When reading The Iceberg Effect by Dean Holland, one of the things that Dean asks us to do is to figure out “What’s your number?”. When you become part of the Internet Profits Affiliate System and start using the Beginners Advantage (more about that in a near future blog), you will find out that this number is not only important – it’s vital.
I’m sure many questions are going around in your head about what number I’m talking about; well, it’s the amount of money that you’d want to be making every month that will either help you pay off your bills, retire, travel – live the life you want to.
So here’s my question to you: “what’s your number?”
Because, it’s one thing to “want” to succeed in an online business but when you put a number, a figure on that “want”, you’ve just made it a lot clearer in your mind!
We all know that clarity of action will not only bring you closer to your goal but make the steps to get there easier to understand, put into action and, well, easier to get the financial reward you’re looking for.
So many times we know or anticipate what the end result will be. Unfortunately, most of the times, we forget about the steps or hoops we need to go through from here to there, during the time we get to that end result.
The other aspect that having that number clear in your mind is that it also gives you the chance to realize one big thing: “how probable is it to get to that number in a given time?”. There’s a difference in wanting to make $1 million dollars in a year (very unlikely) and saying that you want to be making $3,000.00 per month by the end of the year (achievable – with effort).
From my experience, and Dean’s confirmation, it seems that everybody wants to be making $10,000.00 per month! Seems like a nice round number; makes it even easier to calculate for 1 year: $120,000.00 — The problem with that number is that not only is it quite high and, let’s face it, daunting to reach – if for some reason you aren’t seeing any results, that amount seems so far out in the field that you definitely need binoculars to see it and then what happens? Yup, you quit!
My Number? Thanks for asking
By this point, you’re probably asking: “great to read Marc, but what’s your number?” Well, my number is $3,596.95 per month. With that amount, I know that I can clear my debts within 3 years – and yes; that’s not taking into consideration that this amount can grow quite rapidly once I get the hang of making an income online.
See how that differs? A much smaller amount. Easier to attain. Harder to scare me if I’m not attaining it within the end of the year – which is my other goal. But I know that if I put the effort into it, there’s a higher probability that I will achieve it – heck, even surpass it.
For so many years, it was always so daunting to look at what I could be making and yet, it seemed as if I was hitting a brick wall one day or opportunity after another. The one big thing that I hadn’t taken into consideration though was that every time I was trying to make money online, even though I wasn’t successful, I was doing one big thing though: I was getting better or at minimum, more knowledgeable about how to make money online.
If only I had looked at finding a mentor – like Dean Holland and those at Internet Profits, ordering his free book (only pay for shipping and handling) sooner! But since I can’t change the past, let me change the future!
“You Are The Most Qualified To Help The Person You Used To Be”
Ed Mylett
The one thing I’m looking to do now is to make sure that I can share my blog, share my journey and more importantly: share how someone can avoid the pitfalls of paying for online “shinny objects” money making courses who are more interested in your money than helping you succeed.
Now, you might be asking yourself, with all that being said that’s all fine and dandy Marc, but what does a number have to do with my online internet success? My simple answer is this: everything.
Once you’ve put a number on what is needed to break the 9 to 5 mold of day to day work you’re in and replace that with being self-employed – or at minimum, find a way to pay off any debts you may have, you’ve started a journey that, with continued effort, will bring you to where you want to be: financially free.
It’s a scary thought though. There was a report I read that came out a few years ago. It talked about how lottery winners of large amounts, more than 90% of them had pretty much lost all their winnings within 5 years because they didn’t plan on HOW they were going to spend their money – or better yet, plan on HOW they would invest that money so that they could count on a recurring monthly disbursement.
There’s also an old saying that states: “it’s harder to keep money than to make it”. Let’s make sure together that we can not only find a way to make it; but also find a way to keep it and make it grow. We can definitely discuss that in future blogs.
Like what you’re reading or have questions? Don’t be shy, write it up in the comments section for me to reply and more importantly, don’t forget to subscribe!
To your success…to our success!
