How To Overcome Information Overload And Start Anew The Right Way

Starting up an online business is hard. It is even harder if you don’t have experience, if you don’t know how things work online.

When you are getting started, you don’t know what to do or where to go. Then you start surfing the Internet, trying to find the information that will help you to move forward.

During this surfing, you find all kinds of stuff – good and bad, but as you are just getting started, you don’t know how to identify which is the right stuff and which is the wrong.

You join newsletters, you start downloading free products, and buying stuff supported by well-worded sales letters. They promise to teach you everything about making money online.

But as most of these products are loaded with useless information that helps you to go nowhere, you keep researching, trying to find the right stuff. You keep downloading and buying things.

By this point, you have accumulated a huge amount of information in your brain. You’re practically overloaded and it is baffling, you get confused and feel disoriented.

As a result of this, you don’t know what to do because a confused mind never accomplishes anything. You try to do things, but all the information you have in your mind blocks and paralyzes you. Nothing is clear, it is all a big mess.

This is a difficult situation to overcome, but it is possible if you know what to do. Here are some good tips…

1.    You have to clear out your brain. You need to throw out all the false information you learned in order to fill your brain with information that really teaches you what to do now.

Unsubscribe from all the newsletters that are not helping you. Show no mercy, just go ahead and do it.

2.    Identify where you are now, what’s your actual position, and what you need to do to move forward.

Identify what is the first logical step you have to take to start moving forward. It could be that you need a website because you don’t have it or that you need an autoresponder, etc.

Once you identify it, start working and focus only on it. Accept no distractions, until you accomplish that step.

3.    Nobody forces you to join newsletters, to download or buy stuff, it is your own  decision and this is your responsibility.

Before downloading or buying any product, ask yourself – do I need it now? Is this product going to help me to move one step ahead?

Most of the time, the answer will be No.  Don’t get it. If you think it can help you in the near future, just bookmark it. Remember that the Internet is changing at a high speed, the newest product today will probably be old tomorrow. People come out with new techniques and strategies everyday.

Download or buy only what is going to help you to move forward now, go through it immediately and put into practice what you’ve learned.

4.    Everyday, at the end of the day, write down the most important thing you have to do tomorrow.

So tomorrow, when you turn on your computer, you start working on it without distraction.

5.    Check your e-mail only 2 or 3 times per day. Checking your e-mail can become a bad habit. It is a secondary task and it is not going to help you to move forward.

Never, ever, ever check your e-mail at the start of your working day because it will waste a lot of time and it will distract you. If you do it, then you are starting your day on someone else’s agenda, which is more likely to hurt your own.

Apply these five steps and let me know the results.

Now I want to invite you to check out my Brand New Step-by-Step Training System when you visit Startup Internet Business Acceleration this will help you to start up and grow your Internet business quickly. See you there.

51 Comments

  • Allan Coy

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    It can be somewhat annoying when someone knows ALL my bad habits and tells the world about them!

    Seems I’ll have to find some new ones.

    Thanks,

    Allan

    Allan Coys last blog post..Super Affiliate Success Story

  • Robert Pike

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    This is so on target!

  • Tony Haines

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Hi,

    Just sitting here and thinking to myself..About a hundreds things at once, and then, got email to read this…Spooky !

    It makes sence..will give it a go…

    Thank you

    Tony Hainess last blog post..Demi Moore Flawless

  • Dominique

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    I have been dealing with information overload and after 8 mths of research I am still uncertain on how to properly set up an online store to sell digital products. I think that it’s time to really start removing all the time wasters and non beneficial email subscriptions.

  • Dave

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Thanks Reed

    I have been at this for a little over a year and that is exactly what I need to do and in fact have already started doing.
    It is so easy to get caught up in all the hype of new products and a new place to learn and you never learn anything or do anywhere.

    I’m starting afresh this new years.

    Daves last blog post..Installing Ceramic Wall Tile in your Bathroom

  • Tony Haines

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    just what the doctor ordered..
    Great Idea !

    Tony Hainess last blog post..Demi Moore Flawless

  • Gary Keating

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Reed,
    This is some of the best advise I have read in a long time. As a safelist junkie I do spend way to much time reading the emails and I have told my self not to waste time but it is like a addiction.
    Information overload comes for me signing up for new offers only to see the real deal later.
    Thanks for the good advise.

