We all hear and look at the hype around the latest product, software or concept that will make us zillions of dollars, and many of these are well worth the consideration. What I don’t hear a lot of noise about is how to manage yourself to be successful in your online business.

Most of us who have committed to developing an online business are entrepreneurs who are working on our own, and this is precisely what we want to do. However, and I say this particularly for those starting out on building an online business, there is a great danger to be busy, and I mean really busy, but not be absolutely clear whether you are making real progress. I know that cash coming in the door is the ultimate measure, but there are many other measurements that you can have to determine progress or otherwise.

One of the best ways to manage yourself and keep you on the path to success with your online business is to set clear goals for yourself. Remember that old, tried and tested formula for goals? Yes, SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bounded. I am going to take an example that might help when it comes to your internet business.

SPECIFIC – My goal is to build an online business that generates a minimum of $10,000 dollars per month in 6 months time. Is that specific? Yes, success is $10,000 per month in 6 months time! Is it measurable? Yes, it is. Is it achievable? Yes, it is. Is it relevant? Yes, again. Is it time bounded? Yes, the timeframe is 6 months.

The next step for me would be to break that down to determine what my goal is for Month 1, Month 2, Month 3 and so on. These are my milestones to let me know if I am on target. For example, I could have a target of 1000 people on my email list in Month 1 and to generate $500 in that month. Don’t worry about the validity of these numbers as I only want to give you examples of smart goals. But this way I am not waiting for Month 6 to come along before I am assessing my progress – or even worse convincing myself that it will all come together in Month 6! There is no magic bullet going to occur to go from zero in Month 5 to $10,000 in Month 6 – unless a miracle happens!

So, setting goals will help you assess your progress with your online business and set you on the road to being an internet success!

1. Business Mindset

To have a successful online business you first have to develop a business mindset. You have to understand the reasons you want your own online business and where you want to go with it. You have to know where you want to end up, what are your goals and desires. What does this picture look like to you? Once you have your goals in place and a clear picture of where you want to end up, you then get started with your business plan. Find a company who will work with you on developing your business mindset and help you to develop a business plan.

2. Proven Business System

The most successful online business has one thing in common and that’s a proven business system. You want to look for a company who has a good track record and one who can provide testimonials from people who are in the company and their results.

They need to have a good and reliable support system, one where you can get your questions answered in a timely manner. I have had experiences of waiting 48 hours for an answer, I really needed that day. Who wants to wait 48 hours? The online business should have a vision of the company and where it is going. I know of one online company where they have mapped out a 100 year plan. That’s impressive.

3. Information Bank

To have a successful online business you need to have the right information. There is so much information on the internet it will literally swallow you up if you do not stay on track. It is so easy to get off track and the next thing you know 8 hours has gone by and you’re thinking, what, did I get done. I am fortunate to work with a team of expert marketers, who set goals and keep each other on track. We work together and create a synergy of online business savvy. There are programs out there that can quickly identify your needs and get you the right information.

4. Time Management

The best way to get the most out of your day is to develop a habit of writing down what you’re going to do the next day. Break it down into each hour of the day, when you will start and when you will finish. When you schedule yourself, and hold yourself accountable of your own actions, this will keep you from getting interrupted. This is why it is important to have a clear picture of your end result, also when you write your goals down for the next day it gives your sub consciousness’ time to think about and prepare you for the next day as you sleep.

5. Completing The Circle

There is a balance that is evident through the laws of nature, attraction whatever you want to call it. There is ebb and flow, a ying and a yang, my point is if things get out of balance you move backwards. If you throw yourself into a business and let your family functions go, things will start to deteriorate, likewise if you don’t allow time for yourself and always carrying out everybody’s wishes, you will be unhappy. You need to set a balanced schedule where there is so many work hours, family hours, and personal hours to keep your life in balance.