I'd been thinking about this more and more lately, and a text message today made it all clear.

My phone started chirping and I looked down and it said:

—–From —–
Jimmy
—-Message—-
I am a marathon finisher! 4 hours 29 minutes – woohoo!
—–End —–

I was beaming as if I'd run the darned thing. Why? Because Jimmy worked SO hard training to do it. He WANTED it so badly. And, I wanted it for him.

I think hard work should be rewarded. And, it oftentimes is.

But, there's more to it than that.

HOW did Jimmy do it?

1. LEARNING.
He read about marathons and studied up on what was necessary. What to do about stretching. What to wear. What to drink/eat. He didn't wing it.

I study and try to learn something every day from my mentors. I think the learning must continue. There's always something to gain, even if it's just a reminder of what you already know.

2. EXPERTS.
Not only did he read, he found information from people who had successfully run marathons. He didn't ask couch potatoes for advice. That would just be silly.

I've chosen to study people who walk the walk and don't just talk the talk.  (You might be amazed how many self-proclaimed experts there are out there struggling to get by.)

3. ACTION.
He didn't stop at reading. He *took action*. See where I'm going with this?

All the videos and audios in the world won't help your business until you ACT upon them. And act, and act, and act. Jimmy ran almost daily, whether it felt “fun” or not. Some days I don't want to come into my office, but I do it.

4. PERSEVERANCE.
He twisted his knee. He went through bouts of illness. And, he kept on going.

Wanna know how many times I've fallen on my face? More than I can count.

5. TELLING OTHERS.
He told other people what he was doing so it was harder to quit. He couldn't give up or else he'd have to explain to all of us why he wasn't going to do his marathon. He even told his lists! Talk about pressure. Those are some BIG lists.

I've told a few close friends the numbers that I hope to break this year. And, my husband does our books, so he knows all.

6. MILESTONES.
He set a schedule of things he wanted to accomplish along the way. 10 miles, 15 miles, etc.

My first goal years ago was the be able to pay the cable bill, then the car payment, then the kids tuition, then the mortgage. But, when I started earning more than hubby did — and then started paying my helpers more than I've ever made at a JOB — that's when I started to really feel successful. (Those were MY personal milestones for my situation. Thankfully I have set high goals, since hubby was laid off in May. My income has kept us afloat.) So, not bragging — just pointing out that setting milestones makes it very FUN to look back at how far you've come.

7. GOAL SETTING.
Jimmy didn't just say “I want to be able to run a marathon.” He chose one marathon and signed up. He couldn't postpone the marathon. It was a done deal.

Hmm… I'd better revisit this one.

And, so, he crossed that finish line. He did it.

You want to know what the first thing he probably did after he crossed the finish line was? Well, after he hugged and kissed his wife, Paula, of course?

I'm guessing that it was setting his next goal — even before got to the Gatorade stand.

Because THAT is what a successful person would do.

CONGRATS Jimmy!!!

Nicole

PS. Do you see how the list above also applies to your business? Many people don't set goals. They don't take action. They learn from the wrong people. Go through that list and see what you can apply to your business. If you need to publically set goals — write them below in the comments section. That's pretty public. We'll be sure to cheer you on!

I interviewed 16 moms who are all making full time money online and asked them a few very direct questions. “What was your #1 mistake?” and “What was your tipping point?” for instance. They were not shy in answering at all.

The funny thing was that I kept hearing a lot of the same answers. So, maybe being an online success isn't such a mystery after all.

I found it fascinating and I think you will, too.

To learn how these women earn a full time living on the internet on a part time basis, visit http://www.fulltimewahm.com

Warmly,
Nicole

PS. I would love to hear what YOUR tipping point was, as well. Please post it below.

What's that have to do with you? Well, no matter whether you're in Direct Sales, Product Sales, whether you are a blogger, Internet Marketer, Author, Coach or Consultant, you need to use written words to SELL, right? If you are doing business online, then you need to know how to use words to your advantage. Some words trigger people to buy. Some… don't.