Hey Marc! This is good reminder you show us here. I tend to forgot it but you are right it’s one of the first thing we have learned with Dean. This is part of the basics, one number for financial freedom. I put this number daily it’s even less impressive.
Once you got it, work to keep it. Planning is indeed a skill worth to learn.
Thank you Marc!
Martin
Hi Martin,
Appreciate your comment and I’ve always found that planning will definitely help me at every corner! It may not always be easy because I may not have all of the information I need to best plan but I won’t go forward without at minimum having planned it all out the best I can.
This is a fantastic and thought-provoking post! Defining “your number” is indeed crucial for anyone venturing into online business. It serves as a tangible, realistic goal that can help guide your efforts and keep you motivated.
One thing that really stands out is the idea of breaking down what seems like an insurmountable goal into manageable, achievable steps. This approach can significantly reduce the overwhelm that often leads to quitting. I practice this and try to post my daily tasts on social media to hold me accountable. Even if I finish the task at 11PM it still counts 🙂 It is important to make time each day to work on our business and to make time each month for continuous learning. Each setback and each attempt, even if it seems like a failure, is a learning opportunity. Building a successful online business doesn’t happen overnight, but with persistence and the right mentorship, like what Dean Holland provides, you steadily inch closer to your goal.
I’d also like to emphasize the importance of financial planning once the income starts rolling in. Setting aside a portion of earnings for investments or savings can ensure that the wealth created is also maintained and grown. This ties back to the story of lottery winners losing their money due to a lack of planning.
Thanks for reminding us that clarity and realistic goal-setting are key to navigating the path to financial freedom. Looking forward to your next post!
Hi Alison,
Fantastic comment, thank you for having taken the time to write it up and be specific about all these areas.
Financial planning has always been somewhat of a strength for me. From the time I wanted to buy a bike and planned how much I’d save to get it to when we purchased our first house. It’s something that should be taught in school because, whatever anyone may think, if you can’t and don’t know how to plan and manage a budget, you’re definitely always going to find yourself scrounging for money!
Thank you again for your great comment!
Hi Marc, thanks for the post. Building a money goal that is both a little bit of stretch and believable is a great strategy. A little bit of a stretch, so it’s compelling, but not impossible. Believable, so your brain doesn’t automatically sabotage you by saying, “Yeah, sure (sarcasm),” and you quit. My short term number = $1, My medium term number is to get the money I’ve invested in building money online business back, my longer-term number is $5k/month – believable and a little bit of a stretch.
Hi Michael,
Great comment but in as much as your short term goal of making at least $1 is laudable, I still believe that you have to put a number – in this case the total amount you invested – so that you can clearly see what it is.
Appreciate you taking the time to give me your side of the coin!
Hi, Marc!
I would definitely be interested in future posts about what to do with the money once it starts rolling in. I’ve never had excess money (much more than I need for the month after a bit of savings), so I am concerned about this topic. At what point is it okay to splurge on repairing my husband’s Camaro and when is it better to simply invest back into the business, put money in savings, invest in something else, etc? I wouldn’t even know where to begin!
I do need to reevaluate my number. It’s been about a year since I came up with mine. I should check and see what’s needed now.
Thanks for the reminder!
Nakina
Hi Nakina,
I usually review my “number” twice a year. Once at the end of the year/beginning of the next just to see where I’m at & of course, mid-year; that gives me a good idea of where I stand as far as “am I getting there?” or do I need to change the number?
I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of having a great accountant and having worked in the financial environment, it did take me a few years to budget and determine when to “splurge”. That being said, I’ve also found out that some things shouldn’t wait; in the case of your husbands Camaro, it also really boils down to how much do the repairs cost?
Great comment that makes us think! Thank you!
Hi Marc,
A very interesting blog and I am surprised that you chose a number similiar to what I originally had chosen. I am now re-evaluating and I think I need around $5K a month to clear my debts.
I once got an inheritance of 100k and it was gone within 5 years and it was not because I was wasting it on entertainment, holidays or shopping till I dropped!
I regret not hiring a financial planner when I had some money saved.
