Posted by Joel Comm on his blog www.Joelcomm.com

What is the secret to making money online?

What strategy has been known to be effective for the vast majority of people who faithfully implement it?

What is the one thing that you are fully equipped to do RIGHT NOW without any further training?

Many in the Internet marketing and online business space won’t tell you this. They don’t want you to know.

But I’m about to spill the beans… to show my hand… to tell all.

And some people will not like it.

No, the secret is not “the law of attraction.” That is just old rehashed positive thinking taken to a ludicrous extreme. Sorry, but “The Universe” is not at your beck and call. Did the author of The Secret, Rhonda Byrne, “attract” a lawsuit because she misused the uiniverse?

Just praying for riches is not the answer either. Those who preach the prosperity gospel (riches and great health for all) are not in touch with reality. They twist scripture to “tickle the ears” of their flock and to suit their own needs. THEY are the ones that become rich at the expense of the ones they are supposed to be helping. Yes, I am talking to you, you, and you.

(Note: I am not saying God doesn’t bless people financially. I’m just saying that people who preach that He wants us all to be rich are wolves in sheeps clothing. But that’s a different blog entry.)

And good luck with the lottery. It’s true that your odds of getting struck by lightning are approximately ten to forty times greater than your chances of winning a big state lottery! It’s fun to drop a few bucks on lady luck, but I wouldn’t put any eggs in that basket.

The secret to getting rich is that there IS no secret.

There is, however, a commonality that rich people have which can give us a clue to how they did it.

It’s called WORK.

Sure, there is the occasional overnight success. It’s true in the entertainment industry and in business. And there are also those who are rich due to inheritance. Unless you’ve got a rich Uncle Vinny set to leave you ten million dollars I think it’s safe to move past that option.

The truth is that most wealthy people got there because they had a dream, believed in that dream, equipped themselves to carry out their vision and ACTED on their dream without ceasing.

You could go down the list of financially successful people and you’ll find that many of them have had tremendous failures. But they got back up again and kept pursuing their dream.

It’s work.

It’s Work.

It’s WORK!

And it’s usually very HARD work.

I frequently hear from people who say they want to be financially successful. They write me via email or on this blog. I meet them at conferences. I see them light up when they begin to understand the possibilities that are before them.

And then, they do nothing.

In the free world, it is your right to do whatever you want with your aspirations (within the law). And if you want to squander your time and let your dreams die on the vine, that’s your choice.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

And I don’t believe we were designed to live that kind of life.

Are there any guarantees that your hard work will turn to riches?

Nope. And anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something.

But, I can guarantee this…

If you dare to dream, choose to believe in your dreams, prepare yourself to do what is needed to make them a reality and take steady, repeated, unrelenting action to reach your dreams, you will grow in ways you cannot imagine.

Ideally, your bank account will grow.

But even if it doesn’t, you will grow as a person.

Some of the biggest lessons I have learned in life have not come from the happy endings, but through adversity.

I have grown as a result of bad business decisions. I am now more focused than ever.

I have grown as a result of friendship betrayal. I am more protective of my boundaries, which is healthier for me, my family and my business.

And I have grown spiritually. There’s nothing like a good crisis to draw you a few steps closer to your Maker. Since I am certain I won’t be able to take financial riches with me when I die, I figure it’s probably a good idea to value money in proper perspective. It is not a means to an end. It is a tool to be used to bless my family, my employees, and others.

It’s not a secret, my friends.

It’s not magic.

We want to believe their is a pill we can take to shower financial success down on us, but the truth is as plain on the nose on your face.

If you’ve got your big dream, it’s time to pursue it.

If you don’t have a big dream, or are unsure that it is the way you should go, I recommend reading The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson. It will inspire you and bring clarity to your dream.

Believe in your dream with everything you’ve got. Surround yourself with others who believe in you. Don’t let the naysayers make you stray from your course.

Learn all you can about the task before you, but don’t worry about knowing it all. Some of the best learning experiences happen along the way.

And then, take action.

Then take more action.

And keep taking action until you reach your goal.

It’s simple, but not easy.

But you CAN do it.

What are you waiting for?