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Building Character For Online Success

https://www.donnamerrilltribe.comI’ve heard it said that some people just don’t have the character traits required to succeed online. They might not have the vision it takes to create a clear business plan. Maybe they never finish what they start, or fall apart too easily when things go wrong. Some people just keep putting things off until they lose sight of what their goals were to begin with.

These people are often said to “lack character”.

 

What Is Character?

It’s pretty much agree in the industry that 97% of the people who seek online success, end up in failure.

Do they all “lack character”?

The truth is, failing to achieve online success does not mean you don’t have character. Everyone has character.

 

Here’s the real issue.

Do you have a “success” character or a “failure” character. Some people have an “I won’t even try” character.

You see, you don’t just “have” a certain character. Your character is simply a profile of the values and principles you’ve come to live by.

Your character is best described by what you do with your time, not what you believe you should do. It’s about how you do what you do, not how you wish you could.

 

So what is your character?

 

In other words, who are you? Have you you ever considered getting to know yourself from the inside out?

I’m not talking about what you’ve accomplished, how attractive you are, how great you are in sales, or terrible at public speaking. I’m talking about drilling deep into your core. Drilling deep enough to see the stuff you are really made of.

I’m talking about coming face to face with your chosen values and principles. For all the public posturing you do, it is those values and principles that form the real anchor in your life.

 

Have You “Got What It Takes” For Online Success?

We’ve heard this one before: “I need time to find myself”.

People come online seeking to create an income stream or two. But they often spend far too much time just trying to “discover” who they are, what their passion is, and what works best with their character.

In fact, your don’t really “find” yourself at all. Your character is not something to be discovered because it’s something you already created.

You may have been born with certain talents and predispositions, but you created who you are, what “character” you decided to inhabit.

Maybe you decided because of the education you received, or because of music and movies you were exposed to, or the values you parents, friends or other role models live by.

It doesn’t matter where they came from.

What’s important is to know that this “character” that you breathe life into every day is one that you’ve chosen to be. Now, you come to the internet seeking “online success.” Is the character you created up to the challenge?

To answer that question, you have to take a step backwards and ask another one first.

What character traits do you need to possess in order to achieve online success?

 

Maybe some of these:

  • Persuasiveness
  • Diligence
  • Resilience
  • Persistence
  • Responsible
  • Risk taker

 

That’s a short list of “what it takes”. You can come up with others, and you should.

Do a little research, ask and look around.  

Then make your own list of the character traits you think you need for online success.

 

Invent Your Character For Online Success

Now that you’ve got your list of online success “character traits”, it’s time to infuse them into the living “character” that you embody.

Remember, you don’t need to discover or “find” yourself. You need to invent yourself.

By this, I mean that you need to invent the character you need to be for online success. You can’t just wish for that, or “find” it if it doesn’t exist.

 

You need to

  • invent your character
  • give it exactly the traits it requires
  • shape it to live your online success story
  • bring it into existence
  • breathe life into it
  • watch your character walk the path you’ve decreed

 

Make believe you are Dr. Frankenstein. You need to invent the creature, the character that you want. But instead of building it with arms, legs, and a brain from others, you build it with the character traits you’ve listed. Those you’ve borrowed from others, read about in books or seen in meditation or prayer.

Put it all together and become “your own person”. Your own success story. Your own character, ready to roam the earth and achieve online success.

In future posts, I think I’ll delve into some of the character traits I think are necessary for online success.

What character traits are on your list? What sort of character have you invented, or might you like to? Is it roaming the earth yet, or still in the lab?

 

I’d love to hear your comments and have your social shares.

Blessings,

-Donna

Donna Merrill
Donna is a well known blogger and creator of "Blogging Magic" - an intensive guide to blogging. "Blogging Magic" is for beginners who are trying to figure out how to bring their blogs to life with tons of visits, comments and social media interaction. It's even for advanced bloggers looking to reach new levels of authority and engagement with their audience.

