I once heard a famous speaker proclaim these words, "Your actions define who you are". I believe those words as the truth. You've heard it said before..."actions speak louder than words", "It's not what you say, it's what you do", "Talk is Cheap", "Walk the walk, don't talk the talk"....etc.
Well, there is a lot of truth to all of this. At any point of our life you could probably pin point a time when you said this, or you said that....and didn't follow it up with action (I know that I have). Words without action is just lip service...and to coin the Seinfeld expression.."yadda yadda yadda"
Anthony Robbins in his book, 'Awaken the Giant Within', goes into detail about what it means to have action in what you do.
"The most powerful way to shape our lives is to get ourselves to take action. The difference in the results that people produce comes down to what they've done differently from others in the same situations. Different actions produce different results. Why? Because any action is a cause set in motion, and its effect builds on past effects to move us in a definite direction. Every direction leads to an ultimate destination: our destiny."
And here is the key to what Anthony Robbins is getting at....
"In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently"
I received wise counsel from a leader in another direct marketing company. Her advice for success in business was simple. In fact, it was only two words.
"Consistency, and Persistency"
We all must be consistent in what we are doing in order to achieve true success. Don't quit...stay in the race. Think of it as a marathon and not a sprint. You need to stay consistent and build upon that consistency. Start forming positive habits, work your business EVERY DAY. Build the courage the talk to at least ONE person every day about your business.
Also, it's important to stay persistent in what you are doing. You are going to get rejected. It's a fact of life. What do you do with the people who "aren't interested"? My old sales manager from Wisconsin would always say, "No doesn't mean no. It just means NOT YET". In this business the key to persistency is "Polite Persistent". Don't chase people. When a person asks for information don't unleash the fire hose and blow them away with so much technical stuff that you literally blow them away!" However, follow up with people. Keep a "drip list" of people who initially said "I'm not interested" and follow up quarterly.
Consistency and persistency are both actions that will define you. Go out and make it happen!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Love Connection
Do you love what you do? Why or Why Not? Everyday we face the possibility of what are attitude is like. Your thought process is the ONE thing you can control. Think about this....your brain is sooooo powerful that you can literally control what goes in and what goes out. Therefore, you can literally shape and develop your attitude. We can ALSO shape and develop our LOVE for people.....which is the most powerful emotions we have!
So, if we know that Love is one of the most powerful emotions we have...we can literally harness the energy from this emotion through our brain to do A LOT of GOOD. Why? Because we can control what goes in and what goes out!! We're in control!!! God made us beings of thought and will...he did not make us robots!
The Master Himself (Jesus Christ) taught this information and summed everything up into TWO BASIC LAWS.
#1 Love God with all your heart, mind and soul
#2 Love your neighbor as yourself.
The key word in both these commandments was to LOVE.
The key to harnessing this powerful emotion? Get your mind OFF yourself and onto others. Start caring for the will being of people. Start asking more questions. Start listening more and talking less. Start affirming others instead of criticizing. Start being part of the solution instead of the problem....simply put... love until it hurts, and when the day is through, love again!
The Burning Heart
They say if you can take a thought, and mix it with a burning heart and desire to do something, that you can accomplish anything.
You can't teach a burning heart. You either have it or you don't. But....you certainly can develop a burning heart. The burning desire to succeed is in us all....but if the seed is flooded out by the negative thoughts of society, if it is blown away by the sweeping winds of change, if it is swallowed hole by the birds of in opportunity....you stand the chance of having that fire extinguished.
May I offer a suggestion? For once in your life quit listening to the negative voices and tune your ear to the positive air waves. Why take criticism and advice from losers? If you are receiving advice from someone...consider this....ask yourself: Is this a person whom I want to be like? Do they earn the income I want to make? Are they at a place in their life that I want to be at? If not...why take advice or criticism from them?
Simply walk away.....because you cannot put your burning heart at jeopardy.
In the days of the Vikings, they would pull their ships to shore and burn them. The Generals would than pronounce to the warriors, "The ships are gone. There is only one way to get back home and that is to win this battle or war!" "There is no going back....only forward!"
It's the sink or swim mentality. All or nothing, win or lose. The only option for survival is to WIN!
The burning ships translated themselves onto the hearts of the Viking warriors and turned into a massive burning fire within their hearts! I wish the same onto you!
In closing, a famous track star won the gold medal in high jump. It totally amazed the reporters and spectators because this track champion only had ONE LEG. How was it possible that a one legged man could win the gold medal in the high jump? So the reporters asked him. He replied, "I threw my heart over the bar....and my body followed"
You can do anything in life and in business if you give it enough heart! Don't stop, Don't whine, Don't quit....keep driving on with a burning desire to win...and you will!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Failing Forward
In business and in life we strive for perfection. We excel in knowing that we 'got it right...the first time'. We measure success with victory and live to tell the story of Super Bowl Champs and paste giant "Loser" signs on Super Bowl losers. Lets face it...nobody remembers who finishes 2nd place in our society. They only remember the winners.
