Shock News! I Should Be Making More Money!

This is probably what I like (and respect) the most about you. You know who you are (and clearly the person who emailed you doesn’t). You are looking for something that most people never find, and many will not even take time to search for.

I get what you are trying to do. I value your contributions on this blog and elsewhere. I applaud your honest and courage.

And, as you know, if there is ever anything that I can do to help you reach your goals, all you have to do is ask.

To your success
(uniquely defined by you alone),
Mark

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I’ve always thought you could make more money, and I love the fact that you choose to not follow shady paths. In my personal opinion this will work out for you in the long run as “Caroline Middlebrook” becomes a brand, and one that is synonymous with trust.

On a side note, I can’t believe I just used synonymous in a sentence, I hope I got its meaning right ;)

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Yeah, it’s your choice and i think let it be that way… as long as i enjoy reading your post…that make me happy and make me learn something… :)

p/s: money is not everything…

Hi Caroline,

I agree…and disagree.

I am in complete agreement with not promoting products you haven’t tried. I have done this a few times and it has never worked out. Why? When I talk about a product I believe in, I’m passionate. When I talk about a product I’m just “promoting”, I’m disengaged. That fundamental difference is huge in the eyes of my readers.

But I disagree that you should automatically be making less money because you are working less. I would argue that’s a limiting belief. There are plenty of people working 3-4 hours a day instead of 8 and making 6-figure incomes. Not to say that you won’t get there, but it will take longer if you have a belief that you should earn less because you work less.

Also, regarding these products you haven’t used…why not use them and then write an honest review of them? You’d be surprised at how many affiliate sales I’ve made from an article on my blog called “Why Clickbank STINKS for Affiliates.” In it, I recommended PayDotCom.com instead, and many people signed up for it.

It’s something to consider. Not that you want to spend all your time reviewing affiliate products, but it sure couldn’t hurt to run a few a month here on your blog.

-Erica

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This is why I follow your blog. You are real, honest and every one of your posts is not first motivated by making a commission or selling something, but rather to share your thoughts and provide information and tips that we can use to make money too. Thank you.

Caroline, I completely agree with your thoughts about marketing. I just can’t bring myself down to the level of a snake oil salesman because I know that eventually, my content will provide the value to get paid rather than me having to push every product known to man. I prefer the slow process rather than the get rich quick one and I think the slow and steady wins the race methodology is the best for building long term wealth. Branding and reputation is everything in this business.

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Caroline,

I totally respect your decision to build your life and your business as YOU think it should be.

When you consider how many people there are that will tell you one thing and do another, being true to your own beliefs becomes that much more important.

How many times have I been “instructed” how to make money by people my gut tells me aren’t making any themselver or aren’t happy about how they do it?

A lot.

Best,

Jeff

Wow. Good for you, Caroline. In a world where too many people go way overboard in trying to maximize their opportunities, it’s nice to see someone who has a better grip on things.

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I think Erica has a good point there. Lately I’ve seen people saying how much time they spend on blogging…4, 6, 8, 10 hours a day (that includes all blogging activities, such as reading other blogs).

That’s great if they like it as a hobby, but does it make them money? I’m inclined to think that it’s far more profitable to spend 4 hours a day creating a quality product to sell than spending 8 hours a day commenting on blogs to attract visitors.

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I’ve been a subscriber to your posts for a while now and I must say this is the most refreshing post I’ve seen from you. It’s nice to know that there are those out there that don’t need to be rich beyond belief, and that you are honestly trying to provide value to your readers and visitors.

Too many times I’ll read a blog like John Chow or Cow and others and they just spit out post after post of affiliate ‘make me money’ crap. It gets old, and for me it’s quite transparent.

Like lawyers, no one likes a salesman. No one. I’m glad to find that you are being real, as I had suspected from the day I subscribed. Cheers to you!

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I agree with everyone here. I am currently enrolled in your “Stumble It” course, and I appreciate the fact that you are doing this YOUR way.
I know I’ll learn more from you because you have gone through what I’m going through, and you have learned life lessons, not just blogging lessons.
And I do read your other blog!

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I think this is a very unique style you have here Caroline, rather than the usual ‘follow me’ guidance your saying the complete opposite, its quite refreshing.

Great post Caroline.

You have drawn a line in the sand and you measure yourself by it. In the short time you have been online the name ‘Caroline Middlebrook’ has become a trusted and honest (and highly marketable name). Your principles are to be admired.

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I love (d) your stuff. You were one of the first people I subscribed to via RSS. To be honest, your language has become too negative. I don’t know if you had a positive slant to this message but it just started too negatively.

I switch off these days because its shoulda, coulda, woulda.

We like to hang around positive people. Everyone has negative moments and self-doubt so we read posts like yours to be inspired, not to be disenchanted.

