I was listening to Loral Langemeier of the movie The Secret recently and she said something that I thought was very insiteful. She believes that the correct order of things is actually DO – BE – HAVE. Upon reflection, I tend to agree.

When I thought about it, for example, when a person wants to become something …like a hairdresser, they DO what a hairdresser does (not very well at first). Then they will be able to BE what they desire to be. And they will HAVE what hairdressers have such as clients.

A person who is about to take their first lesson in flying a plane does not say “I am a pilot”. A statement like that only comes after practicing the art of taking off, flying and landing. Only after time and experience does the being part of the equation take hold. Only after the proper training and demonstrating proficiency can anyone HAVE a pilot’s license decreeing that they are in fact, a pilot.

Of course, not everything that people want to accomplish has a formal title that is bestowed upon you once you have completed a set of tasks. There are certain things that you actually bestow the title upon yourself. In many ways, this takes more guts than having someone else pronounce you “qualified”. It can take courage to stand up and declare yourself worthy fo being listened to on a given subject. But it gets easier and easier in the doing of the thing that makes it so.

If you go in with a winning attitude more times than not you will get what you are after …or even better. I can’t count the number of times that having an attitude of helpfulness or gratefulness or simply kindness have created circumstances where I received a much greater benefit than I originally intended.

Being pleasantly surprised is often a wonderful byproduct of having the right mindset.

This mindset consists of being open, having flexible thinking, and knowing that if you are kind and helpful good things will come to you.

You must be willing to give. It is that willingness that is the attitude you are looking for in yourself.

The simplest thing to give is a compliment. It must be genuine.

In order to be able to give out a true thoughtful compliment that the recipient will appreciate, simply take your focus off of yourself and shine the spotlight onto the other person. If you pay attention, you will surely notice something that will make them feel good when you point it out.

Most of the time, people do not receive enough praise or acknowledgement. Everyone likes it (whether they admit it or not).

It does make the world a better place. It’s like a chain reaction. Brighten one persons day and they will most likely pass it on. Attitude is everything to everyone you meet.

It doesn’t cost anything to be nice. It can really cost more than you realize if you choose not to be. When you are nice, others will be likelier to be nice to you in return …even those that have a reputation for being unkind. They are the ones who need TLC more than most because they are usually inviting harshness to themselves.

In all that you do, just remember that attitude is everything and you can’t go wrong!

What is proper posture and how do you achieve it? It is all about putting on a powerful dynamic persona. It definitely isn’t fake. It’s different and unique for each and every individual. It’s something you already have within yourself and only you can bring out. You might have to dig deep to find it, though.

It’s an inside job.

I once heard a story that I think illustrates this concept pretty well. As I recall, it went something like this:

Two ladies went out shopping for the afternoon. There probably was a fantastic sale going on because the store was extremely crowded. As Norma and her friend (I forgot the other  friend’s name) shopped, they were having a great time together. It had been such a long time since they had gotten to have a day to call their own.

As the day went on, the friend was perplexed by what the other shoppers were doing. She couldn’t get over it. She asked Norma what she believed was going on. Why was everyone all around them acting so…normal? …As if they had no idea.

Then, Norma Jean asked her friend to watch as she put on the persona of…you guessed it, the one and only, Marilyn Monroe.

Suddenly, throngs of people were shocked to notice just who was among them that day. Within seconds, she was mobbed with autograph seekers and other fans.

Everyone has their own special strength inside of them they can bring out at will, with practice. The kind of presence that makes others take notice…commands their attention.

Seek it out. Find yours, and you too will know how to be successful in network marketing.

One of the huge differentiating factors comes from the questions we ask. Most important is what we ask ourselves and secondly, what we ask of others.

Asking good questions is the key to success. Good or even great answers can come only from good questions. For instance, listen to the difference between the following: Why am I so broke? vs How can I make more money? Do you hear the difference in the attitude?