50 Responses to Building Character For Online Success

  1. Nathaniel Kidd
    Twitter:
    July 11, 2014 at 8:02 pm #

    Great point Donna about inventing ourselves. You have layed out some of the key characteristics we need to ensure is a part of our character. These are characteristics that are vital if we want to be successful online. We already know who we are but it takes more than that to have online success. We now have to embody those characteristics that you mentioned here. Thanks for sharing.
    Nathaniel Kidd recently posted..Save Money on Buying SoftwareMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill July 11, 2014 at 11:36 pm #

      Hi Nathaniel,

      Our character is reflected all the time. There are some key characteristics we do need to communicate well. If we have a block..we need to fix it 🙂

      Glad you liked this,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Sidebar BlindnessMy Profile

  2. Leslie Denning
    Twitter:
    May 29, 2014 at 9:17 pm #

    Hi Donna. I agree that people can create their own character and develop any character traits they want. I like the idea of being Dr. Frankenstein and putting all the pieces together. Makes it sound like a fun project instead of hard work. Thanks for sharing.

    All the best,
    Leslie
    Leslie Denning recently posted..Day 3: Determine Your PrioritiesMy Profile

  3. Donna Merrill May 18, 2014 at 12:52 pm #

    Hi Jeevan,

    Thank you for adding so much value to this discussion. Character traits are something that we can improve. Yes, it takes a lot of determination and it isn’t easy to do.

    But once we recognize something within ourselves that stops us from moving forward to what we want to achieve in our life, it is time to sit down with ourselves and make a decision.

    Deciding what to do about it is, to me the first step. Then trying any way we can to change it, even deep within our subconscious.

    I think it is not so much procrastination for you at this time Jeevan, but more like overload. You have been doing so much. Sometimes our body signals us to take a break. So maybe it is time to do so and clear your mind of everything. Then come back and get rolling. We will be here! lol

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  4. Jeevan Jacob John
    Twitter:
    May 15, 2014 at 6:24 pm #

    Great post, Donna 😀

    Yes, our world has a bad behavior of trying to define everything….societies define a successful person by the character traits he/she has (which is fine, to an extent, at least). But, having certain traits doesn’t guarantee success….and not having something doesn’t mean we won’t succeed, it might just make the journey a bit more difficult.

    Our character come along with our lives…the people around us, our culture – all help to form our character (No one is a born racist right? Everyone learns it….is it their fault? If a child learns from his/her parent? Whose fault is that?).

    So, character is something we can’t really control…but we can make conscious decisions about it. Change ourselves (And that might just be the hardest thing in the world!).

    I have often seen this in my own life…it’s just easier to think about changing something, right? It’s a lot harder when we try to change it (Character traits again – are we persistent? Are we going to be patient?).

    I remember the old saying – “If character is lost, everything is lost” (Well, that was the last bit).

    Anyways, thank you for sharing this with us, Donna 🙂

    I am having some troubles right now (procrastinating a lot lately)..part of my mind says that I am doing it consciously (which makes sense to me), taking a slight break from everything.

    I do have big plans for the summer…so, a part of my mind is worried.

    But, I think everything will work out. Hopefully!
    Jeevan Jacob John recently posted..Tips To Sleeping More EfficientlyMy Profile

  5. Kyle Nelson
    Twitter:
    May 12, 2014 at 10:48 am #

    Hey Donna, such an amazing article on know what it takes to be successful online. The only thing i would add is possibly changing up the characteristic of being a “risk taker” to one that takes calculated risks. What I have learned are the ones that just “take risks” usually dont get very far but if you analyze before hand and calculate all the different scenarios that can come from taking a risk it can go a long way! 🙂
    Kyle Nelson recently posted..A Strong Future For Infographic MarketingMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 12, 2014 at 1:07 pm #

      Hi Kyle,

      Thank you for adding that! Risk taking is an important character to be successful. Taking risks is part of it all. I’m so glad you mentioned that.

      Those who fear risk taking end up on a dry plateau. Never going to the next level.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  6. Donna Merrill May 11, 2014 at 1:00 pm #

    Hi Sue,

    I too was introverted and lacked confidence as a child. But it bothered me so much, that I went out and did something about it. From reading self help books to therapy and even hypnosis, I fought my way to over come that.

    I believe that when something inside of us stands in our way, and bothers us, we need to get out there and do something about it.

    As for being online, it is a carefully selected choice. We can be honest and ourselves, but cannot be an “Open book” when it comes to certain issues such as politics and such. I personally keep all that to myself.