    Gary Keating

  • Tony Haines

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Great idea…needs to be done now !

  • Liz Nichols

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Very sensible advice.

    Thanks.
    Liz

    Liz Nicholss last blog post..Become a Blogger Premium

  • east4u

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Hi reed thanks for you took a subject I know a little. DONT WE ALL KNOW A LITTLE ABOut it? ,I think I have promissed admin my own decition to not speak of things I dont know. I have not been able to earn a dollar on internet,and i have been so sad ,angry , and said so much shit i wanna forget,
    It is like Reed says ,it is so much , to learn and fast .and Iam also swedish english is my second languale + I also have ADHD so I realy get angry or sad when i dont understand.
    Thanks to you who understand and have forgive me when i have been an ashoal. Reed says wise things but I promise its from person to person I can almost build a pc with my eyes closed But I cant do a web site or any soft where, that is.so irritated

  • Jay

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Reed, I have a special affinity for teaching “newbies” the basics of business, marketing, sales, internet business, website creation–anything that gets an entrepreneur the tools and the education to get over the hump of “how do I do this?”
    I am accepting students who want to get started with my ebook “How to Use What’s in My Head for a Living”. Shoot me your email address after visiting my blog and you will get a copy when it is published.
    Jay http://www.How2BooksandVideos.blogspot.com

  • PV Reymond

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    @Dominique it’s important that you do it today, don’t pospone it.

    @Dave That’s great. Just set up your goal, build a plan of action to achieve it and take action!

    @Gary Keating Now you know what you have to do. Start doing!

    @Liz Nichols Thank you!

    ^PV Reymond
    http://www.startup-internetbusiness.com

    PV Reymonds last blog post..Great Motivational Phrases

  • Val

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Hi Reed,

    Sound advice! Like most Internet Junkies, I am overloaded with information. Going to start unsubcribing to all those newsletters right away!

    Thanks.

    Val

  • Adeleke Adegbite

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    This is quite interesting especially at this time when one is starting a new year. To be honest am totally confused and I kept on asking myself will I be able to make use of all the materials I have downloaded and bought a times I even forgot some of them, so this material is timely and I will work on the advice so that by this time next year i will be counting on my millions of DOLLARS not the size of the materials or information I have.

    Selahebiz
    http://www.senmillionaires.com/entrepreneur

  • Timothy Millar

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Hey PV, Great Read, you nailed the problem with most of the Crowd but some of us just can’t get the technical stuff, got any insight on that subject? Have a Wonderful Day, Timothy Millar

  • kristi qualley

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    This is exactly how I have been going about looking for an internet business for the past 6 months and I feel overwhelmed and exhausted! Now I know what I need to do. This is great advice as usual, Reed! Thanks, Kristi Q. http://www.easyhomebasedemployment.com

  • taufikramly

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    You 100% rights about information overload especially what a newbie like me gone through.

    From 2008 until now i haven’t got any good direction and still searching for it. I just hope and hope i will found something that are worth to follow. Some information are rubbish as you said.Yes ,it’s is true.

    I already spend a lot of money and keep spending just to find a good one.

    I think from now on i will follow your advise.

    Thanks Reed! And Happy New Year 2009!

  • Ben Jackson(Resolve2)

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    As we go into the new year this is the best advice for anyone starting an online business or trying to truly create a “desirable” passive income.

    This is how a lot of us started and if we can help others avoid the pitfalls it pays great dividends. With this comes finding (credible others, those someones who have already accomplished what we want to accomplish and follow them.

    These entrepreneurs understand that we get paid through our helping others succeed and that if “you are going to walk through a mind field you may as well walk in the footsteps of someone who made it through”.

    Remember to resolve2 accomplish all your goals and dreams.

    To a prosperous time in 2009.

    Regards,
    Resolve2

  • Davies

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Great Reed.
    You are doing a wonderful job. I have been following your post for long now and permit me to declare you as”THE KING OF CONTENT” when it comes to teaching newbie about step by step to success online.

    Thanks.

  • Jane

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Well said, and worth reiterating over and over again.

    I think almost every new marketer starts off this way, myself included. My first 7 months were spent with my nose in my e-mail box hopping from one offer to another and working diligently to put these crazy puzzle pieces into a total picture that made sense.