Question one is asked with a sad-sack attitude. Furthermore, it leads to all kinds of answers, none of which are helpful at all. Who even really wants to hear all of the deflating answers to that line of questioning?

Question two is full of hope. It leads to many answers full of possibilities that will make a great difference in the life of the asker, if implemented.

When beginning to ask yourself better questions, it can seem to be overwhelming. If you have had the habit of asking yourself unhelpful questions up until now, a really good question to begin to ask yourself is: What is the next step for me to take to move me closer to my goal?

The truth of the matter is that you don’t have to know everything in order to make progress. You only need to know what the next step is and then take it. Each new step sheds new light on what the next step should be.

Very important to understand: Some of your steps will seem to be missteps. The reality is that each step creates a new vantage point from which to assess the situation. You will be able to see new possibilities from each new spot where you stand after taking yet another step (even baby steps). You might just have to take a small detour off of your current path in order to see a much more expedient way to get where you want to go. Something you never would have seen from where you were before. These are called happy accidents. Most (probably all) profound discoveries came from experimentation.

An overview is good, but you can’t possibly see every alternative before you turn each new corner. Continuing to ask what is my next step and then taking it will get you where you want to go (or possibly somewhere better) so much faster than trying to plan every moment of trip in advance.

Speaking of trying, try is an extremely dis-empowering word. Trying is not doing. Doing is the only way to get anywhere. The word try implies a built in excuse for not achieving.

When you begin using empowering language, you must banish certain words from your vocabulary. A good list to start with is try, should and could.

Should and could are also excuse words. Either you will or you won’t. Be decisive.

Pay attention to the way that successful people speak. They are not wishy washy. They speak with authority. You can too! It just takes practice.

The more you keep asking, answering and taking action, the more you build up your decisiveness muscles. The first step toward getting where you want to go is using empowering language. It will help get you there!

It is the correct order of things. It is the way things truly are.

Most people have it backwards. Most people want to have…things.

This is the lottery mentality. The reason why most lottery winners end up more broke after they win big than before their “good fortune” is because of this way of thinking.

Millionaires and billionaires are rich first. They Be it in their minds. This part is critical. It is the catalyst for everything else.

The second part of the formula is to Do. In order to do what rich people do (if that is your goal) you must first Be rich in your head. If you believe you are poor then you will do what poor people do, just as believing you are rich will lead you to do what rich people do.

The third and final step in the Be Do Have process is to Have. This is the natural by-product of the prior two steps.

The way that everything comes to fruition is always the same. Believing is first…and then second you will see. If you wait to see something before you can believe, I’m sorry to say that you will never see the results that you desire.

The building isn’t built and then conceived of. That makes no sense at all. Somehow people think that they will magically begin acting the way they think they ought to once they have the things they want to have. It has never worked that way and it never will.

In order to Have, one must first Do. In order to Do, one must first Be.

Be Do Have: this is the eternal formula to use to get to where you want to be.

Even when you can’t really leave your house, networking is still possible in these modern times. Of course you can (and should) interact with others on the web even if you aren’t laid up.

Working your network marketing business from your computer is definitely efficient and cost effective. There is no need to be forced into it. It should be embraced. You can reach people you would never have had any other way of meeting.  How wonderful is that? There are no boundaries!

Your business can even expand to other countries using this medium. The possibilities are practically endless.

They are always coming up with new sites where you can connect with like minded people.  Each social networking site attracts all kinds of different folks with a wide variety of interests…and most have many subsets within each category. There is something for everyone.

Don’t wait to break your leg to get involved in networking with others beyond your own backyard.

Well, if we consult Wikipedia about karma, we find “Karma is not punishment or retribution but simply an extended expression or consequence of natural acts. Karma means “deed” or “act” and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction that governs all life.”

This would seem to be saying good deed doers receive good in return in their life.

I believe this can be as simple as giving a smile to another person.  Have you ever noticed when we flash our pearly whites at another person, whether we know them or not, both spirits seem to be lifted up pretty much immediately. This appears to be a universal truth.