Yes you had a relationship breakup etc.. and I like some personality in websites, but I didn’t follow you because you were like People magazine or Teen. Do the personal projection stuff on an other blog if you need to express, just don’t clutter your wisdom. I’ll say that again – don’t clutter your wisdom.

Come on – you can do it. I love your stuff – but let me get to it without the blah.

I am just 36 years old but I have seen many friends who are successful and who are “not”. (I am categorized under the “not” category)

Most people nowadays think that by the age 36 if you still earn much below your country average, for your age, then you are “not” successful – I am not talking about successful based on “happiness” or “free time” or “freedom”

I am beginning to see a clear separation line.

People who are not “too smart”, but are willing to work “averagely” and accept commands from the boss and follow orders without much arguments, by the age of 36 will become a very senior executive in whatever companies they work. And they are the one we see driving new Mercs and BMWs on the street. Their lifes are horrible but they are making very good money, much above average.

People who think they are “too smart”, like me, who do not want to work in a traditional office setting, who does not like being told what to do by the bosses, who value freedom and free-time more that anything else, by the age of 36, is still struggling to earn what junior graduate earns at the age of 24.

However, what keeps me running is self determination, self-believe and “happiness” and “freedom”.

And I always read wisdom quotes and I believe many struggling businesspersons are on the brink of huge, unimaginable success hence we should not quit not.

Thomas Edison did not failed in his 1000s unfruitful experiments, he just found 1000s way that do not work.

Wow! it is amazing if we could find a way to rephrase our past experience in a positive way, to make us look great!

You’re so right about following you instinct. No one really understands what I do online, they mostly think I’m wasting my time when I should be following the traditional path of getting promoted and “getting ahead”. But the rat race just isn’t for me. I have no interest in being chained to a cubicle working for someone else only to get laid off because they decide its cheaper to outsource my job. If I’m going to work hard, then I want it to be ME who enjoys the rewards!

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I like this about your blog – that you’re not some superstar marketer (yet), but that you’re coming from a place not too far from the rest of us. There are about 9000 other sites where someone will spruik their immense success, real or purported. By all means though, start making more money.. will watch with interest.

@Mark, aww thanks :)

@Clog, it’s not so much shady paths, I’m just trying to find something that ticks all the boxes – something I enjoy, is scalable and maintainable over the long term.

@Erica, I used to write reviews and I’ve made a few sales from them here and there but I only post 3 times a week now so I simply prefer to put out proper content. At the end of the day most readers don’t like reviews so I’d just prefer to write what people want and make money in other ways. I prefer to recommend products that I’m actually using and work it into my content – that way I’m putting out good content at the same time as making a few bucks from what I link to.

@Jeff, what I usually find is that people who tell me I should be doing so and so are very sincere about it, and it is working for them and it is right for them. What they don’t understand is that it is not necessarily right for everybody.

@Hunter, yeah I have cut down on my blog commenting, well I hardly do it now. Its a shame in a way because I feel a little out of the loop at times but I do feel that my time is better spent these days.

@Wayne, I’d still like to get rich! But I want to do it on my own terms :)

@Steven, an opinion you hold of another is often a reflection of what is inside of you. I believe that making money (or anything) is as much about mindset as anything else. There’s so much more to it than just the mechanics of the ‘how to’ so I will never stop injecting my opinion into my posts.

@Badrulnazar, ’success’ is a tricky word because everybody’s idea of it is different and yet most people attempt to measure everybody else by their own definition of it. Most people measure it in money, in possessions, material things. This is all just stuff to me, essentially meaningless if you are not happy inside. I still want the cash too of course, but that is not my measurement of success by any means. Try to ignore what others say, think, or do. Define your own success and ignore what everybody else things.

@James, I’m not a superstar? Oh damn! :-)

Your post was very interesting. You have to find what way you want to make money online. Whatever makes you comfortable. I too make money online and have tried many things and there are some ways that you don’t prefer. Its always fun to know that it is out there though. Great post.

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To be honest with you I am quite new in Internet marketing, but I frequently research money making opportunities and visit forums and blogs.
I’ve seen what some people are making online. When I saw your name in so many forums from different countries, I though you must be quite an authority in this field. Then, when I saw how much money you’ve made, I thought ‘wait a moment, what’s going on here?’ That’s why I felt I wanted to share my opinion with you and I sent you that email.
My intention is not to tell you what to do, by any means! I understand your reasons and I love your honesty.
You are right in following your instict. Every time I’ve done it things have worked out well. When I have followed other people’s advice, against my own instinct things have gone wrong. I also quit my job without having another one and I don’t regret it for a moment!
I love your blogs and I know you will get very far. YOU ARE FANTASTIC.
Keep up the good work, Caroline!

