Several years ago while reading one of many technology publications I receive, it was factually stated by one editor's comments to which I will paraphrase:

"Although 2002 will not be recovery in technology sector that everyone would hope for, it certainly should not be underestimated. The prize will go to those companies that keep their IT program moving and growing while their competitors think, rethink, and overly analyze every move until which time as decision will have to be made at a much higher price. In time, cost, lost revenues and opportunities."

Do you know that still applies almost 3 years later!?

We all seem to never have enough time. As you know it is simply a matter of prioritizing. We live in a culture that is one of workaholics, more time dedicated to making money to support our style of living and need to acquire more "things" rather than what is truly important - living and enjoying life, family and friends.

Yes, you need to work hard to be financially secure, but I do feel that we may have gone to extreme in that many of "things" many work for really are not those that are important to becoming truly happy. But we'll leave that discussion for another day; another article.

You've all heard term "Internet Time", right? What that means is that time in regard to technology is going at warp speed. This gig is simply not slowing for any of us. Ten years into this and it is still as dizzying as ever! With technology evolving so quickly added to already previously established "emergency mode" mentality, time is simply not on your side.

Actually, online, time can be your enemy if not used properly. If you don't grab time to learn, do, plan and react at that specific point in time you may find it will be impossible to catch-up down road.

In early 90's when Web began it's serious infusion into our culture and our businesses, taking your time, thinking about issues, deciding not to react was O.K. But only O.K...

Those of us in tune to this soon to be Web-mania knew in our gut that those who were first, leaders, ones to mark your territory like a lion would be those to have best chance for success in a field yet undefined and completely experimental. In many cases it is still undefined and experimental!

Going into my 10th successful year consulting businesses and entrepreneurs, those who followed my recommendations - at time given - are still reaping benefits. And, because they made decision to trust experts, rather than challenge and second-guess each recommendation, they will continue to experience rewards this attitude produces. They took time to follow recommendations at a point in time that produced results that simply cannot be duplicated now with very same efforts. Now, times 10 to produce a similar outcome.

This is where Internet time thingy really comes into play. "Doing" now, can position you for opportunities that subsequent changes or evolution in technology will be more difficult and many times more costly to attain at a later date. As an example, just ask my clients who from start 7-8 years ago, chose to participate in my Search Engine Optimization program - simply because I recommended so vs. those who felt is was my opinion, not necessary and chose to believe Spam and hype on topic.

Those astute clients didn't necessarily understand all how's but they took time to understand why's. To attain very same positioning, at this point in time will cost other clients thousands of dollars to gain parallel exposure.

Those that had to think about it, felt recommendations were only one person's opinion, or decided to seek out those who had solutions that required less effort or expense, simply are not doing as well online. Some have actually gone off-line making statements about how Web doesn't live up to hype or that it isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Those site owners have only themselves to blame for poor performance or lack of success. They took easy road by going down path laid by those who had no proven history of assisting businesses to succeed in technology.

As we all do at beginning of each New Year, we reflect on past and look forward to future with renewed optimism and hope. However, no matter how optimistic or hopeful you may be if you don't make time now to implement methodologies that can give you edge - edge will go to those who do. And, it may take you twice, thrice, times 10 time and cost to play catch-up later - if you can catch-up at all.

That's it in a nutshell and nature of this beast called Information Technology. So, in an effort to help those of you currently investigating stepping up your programs or with Web sites that you feel are not living up to hype...

hype Slang n.: Exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material. Something deliberately misleading; a deception. To publicize or promote, especially by extravagant, inflated, or misleading claims.

...I will attempt to share my observations in regard to "non-doers" vs. "doers", those who didn't take risks vs. those who did. Those who made decision at that point in time to trust those of us who do take our client's success seriously vs. those who chose to work with those that acquired clients based on above definition. => Not making time to understand technology well enough to make educated decisions moving forward - only you as site owner can make these efforts. Many times I have found some will make requests based on what they have "heard" or read elsewhere.

Certainly I understand questioning issues to understand variables but more times than not making across board decisions based on information that they do not understand or realize implications of purely because some outside, unqualified source "said so" is not way business decisions should be made.

To succeed online one needs to take time to understand technology they are using well enough to make what is many times very important decisions. This includes knowing enough to determine whether source of conflicting information is based on your program's unique requirements or someone wanting to make a sale.