Your Mindset Determines Your Success In Entrepreneurship

I created this using Dalle 3 AI.

If you never give up, you can’t fail.

Mindset is more important than the technical skills. People typically focus on the “how” and “what” instead of the “why”. If you start with why, the who want where when how figures itself out.

Entrepreneurship in relation to mindset is broad, so I will be focusing on affiliate marketing as this is what I do on the day to day as an entrepreneur. It’s the lowest barrier of entry, low start up cost, high profit margin, one person business to start. I’ve tried dropshipping, etsy, scaling an agency, flipping phones on FB marketplace, and pretty much every side hustle out there. Affiliate marketing is the best in my opinion.

In the world of digital entrepreneurship, affiliate marketing emerges as a go to side hustle to start. All you need is a smart phone, wifi, and 1–2 hours a day of your time.

However, getting started can be confusing. Imagine if learning how to drive a car was an instructor giving you the keys and saying “good luck”. It demands a unique blend of discipline, consistency, and an unwavering “do whatever it takes” mentality. The process is like to learning how to drive: daunting at first, yet manageable with the right mindset and dedication.

The Growth Mindset

The journey begins with cultivating a growth mindset. This mindset is the bedrock upon which all success in affiliate marketing is built. It’s about seeing challenges as opportunities to learn and grow rather than huge obstacles. It’s about embracing failure as opportunity. Not giving up before you see success. Here are key aspects of the growth mindset essential for aspiring affiliate marketers:

• Persistence: The ability to keep pushing forward, even when results are not immediately visible. The two questions I ask are “Has this been done before?” and “Are those people who have done it any smarter than me?” If the answer is yes and no respectively, then I will never give up.
• Learning Orientation: Viewing each campaign, success, or failure as a lesson. In my affiliate marketing journey, I celebrate every small win. A new follower? Hurray! A new email subscriber? Fantastic! It doesn’t always have to be “did I make money today”. The money is a biproduct of learned skills.
• Adaptability: Being willing to pivot strategies based on what the data tells you. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insanity. Be adaptable. For example, if I post an affiliate marketing video that gets no views, I don’t go “aww I’m shadowbanned”. I look at the analytics. Did people drop off in the first few seconds? Then my hook sucks. Did people watch the whole thing but not engage? I didn’t give a clear enough call to action (CTA). There are always things you can improve.

Discipline and Consistency

Much like mastering the skill of driving, affiliate marketing requires regular practice and refinement. Success in this field is a marathon, not a sprint. Developing a routine and sticking to it is crucial. Consistency in analyzing trends, optimizing campaigns, and testing new strategies will lead to gradual but tangible improvements. Discipline in this context means doing the necessary work, even when you’re not seeing immediate results, trusting in the process. If there’s ever a day where I’m feeling low, I remember that there are people no smarter than me that are seeing success simply because they’ve been doing it longer. They didn’t give up so I won’t. (Compare work ethic and mindset NOT results. Your chapter 1 is different than their chapter 39).

The “Do Whatever It Takes” Mentality

Success in in anything requires a do whatever it takes mentality. Especially in affiliate marketing where results aren’t instantaneous. This mentality is about going beyond your comfort zone, investing in learning new skills, and not being afraid to fail. It’s about:

• Resourcefulness: Finding creative solutions to obstacles.
• Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks stronger and more informed.
• Determination: Pursuing your goals relentlessly.
• Discipline: Doing shit even if you don’t feel like it.

The morning I wrote this article I promised myself I would record at least 5 pieces of content. I got a bad night sleep, I have a headache, I just wanted to sleep more. (If i wanted to I could sleep in because I don’t answer to a boss). I poured my coffee and knocked it out. Now I’m writing this article because I have MOMENTUM in my day.

Overcoming Doubt with Self-Belief

For the burnt-out 9–5er contemplating affiliate marketing, doubt often creeps in, whispering, “What if this doesn’t work?” This is where the analogy of your own journey becomes powerful. Reflect on your path through education and career. Each step — from schooling to landing a job — was a result of your effort, determination, and belief in yourself. You showed up to class, got good grades, graduated, negotiated a salary, and got paid. You didn’t give up. So why would you give up here?

Affiliate marketing is no different. Your success is contingent on your ability to believe in yourself and your capacity to learn and adapt.

Practical Steps to Cultivate Success

To practically apply these mindset principles, consider the following steps:

1. Set Clear Goals: Define what success looks like for you in affiliate marketing. Is it achieving a certain income, reaching a specific audience, or mastering a niche? Clear goals will guide your efforts and help measure progress.
2. Invest in Learning: Dedicate time to understand the nuances of affiliate marketing. From SEO and content marketing to email marketing and social media strategies, knowledge is power. I have a free guide that can help you get started. I also recommend a $7 course I took that taught me everything step by step.
3. Build a Routine: Establish a daily or weekly routine for working on your affiliate marketing efforts. Consistency is key to gradual improvement and success.
4. Track and Analyze: Regularly review your campaigns’ performance. Use data to inform your decisions and strategies moving forward.
5. Network and Collaborate: Engage with other affiliate marketers. Learning from peers can provide insights and opportunities for growth you might not have discovered on your own.
6. Stay Patient and Persistent: Understand that success will not happen overnight. Stay the course, and be prepared to adapt as you learn what works best for you.

Where To Go From Here

Affiliate marketing, much like any skill or career, requires a specific mindset to achieve success. It’s not merely about the strategies you employ but how you approach the journey. Cultivating a growth mindset, coupled with discipline, consistency, and a “do whatever it takes” attitude, sets the foundation for overcoming challenges and achieving your goals.

Remember, every expert was once a beginner. Your commitment to learning, adapting, and persevering will dictate your success in affiliate marketing. Embrace the journey with the same dedication you’ve applied to every other aspect of your life. Your success in affiliate marketing, much like your success in life, is a testament to your resilience, effort, and belief in yourself.

If you’d like to get started the same way I did, I have a free guide as well as a course I affiliate for that cost $7. That $7 will save you months of doing your own research.

• Disclaimer* Results are NOT guaranteed. The average person who tries to build a business, or buys any “how to” information online makes no money at all.
• Pro tip: Don’t be average.