Do you guys realize that whether you have your own business, work for an employer, or do network marketing, that you are all self employed. That's right we are all self employed and until you start believing that, your success will be limited as you will never be completely in charge of your destiny. You will always be dependent on that company or boss.
If we are going to become successful in life we have to get that through our head and realize that no matter who signs our paycheck we are self employed. It doesn't really matter whether you are a 1099 Independent Contractor, or an employee, you must get this. Because, if you don't you will never feel important and you will always depend on your employer or company for your success.
Let's say that your company or network marketing company went out of business tomorrow. It does happen believe it or not - especially in today's world. I was selling real estate in Australia around this time last year when my real estate office I was working for went bankrupt and closed their doors. I could have been devastated, but I knew how valuable I was and just re sold my talents to another office and was back to work within a few weeks. If you depend on your employer and never saw yourself as a valuable player, than you could become devastated and may not recover from your loss. If your company goes under, or you lose a valuable client than you will just say, I'll find another employer, or company to go to work with - no big deal. There is so much freedom once you get this - that it will be liberating to your success.
I read a story about how Dustin Hoffman the actor used to go around and tell everyone he was a professional actor before he even made a dime at his profession. So why don't all of you go around and tell everyone that you are a realtor, life coach, network marketer, or whatever it is you want to be, and start to realize that your job or current situation is just a means to get you to where you want to go. We are all self employed.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Getting Your People To Stay???
Ok, you've joined your MLM opportunity. Your past the point where you know how to sponsor and train, but something happens, the person you spent hours, or weeks with who you thought was going to be a rockstar vanishes. Your sponsor, or company didn't tell you about how to deal with the people you bring on board that quit? How many quit, I don't want to give you a real number as to scare anyone new who is thinking about getting into MLM, but the number is very high. I know of professionals who expect it, and to become a network marketing pro you should too. If you honestly think that everyone you recruit into your business is going to stick around for longer than a few months, you have another thing coming. MLM is one of the toughest endeavors out there, not because it is really hard, but because most people are lazy by nature, and they are attracted to MLM because of the hype that shows you how to get rich quickly. Working for someone and getting a paycheck is easy and working for yourself, or on straight commission is hard. I know I have done it for years as both a business owner, salesperson, realtor, musician, and network marketer. I've also spent a number of years in Corporate America and a salary is much easier compared to straight commission. At least you know you are getting paid whether you perform or not. Of course you may get fired if you don't perform. You can probably fake it for alot longer than you could if you were only paid for your ability to perform and produce.
That is enough about work, what to do when your downline vanishes? I was hanging out with my friend the other day who has earned a 7 figure income in network marketing and he said he is The General and he is just looking for a few lieutenants to join his squad. He said he doesn't expect to find anyone who can out perform him, but he expects to find a few leaders. You might have to go through 10, 15, or even 30 people to find one lieutenant. This is after you have already done lots of sorting to find your 30 to 50 to join your training camp. So here might be a better way to think of your MLM Business versus just trying to bring everyone with a pulse into your business. Think of your business like you are building a team, no different than a NFL Team. You are sorting for your superstars, but many won't make it out of training camp onto the field. Why is that? A few reasons, but here are my thoughts. Many won't do the work necessary to be successful, many don't have the skill-set or the desire to develop the skills, many lack serious ambition, and many just quite frankly are LAZY. Lots of people want what few have, but aren't willing to do the work. There is a reason this sport is called NetWORK Marketing.
