Owning your own business is a dream for many people. Being able to call your own shots and set your own hours is certainly an appealing idea. However, often people realize their dream only to discover that, working on their own and running their own business, is much more difficult than they ever expected.

There is a lot more to running your own business than simply working day by day. There are distractions at every turn and often people find it difficult to actually get anything accomplished. For all these people who are struggling, what they need to do is focus.

Usually when you're trying to run your own business, you have more than one project going at once. So the first thing you need to make sure you focus on is one project at a time. Beyond the projects, you also want to make sure you have a very clear focus of what you want to accomplish and how much money you want to make.

Before you can even begin to get focused you first need to make sure you're organized. If you're one of those people who cringes when the word "organization" is mentioned then don't worry. You just need to get organized enough so that you know what needs to get done. This means you need to make a schedule that includes both what you need to complete long-term and what you need to do for that day.

Once you know what you need to get done on a specific day then you need to focus on just those tasks. So break the tasks down even further. How long will each of them take you? When exactly will you work on them? Once you know these things then you just need to focus on each task when you're supposed to be doing it. In other words, don't worry about anything else except what you've planned to focus on.

You want to be able to focus on each project and you also want to keep track of how long each project takes you to complete. Then you need to keep track of how much money you make from each project.

That way you can tell how productive you're being. You can even chart exactly how much money you're making each hour and each day.

This way you'll be able to focus on the projects that are most profitable for you.

When you go into business for yourself, you can quickly lose yourself in the avalanche of everyday tasks and your long-term goals. That's why it's so important to focus on exactly what you want to do.

Becoming focused and staying that way will help you know exactly what needs to be done each day so that you are productive each day.

Focus will also help you complete your long-term goals faster and focus will allow you to know how much money you are making per day, per week, and per project.

Focus will help you be more successful daily and with your entire business.

To your Long Term Success.

Allister Mills,  Business and Life Skills Coach

A.M. International Learning

Hear are some ideas from my buddy Chris.

10 Ideas To Make You Money In 2010...

by Chris Farrell

When building an online business - a lot of people make the mistake of finding (what they believe to be) a popular product first. And then trying to find a market for it.

This process should be reversed - find a MARKET first - that spends money - and THEN introduce related products.

As we get close to 2010 - here are 10 markets to watch.

Ten markets that are thriving - even in this crazy economy.

Is there something here that lights a fire under you?

·         Baby Boomers.

Pretty much EVERY business associated with aging - is booming. You name it - catered tea parties - computer assistance - senior dating sites. Businesses aimed at retiring boomers is, well, booming.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics - the aging services industry (as it is known) - makes up three of the top 10 fastest growing employment growth. (I even mentionned this is Accountability Month as you may have heard).

Do you have a skill that may be of interest to Boomers? Could you create a simple service - product - that boomers would be interested in?

In 20 years - seniors will comprise 20% of the US population. Many entrepreneurs are currently creating 'silver' services as they are aware of this. Could you?

·         Going Green.

• Clean and green - is the new kid on the block right now. The stimulus plan (here in the US) poured billions into renewable energy.

·         For the first time EVER - Venture Capitalists (these are guys that invest and fund projects) invested MORE into Green Industries - than they did in the last ten year favorite - web and tech products.

·         If the money being thrown around is any indication - this is just the tip of the (melting) iceberg (!)

·         The Recession.

Who would have thought - the recession - is big business.

Here's an AMAZING statistic. In 2009 - almost 10% of those that gained employment during the Recession - did it by starting their OWN business (Note from Chris -- I can personally vouch for this as well - I launched this site on March 28 2009).

In 2008 - this figure was 2.7%

Sunwest Bank - a bank that caters to entrepreneurs - upped it's assets by $150 million in 2009.

Half of TODAY'S Fortune 500 companies - were started in a recession. Ten years from now - there will be a slew of companies that we will point to and say they were started in the 2009 recession.

A ton of people want to know about how to start a business - working from home - affordable tax planning etc etc. Virtual Assistants is a rapidly growing industry too.

Is this working-from-home market something you could tap into? Do you have skills in this area you could create your own product about?

