Information Overload: The Silent Killer of Online Success

We are bombarded by information today – it’s incredibly simple to look up virtually anything and everything – as long as you don’t care about the crediblity & usefulness of the information!

It’s important to realize that information overload is a very real problem, but it’s one that can be overcome. I’m old enough to remember the old way of learning something – you went to the library. You opened the card index file, and you searched for what you wanted using the Dewey Decimal System number … 796.8 is a number I remember to this day! (That’s where you could find books on Judo.)

Information overload was very difficult back in those days – there was no Internet, TV didn’t have thousands of channels, most people could only access a few dozen radio stations. There simply wasn’t any place where you could get the amount of information freely available today.

We are rapidly moving into a new era, where information is king. Many people today earn their living by shuffling information around, organizing it, filing it, doing different things with it. But with this emphasis on information – you can quickly be swamped by hundreds of different ways to do something.

In fact, you could easily be swamped with the information contained on just THIS website – so it’s clear that you can be overloaded by multiple sources of information!

The Problems Of Mass Information:

Confusion: When there is so much information available, it’s not easy to figure out where to start. This leads to confusion and indecisiveness, makes it difficult to take action. This person says you gotta do TikToks – that person says doing Youtube videos is the road to wealth.

Procrastination: When you’re feeling overwhelmed by information, it can be easy to put off taking action. This is because you believe that you need to learn more or do more research before you get started. Remember what I say:

         "Perfection is the enemy of the merely good enough?"

It’s not my original dictum, I ‘borrowed’ it from someone else… But keep in mind that your refusal to actually take action is stopping you from making that extra money you need for retirement. You have to pick one method, and start DOING it.

Frustration: When you’re trying to make money online and you’re not seeing results, it can be easy to become frustrated. This is particularly true if you’re constantly watching Youtube videos showing how easy it is to make money online. People don’t want to work, how many videos have you seen showing you the “lazy” way to riches? People want immediate gratification – how many videos have you seen promising fast money? Making money online takes time and effort. There is no free lunch. You will NOT be seeing fast results, and if you don’t expect fast results, you won’t be frustrated enough to quit. I recommend that you do a Youtube search for “I tried” – and see how many of these miraculas methods of making fast & lazy online income simply don’t work.

Addiction: In some cases, information overload can lead to addiction. This is the same concept as those who buy lottery tickets each week – knowing that this week they’re going to have all their dreams fulfulled without any work involved (other than buying a ticket!) A constant stream of Youtube videos showing you fast and easy money can be addictive to the point where you don’t actually take any action. It’s more fun to watch the next video promising you fast & easy money…

How can you overcome information overload and actually start making progress?

Let me suggest the following tips that helped me:

Research And Decide On A Single Method: there are many ways to earn money online, as there are many ways to use affiliate marketing. Do your own research and select just one method to begin with. I suggest this one.
Set Realistic Goals: Don’t try to do everything at once. Start with a small goal, such as learning about a specific online money-making method. (obviously, I prefer affiliate marketing via a blog – but there are many methods to earning online income.) Don’t just set your goal in your head, WRITE IT DOWN… Once you’ve achieved that goal, cross it off and move to the next goal. What was that Chinese proverb about a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step?
Focus On One Source Of Information: Don’t try to read everything that’s available. Instead, focus on one or two reliable sources of information. This will help you to avoid getting overwhelmed. I would prefer if it were just this website 😀 – but pick just one or two. Don’t try to mix up methods – or try to do multiple methods at the same time. Making affiliate income with blogging has been a time tested method that simply works. It’s not quick, it’s not easy, but virtually anyone can do it, and it’s very profitable.
Take Breaks: If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, take a break. Step away from your computer and do something else for a while. This will help you to clear your head and come back to the information with a fresh perspective. But don’t quit… time your breaks – set a goal to get back to your website work in one day, one week at the most. Don’t let a “break” become so long that it’s really just quitting.
Get Help: If you’re struggling to deal with information overload, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are many people who can help you, such as mentors, coaches, and support groups. Just make sure that they are knowledgeable on the method of earning money that you’ve chosen. Keep in mind that there’s a Youtube video describing the answer to almost any question you care to ask. I recently had an issue with this website – I couldn’t center a clickable link… a simple Google search led me to the precise answer … don’t be afraid to get help!
Make Mistakes – you’re going to do it anyway – so pretend that you’re TRYING to make mistakes… then learn from them. My biggest mistake is to constantly try to throw money at a problem – don’t like this theme? Buy another one. I’ve recognized this tendency to buy my way out of problems, and I’m getting better. (Really horrible problem to have for a website trying to teach how to start earning affiliate income on the cheap!)
Most Important Of All – Have Patience. There’s a very good reason that almost all online companies have affiliate programs – they work! There’s a very good reason people gravitate toward affiliate marketing… I’ve seen millionaires online who publicly say if they had to start all over again, they’d build a website for affiliate marketing.

By following these tips, you can learn to manage information overload and achieve your goals of making money online.

There’s a reason why you’ll constantly hear people talk about “taking action.” It’s all too easy to pretend that you’re busy learning the business, or examining different options… but this doesn’t earn any money – taking action will.