There are only three ways to learn either a new process (e.g., starting an Internet business) or a new skill (e.g., copywriting): studying, observing, and doing.

The 25-50-25 rule says that to master a skill or process, and put what you learn into practical action, you must divide your time as follows:

>> No more than 25% of your time is spent studying ? i.e., reading books, going to boot camps, attending workshops, dialing into tele-seminars, listening to CDs in your car.

>> No more than 25% of your time is spent observing ? watching what successful people in your field are already doing; e.g., if you want to become a direct mail copywriter, this means reading and analyzing the direct mail you get in your mail box each day.

>> At least 50% of your time is spent actually DOING the thing you are studying and observing ? e.g., if you want to sell information products on the Internet, you are creating your first product ? designing your Web site ? or building your list.

Acquiring business knowledge is a worthwhile activity. But without action, that knowledge is worthless to you.

Here?s a little secret that may be helpful: You don?t have to know everything — or even most of what there is to know ? to succeed in most endeavors.

For example, there are hundreds of strategies for making money on the Internet.

But you can make a six-figure annual income online using only a few of them, even if you never bother to learn the others.

When we were kids, our parents and teachers told us to study, study, study.

But I see many people today much more enamored with studying and reading about business, marketing, freelancing, and entrepreneurship than actually doing.

Well, I understand that. Reading about marketing is fascinating — and fun. And it?s within your comfort zone.

But the money is in the doing, not the reading.

Follow the 25-50-25 rule, and you?ll be doing ? and making money ? at least half the time.

According to an article in The Record (5/15/10), here is how average daily media use breaks down among 8 to 18-year-olds:

*Television — 4 hours and 29 minutes.
*Music/audio — 2 hours and 31 minutes.
*Computer — 1 hour and 29 minutes.
*Video games — 1 hour and 13 minutes.
*Print — 38 minutes.

In his Target marketing column (4/10, p. 34), Denny Hatch notes that there are only 4 reasons why people will buy from you:

1–Price.
2–Service.
3–Quality.
4–Exclusivity.

Of these, exclusivity is the most enviable position to possess.

“If you can move your business into exclusivity, you have no worried about price, service, and competition,” writes Denny.

Can you think of any other motivations to add to Denny’s list of 4 reasons to buy?

Are you in a business that offers something exclusive?

Recently I took my family to dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant.

While we were waiting to be served, my wife was busy checking fabric samples on her mobile (she is a home stager).

My older son was engaged with some app on his new iPhone.

My younger son was busy listening to music on his iPod.

I, not possessing any of these devices, was left with no one to talk with, twiddling my thumbs — alone for all practical purposes, despite the 3 other people at my table.

What an odd digital world we live in.

I just came back from a colonoscopy.

So I’m too zonked out from the general anesthesia to blog coherently on a marketing topic.

But I did learn a few things from the procedure:

1–Any day you are not at the doctor’s office is a good day.

2–Any day you are in good health is a good day.

3–I can drink 64 ounces of Gatorade with Miralax in an hour — but I sure don’t want to do it again.

4–Have your medical tests on time. I was 2 years late with my colonoscopy, which gave me reason to be nervous about the results (though I really wasn’t; but why take chances?).

5–Food never tastes as good as when you’ve been fasting — suggesting that taking a break from things can help you enjoy them more.

This week’s post is not my commentary. It is a plea for help, a request for information, from you my blog reader.

My problem is I have to write a column on measuring return from social media — and, I am ashamed to admit, I don’t know squat about how to do it.

Are you an active social media user on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, or other, more targeted sites?

If so, do you track ROI? How?

If you do not measure social networking ROI, why do you spend time doing it?

I’m also curious how many hours a week you spend marketing yourself with social media.

I really want to know, and my readers do too, I believe.

Thanks!

Do you have a dozen different projects going on all at once?

According to MaryEllen Tribby, that may be an awful mistake.

Example: An entrepreneur is selling health information. Her first product is a special report on vitamin C.

Then she reads something interesting about vitamin D. And starts to write a vitamin D report, too.

Before you know it, she has four or five information products in various stages of completion.

You know how much money a project in progress makes you? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Zip.

MaryEllen says it?s far better than to start and finish one project, and get it out into the marketplace.

That way, you can start earning revenues that fund the development of project number two while keeping your cash flow positive.

How about you? Are you good at completing and launching products and projects? Or do you just keep starting more and more without ever finishing any of them?

From my colleague Michael Dalton Johnson of SalesDog.com come these 5 rules for improving your outlook on life:

1–Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

2–Don’t have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

3–Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

4–No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

5–Life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum.

These all ring true for me. How about you? Any you would add to the list?