Isn’t it great making someone else’s day brighter?…then as a natural byproduct, our own life is enhanced also. Cheering others up make us cheerier.

What is good karma? If you ask me, it’s like the boomerang effect…what you throw out comes back to you in kind.

Use the Internet!  Seriously, where else are you going to be able to meet more people?

Since part of the equation for success is a numbers game, wouldn’t you think it was a smart move to be able to increase those numbers?

If you had your choice of being in a room full of like minded people at a networking event or being the one on stage at a networking convention, which one would you select to get your message out?

The internet has the very real potential for you to be able to have the same effect as getting to speak in a stadium where people have gathered from all over the world!   There is one important difference though, you get to speak to each potential candidate for your business as though you were speaking directly to them, one on one.

In many ways the internet can actually seem very personal.  You get to connect with others through articles and videos and your audience has an opportunity to connect back with comments.  You can then comment back to them and a dialog is started.  Others can also enter into the conversation adding their take on it.

Everyone has their own unique way of communicating their thoughts and feelings.  No two of us are exactly alike.  The diverse opinions and perceptions of everyone weaves a beautiful tapestry of humanity that is displayed all over the internet.

It doesn’t take much looking to see that you can learn a lot about others if you just know how to put yourself in the other guys shoes.  Look at things from their perspective.

Adding value to others is the only way that you will deserve their attention.  This is where your focus must be.  Give to others.  Pay attention to what they want and need and you will be amazed at how much they will pay attention to what you have to say.

Don’t just guess what the issues are.  Let your prospects lead you in the direction where they need help.  The journey will be worth it.  Your destination will be success!

As  a child, when my family went camping, I always looked forward to the irresistible  nightly  bonfire that my dad built.

I’ve also always been kind of a goody-goody too.  Which means that when I was a kid and I wanted to play with fire, I did it in the safest way that my child mind could think up.

So, my sister and I took a book of matches and our little beach bucket with us to the neighborhood park.    For safety’s sake, we filled our pail in the lavatory sink.

When we arrived, we were happy to see that no one was playing basketball on the asphalt court.

Even though I’m tall and was always asked if I played basketball, at the time, I wasn’t coordinated enough  to walk and chew gum at the same time.  So I had no business being near any hoops…except maybe hula hoops.

Off we proceeded to center court, with our water filled bucket, matches ready.

Since it didn’t take very much to amuse us, we were having a great time lighting one match after another (over the bucket) when we were caught.  Not by a grown up, but by the older brother of one of our friends.  He threatened to tell on us…unless we became his servants.  So what else could we do?  We agreed.

For some reason, our main duty as I recall was to stand with our arms out to our sides, keeping them up as long as we could.  I guess he thought that was funny.

Well, that brings me to this past weekend.  Since it was cold out and my husband was gone, it was up to me to get the fireplace going.

The first day, everything went perfectly.  My fire was roaring in no time.  On the second day…not so great.  I did finally get it going, but only with a lot of tending.

What was the difference?

This started me thinking about fires.

I wondered about Smokey Bear (he dropped his middle name, you know) and his cause of saving the forest from fires.

“Only YOU can prevent forest fires!”

Did that mean that only I could start a forest fire?

How exactly does one dropped match burn down a whole forest when I had a hard time get my fireplace to light with quite a few.

I had carefully placed the kindling in a tee-pee shape with crumpled newspaper underneath.  I then lit the paper in several spots, several times.  A bit of fanning and nice little fire erupted…and then died down to basically nothing.  More kindling, more paper, more fanning…ablaze again.

Of course, I hadn’t even put any real wood on there, yet.  It was too soon to pile on the big stuff.

After rearranging the log placement many times and adding to it, it seemed that I had a real fire going.  It couldn’t be neglected or it would surely go out.

It finally got to the point where it only needed tending from time to time and stoking occasionally to keep me warm.

You are probably wondering what any of this has to do with network marketing.

One thing that comes to mind is that when someone is really making things happen, we say they are on fire or that they’re all fired up.

