bank to borrow money to fund this business if you had been in different financial circumstances?

I did totally the opposite to you…I was living at home and making a nice income for my circumstances but took the decision to get a full time job in order to be able to move out. I now have a full time job that enables me to pay the mortgage, bills etc and the money I earn from the net in my spare time pays for those extra luxuries like more holidays, gadgets etc.

Again, please don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great what you are doing and, judging from the comments, you have a huge and very loyal readership which is a great achievement in itself…I’m off to read more of your posts to see what goes on here!

Being true to your ideals is really important for self esteem, so hang in there mate.

Lots of advice has come through these comments, and it can be tempting to do what a poster above called “JUMP TO OTHER SHIPS”. When I started reading at the start of this I thought like Justin and Jared, why not Monetize it? But you are right to stick with your intention to make this blog a record. Real long term satisfaction doesn’t depend on dollars!

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@Stefson, I’ve never had any doubts :-)

@David, hehe great article! I’m actually finding the hermit style lifestyle to be the biggest downside of this work though. I do like to have some alone time but not as much as I have now. I miss people-contact quite a lot.

On a side note, you might get a chuckle from this article on working form home, and please feel free to reprint it if you so wish:
http://www.thehappyguy.com/hermit.html

David Leonhardts last blog post..A fly swatter for your marketing

It’s cool you have such belief in yourself, and it took balls to quit a wellpaying dayjob. It’s only normal you start having doubts every now and then when things don’t work out the way you like them to.

One thing that does make me laugh from time to time is all these super-duper money making techniques from blogging.

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@Lily, yes money especially is very relative. There will always be somebody who earns less, earns more, spends less, spends more etc. You can spend your life endlessly comparing yourself with others or you can just work on your own life.

@Tarrens, cool name! Yep the 80/20 rule applies to most things but when you start out with something new it can take a little while to figure out what camp all your activities fall into – what’s the 20% and what’s the 80%. I’m starting to figure that out now.

Also known as the 80/20 rule. Chances are 80% of what you make is coming from 20% of your effort so you should cut the 80% non producing fat from your efforts and focus on the 20% that’s earning you money. Then make a profile of the 20% money makers and get more of those started.

I came across The Pareto principle from a book named “The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferriss with bonus chapters and other additional resources from his website like spreadsheets and other forms.

There’s so much helpful information in the book I cannot cover it all but there are many editorial reviews from some very well known succesful people and some 680 consumer reviews up on Amazon. I think it’s just the thing you need. Have a look.

Tarrens

Lilys last blog post..Dia de Portugal – National Portugal Day!

Two things as I’m not really into the internet making money stuff and have no knowledge in that area, but I left work to chase my dream and after five years I got there! 5 YEARS!

I earnt over 100K sterling a year and left it for what… to become a 40 euro a day Scuba Diving guide ;)

The things that we want we will achieve in the end! It depends whats important money or lifestyle? One big problem you have is your still in Blighty which is DAMN expensive…

Leave England!!!!! ;)

@Michael, for me, money is a relatively small contibuting facor to my overall level of happiness. I would rather have a happy home life and be poor than rich and lonely for instance.

@Justin, I do appreciate the offer, but due to my personal circumstances I have a very strong need to simply work at my own pace so I prefer to work on my own. It is not a rejection of your teaching as such so I hope you are not offended.

I’m choosing to do the 30DC again not so much for the techniques but because of everything else it offers – I made good friends last year, several of which I am still in touch with now and I was introduced so so many new concepts so I am very excited about what new opportunities it might bring me this year – I don’t really see it as a money making project as such.

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It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me that u would go back to a 30 day challenge which never did anything for you in the first place.

So once again this is my final offer to teach you for free. If not then you will stay in the same rut as you have been and will continue to make no money simple as that.

Justin@bloggingzombie.coms last blog post..Free Abstract Wings BANS Theme

Cheers,

Michaels last blog post..Dolphins from a Greek island ferry

I was born and raised in Colorado and one day I decided to move to Florida. So I packed up my clothes, my dog and cat, and my computers and just started driving.

My Mother would call that sort of behavior “one with a free spirit” … what she really means is, we take risks because you can’t get anywhere if you don’t.