    As for showing yourself that you are still learning is what a “guru” does! he he he. It is impossible to know all the answers. And as a leader, we must make that a point. If I have a person that asks a question I do not know, I will simply tell them “I don’t know…but…I dig up the answer for you” When I do that, I find that my clients appreciate it.

    Thanks for your wonderful comment.

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  7. Sue Bride
    Twitter:
    May 11, 2014 at 12:34 am #

    Choices do indeed build our character and one of those choices is allowing ourselves to continue learning from others. As children we are molded by our environment and people close to us but adults sometimes get stuck in the same ways of thinking and behaving we learned when young.

    I was not happy with being an introverted person who lacked confidence and social skills so had the motivation to change and it is an ongoing process.

    Portraying yourself online is yet another learning experience, especially when you are trying to sell yourself and your services. You need to learn which parts of yourself to emphasize and which do you keep private, while still bringing out your true character, and being honest and true to yourself. I am still learning and need people like you to help.

    I look forward to your next post especially now I have just shown everyone that I am still learning and not a guru 🙂
    Sue Bride recently posted..Top 5 Types of Blogging CommunitiesMy Profile

  8. Marquita Herald
    Twitter:
    May 10, 2014 at 10:46 am #

    Love this article Donna! Could not agree with you more about how we are creating our character everyday with every choice we make. For over a decade I was a small business coach and while sometimes there were issues of internal limiting beliefs, most of the time the biggest stumbling block to success was lack of clear cut priorities. To this day when someone says to me “I just didn’t have time” I hear “It just wasn’t important enough.”
    Marquita Herald recently posted..What Do You Stand For?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 11, 2014 at 12:36 pm #

      Hi Marquita,

      Indeed when you hear that phrase “I just didn’t have the time” I too hear “It just wasn’t important enough” When coaching, that is one important phrase we need to listen to. I’ve heard that one so many times.

      We have to pay attention to those limiting beliefs when working with others, and bring it to their attention so that they can overcome that stumbling block. If they are willing, they will succeed. If not, err… well….we know where their future lies.

      Thanks so much,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  9. Rachel Lavern
    Twitter:
    May 8, 2014 at 11:04 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    I believe that the same character traits that make a good leader help to acquire online success.

    When prospects make a decision to follow your leadership, they primarily do it because of either your character or your skills. They want to know if you are the type of person they want to follow and if you possess the skills to help them grow. I would say that some of those character traits are being trustworthy, optimistic about the future, can see when there is a need for change and happily embrace it and willing to take risks.
    Rachel Lavern recently posted..Leverage Your Time for ProfitMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 9, 2014 at 3:21 pm #

      Hi Rachel,

      Thank you for adding your wise words to this group. People will only follow us if we are trustworthy and optimistic about the future. If those traits are not in our character, they will not be attracted to anything you have to offer.

      I think risk taking is one of the strongest traits in character to be successful about anything we want to do.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  10. Allison Wilson
    Twitter:
    May 8, 2014 at 7:51 am #

    motivational+Awesome post. Thanks for sharing with us. You beautifully explained the term “Character” , Nice!!
    Allison Wilson recently posted..Top 10 Crowdfunding Websites For Your Next Dream ProjectMy Profile

  11. Carol B
    Twitter:
    May 7, 2014 at 2:48 pm #

    Great wisdom Donna! I never thought about this at all. But after reading this post, I realize that I really did “re-invent” myself off of characteristics I already had, when I started my own blog. And re-invent I did! Prior to my current life, I was an engineer/ project manager for a medical device company. Very far removed from what I’m doing now, but in a way, drawing upon several of the same traits from my engineering days.

    And yes, I took the risk. Scary, for sure, but happy I did in the end.
    Carol B recently posted..Ten Favorite Mother’s Day Gifts For The Traveling MomMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 9, 2014 at 2:53 pm #

      Hi Carol,

      I am so glad to hear that you took that risk! I think about this all the time because many of my clients I work with have to overcome some obstacles that derive from deep inside.

      Some have that fear factor of putting their picture up, or worse, getting on Youtube, which are both valuable to their blog and business.

      That’s only one example. But we are only human and are not perfect beings. A good character check on one’s self every now and then will only build ourselves to a higher level.

