I feel like quiting (20)
I hate to write this, but I am extremely overwhelmed.
My positivity and mindset is just not there at the moment.
I enjoyed creating camps and running them initially, but, I've been dreading this entire process for about 2 weeks now.
I can not figure out how people make a living doing this when it seems so inconsistent.
One creative works well in one camp, and then completely fails in another...do I try it again, or do I scrap it?
Was it the image or the copy?
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I also seem to be overloading on the info here and have to reread some things to make sure that I'm even on the track that I'm supposed to be on.
I seem to completely forget what I'm even supposed to be focusing on.
I think I'm just mentally out of it at the moment.
Maybe I'm just really overthinking things and assuming they're harder than they actually are...which makes them seem that way as well.
I don't know, but I am getting really frustrated and rapidly losing the desire to continue, even though I really like this industry.
I might step back for a while and give myself a break.
There is tons of information and so many different parameters that it takes a while until things make sense.
But... of course it can help a lot when you know why you do things. Viktor Frankl's book "Man's Search For Meaning" is a great read in that regard.
Actually there are not that many things that you can learn within 2 weeks. Even learning to blow big bubbles from a chewing gum or whistling with fingers in your mouth takes more than 2 weeks.
Once your brain is less clouded, make a plan and follow that. This way you limit your options. Positive side effect is that you also limit potential chaos with that.
Hey man, it is late for me and I have to get up early but I want to talk at you for a minute and see if it helps.
Here are a few things I can say that might help you out with your mindset and prospective. Ill start with the simple stuff...
A woman once sat down at a concert for a master Piano player, and said to the man next to her, "I wish I could play like he can." "No you don't," he replied. "You only want to play because you see how WELL the Piano player can play NOW. You didn't have to see all the struggle and time dedication to learn to play that Piano. HE really wished to play it." You get the point? STM is a place where you can see all walks of life. Those who succeed and LESS OFTEN those who fail. My FA was intended to show the hardships of failure so others wouldn't lose their drive to continue. I also am in the ruts and ups and downs, and thought sharing it would help others not feel alone. But in order to achieve what most don't, extra effort beyond the norm is required. Standard efforts = standard results, bad efforts = bad results, good efforts = good results.
Second, if you quit this and run off to something else two important and negative things have happened. One, you have to start over again with something else. So the learning curve will also be frustrating and slow. Two, by not continuing to learn and grow time will pass. Say you quit and do nothing further and 6 months passes, no results. Or you keep going, and learn more. The point is that THE TIME WILL PASS EITHER WAY. So you may as well make it work in your benefit.
Third...I want you to vision your mind as a small 10x10 box with planting soil in it. It's just there, it doesn't care what you plant. The soil is so fertile that even with minimal effort it will return some level of results. Now what you plant in your mind is up to you, lush corn plants or deadly nightshade (which is a poison). Your mind doesn't care, it will return nightshade in just as much abundance as it will the corn. But what are you planting?
Right now you are planting nightshade. Self doubt, confusion, frustration. The garden will grow it and return it. Or you can plant better crops, and yield those harvests. My dad and I often say to each others...Projects are fun at the start, hard and tiresome in the middle, and fun again towards the end. The middle, e.g. where all the learning and frustrations happen, is a difficult slog through the mud.
I have had a tough go at it as well, you have seen it, but I won't let my mind fall prey to the demons of doubt and fear. My inner strength is way to fucking strong for that. You can do the same. I may not be able to give you winning campaigns, but I can blast you to fucking death with positive reinforcement to keep you going until you see it through. Even when I myself am seeing no major successes yet 
So keep it easy on yourself dude. On the practical and non philosophical side, this industry is hard and takes real effort to figure out. Track your variables more closely, and try to lessen your testing variables down to see changes easier. That's what I am doing and its helping a lot.
P.S. I didn't see @larsometer until I posted, listen to him too. He gives good advice on slowing down and really assessing things.
The beginning of last year, I decided to give up on making affiliate marketing work for me consistently and got a full time job. The job was pretty nice as I worked remotely and was making a decent salary in a marketing agency environment. After about 5 months of working at the company, I felt like a robot. Doing the same routine for 40 hours a week never sat right with me and even though I enjoyed the work for the most part, I've always despised the 9 to 5 life. I ended quitting after having several disagreements with the way the company operated and knew at this point I had to make affiliate marketing work for me.
I told myself I will never work a 9 to 5 job again. I learned new things when it came to being a media buyer/marketer, tried out different traffic sources and so much more until about a month later I started seeing true consistency and started earning a full time income. I found a reason to truly push myself and not give up because I knew I could never go back to that 9 to 5 life.
Ask yourself, how bad do you truly want this? Are you willing to keep pushing and failing a little more until you see something truly work? You could honestly be so close to making it work but stopping now will just send you backwards. Find the reason why you are doing this in the first place and I guarantee that if you stick to it, it will work out for you soon enough.