In order to get ahead...you need to throw out that philosophy. Not only is it impractical, its not realistic and its certainly NOT healthy. You don't win from winning. You win from losing. When you lose and when you stumble you LEARN. Its in life's lessons that we get stronger. It's in the little failures and big failures where we get better. No child learned to ride a bike without scraped up knees. Its the nicks, bruises and burns along the way that make us who we are.
John Maxwell in his book, "Failing Forward" hits the nail on the head.
"One of the greatest problems people have with failure is that they are too quick to judge isolated situations in their lives and label them as failures. Instead, they need to keep the bigger picture in mind. Someone like Tony Gwynn doesn't look at an out that he makes and think of failure. He sees it within the context of the bigger picture. His perspective leads to perseverance. His perseverance brings longevity. And his longevity gives him opportunities for success."
No matter where you are currently in life....come to realize that mistakes and failures build you into success.
Thomas Edison discovered the phonograph while trying to invent something different. Kellog's Corn Flakes resulted when boiled wheat was left in a baking pan over night. Ivory Soap floats because a batch was left in the mixer too long and a large volume of air whipped into it. Scott Towels were launched because a toilet paper machine put too many layers together.
Fail....Fail often, Fail early and Fail Forward!!
In order to get ahead...you need to throw out that philosophy. Not only is it impractical, its not realistic and its certainly NOT healthy. You don't win from winning. You win from losing. When you lose and when you stumble you LEARN. Its in life's lessons that we get stronger. It's in the little failures and big failures where we get better. No child learned to ride a bike without scraped up knees. Its the nicks, bruises and burns along the way that make us who we are.
John Maxwell in his book, "Failing Forward" hits the nail on the head.
"One of the greatest problems people have with failure is that they are too quick to judge isolated situations in their lives and label them as failures. Instead, they need to keep the bigger picture in mind. Someone like Tony Gwynn doesn't look at an out that he makes and think of failure. He sees it within the context of the bigger picture. His perspective leads to perseverance. His perseverance brings longevity. And his longevity gives him opportunities for success."
No matter where you are currently in life....come to realize that mistakes and failures build you into success.
Thomas Edison discovered the phonograph while trying to invent something different. Kellog's Corn Flakes resulted when boiled wheat was left in a baking pan over night. Ivory Soap floats because a batch was left in the mixer too long and a large volume of air whipped into it. Scott Towels were launched because a toilet paper machine put too many layers together.
Fail....Fail often, Fail early and Fail Forward!!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Low Lying Fruit Pickers
I had the opportunity yesterday to spend the day in Des Moines both training people on the "teamworkfirst" team and showing the opportunity to another friend....and guess what happened? I was cross recruited TWICE!!!!!! It's amazing what happens as you start working your business. The "cross marketers" come out of the wood work. These are people that try and pull you away from what you are doing and plug you into their business.
It really is amazing and I refer to these people as "lazy marketers". Instead of listening to what you are doing and saying..."that's fantastic" they try and get you to a meeting, get you to their website. (And I don't think there is ANY problem is swapping information as long as the other person is sincere in checking out YOUR information too). These lazy marketers want a free meal. They figure if you are already doing a business that you are the EXACT kind of person that they need...someone who wants to work a business....this is called "picking low lying fruit". Why wouldn't you listen, smile, and affirm them in what they are doing and move on. You can easily put that person on a drip list and get back to them at a later date. Check in quarterly with them and see how the business is doing. For the most part....a person is convicted in what they are doing.
If you are to be successful in anything you do, you need to stay focused. You need to stay in the game and give it 100% for at least 6 months to a year. Give it time to work. In fact, give YOURSELF time to work. Clear your mind of all the opportunities out there (and there are MANY) and stay focused on what you are doing.
Don't let 'low lying fruit pickers' pull you off the fast track to success. Simply ask them....how long have you been in the business? How many people have you sponsored in the last month? How much volume is moving in your organization? ...If they can't answer this directly without being wishy washy...its not worth your time.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not naive enough to think that what they have to offer isn't a good offer. All I am saying is that for YOU to be successful....you need to stick with it and give it 100%. If you keep bouncing around...you'll never reap the rewards you deserve. Trust me on this one....the more successful you become in network marketing OR ANY VENTURE, the more opportunity givers will appear. There is an opportunity around every corner...and guess what? You are IN ONE!!
