It’s really discouraging if you’re not earning money online yet. You see people around you having success and living the life you want to live. You see people using a business model you thought about trying months ago, and now they’re earning a full-time income from that same business model. Their success (and your lack thereof) has you turning green with envy. Why aren’t you one of those great success stories?

Maybe you’re brand-new to trying to make money online or maybe you’ve been trying to do it for years. Either way, it can be incredibly frustrating if you’re not earning yet. It can feel like you never will… Like you’ll never become like the successful online marketers you want to be so much.

You’re reading this right now, so that’s the first bit of good news. Your hunger for this information signals that you are ready to change things. You’re serious about your own success and you’re ready to take what is yours.

I’m going to detail 7 possible reasons you’re not earning money online yet (or not earning as much as you want to earn). Not only that, I’m going to tell you exactly what you can do about it so you can start earning sooner rather than later.

No matter what, I want you to know that it is possible for you to earn money online. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, it can absolutely happen for you. Look deep inside yourself and be honest about how these 7 reasons apply to you. You might find that one or two of them resonate or that they all do. When one of the reasons stands out or evokes a strong emotional response, take note of it. More importantly, take note of what you can do to move past it.

Reason #1: You Have No Idea What You’re Doing

Let’s start here. If you don’t have the right knowledge or skills, it’s going to be hard to earn money online. Of course, there are any number of different ways to build your business. It could be that you’re not focusing on the right things or really dedicating yourself to learning what it takes to succeed. If you’re new, then it’s very easy to get overwhelmed by all the information that’s out there– it’s not for lack of trying. It can feel impossible to pull out the most important information so you can take action with it.

If you’re experienced, then it’s very possible you’re confused. You have no clear path and your head is filled with the advice and directions of so many different people and so many different products that you have no clue what to do next.

What to Do About It

Don’t just accept the lack of knowledge or skill. Depending on your business model, it really shouldn’t take that much to get you going and earning money online. It’s a matter of finding the best information, the best teachers, and following through with what you learn. It’s a process of trial and error and taking action. Focus on one business model and one way of following through with that business model if you’re at all confused or overwhelmed. It’s often the case that you’re trying to focus on too much – you’re spreading yourself too thin when what you really need to do to earn money online is focus.

Reason #2: You Don’t Want It Bad Enough

Many people decide to look into ways to earn money online because it seems like it will be a lot of fun. It absolutely can be a lot of fun. On the other hand, you have to treat it like a real business or it will never become one.

It could be that you’re just treating earning money online as a hobby. You’re wasting time reading about the success of others without really thinking about how to make your own success a reality. Do you really want to earn extra money online? Do you want to earn life-changing money online? Or, is it just sort of fun to read about all of these different business models without ever actually making use of them yourself? Be honest.

What to Do About It

It’s time to decide why you’re really doing this. Look deep inside yourself. Do you actually want this? Is the online lifestyle right for you? As much as I love running an online business, I fully realize that this lifestyle and these online business models are not for everyone. Not everyone wants to write as much as you might have to write for an online business. Not everyone wants to deal with the technical hassles. Not everyone wants to try to recruit affiliates, set up product funnels, network, and so on.

If it is worth it for you to earn from home, then it’s time to figure out your reason why. Yes, earning money online can be a lot of fun. But it’s much more than that. You have to look deep inside yourself and figure out why you want to do this. Maybe it’s that you want to clear away debts, quit your job, and change your life and the lives of your family members. You have to want it bad enough or you won’t have the strength to keep pushing forward even when the going gets tough. People who don’t want it bad enough and haven’t figured out their reason why tend to give up before they actually earn money. They tend to slip from one project to another.

Reason #3: You’ve Been Led Astray

Before I go too deep into this point, I want you to know that this is usually not the reason people don’t earn money online. Most people get in their own way, rather than having someone else get in their way.

With that said, there are certainly bad teachers and scammers out there. There are people who just want to sell you on methods and theories or pull the wool over your eyes to get you to hand over your credit card.

Are you learning from the right people? There are many more reputable, helpful online marketers and teachers than there are scammers and bad ones. But you have to be diligent and make sure you’re learning from the right people. If you’re following bad strategies and focusing on those who will only lead you astray, then it will absolutely hold you back and prevent you from making real money online. It’s a draining and scary problem to have.

What to Do About It

It’s time to reevaluate who you’re learning from, which products you buy, and who you admire. Really think about which online teachers and marketers really resonate with you the most. Network with those you admire. Find learners just like yourself (that’s one reason I started my free Facebook group, which you are welcome to join). Get to know people in the Internet marketing space. You can learn from one another – even people who are on the same “level” you’re on.