    The best advice I can give anyone new is find that one product that really gets your excited. Then stop looking at any other offers completely. Take that one product, learn how to build a website, FTP, squeeze page, autoresponder, and drive traffic for it. Again…ignore those other golden nuggets and focus on this one product only. Once you’ve gone through the entire process with this one product you’ll have gone through enough of the learning curve with this one single product, move onto the next.

    Other things will begin to make more sense to you once you’ve gone through the entire learning curve one step at a time.

    My suggestion..if you have the money to invest, find a good mentor that offers a complete total newbie program. Everyone is so anxious to make money right away that they don’t think they have the time to “waste” going through a mentoring program, however those same people usually find themselves a whole year later not making a single buck.

    Thanks PV,
    Jane

    Janes last blog post..Watch Derek Gehl’s 2009 Goal Planning Video. It’s A New Beginning!

  • Al Sinden

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Good advice, P.V.

    Managing your email by setting up an email address just for subscriptions is another thing you can do. Go through it 1 – 2 times a week and hit “unsubscribe” or “delete” ruthlessly.

    Set up folders, e.g.: traffic,articles, software, etc. for the remaining emails. Then, occasionally, go through your folders, 1 or 2 at a time and clean them out. You’ll be surprised to find how little you really need to keep for posterity.

  • Keith

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Reed, this truly was the perfect start to 2009. I was already looking at the idea of cutting back on a number of the newsletters I get because most of the time it’s repeat information. (Not to mention, 15 request to the same affiliate based offer.)

    Also, good advice about the email reading at the start of the day. Guilty by admission.

    Look forward to seeing what else you have to offer for 2009. (Yes, you stay on my newsletter list.)

  • tmobil8

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Greetings Reed, Thomas Richmond here, Happy New Year to you and PV, thanks for the write up, the one thing i can offer is (Reed knows about me) is that you want to learn to profit online? then you stay focust on what you know about whatever niche your in and opt-in to whatever artical or others that are in that same niche, set up a splash page, get your own domain and load it up, advertise it like crazy, set up some conversion rates to see how well is does in other markets and shoot for the best one (usually takes a week if that) and stick to it no matter what steers you away from your personal daily tasks. Take care everyone and have a successful 2009! God_bless you 🙂

  • Larry Seum

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Reed & PV: I stared this about a year ago, and this is some very good advice. I have went so far in debt, and no closer then I was a year ago. But I did get a lot of knowledge of where to go and what to do, and I also get it what you are saying here is actuality the only way to start. When the money starts to flow then reinvest and grow as big as you like.

    Thank You! Very Good Advice!

  • Glen

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Great post Reed. The checking the email portion is especially true. That used to be my biggest time waster, I would start out by checking emails before long I would look at the clock and it would read 10 am (I start my “work” day at 8am) 2 hours wasted reading someone else’s junk. once I eliminated that particular bad habit, I became a lot more productive. STAY FOCUSED!

  • Tommy C

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Whoa!!! You hit the nail on the head! My lap top was running slow so I bought an external hard drive to take off all the downloads I have accumulated over the last 6 mo. to a year and when I hit send…it said it was transfering 58,000 items…talk about overload, wow! Anyway…I’m in the process of sorting these programs out and getting everything in order for 2009 and beyond. Thanks for the reminder about focusing…I needed that!

  • John Bonzo

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Reed,
    Where were you a year ago? I was so lost and bogged down with information overload that it’s a wonder I can do anything new even today. I hope lots of your readers take these words to heart. It will sure save them grief in the days and months to came.

    Thanks again for your insight. I look forward to each new addition you make.
    John

  • Bob Marconi

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    “Information Overload” Is one of the problems I have been dealing with. While it’s easy enough to unsubscribe form one list, I sometimes do so only to find myself subscribing to two more lists!

    Technology ain’t always wonder full!

    On word and up word for 2009!

    Bob Marconis last blog post..The Return Of “SpongeBob SquarePants”

  • Pat Gunning

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    info Overload kills more businesses than anything. The overwhelm of believing that you could never process all of the information necessary to be successful is deadly for the new business owner.

    Simplify it and start out mastering the basics first:
    Copywriting – there are plenty of free resources available on the subject and it is worth reading them all
    List Building – this is a business element that you must familiarize yourself with
    Market the Shovels – even if you have a product or service that you want to market, sell the services that you use as an internet marketer, after all you needed them and it is likely that most others will as well.