Jennys last blog post..New Desktop Wallpaper & Morning Sun

I agree with you that this trait is not necessarily bad. It may take a few months longer to absorb the information overload, but the knowledge foundation you will build pays off in the long run.

Jonathan Ginsbergs last blog post..Don’t Throw Money at Your Online Marketing Program

@DazzlinDonna, to be honest if I were to give advice to others, I would also recommend starting off on a part-time basis first. It’s tough though, especially if you have lots of committments such as family.

@Barb, do you ever wonder if you would still be in that corporate job if your health hadn’t made the decision for you?

@Jeka, yeah it was the lack of promised pay raises that made my decision a lot easier. In most day jobs there is usually some kind of ceiling on what you can earn but in business there is no ceiling other than one that you impose on yourself.

@Wayne, yep I can feeling myself narrowing my focus a lot more now.

@Lowell, one of the projects I have lined up for the future is to work in some completely unrelated niches but I probably wont be starting those until next year.

@Lisa Marie, hehe thank you!

@Andre, well yeah I might have used a little bit of drama to spice up the story a bit and give the ending a bit more punch :p

@Peggy, no I haven’t seen that. I do read Shoe’s blog but i tend to just skim it quickly every week or so.

@Kelly, yeah when you can throw enough time and belief at something, it really has to work out in the end doesn’t it?

@Gloria, I never had any doubt. The headline was simply meant to arouse curiosity in the readers :-) Though my personal problems certainly have affected my work in a big way. With regards to making money from the blog, what I meant is that I am not too interested in direct monetization through ads and affiliate links etc. Though I do feel I can make money as a result of the growth of this blog – but in more of an indirect way. For example, the first customers of Stumble Rush have come from my talking about it here.

@WebForms, that’s a nice story but I also think its a valuable skill to know when it’s right to jump as not all projects / ideas are winners. It’s a fine balance between knowing when something is never going to work and when it just needs a bit more persistence.

@Lightening, yeah when I first started out I would read the blogs of these big successful guys and I couldn’t identify with them at all. That’s why I was so keen to start blogging from day 1 because that way if I do ever start making some err ‘real money’ (whatever that means!) other people can see how that was done starting from zero.

@Sarah, nothing has changed over the last few months. I started Stumble Rush long before you started commenting here. I’ve only ever reported my income as fact, I’ve never judged it as low or high – I leave that for others to argue over.

@Marvin, I don’t take much notice of “I told you so” type people :-) Thanks for the vote of confidence Marvin. When things don’t go so well (like last month) I sometimes wish I didn’t have it all public in this way but hopefully I won’t have too many more personal catastrophe’s to deal with!

@Melvin, I think any business can be a goldmine but the same rules of averages applies – the majority of the money will be made by the minority of the people whilst the majority of people don’t make very much at all. But for some reason, a lot of people seem to think that it is so much easier to make big money on the Internet.

@Colin, yeah I did have every intention to diversify my income more but my personal life has been a bit of a mess ever since I released the ebook so I’ve just not quite got around to it yet! But thanks for your comment – it’s great when a good blog post gets born from a reader comment!

@Kirsty, yeah it is huge. I have to remind myself every day how lucky I am – it’s easy to forget and just take it for granted.

@Megan, I had a few blogs before this one and they were all in the ‘my journey’ type format. One was about my weight loss journey, another one karate training and so on. The cool thing about these kind of blogs is that you don’t have to worry about competing with others because your own story will always be unique and if people like you or resonate with your story then they will read it.

Hehe yeah the title was meant to make people gasp a little bit :-) Anyone who knows me will have known in advance what the conclusion was going to be!

I think I said in one of my older comments that you had great courage in quitting your job to go online, whereas I was ‘forced’ to given my illness, and laid off a job paying a handsome 65,000 – my first job outside of Academia!

Fortunately I discovered a passion for the internet like yourself, although my little ‘blogspot’ ‘aint up there yet, but that wasn’t my initial plan to earn. I was originally in the more ‘hard-core’ IM arena, learning the ‘old-style’ ways of marketing, some of which I don’t have a heart for.

Now I know my passion is in writing – it always has been, although I haven’t passed that onto the net just yet. But these are my goals – in blogging and as a freelance writer for other people online (and in the offline world) – but I’m the boss!

