Every new business or activity that we undertake has a learning period that can be substantially long when the complexity and potential profitability is high. I never believed in the get rich quick system that makes money while you sleep by you just pushing a button because developing such a system takes work and knowledge.
The road to success can seem long, but it will pay off only if you travel it all the way.
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Anyway when you first begin you sometimes feel that you are never going to make it since the first project or action you perform seems to be taking forever and to produce very little or no gain, or maybe even a loss. This is part of working yourself up the scale that will eventually lead you into the position of fully controlling the operation, but you’ll never get there if you don’t go through the motions and actions of learning your trade or hobby in the real world.
Studying is fine but it will never allow you to get anywhere until you get your hands dirty. Study doesn’t take into account the dishonest or incompetent worker that keeps messing up what you have assigned him, it doesn’t take into account the fears and uncertainties you will have to face while going through the critical decisions that will lead to your first product.
And if the project takes a long time to develop, you might just as well quit much before you get to the end. My wife Maria keeps telling me that the only people who fail are those that quit before arriving. And it is very true. And even when you arrive at your first result it might seem so inferior to what you were expecting and so hard to get that you might decide to give up and to avoid repeating the same steps again. But this would be again a mistake, because the second time around will be better and the third time around even better until you can really put it on automatic (or almost) and delegate most of it.
So keep walking on that first mile and get to the first milestone, no matter how far it seems and how many times you need to start over this first leg of your travel. And with your example also others will do the same and they will also get somewhere in life.
Roberto Mazzoni
So true Roberto. Keeping on Keeping on leads to success.
Thank you! You often write very interesting articles. You improved my mood.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by REOGeek: The first mile is always the longest – Every new business or activity that we undertake has a learning period that … http://ow.ly/162uIz...
Just what I needed to hear this morning. Thank you.
Your wife is very smart!
The first mile is always the longest http://robertomazzoni.com/business-tips/...
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@robertomazzoni Hahah I thought you said Milf and not Mile. Took me 2 times to figure it out.
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The first mile is always the longest http://robertomazzoni.com/business-tips/...
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@robertomazzoni As an exceptionally short soldier doing forced marches I found the last mile to be the hardest …
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Studying is fine but will never allow you to get anywhere until you get your hands dirty http://robertomazzoni.com/business-tips/...
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@robertomazzoni Agree! Talk is cheap and in the end has no value.
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When an action you perform seems to be taking forever and to produce very little or no gain, or maybe even a loss http://robertomazzoni.com/business-tips/...
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@robertomazzoni Yeah, those losses are hard to take. Top it up with some great videos http://mycom.MagneticSponsoringOnline.co... that will make you happy.
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Studying is fine but will never allow you to get anywhere until you get your hands dirty http://robertomazzoni.com/business-tips/...
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@robertomazzoni You like to get your hands dirty do you… great.
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I’m so glad I found this article. I will re-tweet it to my wife, who started a new Artisan Jewelry business this year when she became one of the unfortunate unemployed millions in California. She has worked so hard and made over a 125 pieces of beautiful jewelry, but the sales have been few and far between. Your article, “The First Mile is Always the Longest”, is a perfect description of starting a new business. I try to help her by buying the materials that she uses and also buying and re-selling some vintage jewelry pieces on her site. I’m sure she will get a boost from reading your article. Until now one of the things that has helped to keep her going is a saying that she reads every morning. She has it taped to her desk. It goes, “The Secret of Success is the Ability to go From Failure to Failure Without Losing Your Enthusiasm”.
I am very pleased it helped. You can also tell that what she is encountering as not necessarily failures, but steps in a progress. Maybe she might consider selling first products by other people and then adding her own. Looking for something that is already selling and that fits with her line of business is good for morale and for developing a customer base also.
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