Why Most Affiliate Marketers Fail (And It's Not What You Think)
I suggest every aspiring affiliate marketer read "The One Thing" by Gary Keller. It will make you understand why so many people struggle with affiliate marketing. It's not because they picked the wrong niche. It's not because they don't know enough. It's not even because the market is "too saturated." It's because they never commit to ONE thing long enough to get good at it. The book talks about something called the "lie of equality" - the idea that everything matters equally. So we treat every opportunity, every new product launch, every shiny affiliate offer like it deserves our attention RIGHT NOW. Someone launches a new course? Jump on it. See someone crushing it with TikTok? Gotta try that. Hear about a "game-changing" AI tool? Can't miss out. Before you know it, you've got 47 tabs open, 12 half-finished YouTube videos, and you're promoting products you barely understand to an audience that doesn't trust you yet. Here's what Keller says: "Success is sequential, not simultaneous." You don't build multiple income streams at once. You build ONE stream until it's flowing strongly, THEN you add the next one. It's like knocking down dominoes - you can't skip to the big ones. You have to start with the small one right in front of you. The focusing question that changed everything for me: "What's the ONE thing I can do for my affiliate marketing such that by doing it, everything else becomes easier or unnecessary?" For most of you, the answer is probably: Pick ONE affiliate offer and create consistent content around it for 90 days straight. Not 5 offers. Not "testing" different platforms. ONE offer. ONE content platform. 90 days of showing up. The book talks about the "66-day habit" - you only need discipline long enough to build a habit (about 66 days), and then the habit carries you. But most people quit at day 12 when they don't see results yet. Why focus beats hustle every time: Keller breaks down how multitasking is actually killing your productivity. When you switch between tasks, your brain needs time to refocus. Those "quick checks" of other opportunities? They're costing you hours of deep work every single day.