Discovering the blogosphere, and being around on the net, watching it change so quickly, especially with this move and trend in the social media/web 2.0 arena, has really sparked my passions even further. there is soooo much to learn. It’s really exciting (so am also looking forward to your Stumble Upon course when its finished – no pressure! I have much to do, including the 30 Day Challenge, so please take your time, hehe)

And when I discovered your blog awhile ago, this ‘cemented’ things for me. :-) You know I love your blog – and you, your writings, your spirit :-)

I can’t wait until I get my blog[s] up and running further – I can’t wait, I can’t wait!! But I just don’t know the technical stuff – I have my wp theme ready, I have 2 main blogs coming, planned (one – a continuation of my ‘hobby’ selfhelp blogspot, the other, which I planned nearly 2 years ago on the same, or similiar topic you are doing (no – am not copying!!!!!!). My ‘online journey too’, which is likely to be quite different from yours.

But I just love reading about people’s journeys online – the ‘real’ stories, not the IM sales pitch we often hear. The blogosphere is so different. and I also look forward to the 30 Day Challenge – hmmmm, will I manage the 1.00! I hope so, but as noted, it is the ‘journey’ that matters.

As others have also said, even with less income/loss of job, even with illness, I have not been this happy and FREE for a long time. I choose when to get up, I choose when to work. I choose to stay in my jammies :-)

No, I am not earning yet – I still have a lot to learn – but because I have been on the computer for 2 years, nearly every day (except when in hospital/ill) – no, actually I take my computer to hospital hehe – I know that I will succeed.

My own money won’t last forever (although I was fortunate in receving a lump sum insurance payment, so finances ok too), but I just feel it in my heart that it will all work out for the best. I am not ‘attached’ to an outcome, as you note too – I am enjoying the good times (and waiting out the ‘bad times!) and believe in myself. I don’t even think about it. I just know.

When I saw your title for this post in my email/in box, I thought – nah! Not Caroline!!! I almost thought – eeh gad, and then I thought – no, I bet when I get to Caroline’s blog, there’s going to be perhaps – “yes it may have been reckless, but it was the best thing I have done” or similiar – and I was right. I know you love your freedom! And I know you would have a hard time returning to corporate world.

I would too – I was absolutely miserable there in the end and my illness was maybe a blessing too in this context. I want to write, blog and have many other projects planned too, notebooks full of ideas – and must avoid the trap of spreading myself too thin.

And the trap of ‘analysis-paralysis’, with too much ‘planning and analysing’ and waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment (although planning is important too of course) – there is no such thing as the perfect moment though – ACTION and persistance/consistence are key – you have them all, these qualities!! :-)

I know I will get there, wherever there may be – will ‘be’! And you too.

GO FOR IT CAROLINE. I am with you all the way, and I have no doubt either that you will succeed :-)

Meg

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Thanks for such a full answer Caroline. Incidentally my original comment was written a little hastily and reading it back I don’t think I was expressing myself clearly enough. I didn’t actually mean that you should go back to your old job. My comment was meant to say shouldn’t you be diversifying your income more. But at least I have given Ruchir a laugh.

Colins last blog post..Praventin prevents acne? I don’t think so

Melvins last blog post..Affiliate Marketing Is A Very Green Pasture

It’s because I can relate to her and her challenges ( in life and Internet marketing).

It’s great to read about the experiences of a human being, and not the glamorised version of what Internet marketing is about.

So it’s taking her time to build up her business; that’s normal in business. She inspires me because she perseveres.

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You know, I actually laugh at these kinds of people. People who think that a job is more secure than IM. Seriously… You can get fired in a day and loose all your income but online even if one source of income gets to 0, you still have the others…

You have been doubly courageous by first following your dream and second putting your life on stage for others to see, admire or criticize. In both instances you have been honest to your own heart and in doing so displayed a kind of honest direct and unvarnished courage few other can claim. In an age of double talk, flip flopping. media hype and spin such honesty is remarkable and very refreshing – especially when it come to internet marketing in general.

It is often quoted that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration – something those who want a quick buck never seem to understand. Building a real business requires persistence, something I’d say you have in spades.

Congratulations and all the very best.

Marvins last blog post..Slide show – just because

I will continue to watch as I am still working out my own career path. More than twenty years in one career has made me successful, but not fulfilled. That’s is exactly why I started blogging…to talk about my journey and to find another connection in my life.

