The business of affiliate marketing is one of the most popular choices on the Internet today. Many people are attracted to the idea of no deadlines, no bosses, nothing to finish before you can head home from the office. With only a few tools and some personal qualities, the affiliate marketing business is a great opportunity.

There are 5 essential qualities to develop if you want to succeed as an affiliate marketer.

The first quality is a desire to learn. Are you willing to learn from others? Are you teachable? Treading in unfamiliar territory can be tough. If you use the experience and guidance from other successful affiliate marketers you will get going in the right direction much sooner than if you try to learn everything yourself. Don't try to re-invent the wheel.

The second quality is patience. A business is built over time and with work. Don't give up and jump to the next thing just because you don't see immediate results. Keep investing time and effort. Keep working on building your business and in time you will reap the rewards.

The third is quality is a willingness to push yourself. In other words, you must have determination. You must view trying new things and learning new skills as an adventure, not as something to be feared. Be determined that you can do it!

The fourth quality is self discipline. When you work for yourself, you have no one but yourself to be accountable to. You need to teach yourself to work on your business everyday with enthusiasm.

You also need the self discipline to stick with your choice. Everyday you will receive countless emails telling you that this other program is what you need to succeed. Say no to those and stick with what you've already chosen.

The fifth quality is optimism. When you have a bad or a negative attitude, the work that you do will not be your best. Do not let others discourage you or pull you down. Be optimistic. Pursue your dream! When your attitude is good, it is much easier to keep going - to keep the first 4 qualities strong. Optimism will strengthen your desire to learn, your patience, your determination and your self discipline.

Do you already have these qualities? Great - you are set to go and conquer the world of affiliate marketing. Do you need to work on these? You are at the beginning of doing a fantastic job of being an affiliate marketer, so be encouraged. As you grow in these 5 qualities, your business will grow as well.