That is enough about work, what to do when your downline vanishes? I was hanging out with my friend the other day who has earned a 7 figure income in network marketing and he said he is The General and he is just looking for a few lieutenants to join his squad. He said he doesn't expect to find anyone who can out perform him, but he expects to find a few leaders. You might have to go through 10, 15, or even 30 people to find one lieutenant. This is after you have already done lots of sorting to find your 30 to 50 to join your training camp. So here might be a better way to think of your MLM Business versus just trying to bring everyone with a pulse into your business. Think of your business like you are building a team, no different than a NFL Team. You are sorting for your superstars, but many won't make it out of training camp onto the field. Why is that? A few reasons, but here are my thoughts. Many won't do the work necessary to be successful, many don't have the skill-set or the desire to develop the skills, many lack serious ambition, and many just quite frankly are LAZY. Lots of people want what few have, but aren't willing to do the work. There is a reason this sport is called NetWORK Marketing.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Power of Images & Goals
Recently I printed out a picture of a surfboard I wanted to purchase, but rather than just buying the board, I wanted to see if I could attract the board to me. Funny enough, less than 2 weeks after printing out the picture of the board and staring at the image almost every day, I found the exact same board, different color less than a mile from my home. A guy was selling his board on Craigslist, I knew without a doubt that it was meant to become my latest surfboard. So, I simply went down to the ATM Machine and drove over to his home and purchased the board. This is just one example of a few that I am exploring.
About 10 months ago, I had started a new position as a real estate salesman down in Australia and had printed out images of my home back in Carlsbad, CA and posted them in front of me to look at every day. Many of the salespeople I worked with commented on why I would live in Maryborough, when I could be living back in my home in California only a mile and a half from the beach. I subconsciously, thought that they were right and within a few months, I was living back in my house.
Recently, I read a book called "The Answer" by John Assaraf and he spoke about how he had a vision board that he had created several years earlier and when his son came across his board one day accidentally, John studied it and noticed that he was living in the exact home he had posted on the board. Are the above just random, or can our minds really attract what we want out of life?
I'm sure most of you reading this have heard the story of Jim Carey the actor/comedian. He had post dated a check for 10 Million dollars and carried it around in his wallet for many years before hitting it big in Hollywood. He put at the bottom of the check for acting services. You see, these are just a few examples of what can happen if you begin to create your future with images. I personally believe that images are way more powerful than words. Yeah, you can write down goals on a piece a paper, but my challenge to you is rather than just writing down a goal, take an image and dwell on it for weeks or months and imagine having that object or thing, and see where you end up?
The mind is way more powerful than anything you can imagine. It has the ability to make you, or break you. Most people fail not by unfortunate circumstances, because somewhere deep down they sought failure and not success. Let images and create thoughts that will override those negative feelings and fears.
If you don't believe me, just start with something small like a surfboard or a pair of sneakers and see where you end up.
About 10 months ago, I had started a new position as a real estate salesman down in Australia and had printed out images of my home back in Carlsbad, CA and posted them in front of me to look at every day. Many of the salespeople I worked with commented on why I would live in Maryborough, when I could be living back in my home in California only a mile and a half from the beach. I subconsciously, thought that they were right and within a few months, I was living back in my house.
Recently, I read a book called "The Answer" by John Assaraf and he spoke about how he had a vision board that he had created several years earlier and when his son came across his board one day accidentally, John studied it and noticed that he was living in the exact home he had posted on the board. Are the above just random, or can our minds really attract what we want out of life?
I'm sure most of you reading this have heard the story of Jim Carey the actor/comedian. He had post dated a check for 10 Million dollars and carried it around in his wallet for many years before hitting it big in Hollywood. He put at the bottom of the check for acting services. You see, these are just a few examples of what can happen if you begin to create your future with images. I personally believe that images are way more powerful than words. Yeah, you can write down goals on a piece a paper, but my challenge to you is rather than just writing down a goal, take an image and dwell on it for weeks or months and imagine having that object or thing, and see where you end up?
The mind is way more powerful than anything you can imagine. It has the ability to make you, or break you. Most people fail not by unfortunate circumstances, because somewhere deep down they sought failure and not success. Let images and create thoughts that will override those negative feelings and fears.
If you don't believe me, just start with something small like a surfboard or a pair of sneakers and see where you end up.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
What Type of Pay Is Realistic In MLM
I met with a friend of mine the other day. We were discussing MLM and the future of our industry. He has been in the industry for over 18 years as both a distributor and a company owner, and has made as much as a 100K per month as a distributor. We talked about a new person coming into the business and what they could expect. He said he had studied pay plans and had discovered that most every pay plan in our industry has a pay out plan on average of 10% of your overall monthly volume.
