Is a work-at-home business using your computer as your income tool realistic for the average person? First, let me say that I do not believe in the notion of an "average" person. There is no such thing. If there were, we wouldn't have different acumens, different personalities, and different talents. My wife has many exceptional talents. She is extremely intuitive and seems to be able to see right through anyone who is not what they appear to be. But some of the basics (I think) of comprehension have passed her by. After 33 years of marriage I only learned last week that she was unaware of the procedure of putting gas into the car without having to squeeze the lever on the nozzle and keep holding it down. She didn't realize you could slip the lever onto a notch and the flow of gas would shut off automatically when your tank is full. And she's always fulfilled the function putting gas into her car, or ours, when we only had one car and she was driving it.

So on this very cold day she asked if I would mind taking her car to the station down the street to fill it with gas. She told me she couldn't find her gloves and her hands got too cold when holding down the lever. UNBELIEVABLE! How could anyone not know you don't have to keep holding the lever down with your hand? But you know what, I'll bet there are lots of similar functions we take for granted whose utility others do not understand. At the same time, I'm sure there are things we don't understand, or that we do the hard way when a much simpler application is available to us.

What's my point? If we keep thinking the same way we've always thought, we'll keep getting the same results we've always gotten. Einstein said it best. "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."

Having dispelled the notion of "average" let me say that yes it is true that a work-at-home business using your computer as your income tool is realistic for anyone who can read and write and perform the basic functions of life - whether you keep holding the lever down, or you do as I do and slip the lever into the notch on the nozzle while you get back in the car and listen to the ball game on the radio until the tank is full.

But regardless of your acumen, your personality, or your unique talents, to be successful with an on-line business you have to have three important qualities, 1) a willingness to learn, 2) patience, and 3) focus.

You can't just jump into an on-line business opportunity, no matter what it is and no matter what is promised and expect to earn money without first learning something about it. So if you're unwilling to learn don't get started. You'll lose money and you'll get frustrated and angry with yourself and everyone else.

Secondly, if you expect to earn $4000 your first month in an online business you'll be extremely disappointed. If that's what you are promised then that's your first clue that what you are considering is NOT a reputable business. Now if you're internet business savvy and you can bring along contacts and methods from previous ventures then it's a possibility. But for the vast majority of us it's like trying to make a call on a cell phone with no battery. You can punch in all the numbers you want but you won't get through to anyone.

This leads me to my third point, FOCUS. Depending on where you go for the statistics, as many as 97% of people who start an on-line work-at-home business drop out before they have been in the business for even six months. It takes time to learn and patience to put that learning into practice. So if you're unwilling to stay focused, if you'd rather watch "American Idol" every night so you can get in your vote, or if you'd rather stay glued to the TV to watch your favorite team win some and lose some every night you won't succeed. Why?

Back to the simple principle. If you keep thinking the same way you've always thought you'll keep getting what you've always gotten. So making money on-line is really not about acumen, or personality, or talent. Anyone can succeed and realize significant monthly income through the power of FOCUS.

I was reading a passage of scripture recently from the book of Jeremiah. This is what it says. "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how can you manage in the thickets?" YOU HAVE TO STAY FOCUSED!