Cheers Regina
Hi Regina,
Thank you for your comment and yes, sometimes a financial planner will provide us with enlightenment that, when we look at it later in life, would have been so helpful! But no worries, it’s never too late and sometimes, when we do decide to take our finance3s in hand, it’s in a much better way than we could have done earlier in life!
Wishing you all the best!
Marc, a very thought provoking post. I’ve run the numbers several times and never really broke them down to manageable numbers. Makes great sense! I look forward to your expanding of this post.
Hi Ken,
Definitely worth the look & calculation! If you want to really have a clear idea of where you need to go, you’ve got to know your number!
Appreciate your comment!
Financial planning alone is not enough. Also as important is becoming aware of all thoughts, actions and feelings not in alignment with your aspirations and goals. If not in alignment, make needed changes to make congruency in all areas of life. This is done by elevating emotions to higher levels of consciousness through resonance with joy, forgiveness and gratitude for the life that is drawn to you from imagined future successes. Keep budgeting, but add these tools to guarantee a life worth living.
Hi Kate,
Thank you for the reminder – definitely a very big point to remember!
You can have all the money in the world but if you don’t have a smile in your heart and face, well, it will definitely be a lonely place for you to live.
Appreciate your comment! Wishing you all the best!
Hi Marc,
Great post! Dean Holland’s idea of figuring out “What’s your number?” is so helpful. Setting a clear, specific goal really makes the path to success more tangible.
I love how you’ve set a realistic number of $3,596.95 per month. It’s motivating without being overwhelming. Your journey and the lessons you’ve learned along the way are truly inspiring. The advice about avoiding shiny object syndrome and focusing on reliable mentors is spot on.
Looking forward to reading more about your progress and tips!
Meredith
Hi Meredith,
Thank you for your comment and yeah, I have to say that I was taken aback at first when I came up with that number. The first thing that came into mind was more a “that’s it??” kinda question LOL!
But seriously, it has definitely helped me create a viable path to get there – as you said, motivating without being overwhelming.
Wishing you all the best!
Marc,
Thanks for the reminder about “what is your number.” I remember doing the exercise and figuring out my number, but I totally forgot that important step of keeping it in mind. I actually forgot my number! Now, I’ve written it down so I can see it every day and keep it top of mind.
Sherri
Hi Sherri,
Definitely important to keep it right in front of you! Thanks for your comment & wishing you a fantastic week.
All the best!
This post really underscores the importance of setting clear, realistic financial goals for online businesses. For a long time I had no reason for a specific sum, and that did not help me maintain focus. By defining “my number,” which is 40k, to finish building my house, I created a tangible target that guides my efforts and keeps me motivated. This approach has personally helped me by providing clarity and focus, making the steps to achieve my financial goals more manageable and less overwhelming. Thanks for the insightful reminder to set and stick to achievable goals!
Hi Tony,
Big or small, either a total sum like you or a monthly payment – knowing what that number represents makes you focus on it even more greatly!
Appreciate your comment and here’s to you getting to that 40K!
All the best!
Some great reminders in there. My own number is just a bit more than yours but hopefully will come down when my wife finally gives up the cigarettes. LOL.
Hi Andy,
Thank you for your comment – if it can be of any help, my wife also stopped smoking – almost 1 year ago (next month), so I can definitely relate. That being said, her health and both your wallets will definitely be thankful. Tell her that we’re rooting for her big time!
Marc, It’s refreshing to see your focus on defining financial goals in such a practical way. Pinpointing “your number” not only clarifies your objectives but also makes the path to achieving them more manageable. I agree that aiming for a specific monthly income, like your $3,596.95 target, is not only realistic but also less intimidating than lofty figures. It’s clear you’ve thought this through carefully, balancing ambition with achievable steps. Sharing your journey and insights about avoiding common pitfalls in online business is invaluable—looking forward to learning more from your experiences!
Hi Atif,
Looking back and thinking about how I worked on my WHY and my number, it still amazes me that even though I had previously gone through so many courses, this time, our mentor Dean, got me to work on something for me that has a direct impact on how I’ll succeed.
As always, thank you for your insightful comments!