Fires and networking businesses (or any business for that matter) actually have many similarities.

They all start out small.  They are all unique.  Some grow into a big blaze, maybe even to epic proportions…out of control.  Others fizzle and die for lack of trying or lack of understanding what it takes to build it in the proper order.

Even though some fires are started accidentally, they all begin with a combination of circumstances (intentional or not).

The electrical fire is started when there is faulty wiring that is plugged into an outlet that has power running through it.  No fire ever begins with a carelessly tossed unlit cigarette.

There is always some sort of initial cause.  Cause and effect go hand in hand even if we can’t always figure it out.

I suppose it might be possible to accidentally sponsor someone.  I guess that someone might see something about your business and ask you if they can join, but I’ve never heard of it happening.  It definitely never happened to me.  Come to think of it, I also don’t know anyone who accidentally burnt down a forest.

When you look at anything that is past it’s infancy stage, it becomes more difficult to decipher how it got to where it is.

In the case of actually doing anything well on purpose, there is usually some sort of small, imperceptible trick to it.  Something that was done at or toward the beginning that made it either possible or at least easier to do.

Learning from someone who has done the thing that you would like to do is the fastest way to speed up the learning curve.

It takes some different skills to start something up from scratch than to keep it going or grow it.  It really helps to have some tools to work with.  The fireplace broom and dustpan were excellent for removing the old ashes to start fresh and have room to grow my fire without smothering it.  The poker and the tongs were indispensable for moving hot logs around to create a hotter fire.

It takes more than one log to build a bonfire but you can get a nice one started with a bit of kindling and just a few logs.  The same is true of your business.  You must start with the fundamentals and then it only takes a few good builders to get it red hot.

The second part of the recipe for success equation was eluded to in Part 1. It is simply this:  TAKE ACTION.

Action: The Road To Success

As we all know, nothing ever happens until we take action. You could have the greatest ideas in you head, but who would benefit from that?

Even though it is simple, it’s not necessarily easy. Putting one foot in front of the other is easy once you know how to walk, but in the learning stages everyone falls down…a lot. If you gave up trying to figure out how to move using your own power in an upright position, you would either still be crawling or you would be a tremendous burden on others.

Some people don’t have, or have lost the capacity to walk.  That’s not what we’re talking about here.   Even so, most of them have found other means of getting around. They serve as a great example. An awesome lesson can be learned from so many of these valiant souls. They have a lot to offer and have chosen to rise to the challenge.  They are productive.  They contribute.  They don’t use excuses. They take action!

The ability to take action is in everyone.   Start small.  Celebrate each success…no matter how small. Build on your successes.

Everything counts…even the mistakes!   Maybe, especially the mistakes. They are quite frankly unavoidable when working to achieve anything.

Notice what doesn’t work but don’t dwell on it, just adjust. The only way that you can really know for sure what works and what doesn’t is through action. Trial and error. Each and every time you make an attempt, you are making progress. This gets you closer to the prize.

The process is really quite simple. Take an action. Notice the result of taking that action and then evaluate that result.

If it is a pleasing result do more of it if that is appropriate. If the result is unappealing to you, then go back and make any adjustment that seems appropriate to you and begin again. There is always something that you can do to improve your result.

It helps to know your destination. If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there.

When measuring the accuracy of each attempt, there must be a yardstick to measure against. You must know your desired outcome in order to determine what new action will be required.

The formula is really the same as the one that you use to drive anywhere. When driving you are constantly making little course corrections in order to stay on the road, moving at the rate of speed desired to reach your final destination.

In fact, once you become proficient  at driving, you can do a multitude of other things with ease as you continue on your way.             .

Learning: It's Not Just For School!

There are many factors that create the recipe for success. Being a constant student of life is certainly one of the most important.

Remember when you were in high school, well as you probably realize, some people are still there mentally. The fact that you are reading this now, confirms that you are absolutely not one of them.

