Yours might be a physical island, like mine, or a psychological one from isolation at home that may also infer a lack of support from your nearest and dearest. What's more, feedback suggests that this is a common problem.

Question is, what can we do about it?

Whilst the benefits of autonomy may be clear, one reads, in
advice for starting a small business from "Good Company"
(keepAhead.com), was the following recommendation:

* Get support - from family and friends

Then "Dreamcrafting" -- Five Skills for Achieving Any Goal by Paul Levesque and Art McNeil, lists the Top 5 Reasons Why Most People Never Realize Their Big Dream ...

4. There's little or no support from family and friends

Hummm ... Tiny inconsistency there, don't you think?

We can't really avoid hearing what these people often say.
I'm sure they care and think they are protecting us from what they see as danger, but that's their fear, not ours.

What we can control is *how* it affects us.

That doesn't come easy, takes practice, requires being sure
of ourselves. You need that to be successful in anything.

You do have to become a bit thick skinned. Successful people
do not get involved in the petty need to have other people
*like* or approve their actions. Success involves taking risks and one of those is the risk of criticism.

It's how you handle it that counts and I'd suggest that if you falter in any way when doing so, then you have some homework to do. Neglecting these things is not only going to make you suffer with non-supporting relos, but also with business in general and in winning potential customers.

1. Do your goals agree with your values?

You might be desperate for money and hope you can get away
with shoddy (either lazy or not-quite-wholesome) methods to
make money. It won't work anyway, but it's double-doomed if,
inside, you are really not comfortable with what you do.

This is absolutely fundamental. Go back and re-read what I
said above. It is true that you should have confidence not to need other people's approval -- if you are sure of what you are doing. But if you don't even have inner approval from yourself, you are just a fraud! And it will show.

2. Do you really have a plan?

If you can't explain to yourself what you are attempting to
achieve and how you plan to achieve it, then how on earth do
you expect someone else to take it seriously?

Make a business plan, even if you only intend to promote
affiliate programs. Just know where you are going and how you are going to get there. When someone asks, you'll have an answer. If they find fault, you'll have a defence.

3. Do you really know what you are doing?

Knowledge, not pep talks, builds confidence!

If you have any gaps in your knowledge, whether they are to do with basic business information, how online stuff works or about the products and services you represent, then this will show and you will have trouble convincing others.

Fill those gaps by reading newsletters, researching online and by actually reading the books people recommend to you.

4. Learn the art of persuasion

Get some skills in the art of persuasion and copywriting.

That's what the web is all about. It's what you must know to sell or pre-sell any offer. These same skills will help you present your case calmly and maturely to your "at home" audience too. Begin with this free course:

mailto:twmstucats@sitesell.net

5. Be Persistent

Like all follow up, it'll probably take a few exposures before the "prospect is sold" or will trust your judgment.

Showing consistent progress with your plan will eventually show those critics that you are on the right path.

But measure it and don't forget to tell yourself that you are actually "getting there". Two reasons why people often give up or hop about are because they didn't see their own, often slow and subtle achievements, or how close they were. 
If I can offer an analogy ...

Distant-living grandparents always exclaim, "My hasn't she
grown?" when they see the grandchild after several months.

You didn't see it, because you were there every day. The
growth was too subtle. But you would have seen it if you'd stood the kid against the marks on the doorpost every day.

6. Be Professional

Being professional and running a business like a business are essentials. Demonstrate all the attitudes thereof.
Present a professional appearance in emails, on your web
site, to clients and in all your business dealings.

If you behave seriously (do not confuse this with stuffy), you will set the right atmosphere and example. People will learn to treat your plans in the manner you treat them.
Now, I don't expect those to be the be-all and end-all, but do I hope you can see that doing it right will both create the success that you want and, by crushing any objections you encounter, gain you the support you need to achieve it.

I've always thought that you can't separate business skills and life skills if you want lasting success and happiness.
After all, isn't that what it's all about? It's not about earning XYZ, it's about the quality of life and the independence that the money can help provide.

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Copyright © 2003 Pamela Heywood
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