This post was originally published back on November 23, 2010. However, the content is so relevant that I decided to bring it back, add some pics and share it with you. Enjoy!

Did you read the title of this post? I mean really . . . Did you REALLY read it? Do you consider yourself to be ignorant when it comes to blogging? Well then the title applies to YOU!

Ok, let me tell you a little story, and yes, it's a true story taken from the life of a guy named Leslie ;).

IgnoranceExcuseOnce upon a time, there was a guy named Leslie. After having a rough start in college, he finally whipped his butt into shape and got serious about his studies. This lead to a decent amount of success and to make a very long story short, he ended up doing research in Germany for two summers as a part of his Master's Degree.

But there was a significant problem – His department ran out of money and could not afford to support him anymore during his second summer. He needed to find a way to make money quickly.

Earlier on in his college career, he took a “Computer tools” class, where he learned a little HTML , loved it and started designing little personal sites.

When thinking of a way to make money, he got the genius idea – “I'm gonna design websites for other people and companies”. So off he went advertising his new business.

However, there was one potential problem – he was still a novice at website design. However, he didn't care, because he needed the money.

In meeting with clients, he would ask them what they had in mind for their websites. They would start telling him of all the wonderful things they wanted, and the following question ALWAYS came up – “Leslie, do you think you can do that?”. The answer was always the same – “If you can think it, I can do it”.

Then he would leave each appointment somewhat panic-stricken. He had NO IDEA how to do half of the things that he was asked to do, and was sometimes paid in advance to do them. That is where the fun started…

Ok, I'm going to switch from writing in the third person now. I know I'm probably not supposed to, but it's my blog, so I can do whatever I want, lol.

Doing the Research

WebdesignThis “web design company” I started was one that really opened my eyes to the possibilities that are out there and the power of the internet. Whenever I was faced with the problem of being paid to do something I never did before, I always knew that there had to be a solution out there. Then I went to Google and found the solution.

I was able to design personal websites for people with cool flash components. I did websites for companies and non profit organizations where they could take orders and make money online.

I was also even able to design a website for a classical radio station and gave the option of being able to listen to the live stream of the radio station online in a custom player.

None of these things were things I knew how to do before actually doing it, but I knew that someone online knew how to do it, and I could find the solution based on what was already out there.

The Internet and available knowledge

The story above illustrates a very important point, which is the title of this article – “There's no longer an excuse for ignorance”. Back in the day, if you wanted to learn something about a specific topic or find a specific answer to a specific question, you would probably end up going to the library, doing a ton of research, read book after book trying to find that answer.

Search (2)Or, you would have to ask someone who knows the answer, which can also be quite tedious.

Today, with innovations like Google Search, you can learn just about ANYTHING. Not only that, there are so many websites out there that provide training on just about ANY topic, and the number of sites are rising exponentially. In fact, at a techonomy conference in Lake Tahoe, CA recently, Bill Gates made the following prediction:

““Five years from now on the web for free you’ll be able to find the best lectures in the world,” He continued to say that “It will be better than any single university”.

We are already seeing a lot of that happening today. However, the problem that I'm seeing is that because knowledge is EVERYWHERE, people are becoming lazy, and aren't putting in the time to actually acquire that knowledge. My question for you is – Are you one of those people?

If you honestly ask yourself that question and your answer is a glaring “Yes”, I would like to ask you to reconsider what you do on a daily basis. Remember, there is no longer an excuse for ignorance.

The Secret to success

TimePowerI'm currently reading a book called “Time Power: A Proven System for Getting More Done in Less Time Than You Ever Thought Possible” by Brian Tracy. In the book, the author says something that I find to be very interesting:

“… the “guaranteed formula” for success and lifelong riches. It is this: Invest as much in your mind each year as you do in your car. That's it. Simple. Guaranteed.”

When I first read it, I thought to myself – “Wow, that's a bold statement”. Then I continued thinking, and thinking, and thinking some more and I realized that there was a significant amount of truth to that statement. Most, if not all, successful people have the right kind of knowledge and take action on the knowledge they have.

The mind is the greatest asset that you can have. What are you doing to feed your greatest asset? Are you filling it with knowledge that will help you accomplish your goals? Or is your mind constantly being fed a dose of “Sex in the city”, “Friends”, “Law and order” and “CSI Miami”? : )

No, I'm not bashing those shows. In fact, I get very much into “The Event” on a weekly basis. 2 weeks ago, they skipped an episode and I almost gave birth to a cow, lol. However, I'm desperately seeking to maintain a balance, by limiting my TV intake to maybe 2 shows a week (except when I'm on vacation), and spending time reading every day.

Since I've started reading consistently, I feel as if my mind is expanding right before my eyes. Not only that, but I've taken much more action on what I already know. There's something about educating the mind that helps to take you to the next level. You are no longer satisfied with the status quo and become more determined to accomplish your goals.

According to the book I already mentioned – “If you read an hour a day, one book per week, you will be an expert in your field within three years. You will be a national authority in five years, and you will be an international authority in seven years. All leaders are readers.”

So what now

Yeah, I know – You are at this blog trying to learn about making money, and here I am telling you that “reading makes the world go round” – the same “crap” you've been hearing since Kindergarten. That's where I first heard it too. In fact, I can even remember the picture of the globe with books flying around it.

The take home message is this – If you want to learn to be successful, learn from successful people. Whether that's by reading or by going through training programs, the key is that you need to be be building up your greatest asset – your mind.

If you do that consistently, you will be moving yourself towards accomplishing your goal. No, it might not sound as glamorous as the usual “Make Money Online” hype, but I'm not here to feed you glamor. I'm here to whip your butt into shape 🙂

Comments

Ooo, I'm afraid of these comments today, lol. I probably hit a nerve that some people don't like. Still, I want to know what you think about any aspect of this post. I'll be anxiously holding on to my seat and waiting for your comments below.

About the Author Leslie Samuel


Leslie Samuel a business coach for high-performing entrepreneurs. As the host of the Leslie Samuel Show, he teaches how to build an online business. "Changing the world one post at a time” is the mission he strives towards. As a former university professor, he has a passion for education. He's the founder of Interactive Biology, a blog and YouTube channel dedicated to making biology fun for students and teachers. As the head of training for the Social Media Marketing Society, he helps social media marketers get the training they need to stay on the leading edge of social media.

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