When people decide to stop their self education either consciously or unconsciously, they will be suspended in time…stuck wherever they had stopped. They don’t need to stay there though, it is always possible to pick up and continue the journey at any time.

A necessary ingredient for success requires a commitment to lifelong learning. In order to grow your business…you must first grow YOURSELF.

The ability to handle all of the different issues that will inevitably come up will be determined by your willingness to learn what must be done.

This increases your ability to add value.

The better the foundation that you have laid, the faster you will be able to figure out what course of action to take. Each new piece of information is a brick to build with. You can erect an enormous fortress in your mind that can be accessed to create whatever you want.

When first embarking in a certain direction, be alert for signs as to whether you have chosen the right path. Nearly all of the time, there will be some course correction in order. On occasion, a whole new strategy will be necessary.

A steady stream of general self improvement fortified by specialized knowledge will equip you for the challenges that arise.

It’s been said that whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. It’s also been said that we are never given more to handle than we can bear.

Through continuous learning, you will grow and build confidence. This is a very attractive quality.

People are always looking for someone who can show them the way to where they would like to go. The only way that anyone is able to lead another somewhere is to get out in front and be at least one or two steps ahead of the follower.

We can all be leaders and we should all be followers at different times for different things.

Everyone knows something that can help someone else. This means that your learning should not be restricted to books, you should keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to learn from others.

You never know who or what will give you that crucial bit of information that propels you to the next level. Be open to help anywhere that it comes from.

Adding a twist to something that is from a source that is unrelated to what you are doing could be the answer to whatever is blocking your progression at the moment.

You can also be encouraged when things don’t seem to be working out because what may appear to be a step (or even a few steps) backward, may be just what is necessary to put yourself into a position to steamroll forward. It’s smarter to move to a different vantage point so that you can be prepared to catapult yourself ahead instead of continuing to wear yourself out banging into the roadblock trying to force your way through.

In order to succeed, you must keep your inner child-like curiosity, but loose the childish attitude that holds you back.

Well, it’s football season again and it got me to thinking. In many ways, the game of  football is a lot like the game of life.  Just like in football, simply being selected to be on the field already makes you a winner.  It means that you made the cut…you’re in the game.

We All Start At The Beginning

Everyone starts with no score on the board…a clean slate.  We all have our own goal line to strive for and there are an infinite number of  routes that can get us there.

We are all moving toward the final score.  We all start out with the intention of getting as many points on the board as we possibly can.  Somewhere along the line, some seem to give up, others get a second wind while a few persevere and continue to increase the score.

You can only get there one step at a time.  No one wakes up one morning as a pro.  It was a daily process of doing what needed to be done that day.  It’s impossible to cram in a year’s worth of effort into a day, a week or even a month.  You get there incrementally…one step at a time, always building on the previous step.

Always Put In Your Best Effort

You never know where the tipping point will be. What will create the needed momentum in your favor for things start to going your way. Anyone can make up their mind to keep on keepin’ on.   To keep playing hard even when the present score on the board is not in your favor.  To be the one who inspires the rest of the team to keep trying even when the odds appear to be against them.  The movie Rudy is a fantastic example of this principle.  It is a truly inspirational true story about a kid named Rudy Ruettiger who’s dream was to play on the Notre Dame football team…against all odds.

Like Football, Life Is A Team Sport

No one comes into this world knowing anything.  We all have to learn from others.

The game is played with a TEAM.  No one goes it alone on the field.  Can you even imagine if one lone soul showed up to play against a team?  They’d get creamed!  In life we all need other people on our side helping us and rooting for us.

There is this myth out there about the self made person.  No one can achieve anything of greatness on their own.  It is impossible, so why even try. In fact it is actually a delusion.  The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can put ourselves in a position to start scoring.

Surround yourself with like minded people and help each other.  Become a cohesive group.  You can move down the field farther and faster together and with less struggle.

When you get tackled your teammates are usually right there offering their hand to help you up off of the ground…if you’ll let them.  Take their hand.  Offer your hand to any of them to help out when you can.