I wish you the best, and thanks for sharing so openly with all of us.

Coryan | UTurnAheads last blog post..Coryan Update: Where the Heck Have I Been?

Now that someone else who is not me brings it to your attention you listen you them and admit that you are not really making that much? You may know StumbleUpon but that sure isn’t going to make any of your readers any money.

I guess in a way I’m in a fortunate position in that I don’t earn an income YET. I don’t have to make the difficult decision to actually quit. I do however have a deadline of sorts of when I WOULD have started bringing in an income (in about 12 months time).

I’m continue to follow your progress with great interest. Thanks for your incredible honesty. It’s very refreshing.

Lightening@Lightenings Blogworlds last blog post..Celebrating Aussie Women Bloggers In Lightening’s Blogworld This Week

Winners make a decision and stick to it no matter what. If she chosed a particular MLM business, she will stay with the company for decades. In the end, everyone in the town knows her and what she can offer. After several years, she become the most knowledgeable person about the products and most people will refer to her whenever they have certain health problems.

Losers keep jumping ships. Even before a month with an MLM company, she will continuously finding newer MLMs with better offers. Whenever an offer looks promising, she will quickly jump to that company. In the end, she will be ridiculed by everyone. People could not associate her with any products.

So Caroline, keep with what you are doing right now. Success is so close to you now.

DO NOT JUMP TO OTHER SHIPS

You say that you don’t think of this blog in terms of making money–yet if you are to really succeed, perhaps you should rethink this mindset. There’s no reason not to combine the writing you love with the income producing activity you need to survive, hey, more than survive. The ambition evidenced by your undertaking such a time consuming activity demands that you push this blog to its highest potential. Don’t be afraid. Don’t give up. One day you’ll have the income you feel is equal to your efforts.

Don’t lose faith in yourself by taking the words of others so much to heart. And the next time you get romantically involved, perhaps you can find someone who will be a true partner, even in this blog that you love so much.

You know you’re doing the right thing (though the headline had me wondering). I think the last section is so profound, especially: “I simply cannot see any possibility of failing.”

It may take time, but it’s that shot of self-esteem that makes it so likely you’ll succeed. You believe in yourself—that makes all the difference.

Regards,

Kelly

Kellys last blog post..Why Aren’t We Making More Money? Your Pain Points Revealed

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Make a difference? Hell yeah, you do!!!

Lisa Marie Marys last blog post..Will Sen. John McCain Walk Ellen Down the Aisle?

Sending congratulations and wishing you every possible success.

Evans last blog post..How to Deal with Your Perfectionism

And yet, I too, believe that with step by step persistence I’ll reach a place where I can actually make some money on line. So on to the 08 30DC. I’m ready for a whole new rash of Ed Dale’s goodies!

I truly believe the web is the juiciest marketplace on the planet!

Keep doing what you’re doing. I feel the same way about “authority.” That’s usually a misnomer at any job – having authority doesn’t mean you ARE an authority.

You give too much stuff away for free lol. Seriously, great blog. How about trying something besides the Internet Marketing niche?

Lowell

Lowells last blog post..Web Host Uptime – What It Really Means

Like you, I too have perhaps spread myself a little thin, but I’m working toward narrowing that focus this year. Last year was my year to throw everything I could at the dartboard to see what would stick. That done, now I’m anayzing the results and looking at things differently now that some time has passed.

Good on ya for quitting that day job though. Sometimes that’s exactly what a person needs to find their true calling. I have done that many times, and each time, while scary, turned out to be best for me. I always congratulate people when they quit or get laid off. It’s an opportunity, not neccesarily a bad thing.

Waynes last blog post..2008 Big Bear Choppers Bike Run

Think about it this way: What you’re making on your own is exactly what *you think you are worth*, not what someone else thinks you’re worth. And once you hit those 60-70k/year, do you really want to wait for 5 more years of 9-5 for another raise? The concept of self worth in the corporate environment so ridiculous but it can’t be any other way if the companies are to turn profit. So be glad that most people buy into that ideology and that you didn’t wait longer to get out.

You’ve attained quite a following on the blogosphere and some income. That’s a great start already. Rock on and fuck the system. ;)

(ps. “If I was on a timescale, up against some deadline then it would be a different story.” Do make deadlines. This is probably the single worst enemy of online marketers)