If you spend longer than about 35 seconds in the online business world, you’ll come across at least one expert telling you you need this, that, those and the lifeblood of your first born child in order to succeed.
This article is pretty much me doing exactly that… but with a bit of a difference. Yes, I’ll be sharing the three things that I consider an absolute necessity (both in business and life), but I’ll also be hitting you with all the stuff you don’t need.
Let’s start with the “do” list.
You need the “D”.
Not that “D”. Get your mind out of the gutter.
I mean Drive, Determination, Dedication… all the stuff we don’t hear too much about.
You will not build a sustainable online business (or offline business, for that matter) with a wish and a prayer. Click & Tweet! You need to be able to knuckle down, do the work, and occasionally make a few sacrifices to turn your dream into a reality. If you don’t have that kind of inner motivation or sticktoitiveness, this ain’t for you.
You need the sparkle.
And no, I don’t mean the prancing unicorn/Snapchat filter/face glitter type of sparkle. I mean that thing that makes you interesting.
You need something that sets you apart, a point of difference. The only way to stand out online is to, well, stand out online. And that takes the kind of bravery you need to go against the grain.
Just say something, do something, BE something that isn’t exactly the same as everyone else. Click & Tweet! Running a business is about more than being “on trend”, it’s about being memorable.
This could be a signature way of working, it could be an innovatively packaged offer, it could be content infused with personality, it could be the fact that you don’t leave the house without a leprechaun hat… it’s really not that hard.
You need a bullshit filter.
I think this is the most important one, particularly if you’re not interested in going COMPLETELY INSANE.
You need to be able to wade through everyone else’s marketing messages and not just assume they’re gospel. Click & Tweet!By all means, soak in content and training offered by people who know what they’re talking about, but exercise some independent thought at the same time.
Be the objective, intelligent individual that you are. Take on the tips then test and tweak. If they work, aces! If they don’t, discard. Nobody has the one-size-fits-all solution for every problem you’ve ever had – no matter what they say.
So those are things you NEED to rock your online business.
Ready to read about the things you don’t need to get started and go, go, go?
- A bustling presence on every social platform.
- To feel comfortable on camera.
- Angel cards.
- A 3hr morning ritual.
- All of the courses.
- A team of 10.
- An “all the bells and all the whistles” website.
- Insightful mountain-top photography. Or whimsical “look at me frolicking around a city I’ve never actually been to before” photography.
- An expensive email marketing tool.
- Decaff.
- Any sort of six-figure success framework.
- Instagram props in the perfect shade of rose gold.
- Paypal
- Writing skillz.
- A totally perfect product or service.
- Facebook ads.
- Fancy schmancy lighting, microphones, cameras or backdrops.
- Green smoothies, matcha tea or artisan coffee.
- A 1,000-strong Facebook group/email list/Twitter following.
- A knack for meditation.
- An aggressive launch strategy.
- Perfect makeup, a selfie habit and a Hollywood smile.
- A Mac/iPad/iPhone.
- “Branding”.
- Real life friends and family who “get it”.
- Pristine office space decked out with a cactus collection and weird geometric furniture.
- Tech expertise.
- Ironed clothes. Or let’s be real… a bra.
- “Hustle”.
- To be able to do it all.
I know. It’s impossible to go a single day without someone telling you do need one of these things, but you really don’t. By all means, bring them on board later if you like, but they will not be the catalyst for your success.
Got anything to add to my list of shit you need (or shit you don’t)? Leave me a comment below.
