Hang around any internet forum for a while, and you’re sure to read a post from some exhausted, disillusioned ‘apprentice’ internet marketer who is ready to give up.

It’s not only internet forums that carry sad tales of endless hours spent trying to ‘break in’. You’ll often see stories like this in testimonials for a system that has finally worked: relieved buyers tell of their rocky journey before finding the solution that did it for them.

If you’re one of those who are dealing with a fed-up spouse who is urging you to find a ‘real job’, or credit cards that have reached the red zone after huge sums spent on the next sure thing, you may well be getting close to burnout.

What do you do? Keep trying – or give up? And if you do keep trying, how can you know what will work best for you? What is the
best use of the hours you have available to you, without your health suffering?

Here’s a tip to help you find your way through the maze.

1. Work on the Tasks That You Find Easiest – Outsource the Rest.

There are many ways to make money on the Internet, but most of them require you to know how to work with two things: words and websites. When you’re a beginner, focus on working with your strengths. For example, if you are a confident writer but a dud with the technical stuff, spend your time and money wisely. Use sites like Elance.com or Workaholics4Hire.com to find someone to do the things you find difficult. (You could spend a whole day trying to master something an expert could do in twenty minutes.) Instead, let the professionals work on the geeky stuff, while you write your own sales copy and tweak articles to make them unique.

If you’re not so hot with either words or the technical aspects, you have a choice: (a) you can pay others to do most of the work, while you come up with the ideas; or (b) you can invest time to teach yourself necessary skills.

The quickest road to burnout is trying to master everything at once. (“I have to work this stuff out in the next three weeks or get another job!”) Be kind to yourself, and allow yourself whatever training period you need.