That’s what I told myself that I wanted to do almost 8 years ago now. Even before then I was always looking for ways to make money without a “job”. But when I saw the potential of the Internet I had to get my hand in that jar as quickly as possible.

At this point I have used the internet to make money in more ways than I can count. Yes, I use adsense and clickbank and commission junction and I am an affiliate with well over a hundred companies, some of which could be out of business now for all I know.

Those things do make money if one invests the time and effort but it seems that way too many people get trapped into thinking that these types of internet marketing are the “right way” to use the internet to make money. I could not disagree more.

I have been self employed for quite a few years now and to this day I still enjoy going to an estate sale and finding something to flip online for a profit. I still use my graphic design skills to bring in a few bucks here and there. I charge people for services that I pay other people to do and keep the difference. I use Ebay, I use Craigslist, I use USFreeAds, I use Elance, I use the internet!

I have read so many cases in the forums of people wanting to escape the office and become their own boss. Please realize the beauty of the internet and don’t treat it like you are choosing a major at a university. You don’t have to choose a major, you can do it all. I’m not saying that you don’t have to focus while you are working on a specific task but, once you finish, you can try something completely different.  Then you just keep what works and throw out what doesn’t.

The safest way to invest is to diversify your portfolio. The more streams you have, the safer you are if one runs dry. Why is making money on the internet any different?

Diversifying, to me, does not mean just having a huge number of keyword niche sites. Diversifying to me means having my keyword niche sites, and runninng ads on ebay for logo design at $100 a pop, and flipping 2 office chairs and an aluminum boat on craigslist for a $600 profit, and having 300+ photos for sale on istock photo, and whatever else happens to cross my ADHD mind this month.

Does that mean I’m not an internet marketer? Who gives a damn. It means I’m paid and so are my bills.

Explore your interests, explore the internet and find a way to marry the two and make money. Forget the right way. Just find the way.