I was recently reminded by on of my first websites from a blog post by Brendon Sinclair over at Tailored Consulting (soon to be Tailored Web Services.) The post was, “How to make $500+ an hour & other tips.”

Brendon mentioned a particularly unimpressive web site, with particularly unimpressive earnings, making $1 or 2 a day from Adsense. What was special about it was it took just a few hours of work many years ago.

As beginners, everyone wants to jump in and have a six figure income by Friday. What is missed is starting small is just fine. And most importantly, if you build web assets, they will continue to make money for years to come.

For the real beginners — those who struggle with the bare basics of the web and business, starting small is critical. Building your own web site is both a classroom and boot camp in one.

Let me present you with a choice:

1) Pay $1000 for a “guru” kit on how to make lots of money online. Probably pay $50, $100, and more on additional information products.

2) Pay $0, build a website using free software and tutorials, be paid $1000, $2,000, $5,000 or more for years to come.

I really like choice number 2. Its like going to college, but instead of paying off a student loan for the next 30 years, the school pays you for your attendance.

Now to my own experience. Years ago I sat down and wrote about one of my hobbies. It took me hours of work, but by day 2 the website was up and fine. A few years later I added a forum and updated the design a bit, but that was all. The site continues to make $15-$25 a day. The Adsense income goes through direct deposit, I can forget the site even exists. It means little to me now, but years ago that passive income was what allowed me to create and grow bigger, far better projects.

I beat Brendon on his $500+ a hour, this project was more like $1000+. Best of all, I had almost no clue about making money online when I did it.

The catch? The site has to be good, the content legitimate. Write about something you know a lot about. Hack jobs aren’t going to be worth your time or effort 4 years out. Then there were the sites that I built, thinking that hack jobs would be ok, and they didn’t work out. One I slaved away for a month at and it made about $1 a day (and still does.) Ouch.

There are countless paths to get yourself launched in internet business. If you can write, this may be your best shot.

I hate being a quitter, but sometimes quitting is the right thing to do.

When I dropped out of my first class ever, as a senior in high school it was the right thing to do. When I dropped out of college halfway through my junior year, it was the right thing to do. When I decided to stop writing Web Publishing Blog, it was the right thing to do.

The past 3 months of 2008 and been spent expanding and automating my primary internet business. Part of that has involved aborting the projects that distracted me from my goals.

Since “shutting down” Web Publishing Blog my gross and net income have grown. Last month all revenue records were broken. No numbers will be given, but its fair to say that my quarterly taxes are supporting numerous families on welfare.

Look at your goals. Fill your time with things either you absolutely love doing or that drive you further toward achieving your goals. Everything else — get rid of it. If there is any message I want readers to take away from Web Publishing Blog, that is it. You may not get everything you want, but you certainly should have an enjoyable time along the way.

Don’t use rules other people made up in order to organize your time. Life is far too short to piss away.