He went on to claim that whatever your monthly volume is, more than likely will reflect your yearly income. So in conclusion, if you want to make a 100K per year in MLM, you will more than likely need a 100K in monthly volume, 1 Million a Million in monthly volume and so on. I don't know if this is factual, but it did line up with all of pay I have received from the few companies I have been with. It is also very consistent with every company I have worked with as a salesperson over the past 10 years.
He went on to claim that whatever your monthly volume is, more than likely will reflect your yearly income. So in conclusion, if you want to make a 100K per year in MLM, you will more than likely need a 100K in monthly volume, 1 Million a Million in monthly volume and so on. I don't know if this is factual, but it did line up with all of pay I have received from the few companies I have been with. It is also very consistent with every company I have worked with as a salesperson over the past 10 years.
Serving Others
I just watched the movie Seven Pounds with Will Smith. The last movie he was in "I Am Legend", had me bored to tears, I think I got about half way through before shutting it off. His previous movie before that, "Pursuit of Happiness", actually had a significant impact on me both personally, and professionally. Who would have ever thought that a movie could have such an impact, but there are a few others that have. Although this film, had me sitting there in awe, wondering what was happening, when it all came together, it made perfect sense.
I won't go into the details of the movie in case you haven't seen it, but it certainly gave me a breakthrough, on what it means to be a great person. You see a great person isn't someone who lives for themselves, a great person is someone who lives for others. This guys life had hit a turning point and he made a decision due to a tragic event that he would help others. Maybe he felt guilty and was trying to give back something, maybe it made him feel good. I think it was both.
At one time I lived my life completely for myself. When I got married and had a child, I realized there was more to life than just me. Believe it or not, my past year in network marketing has helped me to see that helping others is the only way to truly be an inspiration on this planet. There are other great ways you can inspire others through being a speaker, a pastor, a policeman, an actor, a volunteer, or as we saw in "Seven Pounds", a tax collector. You see no matter what career we have, we all have the ability to serve. It's just a matter of choice. As contrary to our beliefs we don't necessarily have to be in a career, where we automatically serve to serve others.
The life you lead today will one day pass like the wind. If you can come to realize that and wrap your hands around that fact, you might just change the way you look at things. I heard a guy once say, "live each day as your last, but plan for 10 years down the road". I personally think the greatest tragedy in life is to live like you are going to live forever.
If you don't feel like you have been a great servant in your life, its never too late to start and impact the lives of others while you are here. Your little acts of serving others might make a huge difference, and maybe even save someones life. If your looking surpass your leadership in your home, business, company, church, hospital, or community. Simply make yourself a promise that you will put others first. I think what makes a leader great is simply serving others.
I won't go into the details of the movie in case you haven't seen it, but it certainly gave me a breakthrough, on what it means to be a great person. You see a great person isn't someone who lives for themselves, a great person is someone who lives for others. This guys life had hit a turning point and he made a decision due to a tragic event that he would help others. Maybe he felt guilty and was trying to give back something, maybe it made him feel good. I think it was both.
At one time I lived my life completely for myself. When I got married and had a child, I realized there was more to life than just me. Believe it or not, my past year in network marketing has helped me to see that helping others is the only way to truly be an inspiration on this planet. There are other great ways you can inspire others through being a speaker, a pastor, a policeman, an actor, a volunteer, or as we saw in "Seven Pounds", a tax collector. You see no matter what career we have, we all have the ability to serve. It's just a matter of choice. As contrary to our beliefs we don't necessarily have to be in a career, where we automatically serve to serve others.
The life you lead today will one day pass like the wind. If you can come to realize that and wrap your hands around that fact, you might just change the way you look at things. I heard a guy once say, "live each day as your last, but plan for 10 years down the road". I personally think the greatest tragedy in life is to live like you are going to live forever.
If you don't feel like you have been a great servant in your life, its never too late to start and impact the lives of others while you are here. Your little acts of serving others might make a huge difference, and maybe even save someones life. If your looking surpass your leadership in your home, business, company, church, hospital, or community. Simply make yourself a promise that you will put others first. I think what makes a leader great is simply serving others.
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