      To me it is a constant journey!

      Thanks for sharing,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  12. Ravi Chahar
    Twitter:
    May 7, 2014 at 11:32 am #

    Hi Donna,

    It’s really to great read this type of informative posts.
    I like the way you have explained about the character of a person.
    I totally agree with your words that for online success it;s really important to make people aware about our real character.

    We need to build bonds with our audience. How can we know our inner-self? It’s the question for which many people are seeking answers.
    I have learnt that being original is what will help us to build the trust at us. I have seen many people who try to manipulate others but finally fail to get success.

    Thanks for the post. Have a great weekend.

    ~Ravi
    Ravi Chahar recently posted..Some Habits Of Entrepreneurs Which Can Drive You CrazyMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 9, 2014 at 2:44 pm #

      Hi Ravi,

      Thanks for your wonderful input to this comment thread. Absolutely..we need to know ourselves to be able to honestly express what we are doing.

      We all are not perfect, but admitting to something that can hold us back is half way to fixing it. There is never enough we can improve.

      As long as we are honest in our relationships in business we will have credibility to our character.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  13. Lisa
    Twitter:
    May 7, 2014 at 6:41 am #

    Hi Donna, amazing to see those numbers! I think too many quit before they find the success they could have had. I think the one part I need to work on is taking risks. If we try to be too safe and steady we may NOT succeed even though we have the other characters on your list. This is quite a thought provoking post, I look forward to your follow up on the different characters on the list Donna.
    Lisa recently posted..Denied – A Follow Up Post on a Google Panda Update PenaltyMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 8, 2014 at 3:02 pm #

      Hi Lisa,

      Risk taking is part of the character we need in business. If we look to those who have achieved success during the past, they were risk takers. Many have failed over and over again until they got their break! It’s all in the risk!

      Nothing is really safe out there. As long as we have a good plan, we can take that risk. Will it work? Who knows, but if it doesn’t all we have to do is tweak it. Maybe over and over again until it works.

      As long as you have identified what characteristic you need to work on, you will! Good luck with it Lisa.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  14. Sherman Smith May 7, 2014 at 12:03 am #

    Hey Donna,

    I thought I was the only one that thought like this. I never did understand when people say “it takes character to….” or “build your character”, because in my mind I thought I already had character. Is like saying that you it takes brains, or you need to build your brains. I already have brains, Im just picky of what I want to learn. But what you said here in this post really fits what I was thinking.

    You’re definitely right about figuring out what traits you would need in order to accomplish something. In our cases, we want to build a home business and it takes certain traits to do so. I like your example of the high 97% failure rate in home business. Yes these people lack the traits and need to develop them. We all do! There are definitely still traits I want to have in order for me to progress faster.

    This was definitely a well thought out post! And I can’t wait for your future posts about developing the character traits to succeed! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a great rest of the week!
    Sherman Smith recently posted..Using an SEO Checklist To Generate TrafficMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 8, 2014 at 2:45 pm #

      Hi Sherman,

      No, you are not the only one he he he! Yes, we have character and brains. But in a home business, we need to keep challenging ourselves. I cannot remember when I had a job, I always was that entrepreneur!

      I had to adapt to the many changes also, And ….still do! I remember thinking when I opened up my first business “boy, it takes a lot of guts to do this.” “Am I going to loose my investment?”

      No…I won’t let that happen. That was part of me that I had to work on. I remember thinking that opening my first shop was like taking care of a my child. I could think of all the “what ifs” but know that wouldn’t get me anywhere. So I just had to build up my courage and care take that business like it was my own child.

      That built a stronger me…in my character. I still have more to go, but I’m always working on it.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  15. Adrienne
    Twitter:
    May 6, 2014 at 5:00 pm #

    Hey Donna,

    Boy what a great post and awesome advice.

    I know when I first came online I was so lost because everyone kept telling me that I needed to create a business out of what I was passionate about and at that time I truly felt there was nothing. I had always loved helping people so that was just part of who I was but not something I recognized as a passion. It took me years to finally understand it all and find part of me I guess you could say.

    Man have I evolved and come along way since I got here so I do say that persistence is something that I think everyone needs to have. That and belief!

