The Triumph of the Stupid
Give me a minute before I explain the title “The Triumph of the Stupid”, to talk about TRAFFIC for a second.
You know already that in the survey I ran, 91% of everyone who responded said that Traffic was their first or second MOST IMPORTANT thing they needed to make their online business a success.
So I got to thinking about why that is. Why is getting Internet TRAFFIC such a PROBLEM for you?
And I started thinking about why some OTHER people never have a problem with traffic. Some are famous (Kern, Filsaime, Mandossian) and some are totally unknown. Either way, this group of people KNOWS EXACTLY how to get hordes of people to their site.
But I’ll tell you something shocking. It’s not because they are so SMART.
No, it’s because they are … STUPID.
And I’ve got PROOF. You’ll find it here:
http://www.TheTriumphofTheStupid.com
And once you see the proof, there’s an ebook waiting for you that will dive deeper into why YOUR OWN INTELLIGENCE and creativity are keeping you from the online SUCCESS YOU DESERVE.
This sounds like a joke — and to be honest, I’m sure you’ll laugh a little at the beginning — but the subject is extremely serious — and important to me.
It should be important to YOU, too, unless your online business is just a hobby.
By the end, you’ll be saying what these other people have said:
“Everything you said is absolutely
relevant and vital for becoming
successful in the world of online
business.”
“Once again you have shown sincere care
for the problems of people. I like your no
nonsense approach!”
“Great work Mark! You are the first
marketer that I truly believe is in
this business to help people succeed. In
fact I think I’m gonna unsubscribe from
all those other self professed gurus
that place my wallet ahead of my
success.”
So go now, see the proof, and read the ebook that is there waiting for you.
http://www.TheTriumphofTheStupid.com
It’s free to you — I’m not asking for a penny — so go get it now.
I truly care what happens next to you.
To Your Success,
–Mark Widawer
p.s. Once you read the book, let me know: did it offend you? Did it help you? Whatever your throughts, leave your comments below.
OMG, Mark! GREAT content… it definitely hits your message home and by HIT… I mean CLOBBER! I have been too “smart” for my own good and boy oh boy I’m ready to be “stupid”… your little book (I liked that because some of us smart people are reading massive documents and thinking that makes them smarter) actually helped me realize – QUICKLY – the things I’ve been doing that are great for “smart” people, but not so good for the “stupid” ones… i.e., purchasing many programs, starting things and not finishing – multi-tasking is my middle name! – and just plain getting DISCOURAGED. Thanks so much for helping me to see that I truly need to focus on getting one thing done before moving to the next… just one thing: WHAT DO I DO FIRST???????????????? ;)
Entertaining read full of hard hitting facts!
Probably the greatest mistake made in starting out online, I know I was as guilty as many of the posters before me.
Great resource,
Cheers.
I have finished reading the books and watching the videos.
I know how to get my pages onto the first page of Google and I target the niche market just as you show in Diagram “D”, but unfortunately I am guilty of never finishing a project properly before I start the next one and like you say, it’s like starting all over again when I go back to the project after a few weeks.
I’m going to start writing thing down and make a “What to do list”. People think am just dreaming about my goals because they take forever to get finished but I know now that I wasn’t dreaming. Thank you for waking me from the nightmare I was having.
Holy *rap! Thank you! I’ve had this niggling thought rattling around my brain that maybe I’m too smart. I know that sounds immodest. ‘Cause that brings up the old saw, “If you’re so smart,
how come you’re not rich?” Anyway, you hit the nail on the head and drove it home.
>>Eric
The KISS method revisited… Great read! I too am too smart for my own good wealth. I will go back and actually open the first product I purchased from you and have never even opened… not funny.
Michael Eisbrener
305-421-3165
Excellent — and timely — information Mark. Thank you.
I have been thinking about issues like these a lot lately.
You see, I have been guilty of doing too many projects at once, leaving most in various states of incompletion.
I thought I could handle it… I thought I was “smart,” you might say.
But in reality, having multiple projects was really just a way for me to avoid the challenging bits of one project by switching over to the easier parts of a different project.