Good sportsmanlike conduct is in order on the field as well as in life.  Penalties aren’t always assessed instantaneously…there are makeup calls that are made down the line so play with that in mind.  Don’t be the cause of the game losing penalty.  Treat everyone with the respect that you desire also…even those that oppose you.

Try New Things

There are many different positions at work on the team.  Everyone has their own position that they are most suited to.

During the season, almost everyone has some opportunities to act as though they are playing another position.

The quarterback or a defensive lineman occasionally get a chance to score a touchdown, the safety sacks the opposing quarterback, or the punter runs for a first down.   If the quarterback throws an interception, suddenly, the whole offense is now playing as if they were members of the defense working to get the ball back.

A team does what is necessary in any given situation to make it work.  Be prepared to take your place on the field and then be ready for the chance to make a difference, even in a way that isn’t usually part of what you do.  It should go without saying that you must remember that without the other players and their special abilities, there would be no hope of winning.  You would be all alone out there.

Everyone on your team has to have the same goal.  This takes communication.  No one can read minds.

Life, like football is a game of acquired skills.  The more you practice while making sure that you are working on improving, the better you become and the better you can handle anything that comes your way with poise and grace.

Errors Are Part Of The Game

Everyone starts at the bottom…at level one.  Achievers know that it’s perfectly okay to make mistakes and to possibly even look like a fool for a while until they have mastered the skills needed to take them to the next level.

Even when the pinnacle is reached, there are still times when mistakes are made (think fumbles, sacks and interceptions).

Everyone who has reached any level of excellence (or even just proficiency) has given themselves permission to fail over and over until they get it right.  They do what others may not be willing to do by putting in the time and effort.

When the team arrives on the field on game day, they must come there prepared.  It shows if they haven’t put in the effort off the field…or if they didn’t work on the right things…or maybe if they just haven’t perfected their form.

Having A Coach (Or Mentor) Helps

All teams need a coach.  The better the coach, the better the chances are for the team.

A good coach will analyze  the performance of their team and critique their execution accurately and then advise them about what they need to do in order to improve and excel.  Coaches make the team better by making them do what is necessary.

Of course, when the game is actually being played, the coaches are always on the sidelines.  They can’t be on the field with the players.  They can’t play the game for them.   Their role is to help mentally prepare the team before each match…and then during the game as each play unfolds.

Have A Plan

The final score is always vastly better when there is a game plan.  In order to be really effective though, the plan must be flexible. It’s not written in stone…only on paper (hint: goals should be written down).

If what’s in the playbook isn’t working, it’s good to rest and regroup…make a new plan.  Rethink things from time to time. Sometimes it’s necessary to throw out the old playbook and start over.  Other times it’s just a matter of refining what’s already there.

Be agile. Ever adjusting to what is coming at you.

Go around that linebacker…much easier than trying to force your way through him.  This is an excellent example of what the saying “what you resist persists” means.  As long as you are willing to fight him, he will remain there, working against you.

Work Your Plan

When it’s time to play, ACTION is always required.  While thinking about what to do and planning are all good, necessary even, when you’re on the field you must DO what you have rehearsed in your mind and discussed.

What would happen if no one did anything?  Accomplishment takes ongoing focused activity.  You must be ready to be in motion when the ball snaps.

When we are out on the field, it’s smart to keep our eye on the ball.  We all know what happens when we don’t.

This is called focus.  At the same time, it is imperative to be aware of what is going on around us or we can get tackled from what seems like ‘out of nowhere’. When we are focused, we are now-here instead of no-where.  When in the now, we can survey the situation and act accordingly.  Your goal must always be in mind.

What are the chances of the quarterback connecting with  the receiver if either of them are focusing on the crowd and what they are doing?  You must always be focused on the task at hand if you expect to accomplish great things.

