20 January 2011 ~ 9 Comments

Stephen King and A Content Creator Walk Into A Bar: An Analysis Paralysis Parable – FA035

Izzy VS Tim

We explore our past successes, failures and experiences and how that makes our show different in the “make money online” industry.  All of this leads up to the point of today’s show, which is Analysis Paralysis and how to overcome it.

Not going to say much more.  Listen to the show and find out what we mean.

Our Picks Of The Week

Izzy’s pick is Sonia Simone of Remarkable Communication

Tim’s pick is personal finance management site: Mint.com

Enjoy your Foolish Adventure,

Tim and Izzy

You can also right-click on this link to save the file to your computer.

  • Kevin J Railsback

    It’s pretty funny because I’ve always said that you can use the same brush Michelangelo used but you can’t paint the Sistine Chapel! :)

    I may want to know what tools people are using not because I feel that if I used the same tool I can get the same results but because I know I can get answers because I know they’ve used it.

    But I do suffer from if I just had this I’d be able to make it. Not because someone else has it but because I have a fear of success and I keep throwing roadblocks in my path.

  • http://FoolishAdventure.com Tim Conley

    A question I get asked a lot about WordPress is, “What plugins do you use?” If I don’t know already, my question back is, “Do you have a WordPress site up yet?”

    Some people are asking tool-based questions because they are trying to optimize what they are doing in their business, which is completely valid.

    Some people ask tool-based questions looking for a magic bullet like in the story Izzy tells in the show. Essentially, I want the success without the work. I want to lose weight, but still eat all the crap I eat and without exercising.

    Some people ask tool-based questions to delay getting started, which was our main point of the show.

    I think most people asking tool-based questions are a combination of the second and third types. They know deep inside that magic bullets don’t exist, but they continue to look for them so they don’t have to take action (work) on making their dreams come true. They also use this as an excuse when years pass and they still haven’t achieved their goals. I know, because I was one of those people. Thankfully, I did take some action on the things that are really important to me otherwise, I would still be out there looking for magic solutions to my problems.

    As to your statement, I know what fearing success feels like. Not feeling worthy of the success. Actually sabotaging my own successes so I could feel “normal” again. It’s a struggle and I don’t know if that feeling ever goes away. I bet a lot of super successful people are partly driven to keep working because they are trying to prove to themselves that they are worthy of their own success. Two sides of the same “fear of success” coin.

  • MysteryGuest

    Hi Guys,
    Thanks for today’s show! For months (related to online business) I’ve been going back and forth between which to do first; creating content or having a platform to share it. I would start creating content and then obsess about how to share it since I didn’t have a website set up. So, I would stop creating content and focus on setting up a website. In the middle of setting up the website I would make myself crazy because my content wasn’t complete, so I would stop working on the website and go back to creating content. A vicious cycle. I’ve been a computer programmer/database administrator for many years and the thought of having a website which represents me, that wasn’t perfect makes me NUTTS and feeds my procrastination. However, I think I’m finally on board with the “just do it” philosophy. I’ve realized I can’t help anyone, if I don’t share what I know. I don’t need to have the perfect tools, or have everything in place (T&C page, privacy page,etc.) at the beginning of my online business. My content will get better over time and so will my website. So, thanks for all the pep talks and I look forward to sharing my website with you one of these days.

  • http://FoolishAdventure.com Tim Conley

    Why not share your website with us today instead of “one of these days”? You can have a WordPress site turned on in about 5 minutes with any host that has Fanstico Deluxe, then put up a premium theme for under $100 and have your first content up in less than 3 hours total. If you’ve already been creating content, all this could be done in under an hour.

    I’m not calling you out specifically, but calling out anyone thinking, “I’m going to ‘just do it’, just not today.” Once you have your site up, you can start improving it. You can start improving your content. You can get feedback from others so you can make all of it even better.

    And yet, it will never be perfect and that’s okay. We don’t seek perfection; we’re seeking our version of success.

  • http://twitter.com/GetItScrapped Debbie Hodge

    awesome advice — I love fiddling with things but really need to get thinking and creating done. AND I love Sonia Simone–I joined her Remarkable Marketing Blueprint site the last time membership opened up and it’s been invaluable.

  • John Lortz

    Boy, did you guys nail one of my “issues” with this one. As a tech geek that is trying to learning Internet Marketing, I’m ALWAYS looking for the “perfect tool”, and hopping around between them as I hear different opinions. Your dose of reality here is a like a splash in the face for me. Just take the tools you have, do your best with them to create great content, and then move on. Perfection is not the goal, nor is “using the perfect tool”.

    Ok, but again, what were your favorite WordPress Plugins? :-)

    Thanks guys….

  • Patricia

    What fun hearing your podcasts! Thank you. Talking about tools, Gideon and Starik just wrote a post in their blogsite (www.become a blogger) that was very useful: It is called – Clever Multimedia Tricks To Boost Your Blog’s Popularity. Good, rich information that I recommend to anybody starting a blog. I think (I am not sure) Izzy and Tim recommended them in one of their picks. I would love for you to interview them sometime in Foolish Adventures. I believe all of us would have a ball!

  • http://www.rikkistips.com Doris

    Hello Izzy, Tim and all the Readers,
    I can fully back Izzy’s recommendation about Copyblogger. In fact Sonia Simone is one of a great team of contributors. I particularly liked the “Tagline Clinic” they did last year. People give specific information in the Comments section (see the extract from Copyblogger here below) and then Sonia Simone and others give personal advice. This was an amazing experience for me and I learnt a lot, just by reading all the exchanges in the Comments.

    Watch out for the next Tagline Clinics – it was an eye opener!
    Here below are the Copyblogger instructions.
    ——————-
    In the past, we’ve done interactive tagline clinics in the comment section. Basically, you tell us:

    1.what you have to offer
    2.the type of people you’re trying to reach
    3.your current tagline if you’ve got one

    Then, people like Roberta, James, Sonia, Jon, and yours truly will provide guidance and suggestions. We’ll even write your actual tagline for you should the proper inspiration hit.

    And of course there’s no charge. So if you want help with your tagline, get started by telling us in the comments!

    The exchanges are no longer accessible, but here is the link to that particular post
    http://www.copyblogger.com/tagline-clinic-2/

  • Kellie

    I really needed this podcast. Actually, my New Year’s resolution is to just make decisions more quickly. I can’t make up my mind about lots of minor things. It drives me crazy because it’s a waste of time.

    I read somewhere that there are 2 types of decision-makers: (1) Satisficers which are people who can quickly make a decision that gets the job done. It might not be the best decision but it works. And there are (2) Maximizers which are people who have to weigh all options so that they make the best decision. They’re worried that there’s something better out there so they keep searching. But ultimately, they get bogged down in the details. It’s especially sabotaging in the world of the internet where the information is infinite.

    Here’s to a new year of decision-making. Good luck to all!
    Thanks for the podcast!