Affiliate Marketing Blog by Shawn Collins

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Sam Harrelson published a gem of a podcast last week titled, “Most Likely To Succeed, A Love Letter To MH,” where he talks about receiving the superlative in high school: Most Likely to Succeed.

The podcast got me thinking about how success is really relative.

Some folks get into affiliate marketing with a perspective that they need to make hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) a year to be a success.

I think that’s a warped view myself, but I guess I just have a very different paradigm.

I remember when I first got into affiliate marketing, it was common for people to say they were happy to get back enough to pay their monthly ISP bill.

At the time, I was newly married, carrying debt, and living hand to mouth. Covering a utility bill by doing something I liked was a great prospect and a version of success.

As time went by, my affiliate earnings increased, and my aspirations grew with them. At one point, I was getting enough for the car payment. Success!

Then the commissions were enough to cover the rent. Success!

I kept working harder and they commissions grew. In May 1999, my first child was born and we always talked about my wife staying at home with the kids.

On paper, it was simply unrealistic. My day job (which paid less than hers) couldn’t come close to paying all of our bills.

But we wanted to do it that way, so it was sink or swim.

The raises were not coming fast enough with my job, so I started working longer and harder as an affiliate.

The affiliate commissions replaced her income.

Nine years and four kids later, she is still a stay at home mom and I am still an affiliate. I work from home with a flexible schedule and love what I am doing. Success.

Define what success is for you - don’t let others do it for you.

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