    I’m glad that the majority of us were open enough to want to learn and grow so that we have been able to build our character and be proud of who we are and where we are today.

    ~Adrienne
    Adrienne recently posted..A BIG Twitter Mistake: Are You Doing This?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 8, 2014 at 2:39 pm #

      Hi Adrienne,

      I heard the same stuff when I first came online too. But I knew what I wanted to do and that was to help people, especially my offline clients. I was seeing that there were less job opportunities for them. Also layoffs, plus some loosing their benefits. What to do?

      When I came in at first as a network marketer, I tried to learn everything I could, so that I could pave the way for the people I knew that were trying very hard to find some kind of income.

      Learned so much since then too Adrienne. I owe it to my persistence and passion, and of course faith. Somehow, I morphed into mentoring those who wanted to start a business.

      One by one, I was teaching them. Now, as the flood gates opened, that’s why I had to develop a product and build a membership site (coming soon lol) to help those who had those same questions and feelings that we had when we started.

      Also, for many of my blogging buddies to teach them how to market their products/and/or services wisely. You know how that could be….we don’t want anyone under our wings to start spamming 🙂

      Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts in your great comment,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  16. Cole Wiebe
    Twitter:
    May 6, 2014 at 1:39 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    It’s always nice to be reminded that we are adaptable creatures. Our character can evolve to meet new challenges. Thank you for that.

    – Cole
    Cole Wiebe recently posted..A Powerful Internet Presence Begins With a Strong CoreMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 8, 2014 at 2:23 pm #

      Hi Cole,

      Adaptability is one of the key ingredients here for our “business character” We need to adapt and adapt quickly as changes are always happening.

      If we find ourselves weak in that area, we have to work on it.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  17. Monisha Kapur
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 9:47 pm #

    Hi Donna

    WOW! What a fabulous post!!! You just expressed everything I’ve been feeling as a new online business owner, which in an of itself is a completely new character for me…

    For me, I’m learning that I have to be a lot more resilient, which is strange coming from the tough skinned New Yorker that I am (or at least thought I was till I started this business- LOL!). I’ve opened up a whole new version of “risk taker me” as well 🙂

    Thanks so much for sharing this. I can’t wait to read your upcoming posts on character traits!
    Monisha Kapur recently posted..A Giveaway to Honor Mom on Mother’s DayMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 8, 2014 at 1:27 pm #

      Hi Monisha,

      I’ve known you quite some time and you do have that “tough skin” New Yorker inside of you. But switching from corporate where you were comfortable and were able to survive for so long, then starting your new online business, there is a lot to learn.

      But you are doing it fine! When coming online fresh and new, we have to adapt to a new way of doing business. For you, being more resilient with your business is a learned behavior. It will become part of you because you have realized it.

      Once we realize something in our character that is holding us back, that is half way there. Now that you know it, you will work on it.

      See you around the social sites,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  18. Ryan Biddulph
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 8:58 pm #

    We need to pound our character into place Donna, with the tips you shared. I’ve found out who I was through much experimentation 😉 Thanks!
    Ryan Biddulph recently posted..Are You Grabbing for Freebies? Stop itMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 8, 2014 at 1:23 pm #

      Hi Ryan,

      I think it is a never ending process. We do have to “find ourselves” so to say. One of the best quotes I like is “To thine own self be true.”

      Now that takes a lot of work!

      Thanks for coming by and happy travels to you!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  19. Kumar Gauraw
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 8:45 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    I found it very interesting to see how you defined “success” and “failure’ character. Well, that’s definitely a good way to profile our attitudes.

    I would say that all of us have what it takes to be successful. Some of us take chances, fall down, get up, persevere and persist until we succeed. Reason? We have connected with our burning desire.

    On the other hand, many of us have friends who will try something because it sounds kool. They will do something because somebody else is doing. And no wonder they give up pretty quickly because they never found their own “WHY” for doing what they are doing.

    I have seen good bloggers who are teaching other people how to succeed, why to invest and they will not invest in their own blog. They will keep dragging their feet when it comes to their own blog because they think that it’s not worth their money. I wonder how long they will stay in business.

    So yes, I think identifying our priorities, living with integrity in character goes a long way. Don’t you think?