  • peter

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    Well after 4 years of (being)bumping from one so-called guru to another and following the promise. I can vouch for your your above comments. Complete and utter waste of time and money. However that being said I did end up here. Nearly broke,dissolusioned,pretty ticked off but ready for the best year of my life, and starting out with likely the best advice ive heard yet.
    Thanks….feel free to help out,if you’d like a success story I’ve got the brute force and ignorance.
    thanks

  • William

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    This is great advice. I have been going through these exact steps to clear my ‘desk’ of all non’essential products.
    The one thing that has driven me to ‘delete’ is the knowledge that the product WILL be available when you come back to it later.
    The guru marketers tell you that you simply must get this now! or it will be gone for good. In most cases this is just BS to get you to buy now. You can get it later on and these gurus will actually email you for ever trying to get you to buy the so called ‘limited’ product.
    Another piece of advice is to have several email addresses and alias names. You can then delete the account to filter out unwanted mail. This also helps track what happens to your ‘private’ details. I have done this and can tell you that the old “we never sell or give your details to anyone else” is in some cases a complete croc. I have proof that some ‘well known’ marketers are sharing their lists with others even though they state they will not.
    With several email id’s at least you can terminate the offenders.

  • Ron Passaro

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    This is a great blog post, Reed. The online business thing can become such a confusing and distracting mess at times, and your post provides some great tips on how to get more organized and therefore more productive. Thanks!

  • Wayne

    Reply Reply January 2, 2009

    You know, I am beginning to believe that anyone that is really dedicated to success is ADD. I get so distracted from what I really want to focus on by the information overload. I have to turn everything off around me to stay focus on building opportunity doing the most important task at hand — without switching to something else before I am complete.

    Waynes last blog post..Unique Article Wizard

  • Percival

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    I need suggestions like that. In the past years, I have been guilty of the things mentioned in the article that wasted much of my productive time.

    I was guilty of downloading every freebie that came along. I was guilty of buying every item that pricked my interest. The sad thing was that they only lie in my hard disk without being touched.

    What I downloaded 2 or 3 years ago are now obsolete. Obsolence has overtaken these downloads without me being able to use them.

    Thanks for your suggestions. I think I should now apply Pareto’s 80/20 rule in the conduct of my business.

  • Shawn Horwood

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    This is a very important topic. I have seen so many people just stop in their tracks because they become so overloaded with information that they become like deer in headlights and they take no action. This is a great post Reed.
    Shawn Horwood
    http://top5-workathome.com/blog/

  • Steven

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    I like the no. 5 idea, as you said it should be do our task first rather than do what other people want you to do … and wasting our time.

    It is a good time management idea, thanks a lot for such good idea.

    Steven
    http://www.RichmanWorld.com

  • normz2

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    Very good information. Delete what is not necessary and focus on what is necessary and move on.

  • Online eBook Download

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    Very helpful tips, thanks Reed.

  • SiteFlipIncome

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    As an internet marketer with 6+ yrs. of online education, I’m still suffering from info overload. To help stop this, I have unsubscribed from 80% of the email lists I was on. I spend less & less time surfing forums, blogs & sites. I check my email less often. I have stopped the vast majority of purchasing things (ebooks) online. I have a simple direction to follow: keep writing reports, setting up SIMPLE websites, promoting them and then creating something else to sell. I have a whiteboard in my home office. I outline my current project on it and add to it as I think of new things to do.
    Advice: find something that you want to get into, map it out, write down your plan, work it hard and fast and get it done. Market it, sell it, find affiliates to sell it for you. Create Joint Ventures and get other marketers to promote it for you. The BIG MONEY is in JV’s!
    Check out the link in my name to see an example of a sales site I built in about 3 hours.

    Stay positive & believe in yourself!

    Dan

  • Geoff Dodd

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    Reed, to get prosperous in your business you need to get simple, focused, with a simple step-by-step testing plan about ‘what works for you.’ Welcome failure as a learning process and accelerate your testing of a blog, wording, product(s), Adsense, etc. Test for 6 months then really start testing ..

    Geoff Dodd
    Australia

  • Amelia

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    You are very right. Though I know that I must not read my e-mails first, I tend to read it first thing
    in the morning and waste a lot of time and money ordering and ordering whatever is being offered to me. I will have to make this as my 2009 resolution, no reading emails till the end of the day.
    Thanks

  • PV Reymond

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    @Allan Coy Everybody has bad habits, the point is to get rid of them.

