We Have Moved (on Up)

We Have Moved! We have moved to our own self-hosted WordPress format and are loving the new features that will make our blog better than ever.

You can NOW find us at http://createyourownamazingbusiness.com/

There will be no further post on this blog and once we are fully switched and comfortable that everyone has had a chance to see that we have moved we will shut this site down.

Oh and one more thing, the only integration that was not exactly what we had hoped for was that of Google Friend Connect so please follow on our new site even if you were already a follower since you will no longer be a follower on our new site!

We look FORWARD to seeing you there!

JOY TO YOU!

Mariyln Holm

Hey, Iv'e been fired, Week 2

Surprisingly, now that I've been fired, Monday mornings are the worst day of the week. Usually, on Monday mornings, we ramp ourselves up for our work week. We drag ourselves out of bed and step into our workday routine. A lot of times, we hate Monday mornings. We feel like we're heading back to confinement, after a weekend of freedom and doing exactly what we want to do.

So you would think that Monday mornings would be great, if you didn't have to go into work. Freedom! That would probably be true, if there wasn't a fear clamped firmly in my gut, settling wetly on my heart, a constant undertone of worry about the future, worry about how things are going to turn out, how does this movie end. . .

The loss of morning routines can be disconcerting and can aggravate worry and fear. So it follows that establishing an alternative morning routine can provide a sense of order and purpose to the day. Since I'm calling the shots now, I've decided to include things that I enjoy into my morning routine. But it's also important to include things that maintain my self-discipline and increase my certainty of success.

On my list of enjoyable things: meditation, yoga postures, writing, hot bath, gazing into my cat's adoring eyes, talking with my husband, watercolor, taking action. On my list of disciplined things: balanced breakfast, walking, catching up on emails, paying bills, waiting.

Taking action and waiting are a balancing act. I've signed up another 4 people in my business in the last few days, sent out a newsletter, written follow-up emails to everyone on the list, sent out samples and literature, gotten my downline pointed in the direction that's best for each person. . . Taking action is the easy part for me. But it has to be balanced with waiting to be truly effective. I have to consciously make myself wait, wait for others to sift through the information in their brains in order to move forward; wait for the emails to be opened and read, absorbed; wait for the postal service to deliver the samples and literature; wait for the soup to simmer and be ready for lunch.

A friend told me: take care not to drive faster than your angels can fly. Last week, a couple of times, I drove too fast and splatted against the wall at the dead end because I missed the side street where the answer was patiently waiting for me. I put in motion a couple of projects that didn't need doing. I left voice messages that were outdated after I opened my email and found the answers waiting for me there.

Progress is directional. If you have trouble taking action, then progress for you is convincing yourself to take action. If you're doing too many things and spinning your wheels, then progress for you is slowing down and balancing your life. And when your life changes drastically, your directional progress may require a fresh look and evaluation of what's really going on and what would be the best direction for your energy and focus.

So this Monday morning, I'm establishing a new routine, balanced yet active, thoughtful yet reaching out, generating a positive attitude, nurturing hope that turns into faith that turns into belief that turns into reality. I'm waiting yet taking action, balancing the two opposites perfectly in my heart, letting the joy blossom and grow, enveloping my day, guiding me toward the right thing to do.

How is your Monday?

Learn to communicate

With any business, you have to learn how to communicate with others. If you make fabulous jewelry, you'll have to wear it all, unless you can tell others all about it.

There are lots of options for getting the word out, and those options exist whether you're an artisan, a dentist, a massage therapist, a CEO, or a network marketer.

So, if you want to move from the world of employees trading their time for some money, into the world of business owners, where your time and money expand while you sit on a beach, you have to learn to communicate.

Luckily, communication is a learned skill. I know, because I used to be lousy at it. I couldn't think of what to say after "Hi, I'm Marilyn." Most of my mind then switched to the theme of "How do I get out of this conversation without mortifying myself." I was wooden; I was shifty-eyed, I was shallow, I was frozen.

Now, I can pretty much chat away with anyone I choose. It's pretty cool. And a HUGE relief.

The key is to keep the focus of the conversation on the person to whom you're speaking. If you can keep a person talking about himself, he will come away from the conversation thinking that you are fascinating. If you can keep a person talking about himself, you will come away knowing whether or not what you have to offer is a good fit for that person. Perfect.

Most of the time, the initial conversation isn't about your business or product at all. It's about establishing a connection. Some people only need a slight connection before they're ready to talk business. Other people need a long long time before they can open their ears.

Follow their lead. If their need is strong, right there on the surface, they'll bring it up long before you have to pry it out of them. If their need is minimal or doesn't carry a relationship to what you have to offer, then you don't need to talk business after all. It's not the right time yet, or it's just not for them. Either way, you know where to go, because you're just following along after them, asking questions that let you know what's up with THEM.

Practice where it's easier. Tell the cashier that you like her earrings. See if the conversation has good energy around it. Then be on your way. Ask the couple in front of you in line if they've ever eaten here before, what's their favorite on the menu. See if it goes anywhere. Follow their lead.