    Regards,
    Kumar
    Kumar Gauraw recently posted..Confidence Is The Cornerstone Of True Leadership And SuccessMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 8, 2014 at 1:14 pm #

      Hi Kumar,

      Great points you have given here and I thank you. You have touched upon the “core” on this topic. It is so important to know our “WHY” People can choose to start blogging or a business, but never dig deep into themselves to know their Why.

      That is the core that keeps us going. I’m passionate about my “Why” and that is to help others. I have an offline business that I still am involved with doing just that. My reason for stepping into the internet world was to be sort of a “forerunner” for many I know that would need to learn how to create their own business online.

      Several of my offline clients have done just that. In all sorts of different areas. A teacher, who now teaches on line, a clothing designer and buyer, who has developed her own on line business. All this gives me such joy!

      As for those good bloggers you mention, I know what you mean. That puzzles me all the time. I cannot understand why they won’t invest in their own blog. Our blog is our home, not rented space. We have to invest in it because that is part of our business plan.

      Indeed I agree that we need to identify our priorities and most of all live with integrity in character. Integrity will last a long way.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  20. Mark
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 6:58 pm #

    Wow Donna!

    I came here expecting to read a blog post from my Coach and instead
    it turned out be a much needed “reality check!”

    You really cut to the chase on this one! And I’ve got to go so I can spend some much needed time
    drilling down to my core!

    And no matter what I discover, thanks to you, I’ll definitely be better off for uncovering it!
    Many thanks!!
    Mark recently posted..Twitter Advertising: Three Simple Things You Can Do Right Now To Out Tweet Your Competition!Part TwoMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 6, 2014 at 2:32 pm #

      Hi Mark,

      I can talk about blogging, social media, etc. But when it comes down to it all, we need to give ourselves a check up now and then. What are our strong points? But more importantly where are the weak ones?

      If we pay attention to our weaknesses, we can then face them and challenge ourselves to overcome whatever characteristic comes our way that prevents us from moving forward.

      When it comes to business, what’s ticking inside of us, is just as important as what we deliver.

      By the way, Who is the coach here? I just read your recent blog and Wow…you can teach so well!

      Be Blessed,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  21. Sylviane Nuccio
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 6:05 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    I agree, we were not born with character. character is something we build, no doubt, and we can definitely sharpen and improve our character as time goes on. For example, my character today and my character 20 years ago was very much different. We do mature.

    To build a great character to succeed in business, and online business, we need to develop a strong one that doesn’t give up easily. I know at times, it’s easy to feel like we want to give up.

    Thank you for discussing this great topic 🙂
    Sylviane Nuccio recently posted..Step By Step To Write Your Press ReleaseMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 6, 2014 at 2:18 pm #

      Hi Sylviane,

      Of all the people I know, you are the one that completely understands this post! Yes, we are not born with character, it is something we develop.

      When doing business online, we do need to be strong, persistent, not let things make us angry or have other negative feelings. We need that “thick skin” so to speak.

      One thing we must never do is take things personally in business. That can destroy us.

      Thanks for your wise words in this conversation,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  22. Susan Cooper
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 4:36 pm #

    I love your description of the different characters. There’s one, the really character that that make you laugh, groan or cry… LOL In all seriousness, it truly is amazing how many fall off the online bandwagon for any or all of the reasons you mentioned. I’m still “finding” myself and my online persona. All it want is to be who I am, as you said, be true to myself, have fun doing it and then make a few bucks along the way. I think I can, if I just preserver. 🙂
    Susan Cooper recently posted..Everyday Life Challenges: StoryMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill May 6, 2014 at 2:15 pm #

      Hi Susan,

      It is amazing how many fall off the bandwagon because they give up without confronting themselves of “what went wrong here?” Or “How can I fix this?”

      It is a journey online and it is a place of continuous growth. Maybe that’s why I love it so much. You are yourself online Susan, and I so enjoy hanging out with you on social media! You are true to yourself, especially the last few months of the changes you have undergone.

      See you around,

      -Donna
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  23. William Butler
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 4:13 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Vision, for any endeavor, is the ability to first foresee what others miss.

    When you refer to ‘success character’ or ‘failure character’, in that context, I understand that as one’s mindset, or governing attitude. Many things can influence this; for example, our desires, or those we associate with.