During the season and also during each game, there are many opportunities that can contribute toward winning.  Keep your attention on the task before you.  Keep working toward increasing your score.  Celebrate each victory as they come along, then get back to work.  Very few games are won with one field goal…or even just one touchdown…certainly not an entire season.  You won’t get to the Superbowl with that record.

Imagine what it would be like if there were no yard lines, no goal line, and no uprights.  How would the game even be played?  What would be the point?  Who would even show up to watch?

When the quarterback has the ball and is ready to throw it, he scans the field and checks to see which of his receivers is open and then he looks to the spot where the receiver will be and then launches the ball to that target.  In the mean time, the receiver breaks toward that same spot so that he can be there as the ball arrives in order to catch it.

Each game is made up of many plays.  Each one gets you to the next. Every play is important. When the runner has the ball, he must continually be scanning the field, assessing what is the best, most expedient way to advance the ball down the field. Always ready to deviate from the play book when circumstances call for it.

As he is running, his first short term goal is to make forward progression with the ball firmly in his possession.  As he scans the field and looks for options of how to accomplish that feat, he may actually run back a few yards in order to have a clear path to fly forward.

His intermediate goal is to get to a first down.  After the first down is accomplished, now he can keep running and possibly get to the goal line for a touch down.

Each touchdown and field goal brings the team closer to winning the game and their ultimate goal of winning the season.

There is no way to plan the whole game in advance.  It can’t be done.  You can only prepare as best as you can and then you must handle each moment as it comes.  Moving forward, from side to side, or even what appears to be a temporary backward movement always with the goal firmly in mind

If you get tackled, get back up, brush yourself off and keep going.  Shake off whatever happened during the last play.  It’s over.  You can’t go back. Move on.

You can use instant replay to your advantage, though.  Not to beat yourself up over and over, but to evaluate and learn from what happened.  What went right.  What went wrong.  And how can you use it to your advantage going forward.  After you have evaluated your performance, you can use the phrase “Next time I’ll…” to diagram your improvements.

Become Mentally Tough

Football is a mental game as well as a physical game.  This is true of life as well.  Your head must be in the game.

While playing, if things aren’t going well,  it can be easy to psych yourself out…to throw the whole game away.  Take your inspiration from the teams that were loosing badly and came back to win the game when everyone else, including their own fans up in the stands would have given up.  How many times have we seen the fans leaving in droves only to miss a spectacular comeback?

How much more rewarding is it to win when defeat appeared to be inevitable to others.  How much more exciting of a game is it to watch…or even more so, to participate in.

Another possible mental obstacle that isn’t quite as obvious, is when you are ahead and instead of continuing to play to win, you go into the “prevent defense”, playing not to loose.  Many a team has had victory snatched from their grasp with this strategy.  Their focus is in the wrong place.  Instead of keeping their goal in their sights, they begin to focus on what they do not want…to loose.

Fear Is Natural

Many people don’t even attempt anything that they aren’t sure that they can do, because they are AFRAID. Well, I’ve got news for you.  You are in good company because everyone is afraid at some time or another (maybe even most of the time).

The only way to concur fear is by DOING the thing that causes the fear in the first place.  This is the only way to make the thing that you were so afraid of less scary (or probably not scary at all anymore).

There is a great book by Susan Jeffers that I highly recommend to help in this area called Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway.

You may have heard of the acronym:

F alse

E vidence

A ppearing

R eal

That means that as the old saying goes, we  have nothing to fear except fear itself.

If you are always afraid that you might fumble the ball, you’ll never get the chance to make that incredible play and run it in for a touchdown for all the glory.

Sometimes even with the best of intentions, we miss the ball.  It could even be intercepted.

Oh well, that’s the way it goes sometimes. Get used to it.  It’s okay.  It’s part of the game.  There is no way to score without the risk of dropping the ball.  But, (and this is an enormous but) there is always another chance until the final (and I mean final) buzzer.

It’s All Up To You

Your life is not a spectator sport…at least it shouldn’t be for you.  Be bold!  Go for the big play.  Don’t wimp out.  Play all out!  You are the MVP on your team.

