Frank Kern says that every hero has a “fable” that builds their story and their credibility…
Peter Parker was bit by the spider and became a crime fighter.
Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in a season.
John Reese had a million dollar day.
If you’ve followed me for any length, you know that my “fable” is the story of how I went from zero money and zero experience to a steady $100/day in four days with affiliate marketing. I had just graduated high school and was working for a real estate company when I checked my Clickbank account and saw that money had come in. The feeling was indescribable.
That $100/day turned into $10,000/month, and then $100,000/year… from my dorm room.
Once I graduated, profitability stayed about the same, but I began to work with other companies and develop my own products (and yes, the case study of 0 to $100/day that I promised will be released at some point).
Regardless of how profitable my business becomes, nothing… NOTHING has matched the excitement of my first $100/day, because that was the day that I started achieving my “why.”
At that time, I had two goals… two immediate “whys” to starting my internet marketing career. The first was to have $100/day coming in after one year (I did it in four days) and the second was to replace my 1994 Chevy Cavalier that had over 130,000 miles.
Ryan Deiss tells the story about his reason for getting into internet marketing. He met the woman that he wanted to marry, and he was able to finance an engagement ring for $200/month. His “why” was that he wanted to pay for a ring, and he would do anything to get that money.
But my “why” was simple… FREEDOM… and to me that meant making $100/day – enough to not have to hold a real job, and having dependable transportation.
My “why” is not to have material things: I still drive the same 2006 Cobalt that I bought to replace my clunker. I live in a 600 square foot apartment, my best friends live next door, and I’m perfectly happy with it.
My personal friends constantly ask me to teach them how to do internet marketing, and business friends often offer to pay me expensive coaching rates in order to train them, but the truth is that neither of them “need” me… what they need is a “why.”
Last night, I received an email from someone at my alma mater requesting that I teach him how to make money on the internet, because he had heard a professor talking about me. This happens often, and I reluctantly ignored the email, because I have learned that if making extra money is the “why,” then the necessary motivation has not yet kicked in.
What the average aspiring-but-struggling internet marketing needs is not to buy another internet marketing program or join a coaching club. What he needs is a reason why.
Maybe it’ll be when the boss calls him in and says that they are restructuring and no longer need his services.
Maybe it’ll be when he graduates from college and realizes that there are no jobs for his major in this economy.
Maybe it’ll be when he wants to propose.
Your reason why will be different than mine, and if you’re like me, your “why” will evolve and grow as your meet your goals. Today, my goals are to buy a major league baseball team, to learn, educate, and enjoy alternative medicine, and to promote liberty.
But your why might be to live debt free.
Your why might be to go overseas for mission work.
Or, you might be the type that does want the material possessions.
Whatever it is, it must be defined, and it must be clear.
And if you fail to define your why, then your why will define your failures.
So, what’s your why?
San Diego to see my good friend Matt Bredel of 
