Affiliate Marketing is NOT a get rich quick scheme. You can't just throw a website together, place a few ads and wait for the millions to roll in. But, that doesn't mean you can't be very, very successful as an Affiliate Marketer.

The secret is passion and dedication.

I mentioned on another HubPage that it's important to focus on something you're passionate about. That's because passion breeds dedication and you need dedication to succeed.

In order to be successful you need to be willing to put the time in. That can be intimidating. But, don't be scared off. Here are 5 success stories that should keep you motivated.

According to Shawn's website, he's been an Affiliate Marketer since 1997 and he is probably one of the most recognized names in the industry.

In addition to running an Affiliate Marketing Agency, hosting a website dedicated to the field and being the author of the best selling book in the industry, Shawn is also the co-founder of the Affiliate Summit. If you don't know Shawn, you should know the Affiliate Summit, one of the most popular Affiliate Marketing Conventions.

Obviously, he's a success. But the nice thing about Shawn is, he seems to be a really great guy. His websites are dedicated to sharing his knowledge with the rest of the world. For free. From newbies to veterans his advice is timely, pertinent and well informed (check out the video tos see examples of the advice he offers). Shawn consistently has the latest and greatest information in the field and because of that, he's a must read daily for everyone in the Affiliate Marketing space.

He's also pretty funny. Check out the video to see the Shawn Collins edition of "Cribs."

Published sources report that Jeremy Palmer has made more than a million dollars in one year with Affiliate Marketing.

According to Jeremy's own website, he became an Affiliate Marketer when he saw Affiliates making thousands of dollars with the program offered by the Financial Services company he worked for. He says that it only took 6 months for him to double his day job salary and that's when he quit and focused exclusively on Affiliate Marketing.

Jeremy is the recipient of numerous awards in the industry and as a Super Affiliate, he was the subject of a case study done by Commission Junction.

Now, he's educating the masses on the ins and outs of Affiliate Marketing through his website, Quit Your Day Job. He consistently updates the site to allow people to learn from his successes and mistakes. And, like Shawn Collins, he's a reliable source for new information in the Affiliate Marketing field. And now, he's launched The Black Ink Project, a course that's assisting others reach their maximum potential.

Robert Marcus took his passion for jogging and turned it into a success story.

After discovering that he ran better when he listened to music that matched his pace, Robert created a website full of song lists. Runners (and other sports enthusiasts) can pick a tempo and then build their own playlists to listen to while they hit the road or treadmill.

Now all of the songs come from iTunes and are all linked to his LinkShare affiliate code. So he earns money everytime someone purchases a playlist, or even just one song. Robert has been so successful that he is now branching out to include apparel and other running related gear.

All 3 of these men share a similar trait. Passion.

It's obvious when you watch Shawn Collins' videos that he LOVES doing what he does. That's why his stuff is so compelling. He gets the viewer excited about implementing new strategies with a "can-do" attitude. Plus, he's a pretty funny guy.

Jeremy Palmer didn't become a millionaire because he was lazy. He found a market that worked for him and committed to it. Now, he's sharing those success secrets with the world (And duh! Making money from it!)

Finally, Robert Marcus is a runner. He likes working out to music. He took his 2 loves, mixed them together, applied an affiliate code and Bam! He's got a successful operation.

Now you know that you can do it too.