The first thing I want to tell you is that Lorrie is having a 50% off sale to clean out a bunch of her products. (They are currently being housed in her husband's closet and he's not too thrilled about that, as you can imagine.)

So, without further ado, here's Lorrie's big closet sale

And, because I love to give you free information, here is an article that Lorrie wrote that I think it just brilliant. Enjoy it!

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What can Madonna and Martha Teach You About Writing Copy?
by Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero

Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't argue that pop queen Madonna and domestic doyenne Martha Stewart are two master marketers. One is a calculated maverick who's stayed at what has to be the world's toughest and most fickle business for nearly a quarter century.

The other turned a catering business into a multimedia empire that even a prison term couldn't derail.
What lessons can we draw from these power players?

Madonna: You know your business best.
Madonna runs a giant organization, but everything she does is based on her own vision. She knows she's the one who cares the most about her own success, and acts accordingly, which empowers her business.

The same holds true for you when you write your own copy. You know your business strengths better than anyone, and, when you master this very learnable skill, you empower your business.

Madonna: Pick what you like and make it your own.
Although she is known as the Queen of Reinvention, Madonna knows no idea is completely new. She gets ideas from an amazing range of sources, from Marilyn Monroe movies to geisha stories to Broadway
musicals to what the kids in a Tokyo neighborhood are wearing this week – then she gives it her own spin.

Build swipe files (a collection of great copy clipped from all around you) from magazines, direct mail, and even tabloids. Capture great copy you see in daily life, whether it's a billboard or a picket sign. (I keep a spiral-bound deck of index cards handy to jot down these nuggets.) Even if the ad or letter seems way outside your target market, parts of it may be just the kick in the pants your copy needs.

Madonna: Embrace your passions wholeheartedly and without apology.
Madonna would understand your desire to shuck off your current identity and dive into something completely different. Nude centerfold to nursery rhyme writer, boy toy to the reincarnation of Queen Esther: she's lept even further and thrived just fine. It could be argued that without her continual reinvention, Madonna would be just another ‘Where Are They Now?' 80's Pop Tart.

Martha: You are the sole CEO and brand manager of your own life.
Not your boss, your company, your friends, or the people who tell you you can't do it. Martha runs her empire modeled after her own vision and values, no matter what those happen to look like this season.

Martha: Publicity is powerful.
Successful entrepreneurs like Martha not only score publicity at crucial moments, they use that attention to get more attention, unleashing a domino effect of business-boosting buzz. She started with a book and put herself out there as an expert on entertaining, which led to appearances on TV, radio…you know the rest of the story.

Think of the area where you're the expert, and start offering to share the (knowledge) wealth with local media. Don't put off writing that press release a minute longer. With so many publications, ezines, blogs, sites, podcasts, satellite radio shows out there, the media needs fresh content like never before. They're all dying to talk about something interesting – so be snappy and interesting!

Martha: Learn something new every day.
Martha closes out all her interviews and shows with this motto, embracing skills too numerous to mention and maintaining curiosity about everything from the names of birds to the best wax to use on your car. Take a look at any of her magazines, and you'll find yourself drawn into something you never dreamed could be fascinating, thanks to the great copy and stunning design.

To build your own business, make it a point to soak in something every day: subscribe to e-zines, browse the bookstore, take a teleseminar or an e-course. When you make the commitment to never stop learning, you put yourself far above the pack.

Madonna AND Martha: When emulating role models, you don't have to be the whole package.

Both have qualities you can cherry-pick from. Take what you like and leave the rest. Make yourself into the “you” you want to be.

Copywriting guru Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero has been helping entrepreneurs and copywriters get their marketing messages razor sharp since 1999. Get free access to 5 tips to turn your “blah” sales message into red-hot copy that ROCKS… at Lorrie's big closet sale
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Wasn't that great? I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did.

Have a wonderful week!
Nicole

PS. Don't forget to stop by Lorrie's closet sale – I don't want you to miss out on such a great deal!