Have you ever wondered how some people make a lot of money online by selling courses, books, or services that promise to teach you how to do something? For example, how to trade stocks, grow your social media following, or start an online business?

Well, I have some bad news for you. Most of these people are not making money by doing the thing they are teaching, but by selling the thing they are teaching. In other words, they are not experts in the field they claim to be, but experts in marketing and persuasion.

This is a common phenomenon in the online world, where anyone can claim to be an authority on anything without having to prove it. It’s easy to create a flashy website, a catchy slogan, or a fake testimonial and convince people to buy your product or service. But, how do you know if what they are selling is actually valuable or not?

One way to tell is to look at their track record. Have they actually done the thing they are teaching before they started selling it? For example, did they run a successful online business before they created a course on how to start one? Or did they make a fortune in the stock market before they started selling their stock picks?

If they have, then they might have some credibility and legitimacy. They might have some useful insights and experience to share with you. But, if they haven’t, then they are probably just trying to make money off of your ignorance and curiosity. They are exploiting your desire to learn something new and improve your life.

Another way to tell is to look at their incentives. Are they making more money from selling the thing than from doing the thing? For example, are they making more money from selling their stock picks than from investing in them? Or are they making more money from selling their course on how to grow your Twitter following than from actually growing their own?

If they are, then they might have a conflict of interest. They might not care about the quality or the outcome of what they are selling, as long as they can get you to buy it. They might not care if you actually learn anything or achieve anything, as long as they can profit from your purchase.

This is not to say that all online money-making schemes are scams or frauds. There are some genuine and honest people who have created valuable and helpful products and services that can teach you something useful and beneficial. But, you have to be careful and skeptical when you encounter them. You have to do your own research and due diligence before you buy anything.

Don’t fall for the hype and the promises. Don’t buy the thing, do the thing.