Notice how it was only about a month later when I started making a full time income with affiliate marketing. Instead of taking that job, I could have waited out a little longer and I'm sure I would've gotten the same result.
Another thing I'd like to add is that I've always had the most success on offers that I found on my own and came up with my own angles on how to market it to consumers. Are you only testing out offers that may be working for other people? I know I started that way and always assumed that it would work and would get frustrated and lost when it didn't. I still find myself testing out the stuff that is working for others and have yet to see something work consistently.
Regardless, I wouldn't quit if this is something you really want. It's definitely not an easy industry but the reward is nice once you find something that works for you.
@anthonyh You've gotten some extremely valuable advice above. I want to show my support as well.
I wouldn't be exaggerating, if I said that EVERY affiliate who's been in the industry for more than a few months, have been where you are.
Affiliate marketing is NOT an easy game to play, even for experienced affiliates. Of course there will be a learning curve for new affiliates!
You've only been on STM for less than 2 months. You're still at the point where you're asking pretty fundamental questions - which is COMPLETELY NORMAL and is an important part of the learning process.
But you're already seeing a bit of green, AND more importantly, you're learning a lot in the process - and without losing a lot of money along the way.
So - if you're needing some validation: You're making good progress compared to the tons of other newbies that have come through STM over the last few years.
I know - the volatility, unpredictability, uncertainties etc. in campaign performance can be extremely annoying. Running campaigns can be frustrating that way. It's not like scientific experiments where you can expect the same outcome as long as you keep the input and conditions constant.
You'll just have to learn how to work WITH the platform's algorithm - test various things to figure it out. You need to accept the unpredictability and volatility as part of the normal, day-to-day reality, and learn to work with or around it.
Also keep in mind that there are numerous platforms where you can buy ads. You'll never run out of options.
And what if push really doesn't work out for you after a while? Try social, or google.
What if one vertical doesn't work out? Try another vertical!
I'm not suggesting to jump around constantly - doing so will just make you lose your entire test budget without cracking any one traffic+vertical combination.
Focus on one traffic type and vertical for a bit. Mass-test offers and creatives (ads, landers). Run mini-tests to figure out / verify how the traffic source works. Analyze stats to death to maximize your learning to get the most bang out of your buck.
If after some reasonable effort, you still can't make headway, pick another traffic+vertical combination and repeat.
There are affiliates making money from every traffic type and every major vertical. You just need to start by cracking one vertical for one traffic type, and then build from there.
You almost can't set a deadline for "success" if you're seriously about "making it" in this industry. You just got to set aside a set amount of disposable ad spend every month, and spend that as wisely as you can until you find something that works.
@ScottyG in his most recent thread on grinding, outlines the typical mass-testing of offers and the losses that can take place, before a profitable campaign can be found:
https://stmforum.com/forum/showthrea...ick-Case-Study
I go through a similar process, and other affiliates I know do the same/similar.
So if you've tested 10-20 or even 30 offers without finding a promising one, know that it's not abnormal. Learn to factor this into your expectations and budget accordingly.
Having said all that: Affiliate marketing is definitely not for everyone! Of course most people are wanting to escape the 9-5. But having a job is by no means inferior to being your own boss. Each has its pros and cons.
Don't buy into the hype. Ask yourself what kind of lifestyle YOU would rather have. Then choose accordingly.
There is absolutely no shame in choosing to stop running campaigns. But please make sure you can justify your actions in a way that won't make you regret later on.
Be the guy that actively goes after what he wants, not the guy that's constantly running from what he doesn't want.
To put that even more clearly:
If you choose to stick to a 9-5, learn to embrace it and appreciate it, and to get satisfaction from it.
If you choose to give online marketing a shot, remind yourself of the potential and the opportunities, to motivate yourself through tough times.
Just don't be the guy that gives up on online marketing prematurely to go back to a job he hates, and be miserable for the rest of his life feeling like he's failed.
I'm glad you started this thread. Everyone needs to vent sometime. And here on STM you're among people that understand exactly what you're going through.
I hope my post doesn't come across as lecturing. I just wanted to cover all ground because I'm not sure if you're just needing to vent, or if you're seriously considering quitting.
Either way - feel free to continue the discussion!
All the best @anthonyh! Try to have some fun when running campaigns - things don't need to be so bleak and serious! It's all a matter of perspective.
Amy
I wonder, though....
Do you REALLY want to quit?
Quitters usually just disappear without a trace. Those with some fight left in them pull out the flares and use a thread as a call signal that you desperately need some guidance. It's hard to know what to do when you are doing everything right and still continually fail.
Going weeks or even months with that constant, sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach is very discouraging. I know, and I've "quit" at least a dozen or so times already myself.
And you know what??? I'm GLAD I quit all those times. Mainly bc it has just now come to my attention that I've been doing everything wrong all these years.
But, in a way I never did actually QUIT. I just just took breaks and kept reading and learning. That was the situation I was in, I simply did not have enough cash flow or brains to ever really start in the first place. I was stubborn and put minimal effort into doing anything other than dream about all the money magically flowing in.