Google the teachers you’re learning from. Look at the reviews. Look at the chatter surrounding certain products and marketers on marketing forums. Follow those who are truly successful and who have your best interests at heart.

Reason #4: You Haven’t Set Goals

I fully realize that this is not a very sexy topic, but it’s really important. In fact, the majority of my products stress the importance of setting goals. If you want to earn money online, then you have to know what you’re aiming for. You can’t just decide that you want to earn “more” money and expect to succeed. You need to know how much money you want to earn, and by when. Set very strong, very specific goals and you’ll be a lot more likely to earn money online. It gives your brain something to work toward and it helps you take the right kinds of actions so you can achieve your goals.

What to Do About It

Sit down and write down every goal you can think of related to your online business. Don’t edit yourself right now – just get these words down on paper. Set your timer for 10 minutes or so and don’t stop until the timer has gone off.

Then, examine your list and narrow things down to your top goals. Focus on goals for now as well as goals for the future. Next, consider whether those goals are specific enough. You want to use exact time frames, dollar amounts, and very detailed, very vivid goals.

Once you have your top goals and have made them very specific, close your eyes and imagine yourself achieving these goals. Do this every so often. When you plan your day to day activities related to your business, visit your goals first to get your mindset on the right track.

Reason #5: You Jump Around On Projects

If I had to bet money on it, I’d say that this is the #1 reason people tend not to succeed online. This is a problem I’ve personally dealt with and that just about every online marketer I’ve ever spoken to has dealt with. There are so many wonderful ways to make money online that it’s easy to jump from one thing to another. Not to mention that when you’re learning from marketers, they have a way of making you think that the things they’re promoting are the answer for you. When your inbox is flooded with these “answers” day after day, it’s hard not to jump around. It’s damaging to your mindset, your focus, and your ability to make money online.

The problem isn’t relying on different business models or having more than one iron in the fire. The problem is if you jump around from product to project before you succeed with any of them. If you never follow through and finish anything, then you’ll never make money online. It’s as simple as that.

What to Do About It

Right here and now, I want you to decide which business model you are pulled toward the most. Put everything else on the back burner. Focus your learning, strategies, goals, mindset, and actions around this one specific business model. If it’s Kindle marketing, great. If it’s offline marketing, great. If it’s Amazon FBA, great. If it’s affiliate marketing, great. Whatever it is, focus on it and only it. You are going to focus on this business model, start a project that will earn you money, and follow it through to completion. Only then will you consider other projects and other business models.

Reason #6: You Haven’t Given It Enough Time

Sometimes, online marketing is more like the tortoise than the hare. You do the work now, and it seems like the fruits of your labor will never come. But it could be that you just have to keep pushing. So many people start projects they are really excited about that they give up on when they don’t earn money right away. Really, they should’ve just pushed a little while longer and they would’ve found success.

Success could be just around the corner for you. Give it some time. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to take action and implement the right kind of strategies. If you’re doing that, and if you’re following a winning business model, there’s no reason why you won’t succeed… It will just take time.

What to Do About It

Try to find the success stories of those who’ve been successful with the business model you’ve chosen. Many online blogs are dedicated to charting the success of a particular project or business model for a marketer from start to finish. People post their Kindle success stories (here’s a Kindle case study example), affiliate marketing success stories (here’s an Amazon affiliate marketing case study), Amazon FBA success stories (here’s a blog charting a journey toward becoming full time with FBA), and so on.

Make sure you’re not getting swayed by those who paint a glossy picture. It’s easy for someone to say they were an overnight success story, but what you don’t see are the ups and downs that came before that “overnight success.” Success doesn’t happen in a straight line!

Keep moving forward, keep taking action, and success will come to you.

Reason #7: You’re Not Passionate About It

Are you truly passionate about making money online? If you’re not passionate, then it’s time to think about why you’re doing this, and what you really hope to get out of it. Find your passion and you’ll find the money.

What to Do About It

It’s time to do some self-evaluation. Have you chosen the right business model? If you’ve chosen a business model that seemed great because it would help you earn money, but doesn’t really suit your personality or what you want to do, then it’s time to face that now. If you don’t have passion for your business, then you’re not truly free. You want to earn money online because of the freedom it can offer you. Find a business model you can be passionate about and then you’ll be much more likely to follow it through to completion and really start earning money online. The money is there, you just have to have the passion and the follow through to get it.