Guest post by Patrick Foster

Did you know that you can make thousands of dollars each month working from home? You barely need to do anything and the money just rolls in! We’ve all seen the spam that tends to appear in comment sections across the internet, but no one takes it seriously. In fact, that generic comment has become something of a running joke, reflecting a broader perception.

That broader perception? That earning from home is a big deception. Today, the average internet user is more likely to be too skeptical about earning from home than anything else. Can you really blame them? With so many claims flying around, it’s easier to conclude that anything that sounds like it might be too good to be true is definitely false.

That’s why you’ll find plenty of articles dedicated to tearing down the biggest “myths” about earning from home… only there’s a slight problem with that: plenty of them aren’t myths at all. Shockingly enough, they’re actually true — and here’s why.

Passive doesn’t mean comatose

People like to talk about how important it is to have passive income streams. Instead of spending hours every day working on something, you can relax and profit in the process. And it certainly is important, particularly if you’re working on multiple projects at the same time (your free time is limited, of course).

But plenty of naysayers like to kick back against the notion that you can get anywhere with passive income. They’ll say that no one can just set something up online, relinquish control, and make money as a result — and that anyone who says you can is a liar and a cheat.

The issue with that objection is simple: passive doesn’t mean comatose. Even the best passive income stream you can imagine will require you to do something to keep it going. Income streams fall on a spectrum: how much work do they require? How much time? And the distinguishing factor of passive income streams is that they’re very low-maintenance.

All that means is that maintaining your passive income streams won’t eat up your schedule or cause you undue stress. They’ll take work on occasion, but for the most part they’ll stay out of the way of any other ventures you’re pursuing. So is it possible to have valuable passive income streams? Absolutely — they’re not easy to build, but they’re absolutely achievable.

That you can do something doesn’t mean you will

Isn’t it ridiculous when someone says that anyone can make money online? Plenty of people will never make a dime in the online world. They have nothing in particular to offer, and no ideas (more on those things later), and saying that anyone can do it is a sure sign that you’re just trying to exploit someone’s hopes to make some easy money.

But, again, there’s a critical distinction that people miss: between being able to do something and actually doing it. It’s inaccurate to say that anyone can become an NFL quarterback, because if you’re short, thin and in your 80s, then I’m afraid you don’t stand a chance — but it’s entirely fair to say that anyone can earn money online, because there’s no major barrier to entry.

Do you have a computer of some kind, or a smartphone? Access to the internet? Then you can make money online, even if only through offering up your services through a site like Fiverr. You can sell ad space on your website, or sell an ebook, or get monetized on a video-sharing site. You can even do something else entirely and pick up support through a Patreon-style crowdfunding platform.

Ultimately, the most successful people are those who fully commit and branch out as much as possible. And sure, most people are unwilling to be that dedicated — but they could do it if they really tried, and you’re no different.

The internet is bigger than you think

You have to spend money to make money, some readily contend, so the idea that you can bring in revenue online with no startup costs is clearly mistaken. After all, it costs money to run PPC advertising, or hire a copywriter, or use a graphic design service, right? And as for the timeline, it isn’t some get-rich-quick method as some claim: you need to work for months and months just to get the slightest hint of progress.

Well… not quite. There’s some truth there, but it’s quite far off base. Here’s the truth of the matter: the internet is huge, and absolutely packed with tools and resources that are varied, powerful, and often either free or extremely cheap. Start looking for them, and you’ll often be amazed by what you can get done with no meaningful investment.

And if a quick turnaround is what you’re looking for (maybe you’ve quit your job in a rage and you have bills to pay), then you’re still in with a chance: you just need to go about things in the right way. If you can use PPC cost-effectively, it can get your name out there really quickly, as can using social influencers. And through the magic of marketplaces, where you can trade ready-to-go ecommerce stores (combined with the practice of dropshipping, something that allows you to sell products without ever having to buy or stock them), you can become an online merchant within days. Legitimately.

Ideas aren’t that hard to find

Saying that you don’t need an idea to make money online seems bizarre to some. Of course you need an idea! Otherwise, you’re just doing what others have already done, and you’ll never be successful that way — originality is the name of the game.

Wrong! I’ve mentioned how damn big the internet is, and that size makes opportunity. People still open coffee shops and restaurants, even though there are plenty of those already, because they reliably make money and it’s difficult to saturate those markets. And since internet stores don’t take up physical space, it’s even harder to tap out a particular niche (there will always be something that others are missing).

Smart entrepreneurs understand that it’s the execution of a concept, and not the concept itself, that really matters in the end. So if you’re looking for a way to make money online, don’t lock yourself in a room with a pen and paper until you have a radical never-before-seen business idea: see what other people are doing, see which fields are currently successful, and get inspired. By taking a common idea and tweaking it very slightly, you’ll quickly and easily be able to find a workable path to online financial success.

So what “myths” have you read about earning from home, and how convincing do you find the arguments? It certainly isn’t easy to make money online — and anyone who says otherwise definitely is trying to sell you something — but it’s absolutely possible, and totally realistic if you’re smart and follow good advice. So why not give it a try?