It really is amazing and I refer to these people as "lazy marketers". Instead of listening to what you are doing and saying..."that's fantastic" they try and get you to a meeting, get you to their website. (And I don't think there is ANY problem is swapping information as long as the other person is sincere in checking out YOUR information too). These lazy marketers want a free meal. They figure if you are already doing a business that you are the EXACT kind of person that they need...someone who wants to work a business....this is called "picking low lying fruit". Why wouldn't you listen, smile, and affirm them in what they are doing and move on. You can easily put that person on a drip list and get back to them at a later date. Check in quarterly with them and see how the business is doing. For the most part....a person is convicted in what they are doing.
If you are to be successful in anything you do, you need to stay focused. You need to stay in the game and give it 100% for at least 6 months to a year. Give it time to work. In fact, give YOURSELF time to work. Clear your mind of all the opportunities out there (and there are MANY) and stay focused on what you are doing.
Don't let 'low lying fruit pickers' pull you off the fast track to success. Simply ask them....how long have you been in the business? How many people have you sponsored in the last month? How much volume is moving in your organization? ...If they can't answer this directly without being wishy washy...its not worth your time.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not naive enough to think that what they have to offer isn't a good offer. All I am saying is that for YOU to be successful....you need to stick with it and give it 100%. If you keep bouncing around...you'll never reap the rewards you deserve. Trust me on this one....the more successful you become in network marketing OR ANY VENTURE, the more opportunity givers will appear. There is an opportunity around every corner...and guess what? You are IN ONE!!
The Attractor Factor
Stop for a minute and think about WHO or WHAT you are attracting into your life? It always amazes me how attracted bugs are to light. A light shines in the darkness and they all swarm to it like metal to a magnet.
The same is true in business. Its better to attract people to you, than go chasing people or selling people. How do you do that? By becoming stronger, educated, smarter, "fined tuned". We are in a perfect business to do those things. Don't go chasing people....rather attract them to you.
Jim Rohn says it best:
"To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. To attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go to work on yourself. If you become, you can attract."
So the most important thing to the equation is working on "Thyself".
I can guarantee you success if you only improve upon one or two areas in your life....and you can attract success. You are in a business of attracting.....don't sell....go attract by "BEING". Don't wake up in the morning and say to yourself "Wow, I wish I could be like her". Go do it! Don't say to yourself, "I wish I could be rich". Go do it! Don't wish for success. Create it by attracting it in your life!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Lesson #1
According to Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, one of the most important lessons he learned from his Rich Dad was:
Lesson #1 Rich people don't work for money.
It never ceases to amaze me how the middle class view work and wages. If you work a job, you get an hourly wage. If you have "good" wages and work a standard 40 hour work week than you can make a decent income.
What about when the dollar doesn't keep up with inflation? Rising gas costs? Higher Mortgage payments? What about sudden changes in health? Is that dollar guaranteed or protected?
"Most people have a price. And they have a price because of human emotions named fear and greed. First, the fear of being without money motivates us to work hard, and then once we get that paycheck, greed or desire starts us thinking about all the wonderful things that money can buy. The pattern is then set."
"What pattern?"
"The pattern of get up, go to work, pay bills, get up, go to work, pay bills...Their lives are then run forever by two emotions, fear and greed. Offer them more money, and they continue the cycle by also increasing their spending. This is what I call the Rat Race."
-Rich Dad, Poor Dad
The whole thing is about getting stronger mentally and emotionally. Money doesn't feed the need. Educate yourself and sharpen the tools in your tool box, and get better at what you do. Knowledge is far better than money.....and only than will you truly leave the Rat Race! Quit letting money control you...and take control of your own life!
Lesson #1 Rich people don't work for money.
It never ceases to amaze me how the middle class view work and wages. If you work a job, you get an hourly wage. If you have "good" wages and work a standard 40 hour work week than you can make a decent income.
What about when the dollar doesn't keep up with inflation? Rising gas costs? Higher Mortgage payments? What about sudden changes in health? Is that dollar guaranteed or protected?
"Most people have a price. And they have a price because of human emotions named fear and greed. First, the fear of being without money motivates us to work hard, and then once we get that paycheck, greed or desire starts us thinking about all the wonderful things that money can buy. The pattern is then set."
"What pattern?"
"The pattern of get up, go to work, pay bills, get up, go to work, pay bills...Their lives are then run forever by two emotions, fear and greed. Offer them more money, and they continue the cycle by also increasing their spending. This is what I call the Rat Race."
-Rich Dad, Poor Dad
The whole thing is about getting stronger mentally and emotionally. Money doesn't feed the need. Educate yourself and sharpen the tools in your tool box, and get better at what you do. Knowledge is far better than money.....and only than will you truly leave the Rat Race! Quit letting money control you...and take control of your own life!
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