All great journeys begin with a single step. If you stand on the sideline and mutter to yourself about the distance, then you will never start your journey, let alone complete it.

As youngsters, we did not worry about time or distance. We only knew that we wanted to go, and we could not understand our parents' insistence that something was too far away. Now, as adults, we sometimes let our adult sensibilities stand in the way of what we want.

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever thought to yourself that you would like to start your own online business and cash in on the success that others are experiencing on the Internet? If so, what is stopping you?

Many people tell me that they do not have the time to start or run an online business.

Other people tell me that they do not have the resources to start and run an online business.

Some people tell me that they do not have the requisite knowledge.

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

STOP! THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

How much television do you watch each week?

How much money do you squander on fountain soft drinks or snacks?

Have you ever watched an educational television program or asked a friend about something you wanted to learn about?

My point is this...

The sociologists tell us that the average American watches 15 hours of television each week. If you could bring yourself to give up one program each day --- you decide which ones --- then you would have all of the time that you require to start and operate a successful online business.

If you buy your soft drinks in two-liter bottles, you will pay as much or less for your soft drink habit as you currently spend on one 32-ounce fountain drink. The money you save on frivolous spending could more than pay for your web hosting and a bit of advertising.

It you have taken 15 minutes out of your day in the last year to learn something new, then you have the skills necessary to learn what you need to learn, to be successful in an online business. It doesn't take much time or effort to learn what you need to learn, if you can find yourself a good mentor to help you get up to speed about this medium.

I have a full-time job, and yet, I have managed to successfully start two online businesses.

IT IS ALL ABOUT COMMITMENT

Commit yourself to one hour a day, $20-$30 per month, and one hour's worth of education in a workweek. If you can meet these bare minimum requirements, then you too can find the success you desire and crave.

The definition of success varies from person-to-person.

Maybe success for you would be to earn an extra $100 per month, so that you can take the family to an extra movie a month or give your wife a "mom's night off", where she does not have to cook at all one day a month.

Maybe success for you would be to find an extra $250 per month so that you can afford to take those classes at the local University Extension, so that you can get that big promotion and big raise at your job.

Maybe success for you would be the extra $500 per month so that you can afford to pay for a new used car for you and your family.

Perhaps, your idea of success is much bigger. Maybe you want to earn enough from an online business so that you can quit your job. Maybe you hope to earn enough that you could leave that 60-hour a week job and have more time to spend with your family. That is definitely a goal worth aiming to achieve. Your kids will only grow up once.

HERE IS THE ROADMAP TO GET YOU STARTED

1. You do not have to have your own product or service to make money online. You can sell other people's products and services, and you can earn a commission on those transactions. There are two types of programs available that can help you to sell other people's products and services. They are called Network Marketing/MLM programs and Affiliate Programs. The Network Marketing/MLM variety tends to offer a more comprehensive system for making money.

2. Find a program that offers a variety of products and services so that you can extend your own product and service offerings and reach out to a wider marketplace.

3. Find a program that offers more tutorials and resources to help you to become successful.

4. Find a program that offers mentoring through their systems. Network Marketing/MLM type companies rely on the mentor structure to grow their businesses. With Affiliate Programs, you are often on your own. Mentor's are individuals who are in the same business as you are, who are willing to guide you and help you to become successful in the business.

5. Commit yourself to one hour per day, five days per week, for learning about the business, and growing your online business.

6. Don't give up on your business. Don't give up on yourself. This should actually be the first item on my list. The Network Marketing model will not fail, if you put your mind and energy to following through with your plan. If anyone was to tell you that Network Marketing/MLM is a dead-end road, don't listen to him or her. People who fail in Network Marketing/MLM are those who fail to make a commitment and fail to follow-through.

7. Don't rely on the free website that the Network Marketing/MLM company provides to you. You can use this website to sell the companies products and services, but you do need to display it inside of your OWN domain. These days, you can register your domain for a year for much less than $20 per year, and you can get a good web hosting account for less than $30 per month. Your mentor can teach you how to set up your domain to host your web interface from your chosen Network Marketing/MLM program.

8. Try a couple of the products you sell through your Network Marketing/MLM program. In most cases, this is not a requirement, but it is a strong recommendation. Once you have used the product or service, you will understand much more about it, which will help you to tell other people about it and why they would want to purchase it.

If you use the resources that the company makes available to you, and you commit yourself to your $20-$30 per month and one hour a day, five days a week, you will soon find yourself basking in the success that you have desired for so long.

Don't be afraid to contact your upline mentors. If you need help, ask for it. Your upline mentors are more successful, when you are more successful. It is in their best interest to help you find the success you so richly deserve.