Over the past couple years, I have learned a lot about marketing and invested heavily in my education — in both time and money.
I believe I now have enough knowledge to succeed, or at least get started on the road to success.
And although I have been doing, now it is time to FOCUS the use of what I have learned.
Ironically, that means (in addition to other things) cutting out distractions like the dozen or so email relationships with various marketers’ mailing lists, including yours.
So while that means bidding farewell for the moment, I will fondly remember your insight and integrity, Mark. Thank you for that, and keep up your important work.
And know that I will be back some day, just as soon as I have COMPLETED a project. :-)
Best wishes,
Chuck
The book was great! It really helped me get back on the right track. I have been working the site listed, but my “multi-tasking” of it, prospecting people for my business, and my full time job has taken me a few months to get 7 pages done. Thanks for the re-motivation.
Key Learning
1. Start and finish vs Multi-tasking.
2. Gimmick value of calling internet marketing experts stupid – fascinated me and made me click through from Jeff Herring’s newsletter.
3. Need to document a system to make everything happen.
I look forward to reading more of your wisdom, after I’ve begun my Action Plan!
A big thank you
Ann
Thanks for this book, Mark! It was a great, quick read that cuts the fat from the bone and provides excellent advice….anyone wishing to start or re-start their website would benefit greatly from this.
Hi Mark,
Kind of what we say all of the time
“Life is simple, people complicate it.”
We enjoyed the article. It allowed us to re-confirm our focus.
Thanks,
– Pat & Lorna
http://www.PatAndLorna.com
Mark,
I don’t have a web site as yet, but I have been toying with this for way too long now. I just finished reading your article and I’m feeling very stupid. I like the feeling much better than I used to. Thank you so much. This has helped me a great deal. I am on my way.
Michael
Mark, good insights as always. I joined the stoopit Mike Filsiaime here in NY over the last couple months and right now we are doing the launch of http://trafficfusion.com with full focus. We are all in the conference room together all working on our parts of what needs to happen for a launch of this size. Hope you talked with Joe J and have your bonus for your clients.
I have seen exactly what you were talking about with too many projects going and losing interest as they just did not seem like they would make the quick bucks promised and left by the wayside.
I look forward to more information on your “First on Done” series.
Keep up the good work.
Rick Dearr
V.P. Operations
MikeFilsaime.com Inc.
Mike Filsaime, Frank Kern, John Reese, etc. Stupid!!
Just who was this guy telling me all the top gurus were stupid. I couldn’t resist. You got me. Hook, line and sinker.
I think this was the first time ever that after clicking a link from an email that I followed each and every step right through to the end of the ebook and then felt that I had to immediately post a response.
I have to agree with everyone else that the information you presented in this ebook was exceptional, eye opening, timely, thought provoking, and insultingly true.
My lack of focus IS my biggest problem. You gave me the stupidly simple answer to the constant distractions. I am going to “Play Stupid”.
To steal a line from “Larry the Cable Guy” of the “Blue Comedy Tour” I just need to “Gitter Done”.
Thanks Mark for that slap upside the head that I needed to remind me that by taking only one step at a time I will reach my destination of success.
Richard
Mark,
Good book that really rings true for me. Often I have so many things going on, or that I feel I should be doing, that I get very little actually completed. I usually resort to lists that require me to complete an item before I can cross it off!
Thanks for understanding the problem so well.
Jim
Great stuff Mark – an elaboration of K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid). I certainly needed this reminder.
Thanks, Mark
Your little ebook is a reminder that it’s not all that complicated and doing something imperfectly is better than doing nothing. I’m an info junkie if I let myself be, and would gather information indefinitely if I didn’t rein myself in. I’m printing out your book and keeping it on my desktop as a reminder to JUST DO IT.
Thanks,
Wes
Incredible Mark!! I could totally relate to so much of what you said, it was very inspiring!!
I am going to put a little note on my monitor that says – KISS!! (Keep it Simple Stupid)
Thanks so much!
Trish Oleary
Thank you Mark! Probably the best advice one could get. Should be a mandatory first read for getting started with anything in online ventures.
