All successful internet marketers will tell you that people who fail in internet marketing, do so because they don't focus.

But surely they do exactly that?

Wallet at the ready, they focussed on the excitement of starting their own internet home business, on all the exciting offers thrown their way. This looks good, that sound fine. I think I'll try this, now I'll try that. Offers that promised a fortune in a month - overnight success and much, much more

You see, the underlying problem was not that they didn't focus - but fear.

That's right - fear.

But in this case it's fear of failure, and consequently our friends and family laughing at us. A successful internet business is now paramount in their lives and they see all these highly spurious offers guaranteeing that and are content to blindly pay for the privilege. And if one offer doesn't deliver the goods quick enough - try another.

If they had mortgaged their house out of existence to invest in a retail outlet in some mall, or a franchise, do you think they would have approached that business in the same way?

Then at some point dejection kicks in, or the wallet's drained.

No one is delivering on their promises and they haven't made a penny dime. Some cave in at that point, others go on trying to buy their way to the promised land, but the driving force in both cases is still fear.

Fear is at the back of all our minds when we embark on a start up business plan.
The difference is successful marketers use it to control their decisions. It's there all the time, but if you let it coerce you into irrational decisions that situation can only escalate into failure.

Instead, use it as a steadying rail. You will make mistakes, but understanding why and rectifying them can make you stronger, increase your resolve to succeed. But if you panic, then fear will hand you a one way ticket to disaster.

So, if you're contemplating starting a successful online business then first of all put that wallet away and focus on what it is you actually want to do. Pick a small business opportunity you think will suit you and work towards building that into a successful online business. There may well come a time when you need a piece of software, or video training manual, but only purchase what will advance your business further.

Don't buy it, if you won't apply it.

So there you are. Control the fear and let it help you advance your chosen business, not destroy it.