The barrier to entry is low for almost every online business now, which naturally means more competition. The advantage comes from persistence, not finding a secret method.
If I had to start over today, I'd learn sales before learning another technical skill. Knowing how to communicate value has made me more money than any software I know.
Your frustration is understandable. Social media is filled with people selling the dream of easy online income, but the reality is usually much slower than advertised.