Kind of humbling when you read it. It’s like you’ve been following me around for the last year. And taking notes.
It can be universally applied also. Basics first. You’ve read it before but it didn’t stick. You just opened my eyes. Thanks again Mark.
Once again you have smacked us in the head with succinct advice that we can and should apply today.
Well done. I’m looking forward to the next step you’ve got for us.
Bryan
Ugh…I even can’t believe this is my second comment on people’s blog even though I know how to write comments since long ago. It’s just seems like so hard even to write a comment…may be I should shift my mind to do the things I want to do as procrastination work instead of procrastinated ones.
oh man…I got U.A.A.D.D (ultra advanced ADD)…
Looks like more and more people got ADD since internet intoduced
…
I almost didn’t read this report as I really didn’t like the word stupid in the title and the promotion. However, I suspected stupid was a reference to how we work and not our intellect.
The report is an easy read and has valuable advice. I remember attending The System seminar a number of times and the first one ever attended, I heard the single most important formula to understand related to marketing is traffic and conversion…build traffic and convert traffic to customers.
You report reminds us of the fundamentals of building traffic and converting that traffic. For you and your readers I mention I am seeing results with video that I personally have not experienced with other techniques. All are welcome to view the entire training series at http://www.youtubemastery.net
Steve Pohlit, President
International Business Consulting Resources
http://irconsultinginc.com
Steve Pohlits last blog post..How To Use The Robust Cauliflower Conference Call System For Your Business
Hey Mark,
We read your eBook and as relative newbies — we began just 3 1/2 years ago after having been therapists — what moved us most was the simplicity of what you say and how you say it. We are the smart ones and we were burdened by our smartness. What we took from your eBook was a better vision of just how simple it is, or at least can be. It’s not that we haven’t heard it before, it’s how you said it that made a difference. Thanks.
Judith Sherven & Jim Sniechowski
Bridging Heart & Marketing
http://www.bridgingheartandmarketing.com
Mark – awesome piece! Thank you for the reminder to get the FOCUS and keep it. You are so right on target with the ideas of our smartness getting in our way (you already knew that!)
I translate “conocer” as “to know OF” something rather than to know it. I like how you use that as an example.
“When the student is ready, the teacher who was always there becomes visible.” This is my version of the old adage about teachers and students. Thank you for pulling back the veil to reveal the teacher standing there saying, “FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS”
Peace,
JudyO
How To Brew Beer
Hi, Mark,
You missed one: smart people think they can accomplish more in less time even when they’re just learning!
That’s been my particular nemesis. The ebook is great and right on. I’m going to recommend it to the members of my mastermind groups.
Thanks for the excellent work!
John The Geek
http://MarketingTechSecrets.com/?tots
Good bit of writing, Mark.
In a sense you are applying the basic principles of focus, goal setting/completion that many of us know but often fail to apply to the fast moving web marketing world. But those principles are still the same.
Thanks for the entertaining and effective reminder.
Hi Mark
I’ve been in the virtual game for a few months now, I am being sold to all the time while learning virtual reality so when I popped into your article, I was pleasantly surprised to learn a great deal and remember the basics, how refreshing. I’m going to set to work and KISS.
Thanks for a great share.
Lorraines last blog post..The Palace and Parliament – behind the scenes
That was brilliant – simple language, easy to follow and straight to the point! Funny enough I felt like I was reading about myself! Very helpful!! Thank you!
Hi Mark,
Being the ultimate newbie, with no web-site as yet, I’m researching all avenues in preparation for my future highly profitable on-line business. Your practical incitefull ebook is exactly what I need to hear, initiate and implement.
Thank you for sharing your wisedom with us.
Regards,
Patricia
Am I You or, Are You Me?
I’ve just finished reading your TOTS report and just could not believe how accurately you described me and all my faults, so much so I had to stop and ask myself “Am I You – or Are You Me”?
Like most people who have been online any length of time their mailbox is full of messages all crying out for their attention, all offering the ‘silver bullet’ or ‘the secret’, resulting in ‘information overload’ and no action.
