Take a moment to think about all the online courses, e-books, podcasts, and other digital products you’ve purchased in the last year or two. Even better if you take an excel spreadsheet and evaluate how much you’ve spent for each of them. How many of them have you finished? How many have you received returns of investment from?

More often than not, we’re persuaded by excellent sales pages and we end up giving in to the pitch. While most courses out there bring more value than what you pay for the cost, relying on the online course alone will not make you successful.

Yes, you see the testimonials from different people who’ve “made it” after buying the course. They’re different types of people from all walks of life, and it makes you think that if they can do it, you can do it too! Sometimes, they even get lucky and end up being interviewed by the course creators themselves.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

This is where you begin to think that if you buy the course, you will automatically be one of these people someday. Personally, I have spent over $3,000 on online courses and other digital products. I haven’t even finished half of them! I’m sure you or someone you know can relate to this.

Here are my realizations when I had a phase of being an online course shopping addict:

1. You still have to put in the work

This is a no-brainer, but sometimes we expect everything to be handed to us in an instant. Just because you paid $1,500 for a course doesn’t meant that you’ll instantly be a millionaire. Courses serve as a guide to what you already know, and there will be times you will be required to do research if you don’t know.

I can relate to the feeling of finally buying that course. At first, you tell yourself you will work day and night to finish the course and achieve its purpose. Then slowly without even realizing it, you’re procrastinating and eventually abandon the course. Soon, you see another Facebook ad offering something else claiming you can earn an x amount of money if you buy it, and the cycle repeats.

If it’s too late and you’ve already bought several courses, take it one step at a time and direct your energies on finishing only one first. Then you can move on to the others.

2. It keeps you from being focused

When we buy too many online courses, it keeps us from being focused. That is one of the most important things entrepreneurs need to master especially if they’re still starting out. I have to admit, the sales pages I see for bestselling courses have excellent sales pages that can make even the most broke person want to buy it.

This is when your willpower gets tested. Of course, every sales page will say that you need this course, I mean, look at everyone else who bought it, they’ve already quit their full-time jobs.

But you really have to ask yourself, “Do I really, really, need this?” and “Have I finished and fulfilled the purpose of the last course that I bought which also convinced me to buy it?”

There’s nothing wrong with buying multiple courses, just avoid doing it all at once, because you’ll always be confused which one to focus your energies to. In fact, having multiple courses on your plate can even be used as an excuse.

“Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.” – Virat Kohli

When I was having a hard time in one module in a course, I stop and move on to another course that I haven’t finished. It becomes a game of ping pong where I keep passing on the responsibilities when I’m having difficulties. It will delay what needs to get done, and this isn’t a good practice to get used to.

I currently have four unfinished online courses that I bought last year and the year before, and I’m on my way to finishing them all, one step at a time before even thinking of investing in another course. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be successful after finishing one of them and as long as I continue putting in the work.

What do you think of online courses? Comment below!

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