    As to who we truly are, in that context, our character is who we really are wherever we are. So you’re right to ask about taking a personal inventory of these matters, because they keep us true.

    I like your use of creative imagination to build on character. 🙂

    Have a great week!
    Bill
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    • Donna Merrill May 6, 2014 at 2:05 pm #

      Hi Bill,

      Awesome statement as usual when you state that Vision, for any endeavor, is the ability to first foresee what others miss.

      We do need to take our personal inventory. Gosh who else will? We are responsible for ourselves in every aspect of our lives.

      When it comes to business and “success” we may strive for it in many ways, but I believe we need to check our core characteristics to improve what may be a weak spot. It could be fear of videos, fear of writing, thinking that we need to be so called perfect.

      Whatever it is, character is something that needs to be a journey of building.

      -Donna
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  24. Holly
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 4:01 pm #

    Well I must say that it’s developed… we don’t just have a character and it ends there, thats for sure.. we learn thing and we get stung by things and we learn more things and all that leads us to develop our character… It is a journey.. that ‘s for sure!! As we need to have a certain set of characteristics to do what we want to do, we have to learn certain things or get rid of certain characteristics that don’t/do serve us. It’s a process… Great article an topic of discussion Donna!
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    • Donna Merrill May 6, 2014 at 2:01 pm #

      Hi Holly,

      Indeed! It is a journey of continuous learning skills. If we want to be successful at anything, we need to give ourselves a self check up now and then. See what we are good at..that’s easy!

      But on the other hand, it is so true what you have said that we need to get rid of certain characteristics that don’t serve us.

      It is a process for sure!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  25. Corina Ramos
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 3:09 pm #

    Love this post Donna.

    I remember an older post of yours that talked about creating our own persona when we’re online. I added some characteristics to mine like persistence and resilience.

    I know thinking about her as I start my day, gets me into “character” when I go online. Which is why I use Cori as my signature name when I’m online. I’m Cori here and Corina or Mom at home. For me, it’s good to distinguish the two like this.

    I think you’re right in that we need certain characteristics when working online and the ones you shared are definitely ones we should have.

    Thanks for sharing this. Happy Monday!
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    • Donna Merrill May 6, 2014 at 1:41 pm #

      Hi Corina!

      I remember the post you are referring to! It is great that you added some characteristics like persistence and resilience to yours.

      Without persistence, we can get side tracked and never accomplish anything. And resilience is a wonderful “characteristic” because we always will need to bounce back. We need that characteristic in life itself and our business.

      We are not perfect. But when we recognize a “flaw” so to speak that will hold us back from our business, we need to jump on that and try to fix it.

      Thanks for sharing,

      -Donna
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  26. Shalu Sharma
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 2:58 pm #

    I agree with you completely Donna, you have to build a character for online success. Resilience and hard work is what is required. It’s not a build a site and watch the money roll in, its not going to happen. One has to dig deep and bring out the best qualities so that you can utilise it to create the business you dream off.
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    • Donna Merrill May 6, 2014 at 1:38 pm #

      Hi Shalu,

      Absolutely! When running a business we need to dig deep and bring out the best qualities as we can as you have stated.

      Then we have to keep ourselves in check, so to say, so that the qualities we are weak on, we can build up.

      Thank you for your wonderful comment,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Have You Come A Long Way, Blogger?My Profile

  27. Harleena Singh
    Twitter:
    May 5, 2014 at 2:16 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Wonderful post indeed 🙂

    Yes, character is what you are born with, but as you grow, so does your character evolve – it depends on how you do your work or things and the values and principles you’ve learnt along the way. It may or may not be what you really wish it to be.

    For your online success, as you mentioned, you need to invent your character and find the traits that work well for you to achieve success. So, it’s the whole process and the journey that takes time to build your character, and each one of ours is different and unique in it’s own ways, isn’t it?

    Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
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    • Donna Merrill May 5, 2014 at 3:44 pm #

      Hi Harleena,

      I sure had to work on one of my traits of character. Could you believe I was very introverted? Yes, but it took lots of time and personal challenges to get out of my box.

      Now I’m no longer fearful speaking in public, shooting a video, etc. The whole process is a journey.

      -Donna
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