Practice every day, in small ways. Then when the right opportunity for a business conversation comes along, you'll be a well-oiled machine. You'll be open to the possibilities each person presents to you, and it will all be natural and fun.

If it's fun, you'll do it more often. The first dozen might be awkward, but soon you'll get to the fun level, and then you'll be on your way. You'll have crossed another hurdle, and you won't need to look back.

Hurray for you!

Too busy?

What are you doing right now, that is going to gain you more time a year from now?

Of course you're busy; everyone is. Is that ever going to change, given the course you're on now?

Everyone has 24 hours each and every day. Most people spend all of their time making all of their money. The treadmill loops around and around, and they can never get off.

Some people leverage their time, so that a year from now, they're not working so hard; five years from now, they're kicking back; ten years from now they're sitting pretty.

If you work harder at what you're already doing in your job, you're just going to keep working longer and longer hours. Jobs can eat us alive, especially those of us who are motivated to do a GREAT job.

But do the GREAT job for yourself, and for your family, and for your friends. Don't do it for some corporate board of directors, or the neighborhood hardware store. Do it for yourself and the people who are important in your life.

Network marketing lets you train yourself and learn from your leader, then train and lead others, who then train and lead others, who then train and lead others. The harder you work, the less you have to work next year or the year after that, and that trend just keeps on going.

Network marketing is the PERFECT business for people who are too busy, who have no time. Because it gives you the gift of time. It gives you back your life, so you can spend it with your kids with your wife, with your husband, with your friends.

Hey, I've been fired; week 1

Many things change when you've lost your job. Routine is one of the changes that rears up in front of you immediately. Here it is, Monday morning, and I'm home with no real agenda in front of me. It's tempting to go back to bed, curl up with a good book or engrossing video, talk to my cat or call a friend and chat for an hour or two. Escape can be very inviting.

But that's not going to get me where I want to go. Sometimes you have to just give in and indulge your fear, but I'm determined not to let that become a habit. The best antidote for fear and uncertainty is taking action. I've generated some very strong leads, and I'm going to follow up on them today, with confidence and genuine friendliness.

The business and products that I have to offer people are the best that I've ever found. I'm crazy about my products, and the people who have tried them are now crazy about them, too. My company is headed up by the best business people around, and I love working with them. I have so much to offer people, and I'm using that knowledge to feed my enthusiasm and take charge of my attitude, my world view.

In parallel with this, I'm opening up communication about some consulting work that I can do on the side, a few hours a week, to help pay the bills while my business continues to grow. I know that this will give me some breathing room and help me to feel a bit safer financially.

This is a bit tricky, because it would be easy to spread too thin, putting energy into consulting rather than focusing completely on building my business. But you can't build a business with confidence if you're working from a platform of fear. It's important to make your present reality one that you can live in with an open heart, so that that's what you show the world, rather than an underlying edge of fear.

To manage both of these endeavors, I'm committing to taking care of MY business FIRST, then turning to the consulting sideline to keep it flowing along. I'm keeping my priorities very clear in my mind and in my heart, so the universe knows how it's supposed to respond to help me move forward into my new reality.

I'm enjoying the journey, while I move toward my destination.

You want to change the world? Transform yourself.

If anyone tells you that starting your own business is easy, you have my permission to laugh out loud. If anyone tells you that you don't have to work hard, you can hold your stomach and roll on the grass. If anyone tells you that you can pay off your mortgage next month, please, gasp for breath.

But if anyone tells you that the hardest part of succeeding in your own business is working on yourself, please go very still and listen with every fiber of your being. You are talking with someone who has been down that road and grabbed the prize. You have found a leader who can help you succeed.

You should listen very carefully to people who have succeeded. You should ignore the blathering of those who have failed. They'll only enable you to fail, too.

I've worked very hard to succeed at network marketing. Learning to talk with people was pretty fun, because it got easier and easier. Learning to describe our compensation plan was pretty fun, because I love describing how money flows into your bank account. Learning to burbble about our product was fun because I absolutely LOVE our product. All of that was easy.

What was hard, was me. Sometimes I was in a bad mood, and didn't want to return phone calls. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed, and then sorry for myself, yearning for some time to just stare at the walls. Sometimes it was hard to pick myself up off the floor, because I had battered my self-esteem so thoroughly that I was numb with indecision and fear.

And so along the way, I learned to treat myself as well as I treat other people. I started asking myself, would I ever say that to someone else? Maybe I should take that back, and then forgive myself for even saying it.

I learned to let myself stare at the wall, when that's all I could do. That wasn't too hard. What was harder was not beating myself up for wasting time staring at the wall. If that was what I needed, then that is what I would give myself.

I learned to recognize that I'm a very hard worker, and that I work better if I'm filled with joy. I learned to focus on the joy, and consistently turn away from the ickies. I went on an icky fast. And just like any determined fasting effort, the ickies started to drop away. Then I learned how to not put them back on. I am icky-slim. I move through the world, icky-free.

Every once in a while, I'll pick up an icky and give it a try. You know what? It tastes icky now. I have the ability to choose between joy and icky, and I've learned that joy tastes way better. I've learned to discern the difference.