“…There is only one person in this world who knows what you should be doing. Guess who that is? YOU!…”

Reminds me of a quote – “There’s only one person you’ll never lose or who will never leave you – YOU.”

Hi Caroline,

In August I was reading someone’s blog (don’t remember who) and they had a list of free e-books suggested for new bloggers. One of them was yours. I have used quite a few of your suggestions and finally got over here to read your blog.

I really enjoyed this particular post because I had to laugh at myself when I read it: too much planning, analyzing and researching. Like looking in a mirror.

Your sense of integrity is to be admired. Eventually I want to monetize my blog but not with products I don’t believe in.

Nice work – thanks :)

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Back for a second go at this. It has been a fascinating discussion to follow because it is defining success.

If success is to be able to do whatever you want, then great.

If success is helping other people learn so they can be successful, then also great.

If something else, then also great.

Please don’t take it the wrong way Caroline, my point is simply this – with the freedom to write comes the freedom to read. What I am looking for (and it’s only me) is the meat without too many feathers. A little personal stuff is fantastic, but I’m loookig for the balance.

Either way, you’ve started a great conversation – which IS engaging.

Bon appetite. You dine at the highest table of human endevour. Greater things for you are certain.

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Great work with the amount of readers you have. If you are happy with what you have and the amount of money you are making, then thats all there is it to it.

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I also want to be an internet entrepreneur, cause this is what i am passionate about. i never get tired of browsing the net, checking updates and reading articles like this, hope i learn more from you… Cheers!!

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Right on, Caroline.

It was instructive and useful for us that you have spelt out where you’re coming from.

I’ve reviewed the Comments above and note that nobody has mentioned the two key guys who completely support your world view – the 4-hour workweek guy, and the lazyway guy.

For people who agree with you, it may be worth checking these two out at:

http://fourhourworkweek.com/

where he explains how important it is to setup your money machine so you have time to pursue the things you want to do; and

http://lazyway.blogs.com/

where he goes to some length to explain that its naive to believe that you will be rewarded if you just work harder. He says if that was the case, then hard-working people wouldn’t make up the bulk of the poor. Indeed, the most highly paid people often work less hard than the hard-working folk. That’s not his entire story – he talks about how inspiration and creativity is unlikely to inhabit those who are worn out because they’re hard-working – indeed the obverse is true.

Anyway, you’re in good company – stick with it (I know you will, no matter what I say here!)

Good luck.

Hi Caroline – thank you! your article was EXACTLY what I needed to read right now, because sometimes I find myself a little burnt-out, so many goals, so many things I ’should’ be doing (as defined by myself) to reach these goals. Goals that I set sometime ago, and that continue to change.

These goals are my passions. But I will not allow them to become ‘obligations’, resulting in burn-out and preventing me from living the life I want.

And then comes the money factor. The other night I was a little low after working too hard and not sleeping/missing out on other things I wanted to do – why I asked myself. A sudden clarity hit me – I didn’t really WANT to make money (well, I do, eventually, because I will need it), but this is not my primary FOCUS, and I will do it my way, whether it takes longer or not. Like you, I want to follow my passions, what I enjoy, a LIFESTYLE, and to provide quality and value for my future millions of readers :-)

And, despite some ups and downs, which we all experience in life, I ALREADY have a lifestyle that is free of responsibility, day job, and many of the ’standard shoulds’ of society. Why then am I pushing myself soo hard all of the time? I don’t need to, but then again, if I don’t, I sometimes start to feel ‘out of the loop’ (like you also briefly mentioned). The internet changes so fast, some of the friends you meet are quickly lost if you are ‘offline’ for awhile.

Lifestyle (‘my’ lifestyle), providing quality – like you, is what I want. I have my lifestyle now – although, yes, it may change later. People ask me too – ‘why aren’t you making money yet’, ‘why aren’t all your sites up yet’ …. some of it is basic technical knowledge, but some of it is because I often spend the day doing what ‘I’ want to do – and that does not always reflect these ‘money-making’ goals like it ’should’.

So – thank you again. I needed to hear this. I was wondering why I was feeling burnt-out. I need a rest, a rethink, and enjoy what I am doing, now. And stop beating myself over the head with ‘you should be doing this Megan’!!

Its time to ‘Stop and Smell the Roses’ :-)

Once again, you write with clarity and honesty and I commend you in your approach – and also agree with many of the comments here. I also think mindset and your opinion in the post above (and in other posts), whilst also in the self help arena, are also relevant to a blog like this.

Mindset, goals, your approach online, etc are also key to success in internet marketing, and your writings are thus relevant – you already provide a balance in all that you write.

