Burnt Out & Broke? 5 Affiliate Marketing Habits That Are Quietly Killing Your Business

Ever feel like you’re doing all the things—but the results still suck?

I’ve got a confession to make: I’m a perfectionist.

When I start something, I need it to be flawless. And hey, there’s nothing wrong with aiming high. But let’s be real—chasing perfection? Total trap.

Why? Because perfection isn’t a destination. It’s a moving target. No matter how close you get, it always stays just out of reach—kind of like a logarithmic curve in math that creeps toward a limit but never quite gets there.

What does that mean for people like us? It means we spend waaay too much time obsessing over the smallest details.

Like at work—I’ll re-run an antenna simulation ten times, tweaking microscopic parameters just to shave off a number nobody will even notice. Or when I’m about to publish a blog post? I can burn an hour just fixing tiny typos and rearranging sentences for that elusive “perfect flow.”

It’s exhausting. And frankly? It’s a waste of time.

Once something is “good enough” to ship—it’s time to ship it. Then move on.

Yep, I’m a recovering perfectionist. And it’s a habit I’m working hard to break.

Because here’s the truth: If your affiliate marketing business feels stuck, stalled, or straight-up painful… chances are you’ve picked up a few bad habits along the way. And they’re slowly, silently killing your progress.

Let’s talk about them. And fix them.

1. Shiny Object Syndrome

*”Ooooh, a new strategy! Wait, this guru says THAT strategy works better…”

Sound familiar? Every time you jump into a new offer, tool, or “fastest path to $10K/month,” you’re actually setting yourself back.

Here’s why: chasing shiny objects destroys momentum. When you keep switching paths, you never stick with anything long enough to build traction. You’re always starting from zero. It’s like hitting the gym for a week, quitting because you didn’t get abs, then joining a yoga class for two weeks, quitting that too… and wondering why you’re not seeing results.

Real-life example? It’s not uncommon in my online community to hear testimonials of people who said they bought more than too much different affiliate marketing courses in only a few months. Every time a new course came out with a fresh promise, they jumped in.

But guess what? They never launched a funnel, never built a list, never made a single sale. Not because they didn’t have the tools—but because they never stuck with one long enough to finish what they started.

Shiny Object Syndrome also drains your brain. Constantly evaluating new tools, trends, and tactics creates decision fatigue. You feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next, which leads to procrastination… and, eventually, burnout.

💡 The Fix:
Pick one proven strategy. Commit to it for the next 90 days—minimum. Set blinders to block out the noise. Trust the process and focus on implementation. Momentum builds when you stay the course.

2. Doing Everything Yourself

You’re the CEO, copywriter, tech support, social media manager, funnel builder, and customer service rep…
Congrats! You’ve built a one-person circus—and burned yourself out in the process.

💡 The Fix:
Start delegating. Outsource what you hate. Even a low-cost VA can free up your brain for tasks that actually move the needle (like creating content or making offers).

Need help with this? I wrote a whole blog post about how to delegate in affiliate marketing (and included a free VA checklist too!).

See these links also: CEO-SideKicks, Fiverr

3. Learning Instead of Doing

You’ve read the books. Watched the videos. Taken the course.

But where’s your funnel? Your emails? Your traffic?

Exactly.

💡 The Fix:
Set a 70/30 rule: Spend 30% of your time learning, and 70% doing. Implement imperfectly—you’ll figure it out faster than you think.

4. Treating It Like a Hobby

If you’re squeezing this in “when you have time,” it’s going to pay you like a hobby.

This business needs a schedule. A plan. Commitment. (Don’t worry, not 8 hours a day—consistency beats hustle.)

💡 The Fix:
Block 1–2 focused hours daily. Even if it’s before work or after the kids go to bed. That’s how the pros build momentum. Read my post “How to Build an Online Business in Just 1 Hour a Day (Even With a Full-Time Job)” this will help you.

5. Ignoring Your Numbers

Let’s be real—tracking numbers isn’t the sexy part of affiliate marketing. But if you’re avoiding your income, expenses, click-through rates, or ad spend like the plague… you’re flying blind.

And here’s the harsh truth: what you don’t track, you can’t improve.

I’ve seen this play out over and over.

A friend of mine was running paid traffic to promote a high-converting offer. She was getting clicks and even a few commissions—but every month, she felt like she was spinning her wheels.

After finally sitting down to crunch the numbers, she discovered she was actually losing money because her cost per lead was way higher than her earnings per sale.

She wasn’t failing because the offer was bad. She was failing because she didn’t know what was really happening.

Avoiding your numbers is often a mindset issue. Sometimes we fear what they’ll tell us—or what they’ll make us feel about ourselves. But in business, emotions can’t drive decisions. Data must.

Your numbers tell a story. They show you what’s working and what’s wasting your time. And when you know your numbers, you gain confidence to tweak, pivot, and grow strategically—instead of guessing and hoping.

💡 The Fix:
Start with the basics: track how much you’re earning, where it’s coming from, what you’re spending, and what results you’re getting (like opt-in rates, email open rates, and sales conversions). You don’t need a fancy dashboard—my Affiliate Income Tracker (come back, this will be available soon) is a simple tool to help you get clarity fast.

Once you’re aware, you can start optimizing—and that’s how real businesses grow.

Final Thoughts

Look, you’re not broken.
You don’t need to be a genius.
You just need better habits (by the way I did this tracker sheet for you, stick it to your fridge).

The success you want isn’t out there in the next big course or magic system. It’s in your daily actions.

So tell me—did any of these habits hit a little too close to home?
Let’s talk about it in the comments.

And if you’re serious about turning things around, go read this:
👉 Delegating Tasks In Affiliate Marketing: The Power Of Virtual Assistants
It’s one of the most practical blog posts I’ve written, and it could change the way you approach your business from today forward.

Speak soon,

P.S. If you don’t have this gem yet, you can order it HERE

P.P.S. It’s FREE 😉