Secondly, I expected everything to be easy, and that, get this, I could somehow build an empire of fortunes with $100.
Silly me. ��
Anyways, before I started rambling, I was just trying to say that I sincerely think that maybe you're just unsure of your (lack of) progress and maybe needed some feedback... if even just for the sake of solidarity. Well, here you go. You can see there is much to gain here, and someday that light bulb will become a little less dim as you finally get to the top of that hill.
... race you there...
I wanted to write something smart myself too, but Amy totally took the wind of my sails with her reply, she basically said everything I wanted to and more 
We've all been where you are.
I had to through this at some point too and to remember what it was like and help the others, I actually wrote an article many years about this, check it out if you haven't seen it yet: https://stmforum.com/forum/showthrea...ally-master-it
You're not alone man!
Hey,
I have a bit of a different advice than everybody else.
Personally, I think only you know what's right for yourself. And maybe the right thing to do is to take a break, or even quit.
But before you decide to quit, you should know that you are making a logical decision rather than an emotional one.
Logical decisions will perhaps be you're tight on money and you can't afford your testing costs, so you need some sort of stable income to support yourself. Or that you know that you have some other strengths/skills that can take you further in another industry.
On the other hand, you might be making an emotional decision when you don't see the light in the dark tunnel. And that's fine, we have a community here to support you and answer your questions. And if you suspect you're making an emotional decision just remind yourself of these facts:
- Affiliate marketing is not easy, you "burn" money to see what works (offers, traffic types, landing pages, different traffic sources, trying out new setups/infrastructure... and the list goes on...)
- You'll need to test many many offers to see whats working
- Things that are working will eventually stop working just a matter of when ( could be in a day, week, month, year), and you'll have to go back to hunting for the right offer/ funnel
Personally, I'm hitting a rough patch now as well, and what keeps me going is:
- Being a part of a mastermind, not only for mental/emotional support, but also to keep me accountable and moving forward. We also trade a lot of information/tactics which are invaluable because these experiences come from other members spending $$$ so you can learn from them and not make the same mistake
- Having structured work. For example a daily routine of Spying/Research -> choose a good funnel -> launch campaigns (this process is like clockwork; Don't stop or slow down so that you can find something that works and build on top of it)
Hope this helps and gives you some clarity
I quit like 2-3 times for 1-2 months each time then went onto do 4 figure days in a couple weeks after coming back with fresh eyes.
It's OK to take a break and come back with fresh eyes, AM will still be here
I quit every fucking day.
And then I wake up and go back to working on it every day. After coffee.
Even when I hate it. Like today, I've spent $2k. And nowhere near green.
Even when I feel like giving up (almost every day).
This may be due to making it a habit. Or because I'm a masochist.
Or both.
Reality is, no one has the gun to your head.
And no one is giving you an ultimatum. It's entirely your choice. It could even be a good one depending on your circumstances.
But.
It can and will suck. A lot. For days. Hours. Months. Weeks. Even Years.
Yet.
If you stick with it, and continually improve, no matter how small the steps, you will get better and you are virtually guaranteed to succeed.
On the other hand...
If you stick with it, and are just spinning wheels. Not getting any better, at all. You may be burned out. In which case:
Yeah, take a break. Clear your head. Some back later with some clarity and some goals in mind. Maybe a system to help you improve.
Better to tackle this with a clear mind.
Because you know you want the end game, and it's possible, even for really mediocre people (like me).
But you're not going to get there if you're mind is clouded with anger and frustration constantly keeping you from improving.
Originally Posted by larsometer
As you have probably seen from all the answer you got on your post... everybody has been in the same shoes that you are in now...
So... in the end you are no different. But that also means that you have same potential as everybody else to th_rive and shine.
Originally Posted by waynedouglas78
Originally Posted by quintyfresh
Affiliate marketing is something that’s actually interesting to me and I really do want to learn the skill.
It just seems repetitive and I tend to feel stagnant in my progress.
Originally Posted by jaybot
Originally Posted by brianaustin07
I think I'm just burned out a bit. I’ve spent the past 2 years trying to make Bing and Google ads work. Now Push. I spent 6k across Bing and Google and made about $200. (I tried it without any guidance so that was a major mistake on my part)
I’m just ready to see some success. I just want freedom over my time and life before it’s over. This is the “why” that’s been keeping me going this long.
Originally Posted by anthonyh
Since you have experience there, maybe you're closer to success than you think.
Amy
Originally Posted by vortex
With Google, I just created landers or used some from other affiliates and ran them. I did the same with Bing but also direct linked a few offers.
By the way, I never thanked all of you who responded and showed support. I realized I just needed to vent more than actually just give up. Life has been crazy lately but your words and insights were a major help in continuing on.
Much thanks to all of you.
"A person has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!"
Originally Posted by anthonyh
It's ok to vent, sometimes it's a must... whenever you feel the need again, just throw it at us!
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