Live the life ‘you’ want. Enjoy the moment of being, enjoy your dreams – happiness is not conditional on ’some day, eg. after I achieve such and such …’. It does not have to be in the future – as you know, it can be right now, as long as you are true to yourself. And I know you understand this :-)

Also, if we are happy working long hours – that’s great too. If this is our passion, it is no longer a ’should’, it is a joy, it is not work. If we don’t want to work long hours (and don’t have to), this is great too. Its all a matter of choice, ‘our’ choice (although unfortunately some people don’t have this latter choice in working less hours).

Hope to talk to you soon caroline :-)
Will be checking my emails – eek! (that was a ’should’, getting to my emails, but I got caught up in other things – yes, I wanted to, but… hehe! So I hope to see u there :-)

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@Sohpie, don’t worry, I used your email as an entry point into a post I’ve wanted to write for a while, I wasn’t insinuating that you were telling me what to do :)

@Valerie, I think it’s quite common to overdo the analysis and planning at the beginning when doing something new but once you’ve gone through that initial period it gets easier to be clear about what your goals are and less of that stuff is needed. I’m hoping that year 2 will invole a lot more doing and a lot less thinking about it!

@Steven, yes that’s true and I think where I am different to a lot of other IMers is that I define success (for myself) very differently to most of them. My work is just work, and has nothing to do with life in general. Success for me is about life, happiness, friendships, adventure and so on. Cash just makes that stuff easier.

@Eric, being happy doing what I am doing doesn’t necessarily mean that I am happy for my current situation to continue. The amount of money I earn is no where near enough to support the lifestyle that I am trying to create, so I still want to increase it, but not at the expense of anything else.

@CamKC, yeah Tim ferris certainly has got the lifestyle down really well! I wouldn’t like to emulate him though because I actually like work and although I don’t want to do more than about 40 hours a week, 4 would be too little for me! Mind you, when I get things setup a bit better I’ll read his book to see where I can streamline and add in systems.

@Megan, one thing I didn’t mention in this post is that sometimes we impose our own ’shoulds’ on ourselves. I used to set goals for myself that I felt like I should be doing, and even though they were my goals, I set them out of some vague idea of goals that were worthy to have, but that was often not the case!

You probably feel like you should be making more money because, well that’s just what is expected of us isn’t it? Check out this story of the Mexican Fisherman:

http://www.lifeprinciples.net/SuccessatLife.html

Sometimes we get so busy trying to achieve stuff that we fail notice that we’re already living the dream :)

The difference between should and could is you will or you wont. The difference between should of and could of is you didn’t or you did. Plain and simple, how bad do you want it.

@Caroline,

Good stuff, i think its important to stick to ethics and principles in an industry where there is so much bullshit selling going on. I think the thing i find the most insulting in the IM industry is that most of the so called big names use all their marketing tactics to sell to the smaller ones touting “one time offers you just cant miss”. The stuff being sold online and being recommended is pretty awful and doesnt come cheap either.

Out of the big names I think the only person i have any respect for is Yaro. and you of course :)

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Hi Caroline,

Forgive me if I repeat someone else’s comment as I didn’t read all of them. But I enjoyed your post and would say that part of your appeal (and hence large readership) is likely due to the fact that you swim against the stream a bit.

There are many blogs pushing stuff to make money. And that is okay. But it’s nice to read a blog where there is alot less selling and alot more sharing.

That’s why I folow you and I am sure that is true for many others. Keep up the good work!

You’re working very very hard and setting high goals for yourself, Caroline. Look at where you are now! I remember when I first read about you on Darren Rowse and Shoemoney :P

-Mike

Gosh you are such an inspiration to me hope I can be like someday ;p

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Hey, all I want to say to you is that goals are the way forward. If you set yourself aims and start completing then nothing will trouble you, look at where you are now, just keep going and making more money.

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I’m kinda new to this whole blogging thing, so thanks for your site; it’s a great inspiration! :-)

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Good for you. It’s a lot harder to be yourself and ignore the naysayers than the naysayers would have us believe.

Thanks for sharing so much, too!

(From a fellow Brit! :) )

Hello, interesting post. I have been following your emails on bloggers bible for some time and I have to say you provide great value to your readers…. but right because of this, in fact, I have been wondering why your earnings that you have published for June 2009 and May 2009 in other posts are somehow low (and I do not mean any disrespect) I am far from having your traffic, so I shouldn’t comment, but I would expect a blog with alexa rank of 38,000 (that should make how many? 100,000 unique visitors a month minimum) should be making more profits…
In other words, do you think it is possible to link the number of visitors to the income a blog can generate?

Superenalotto
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Indeed it’s all your choice and i think let it be that way… as long as i enjoy reading your post…that make me happy and make me learn something… :)

I wish I had the ability to hire a bunch of people to do a bunch of stuff for me that I think would definitely make some money. Unfortunately, they will probably not do things the way I expect and may mess up the investment.

On the other hand, do many of us make the mistake of trying to do everything ourselves – instead of taking a chance? I am guilty of this…
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