It’s because I’ve let this situation become a habit, in fact an habitual habit, that I’ve spent in excess of $20,000 on reports, courses, cd’s, dvd’s, etc etc none of which I’ve read completely or watched, or listened to, from beginning to end.
It’s the same habit that has taken every spare minute of the last six years of my life – with very little to show for it! And almost destroyed the relationship with the person who I hold very dear to me – almost!
However I’m now making a concious effort to wean myself away from this addiction and break this habit.
Because of this I ignored all your recent mailings relating to your upcoming traffic course, although I have bought and own many of your other products and can recommend them all.
However last night something made me read your latest blog post, watch the video and download ‘The Triumph of The Stupid” report.
It was the first thing I opened and read this morning.
I’ve just finished – the effect it had on me was the same as the effect the ‘E-myth Revisited’ had on you!
I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been and now realize, as you say, “I’m way too smart to be successful online”.
However one of my strengths is persistence so, I will be on this course, providing of course it’s within my means.
I NEED to “GET MY FIRST ONE DONE” even if it’s just to salvage some self respect.
Regards
Smart but Stupid
PS – ‘Forrest Gump’ was one of my favorite movies also.
Mark! Two thumbs up xD
Many thoughts of gratitude and laughter, a little bit of tears and one sentence of thank you.
“You made my day.”
TOTS was great reading. It really ‘spoke’ to me. But I believe you’ve found the key. We’ve all ‘heard’ and ‘seen’ what we need to do online, but it’s the first hands-on “getting it done” experience that is our biggest hurdle to getting our business off the ground. And I like that you modularize the training to focus on one specific skill at a time. But, alas, I will have to forgo this training session on Traffic as I have just joined Eben Pagan’s Wake Up Productive program and I don’t want to get caught up more training than I can handle successfully.
Aloha,
Will
Mark!
Brilliantly written, very wise. Your report does a great job of “putting a fire under my ass!” I’m pumped up just reading it. Thank you for reminding me that I just need to get my hands dirty and do work!!
Cheers,
James Wedmore
P.S. “Del dicho al hecho, hay un gran trecho” is NOW my Quote of the Week!!
Great! Thanks Mark! Now I have to go back over all those wesite one by one and make the damned thigs work, starting with the one I made in 2000 that still gets very little traffic and makes about $1 per month.
I figure that I should be done in about 10 months after checking the SEO and getting links and traffic to each of them.
Still I should be pretty good at it by then and I might be making enough money to have a rest.
Oh well, must stop reading blogs until it’s all done.
Thanks Mark,
I enjoyed reading “Triumph of the Stupid”. Good point about things left on the shelf. I keep working at this stuff maybe I’ll do something with it someday.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Mark,
I enjoying reading every word of TheTriumphofTheStupid and parts made me laugh. I am working on my web page, and I can’t wait to tell you about it.
Thanks,
Dianna
Hi Mark,
I have ONE e-book to recommend to ALL the people online … “The Triumph of the Stupid!”
This gets down to the REAL problem of why most people are not successful online and even offline! You know, Mamma was right about those box of chocolates, lol!
Hi Mark,
Just finished TOTS, very on target. I see me in a lot of what you are talking about. I decided to give you a post from my experience with TOTS and the first person who posted, MacEwan, is some one who I am connected with on some social pages from early on. Good validation for both of us. He got here earlier and I made it too!
A while back I came to the realization that I needed to focus on one project at a time.
First was to get my basic site and blog up and on line. Its been up for a few months and is currently seeing 3700+ hits a month. Not a lot yet, but functional with no product.
THEN, to develop a product and a sales page. That is now done. This is only getting 35 hits this past week and mostly spyders and bots.
Your process is great for getting traffic, only I seem to have missed how to capture this great rush of traffic and also noticed that on my site I am missing that aspect too! OOPS!
I now see that my next project should be how to capture this traffic information, then increase the volume of traffic – directories – social pages – more articles – basically back to the beginning of the circle of stupid, AND write down each step so that I have my own manual of operation.
Thanks Mark, looking forward to more of your information.
Keith
Keith Halls last blog post..Learn Self Hypnosis
Thank you Mark. This is one of the most inspiring and inspired words I have read.