    @Robert Pike Thank you

    @Tony Haines Great, start applying right now!

    @Val Just do it and show no mercy.

    @Adeleke Adegbite From now on download just what you are going to use immediately, you’ll get much better results.

    @Timothy Millar Thanks, if you need help you should check out the link at the bottom of the article.

    @kristi qualley Now you know what to do. Take action.

    @taufikramly Apply the five points and you’ll achieve great results

    @Ben Jackson(Resolve2) Agree, you make money when you help people.

    @Jane Thank you very much

    @Al Sinden you gave a good advice too. Thanks

    @Keith Now you have to put it into practice.Thanks

    @tmobil8 Thanks for your advice.

    @Larry Seum Right you have to re-invest the money that you make if you want to grow. Thanks.

    @Glen Agree, focus is crucial.

    @Tommy C Just throw out what you are not going to use, it will help you a lot.

    @Bob Marconi Stop subscribing for every newsletter, just join those that help you.

    @Pat Gunning You’re 100% right, there is a sequence of logical steps that you need to follow if you want to move forward. Thanks.

    @peter it’s not too late to start anew. Reboot your brain and re-start!

    @William It happens and will continue happening. You just have to open your eyes.

    @Ron Passaro Thank you.

    @Percival Pareto’s 80/20 rule will help you to be more productive, start using it.

    @Shawn Horwood Thank you so much.

    @Steven First things first, second things never. Do first what you need to do to move your business forward.

    @normz2 Thanks

    @Geoff Dodd Thank you.

    PV Reymonds last blog post..Great Motivational Phrases

  • Ari Lestariono

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    Learning by doing and stay focus

    Ari Lestarionos last blog post..New Year’s Resolution: Best Natural Foods for Longevity

  • Cheree

    Reply Reply January 3, 2009

    PV, This is SO right on target! I tend to sign up for a lot of free downloads and newsletters, because I’m always on the lookout for information I can use in my business. But, the cleaning out and unsubscribing from what doesn’t feed you is so important! Great advice!

    And Reed, I can always count on you for great blogs — whether you write them, or have a guest writer! Thanks!

    Cheree
    http://blog.WealthBuildersSite.com

  • Thanks for the tips Reed..

    I receive at least 100 mails daily to one of my e-mail accounts.. but you know, you’ll have some experience after a while to choose what to delete and which emails to read before even opening them..

  • PV Reymond

    Reply Reply January 4, 2009

    @Amelia Never read your email first, start your day doing the things that bring in money.

    @Ari Lestariono That’s correct.

    @Cheree Thanks, and put it into practice today.

    @Raphael@Top Web Templates If you go over all those emails you’ll spend a couple of hours and it is not going to bring in money. So start unsubscribing.

    PV Reymonds last blog post..Great Motivational Phrases

  • delords

    Reply Reply January 4, 2009

    Great post PV

    you really point out what most affiliates and internet users are guilty of, i really can’t deny too that am guilty of it.

    Thanks for the Tips.

    delordss last blog post..Get Yanik Silver’s 14-Point Web Copy Analysis Free

  • bet

    Reply Reply January 5, 2009

    Good advice. I am deleting everyone except you and 1 other. Way too much time spent for little information. Focus, that’s the thing.

  • Felix Makmur

    Reply Reply April 10, 2009

    Thanks for the great tips Reed. Information overload is sometimes the main cause why I postpone to take action. Anyway, I will try your advices and suggestion.

    Felix Makmurs last blog post..6 Easy Ways to Make Money Online on Autopilot

  • Thanks for your great ideas, a lot of times, it is easier said than done. Nevertheless, we just need to stay focused. Cheers!

  • Kevin Njoroge

    Reply Reply September 18, 2009

    It’s true Raymond, it’s very easy to get lost in the middle of the information that’s scattered all over the internet.

    It’s also easy to get distracted by the glamor f the internet to not accomplish anything at the end but with specific self-assigned tasks, you can hardly get distracted.

    You should assign yourself small chunks of achievable tasks that pushes your internet business progressively forward.

    You shouldn’t embark on any day without a written down plan of the things you wish to achieve, how to do it and in which order.

    The real secrets is to get things rolling and taking action right away. You don’t have to get it all right to get started.you can learn along the way. Purposive learning is very useful because you get to apply things as you learn and before you forget.

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