8 Lessons For Making Your First Money Online

Subject: 8 Lessons For Making Your First Money Online

I made my first piece of money online back in 2015. It was a $40 commission from a product I affiliated for.

Remembering that time, it was like a whole new world had opened up to me. Because at the time I only made around $10 an hour.

For me to make $40, I’d have to work at my job for 4 hours. So for me to be able to post an article online and make that much, I almost couldn’t believe it.

Since then?

I’ve tried tons of other ways to make money online. Most of which failed, and few have paid off very well. As of writing this to you I have built up a full-time income 100% from the internet.

Some of it coming from this blog and much of it coming from the clients I work with through my freelancing agency.

Looking back it’s painfully obvious some of the things I should and shouldn’t have done over the last 7 years.

However, while I can’t turn back the time. I can instead share with you 8 different insights which will help you get started the right way.

And more importantly, set you up so you don’t burn out once you start actually making money online.

8 Lessons For Making Your First Money Online

As with every Calm and Collected article, I recommend you take notes as you read through everything. So if you’re on your phone open up the notes app to copy and paste text, and if you’re on your computer do the same.

That way you can go over everything later.

Let’s go over everything you need to know to make your first money online.

1) Information Overload

We see all these gurus giving advice, but often they contradict each other and cram too much in your brain.

Trying to follow ALL advice slows you down when working, or straight up stops you. Choose one or two experts and stick to their advice.

Otherwise you’ll become overwhelmed very quickly.

2) Shiny Object Syndrome

E-commerce is exciting, so is crypto, YouTube, Blogging, Freelancing, Marketing Agencies, etc etc.

Don’t keep trying all these businesses because they look good, stick to one. Never fall for the “hot new business model”.

I spent most of my online career learning about dropshipping, affiliate marketing, blogging, web-design, and every other option.

Once I decided to focus on offering simple writing services to people, that’s when I started getting paid.

Understand, you don’t need to know everything about everything. You only need to have something people want ie a service or product, and sell it to them.

That’s it.

Read over the 33 ways to make money remotely and then pick 1. Work on it long enough and you will make money from it.

3) It’s Going to Take Much Longer Than You Think

Money comes fast, but that’s only when it starts to come. You have to provide a lot to the world before you see it return.

Understand making money comes down to input and output. You will have to give a lot to get a lot and you will always be compensated.

But accept it may take you years upon years before you get it. It’s this period of waiting which separates the have’s from the have nots.

So prepare for a dry patch in the beginning. It’s inevitable. You will figure things out, just keep going.

Have faith that if you just do something daily, you will one day wake up to the reality you now are imagining.

4) The Game is Relationships

Early on in the Game I made it a point to network with everybody than the once Victor Pride, Mike Cernovich, and Chris from Good Looking Loser.

From there I’ve met many other people and built friendships, partnerships, and more. Understand, good connections in any industry will make you money.

Especially a connection with a huge network.

One person can introduce you to another person which makes you money. That’s why I never approach anyone trying to just make money from them.

I always approach people trying to first offer them value and am genuinely looking to build a friendship.

If money comes as a result, great. If not, I’ve got a new friend and this will lead to other great things.

5) Health Matters Eat Well & Sleep Well

I can’t tell you the number of days I’d go on 1 hour of sleep just so I could cram more effort into a project. Averaging 4 hours a night of rest over the course of 5 years took its toll on my mind.

In the moment, it felt like I was a high performer and getting more done. However, in the long run, it wasted more time.

Too many people sacrifice their health for business, only to crash and burn because of it.

So get good sleep, eat good food, and workout because good health not only gives you more time on Earth.

It also gives you tremendous focus and creativity. Which makes your ability to turn ideas into money much easier.

6) The Let’s Do it Attitude

Imperfect action beats “waiting for the perfect time” always. You will never catch me strategizing for more than a few days with anything.

If a team member tells me of an idea, I simply say let’s do it.

If a client reaches out and the energy is good, I say let’s do it.

And no matter where you’re at this should be your mindset. Because action is always king in the land of the professionals.

Why? Action is where the money is, and it’s also where the greatest lessons are learned.

You can sit there for months overthinking posting a blog article, testing a new product, or launching a freelancing service.

Only to finally try it and it fails.

Meaning waiting for the perfect idea doesn’t guarantee success. You’re better off putting it out there and figuring it out along the way.

That’s one of the biggest things I help people with when coaching them. Don’t let yourself ponder anything for more than 3 days.

Instead, think about it and plan the possible failures and see the outcome you want from it. Then execute.

7) Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Once you’ve built the necessary skills and have money coming in, assemble a team. Whether you join one or build one.

Once you’ve got a solid team in place?

Anything is possible.

Because no matter who you are, you will limit yourself if you run everything as a one man show.

Sure, be the driving force. But you will reach a point where you can level up your game much faster by bringing other people into the mix.

As of writing this, I’ve got a writer for other projects, graphics designer, and one of my business partners are is a web designer.

I’m also a part of a team and together we bring in millions in sales. Understand, you’re limited in what you can do each day.

Having a team gives you access to more time within every 24 hour period.

Freeing you up to get more business and do things you enjoy.

8) Don’t Chase Passion

People chase their passions hoping to get paid. However, most don’t have the skill to pull it off.

Not everyone has that Star Power to draw attention to their writing, singing, or YouTube videos.

Which is why I always recommend finding something you’re naturally good at. Build around that.

If you’re a good writer? Offer your services to others.

If you’re a good photographer? Take pictures for others.

Simply find what you can do and then build your skillset around that. “Chase your passion” once you’ve got your money handled.

These are the 8 lessons for making your first money online. Get them covered now, and the rest will fall into place.

If you enjoyed this article, I welcome you to join my exclusive weekly newsletter. Where you’ll get a free book along with content I don’t share anywhere else.

Until Next Time.

Your friend,

Dylan Madden