It's a booming market - and will only increase in 2010 as more want to work for themselves.

·         Trading Down.

Did you know - we spend on average $57 a day (taking into account everything - bills - mortgage - food etc etc).

This is down 30% from this time last year.

30% !! Wall-Mart (a 'cheaper' store here in the US) had an increase of 5% this year. Neiman-Marcus (an 'expensive' store here in the US) have losses of 14.8%

Resale shops are booming. So are exchange shops.

Now is not the time to start a luxury dog wash service -- but identifying an opportunity in the 'trading down' market could be very lucrative.

·         Life Support.

Despite trading down -- more people than ever are paying professionals to do domestic chores.

Taking care of the kids - checking in on mom - coaching the Sunday football league - cleaning the house. This is something of a surprise considering the recession - but the figures are there.

Revenue for driving schools in up 4% - so is sports coaching.

How about a tutoring business? Could you tap into the demand of this in your local area?

·         Education.

Here's something I never thought I'd say -- I miss school!

And it seems I am not the only one. Whereas when I was 17 I could not wait to leave school and get into the world -- now I can't stop studying and educating myself with new skills.

And it would appear - I am by no means alone.

Huge numbers of people are training themselves in new skills.

The statistics say it's more than likely the job you are doing now you will not be doing in 5 years. Think about that for a second...

A job for life? That doesn't exist anymore.

More people than ever are doing complete U-turns - and trying a completely brand new occupation/business.

Computer classes are up 95%! 95%!!!

Whereas Internet Marketing has yet to really take off big time in colleges and schools - mark my words - IT WILL!!

Could you learn a few skills (as you are doing) and get proficient enough to teach them?

You only need to get good at ONE thing - and do it well.

An example for you - how about Keywords? Study them - master them - understand them - and you have a skill that people will pay you good money to know.

·         Health and Wellness.

Are you in the losing weight market? Did you know in January Weight Watchers have a 99% jump in hits on their website. January is the time to market your weight website.

And what do you think the No 1 growing industry in the US was - from 2004 to 2009?

The web?

Nope.

Green issues?

Guess again.

Ready for the answer...

....Home care. This means that the Preventive Care market is HUGE. Are you interested in this area - health - alternative therapies - healing - reiki?

·         Booze.

We're still drinking like fish - only now we are doing it at home with cheaper booze. The alcoholic beverage industry has been growing steadily for the past three years.

Make you own booze? Home brewing kits? It's a booming market ladies and gentlemen. Hic.

·         Local, Local, Local.

Demand is exploding for locally grown and made products.

Here's something we didn't think we'd see - but mom and pop stores are enjoying a revival. Farmers Markets are HUGE (at least they are here in the US). Over 5000 take place every weekend.

Nearly 60% of supermarket shoppers - say they also use Farmers Markets. We are all becoming socially conscious.

·         PETS.

Nobel Laureate Albert Schweitzer once said - 'There are two means of refuge from the misery of life: music and cats'.

Maybe he was onto something.

The recession may have demolished the manufacturing and financial services - but the pet industry?

Totally fine!

We may be skimping on ourselves - but not on our pets

So - there you go.

Is your mind swimming with ideas?

Or at least - a bit of food for thought?

The reason I wanted to compile this for you -- is because as a business or future business owner - it is important you get used to thinking differently - and training yourself to see opportunities.

Once you start doing this - you will never stop.

It's an amazing feeling.

Something with 'click' in your head -- and you will start looking at everything differently.

Problems no longer will exist - they will become opportunities.

Richard Branson famously once spent a morning hitting redial on a phone - to try and get through to a airplane operator - but kept getting the busy tone.

But he didn't get frustrated - he saw an opportunity. And Virgin Atlantic was born.

Ok - so that's an extreme example - but you get my point.

I am already seeing many members slowly but surely building their web business - getting sign ups and making money. Almost every day there is another success story posted on the forum.

Sure it will take work - anything worth achieving does.

But you are by no means alone.

I and everyone else here - are with you.

So go and grab a coffee - and start thinking about 2010.

It's going to be a very exciting year - if you choose it to be....

For more information on this subject, or other subjects, go to AM International Learning's website now.