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Secrets Of Six-Figure Bloggers: How to Embrace Fear and Succeed Online

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to succeed online? While some bloggers publish five- or six-figure monthly income reports, most are lucky to earn $10,000 in one year.

Running an online business is an appealing proposition. You set up a website, add some affiliate links, or offer a service. Then start earning money from the comfort of your home. At least that’s the dream. The cold reality is that online success isn’t so easy to achieve.

Sally Miller interviewed 17 six-figure bloggers for her new book, The Essential Habits Of Six-Figure Bloggers, and she saw a pattern emerging in their responses. The one thing that made the difference for high-earners was how they dealt with fear.

Here’s what Sally found:

According to a 2017 Blog Tyrant survey, just eight percent of bloggers make more than $10,000 from their site. And the majority (69 percent of the people interviewed) earn zero dollars.

As a digital business owner myself, I became fascinated with these stats and decided to dig into what it takes to make it online. I wanted to know what characteristics, strategies, or actions made a person successful.

I reached out to 17 six-figure bloggers and quizzed them about their business. Each person talked about their triumphs and struggles. Gina Horkey was one of the generous folks who shared her story with me.

The results of my research were fascinating. I discovered that achieving big goals doesn’t mean following a specific strategy. In fact, the recipe for success is something quite different.

In this post, I share one of the biggest success secrets with you. It’s something that came up in every interview. And it’s something you must understand if you want to build a six-figure online business.

I’m talking about fear. Or more specifically, how to handle fear.

You see, we’re all scared. The difference is, top performers keep going despite their fear.
How do they do it? Let’s look at four ways to deal with fear and build a six-figure business.

1. Find your zone of genius.

If you want to succeed, you must find your sweet spot and build your business around that.
What do I mean by finding your genius?

Let’s say you’re starting a Virtual Assistant business. There are many services you can offer as a VA.

But instead of offering a service just because it’s profitable, pick something that plays to your unique strengths. Tap into that one thing that gives you joy and you’re naturally good at.

When you use your strengths, you enjoy your work and increase your earnings.

Every six-figure blogger I interviewed has a different business model. Some sell products, others rely on affiliate income, a few are service providers, and so on.

Each has a business that is unique to them and leverages their genius. This is key to their success.

If you’re struggling to identify your genius, think about a time when you lost yourself in an activity. What kind of task were you doing? Chances are that’s when you were operating in your zone of genius.

Do you love teaching others? Or completing detail-oriented tasks? Perhaps you’re the person others turn to for help? Or are you a natural writer or speaker?

Don’t waste time copying other successful people online. Instead, find your secret sauce and put it at the center of your business.

2. Give meditation a try.

So, you know what you’re good at but you’re still struggling? Don’t worry. This happens to all of us.

Fear won’t go away so quickly, even when you’re operating inside your zone of genius. Especially if you’re setting big goals. The next three strategies help you deal with that fear.

Now, you may think meditation is not for you. But stick with me here. Because meditation has some incredible benefits. Research has shown that, among other things, meditation reduces stress and increases focus.

Meditation is also easy to do and takes just five to ten minutes a day. So, why not give it a try?

A simple way to get started is with the Headspace app. Headspace offers a free trial which means you can test it out before committing to an annual fee.

3. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

If meditation isn’t for you, then this next practice may be the answer. Several bloggers I interviewed shared the importance of gratitude.

When you’re thankful, it’s easier to lose yourself in the moment. You appreciate what you already have and you achieve more.

Gratitude is like a muscle. The more you practice it, the stronger it gets. Which is why I recommend creating a daily gratitude habit.

Your habit can be as simple as sharing a few good things at family dinner time. Or you could start a gratitude journal and record something you’re thankful for at the end of each day.

This simple habit helps put fear and doubt into perspective. It also gives you a daily happiness boost and greater peace of mind. Who doesn’t want to feel good each day?

4. Surround yourself with positive people.

I’ve saved the most effective method for last. Every successful person I talked to practices this strategy.

I can’t stress this enough. If you want to build a six-figure business, you can’t do it alone.

You need to find the right people. The kind of people who lift you up and support your dreams.

When you surround yourself with positive people, you become unstoppable.

There are many ways to build powerful relationships and get the support you need. You can participate in Facebook groups, find an accountability partner, invest in coaching, or join a mastermind group.

Masterminds are a group of people who help each other reach their goals. The advantages of masterminds go way beyond accountability. Napoleon Hill, author of Think And Grow Rich, said this:

“Deliberately seek the company of people who influence you to think and act on building the life you desire.”
Finding the people who will help you dream big and achieve success is the fastest way to get the results you want.

Your time to build your six-figure online business

There you have it – four ways to handle fear and keep going no matter what. If you take just one message away from this post, then make it this…

… the biggest secret of six-figure bloggers is that they keep showing up despite the challenges.

Please, don’t let fear stop you from creating your dream business and life. Instead, embrace the fear and keep taking action anyway.

If you’d like to learn more secrets of six-figure bloggers, check out The Essential Habits Of Six-Figure Bloggers. You can grab it on Amazon right now for the discounted price of 99 cents. The price goes up soon, so don’t wait to get your copy.

Sally Miller is a writer and coach who loves learning how stuff works, mastering new skills, and sharing her knowledge with others. Since leaving her nine-to-five, Sally has published seven bestselling books on Amazon (and counting). You can find out more by visiting sallyannmiller.com where she talks about sharing your gifts with the world to make money from home doing what you love.

Gina Horkey

Gina Horkey

FOUNDER & CO-OWNER

Gina Horkey is a married, millennial mama from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of Horkey HandBook and loves helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant. Gina’s background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant and a decade of experience in the financial services industry.

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