I've been sitting here wondering about the reasons why people make changes in their lives, both business and personal.

And I realised there are any number of possibilities why people seek change.

One reason is the pain of the status quo.

The saying, 'if you do what you've always done, you will get what you've always got', is something I can relate to and the memories are not ones I cherish.
At the beginning all I did was try to follow what other people said I needed to do.

Unfortunately, while there are some good people out there who give genuine advice, there are many more that are just out to make a quick buck and they'll tell you anything to get you to buy their products.

And it can be extremely difficult to filter out the good from the bad when you have no idea which is which.

Believe me; I'm glad I'm past that stage, and something I hope I remember when others new to the industry ask me for advice.

Why do I say 'I hope...'?

Because I've seen so many people coming out with their bullshit stories about how they struggled early on, lived in their cars and ate peanut butter and jam sandwiches...

...only to scam others out of their hard earned money.

I always assumed, in the early days, if those guys really did suffer like that before they made it big, surely they know how it feels and they'll ensure the same doesn't happen to others?

Wrong!

Either they were lying through their teeth... or they soon forgot where they were once upon a time.

After losing tens of thousands of pounds (that's right, pounds), I learned my lesson, the hard way.

However, one thing I never did was to give up.

I struggled through and began to see the fruits of my labours.

And now, I want to give you a few bits of advice on how to cope in your businesses, online or off, when you feel like nothing is going right.

Here's a list of things to keep in mind along the way to help motivate you in your quest for business success:

Aim to be the best. If you aim for the top and only hit the middle, it's still a success. If you aim for the bottom, it's likely that's all you'll hit.

Stay away from people who are negative, and surround yourself with successful people, things and places.

Never let anyone tell you 'you can't'. Always believe 'you can'.

Keep an open mind and consider all possible options.

The more you know about your subject the more you'll be motivated to endure when times are hard and things look bleak.

Be determined to do what you set out to do.

Never, ever, give up. When you give you, you fail. I carried on when everyone else thought I was failing. Heck I carried on even when I thought I was failing and wanted to chuck it all in. I didn't give up and, from each failure, I learned a lesson - stop doing what doesn't work, and carry on doing what does.

Do what you enjoy doing.

Plan as if you're going to live for ever... live as if you're going to die tomorrow. If you work to these ethics, you'll work harder and better.

Don't forget family and friends - you don't need to involve them in your business, but you do need to involve them in your life.

Do as much as is necessary to get the job done, and then do a little more. It's only when you truly exert yourself you'll feel motivated to do more.

Never lose sight of your dreams. If you watched the movie 'Collateral' with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, you'll see that Foxx's character always had a picture of his dream home in his taxi cab. And, whenever he needed a reminder as to why he was working so hard, he'd look at that picture. Hold on to your dreams.

When you've determined you want to achieve something, do it. Don't wait for things to happen.

Always play fair. Never try to make your life by destroying the lives of others. That means no lying, cheating or stealing. Behave with the utmost integrity at all times.

Realise that not everything you want is going to go according to plan. If you prepare yourself for those times when things bomb, you'll be able to cope better with it.

Practice - repeat what you know, over and over again. The more you do something, the better you'll become. A martial artist doesn't become a good kicker overnight. It takes hundreds and even thousand of practice kicks to perfect the kick you see them execute on the screen.

I'll repeat this one again - Never quit. The moment you quit, you've lost.

Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today. This is one sure fire way of failing, or delaying success. Believe me, I know.

Self discipline - I plan my day. I know exactly what I was supposed to be doing this morning. I knew what I was supposed to be doing yesterday. And I know what I'm supposed to do tomorrow. However, I know I'll have to ensure I stick to my routine or the best plans go to waste. Plan what you're going to do... and do it.

Become a student of life. Discover all you can about your subject and beyond. The more you know, the better you'll become in your business.

Learn to listen.

When I was a teenager I used to do bodybuilding. Every night I used to visualise how I wanted to be. And I took steps to reach those goals. I became so huge, friends used to joke they'd need to knock down their walls to let me into their homes. Visualization is an amazing tool if used correctly.

Whatever it is you want to achieve, believe you can. You have to want to achieve it so much so you can taste it.

Always remember, you are unique. You have something to offer others don't. Find out what that is and nurture it.

I hope that list gives you some food for thought and helps you in your quest to achieve your goals.

Ghulam Nabi Rezbi is a direct response copywriter, marketing strategist, author, and speaker.

Internet Marketing Secrets Revealed http://imsecretsrevealed.com/