Get in the game.  It doesn’t make any sense to sit on the sidelines of the game of your own life.  Get in and get some experience.  After all, life is made up of experiences.

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There is a way to ensure that other people will want to work with you.  They must be able to see what’s in it for them. This is absolutely critical.

In order to do this, you must really understand what is important to them.  The only way that you can find out is by listening. Do not try to figure out what they mean when they tell you what their desired outcome is, ask them what they mean…clarify.

Seek first to understand.  Once you comprehend where they are coming from,then you can tailor what you offer to meet their needs.

Make sure that everything that you do is Win-Win-Win.  It must be a win for all or it won’t be a win in the long run.  Your reputation and your conscience must remain in tact to be able to have great success and keep it.

Another way of saying this would be that you and your message must be congruent.  Have high integrity.  Keep high standards for yourself.  Be concerned with how you interact with others.  Show them that you care.

What goes around, comes around.  Karma…you know.

It is important to understand that it is not up to you to determine if what you are proposing will be a win for the other person.  That is up to them to figure out for themselves.  We can not superimpose our judgments onto others.  It is their responsibility and their life.  Our job is to make sure that the potential to win is always there for them.

What they will do with their opportunity it is definitely up to each individual.

It is your responsibility to give a hand up…not a hand out.  Don’t give them fish, teach them how…but only if they are willing.

Run together.  You can’t drag anyone across the finish line because then you will both loose.

Of course you want to win.  The best way to be successful is to be sure that you give others the chance to win also.  The more people that you can help and give support to, the closer you will get to your goal.

The best way to expose people to your network marketing opportunity is NOT to.  You read that right.  Don’t lead with your products or service.  Of course they are fantastic, but people join other people.  They don’t join companies.

This is called branding.  You want to brand yourself.  There is only one of you…anywhere.  You are unique and special.  You are your own brand.  You want to sell yourself.

Even if it seems inconceivable right now, you may change companies down the road.  You want to distinguish yourself from your company.

You also want to distinguish yourself from the other representatives who are also prospecting for people to join their down-line.

You will want to give people a reason to join YOU.  This could be because of the great support that you give to your associates.  Perhaps they see you as giving and caring. It could be that you have an excellent system to help them prospect and recruit.  Maybe it’s your specialized knowledge.  It might be that they just like you because of your personality and charisma.

Whatever their reason for joining, it is best to have as many points in your favor as possible to help them choose you.

It’s all about working smarter NOT harder.  That’s the easy part because marketing yourself is SMART!

Step 1:  Be a real person!  Be genuine.  The same rules apply online that work in real life.  Get to know people.  Let them know about you and your interests.

Why pay for leads when you can meet like minded people for your network marketing business.

Network marketing can be a long uphill battle when you go about it in the traditionally taught way.   We are told that exposing everyone that you know and anyone that comes within three feet of you is the way to get the word out that we are “In Business”.

Everyone that I am aware of that has used this practice has burned out their friends and family on the idea.  When this approach is tried, the “victim” says to themselves “Can I do to others what was just done to me?”  Invariably, the answer is most often “NO”!

A much better way to let people know what you are doing is to let it come up naturally.  In most conversations with people that you know, the topic of what you are up to will come up.  This is not the time to “throw up” all over the other person.  It’s not natural.  Don’t do it.

Instead say something intriguing and leave it at that.  Let them pursue you if they want to.  Everyone is NOT a candidate for your business.

When meeting strangers, make them into friends.  I like to think that everyone that I meet has friend potential.  Time will tell if you will become really close or not.

During most conversations with people that you meet for the first time, the topic of what each one does usually comes up.  It can be hard for someone to listen when they are eager to speak…let them.  If you find out about what others are interested in first, most people will be more open to listening to you.

Just think of social media such as facebook, myspace  and twitter as an extension of the regular networking that you do.  It is networking on a larger more leveraged scale with people that you would be unlikely to meet any other way.