Thanks for showing me the direction my online efforts should take.
Hi
I have saved a launch of my product because of your advices in your book. thanks a lot. Maybe I am became more stupid now. Thanks
Hi Mark,
My projects had bogged down and I needed this to get going again. It reminded me of the old aftershave commercial where the guy gets slapped in the face. Then he says, thanks, I needed that. That is what this did for me.
Thanks,Gotta go to work now!
It is fabulous. As I read it I thought you wrote it for me. I’ve spent over $5,000 buying info about how to make money on the internet. I think your report will help me. Thank you so very much.
Thanks Mark! I need to reread this regularly. When I used to coach, I used the phrase,”the curse of talent”. Meaning? People who have a lot of talent may be cursed in two ways. 1. they can do too many things well so they never specialize and develop anyone area fully. 2. Even when they focus in one area, they can achieve a fairly high level of performance quickly and never develop the discipline and practice habits to develop to their highest potential level.
All that still applies to me only in the internet marketing/website development arena. Thanks again for the reminder. -Val
Hi Mark,
great inspiration to those of us who are just getting started, didnt find it offensive cause it makes alot of sense.
thanks
Hi Mark
A tear came to my eye at the part about you crying while reading the ‘E-Myth Revisited’ (guess we both cried at the same point in the book!)
I also started to choke at the story of your wife’s attitude to her way forward.
I am going to take the next positve step of completing one of the uncompleted courses I subscribed to in the past (just hope I don’t blubber my way through it :)
Joking aside… your article was every bit as emotionally powerful as that point in Micheal Gerbers book.
Thank you for your insights and the experience I had through reading them.
Hi Mark
Just read the book…yep i have been guilty of this myself and sure a lot of people have. A refreshing change to the usual material wish i’d read it years ago
All the best
Hi Mark,
This e-book is really amazing. Why? because, in my situation, I have bought lots of e-books, but they did never teach me the “experience” concept.
In other words, I just learned the word “saber” but never learned the word “conocer” because they do not want to assist you step by step. There is no commitment.
So, for sure I will be waiting for your “First One Done” series.
Cheers,
Tomas
Mexico City.
Hi Mark
I’m VERY new at this. Google adsense just rejected my blog because “Page type: We’re unable to approve your AdSense application at this time
because we feel that your site does not comply with the Google webmaster
quality guidelines. More specifically, we believe that your site does not
add value or provide unique content.
Not that I even understand all of this yet. Thanks for your advice and guidlines. I just need to get “the fist one done” Focusing on one project at a time.
I’m not giving up. Many thanks
Nell van der Loo
South Africa
Hi Mark,
Thanks for such a great ebook. It’s hard to be offended by the truth. I don’t know how long i’ve had your ebook, but this morning I was in the process of clearing clutter from my laptop when I came across it. I finally took the ime to read it. How timely! I have several unfinished projects and my mind goes in so many directions that I want to do everything. Today I am ready to become stupid. Thanks for the inspiration. I have chosen my one project to work on until it is complete.
LaTricia
Hello Mark,
Thanks for the book and most importantly for sharing such a “down to earth” advice!
I am in my transition from a knowledge worker to become an entrepreneur, and it’s not so easy.
Our brain has been “trained” to jump from one thought to the next in a flip of a second, maybe because we watch too much TV or maybe because we think we are more efficient in doing so.
Doing is what makes things happen, take action and learn from the results is the way forward. Maybe we all suffer from information overload, while I call it “collection information syndrome” we collect stuff, although never have the time to process it.
It’s time to focus more on doing and learning from the results, it’s time to become a child again and playing and learning to enjoy the ride again. It’s time to doit now.
See you again when my first one is done.
Luis
Mark,
I rediscovered “The Triumph of the Stupid” while in the process of figuring out why I have all that stuff on my desktop. Your book was in that stuff.
You’re right – I’m too smart for my own good! This year I’m going to try to be stupid smart.
I’m going to start by posting a link to The Triumph of the Stupid on my blog so other novices can benefit from your insight.
Ed