So I have succeeded at network marketing. I make all the money that I want, that I need. That's nice.

I have succeeded at network marketing. I am joyful; I laugh easily, from the heart; I smile at everyone, and they smile back, brightly. I am transformed.

That's more than nice. That's wondrous.

You want to change the world? Transform yourself.

I've been fired, Day 3

Day 3 hit me hard. It was a day of anxiety and disappointment, but now that I'm sitting here in Day 4, I can see that it was a reality that I created for myself.

Huh?

What I mean is that I had huge expectations. I envisioned my conference room filled to the brim with 40 people, that they would all enthusiastically fill out the enrollment forms after hearing my brilliant presentation, and that they would each run out and find 5 of their friends for our next meeting and the avalanche would carry us all along to the promised land.

Well, there were less than 40 people, and although the presentation was brilliant, not everyone signed up and rushed out to find their friends. So I slipped into a slump and landed in a great big puddle of fear. My poor husband; he helped me limp along while I gave in to despair and waited until there was a glimmer of positive thought and blew gently on that ember so that it could start to warm my soul.

In actuality, I made 3 extremely promising contacts that have become even more promising this morning, only 18 hours later; I have a list of 20 new emails and phone numbers for follow up from enthusiastic people who weren't able to make it to last night's meeting, and I have a clear idea of my next step. Oh, and did I mention that I have 3 new enrollees?

And yet that icky fear is still clinging to my ankles, threatening to rise up and swallow my heart, and render me incapable of motion.

It's all in my head. Yesterday was a GREAT success. At any other point, my heart would be dancing a jig, and I would be grinning at everyone within radar range.

Thank goodness for self-honesty. It's important to be able to look inside and discern the source of discord. Stress is the difference between the way we want something to be, and the way it actually is. Stress diminishes when you work with things the way they are, instead of the way that you want them to be.

So when I look at what really happened yesterday and my reaction to what happened yesterday, it's easy to see that the cause of my stress is this impending deadline of needing to make this work within 2 months. I felt that my very survival depended on the presence of 40 enthusiastic enrollees at one meeting. I created this reality for myself that told me I failed, when actually, I succeeded.

Being in business for yourself is more than just making things happen, like getting people to a meeting, training them, mentoring them. It's also about personal growth, managing yourself, taking responsibility for your reactions, monitoring your world view. I'm a much stronger person today than I was yesterday, because I had to lift some pretty heavy weights, and I did it. I'm a bit bruised, but even that is evaporating as the minutes tick by.

Despair doesn't get you anywhere. Clear thought, positive attitude, taking action: those get you wherever you want to go. So, I'm leaving despair behind, and turning my face toward my next positive action, which is to follow up with the 25 people that I met yesterday.

Day 4 awaits!

In at the beginning

Do you have to get in at the beginning???

NO!!!

Amway and Mary Kay are still producing millionaires, and look how long they've been around?

I got in on the ground floor of one company and no one, NO ONE helped me build my downline.

The important thing is to get in early on the TREND. How early join the company isn't the issue.

The concept of "get in early" applies to the investment industry. There, you want to buy stock or property before it comes to other people's attention, and then sell when everyone else is talking about it and trying to get a piece of the action.

In network marketing, it's important to pay attention to the trends. Take the wellness industry; baby boomers are just now starting to feel their age, and looking around for ways to feel young, to stay young, so they can continue their active lifestyle. If you wait another 30 years, funeral homes and cemetery plots will be the hot commodity.

I mean, look at real estate. Thirty years ago, the baby boomers were starting their careers and looking around to settle down and raise their families. Thirty years ago, I bought a 3-bedroom condo for $29,000. Five years later, I sold it for $79,000. My initial investment was $2,000. My monthly overhead was $300. My friends gave me a LOT of grief over that one, because they couldn't imagine paying $300 a month for housing.

Do you think that you could invest $2,000 today and make $50,000 in five years, in real estate? You know why not? The boomers already own their houses. They've moved on.

Get in on the trend. Stay ahead of the boomers, and you'll ride the wave, all the way home.

I've been fired! Day 2

The aftermath of being fired can start to set in a day or two after the main event. I'm focusing on all of the positive things that come to mind. Like, it's a gorgeous blue-skied day out there, and I'm not stuck in a cubicle, oblivious. I'm still sitting at a computer, but it's my computer, and I'm working on MY business.

My business partner and I planned a big meeting for tomorrow. We planned it last week, got the room reserved, checked our slide shows and music mix, printed out fliers and put in motion all of the little details that ensure a successful meeting.

I was planning on taking the day off anyway, to really focus on the meeting, but now I have a whole extra day to get things in order. Also, it's not a huge, late-night push to get it all ready, so I'll be well-rested and full of genuine enthusiasm tomorrow.

Everything is working out for the best. I feel great! I envision a large turnout for our meeting. We have a powerful slide show, and great pre- and post-meeting activities. We did a run through last week, so both my partner and I know exactly what to do at every step of the meeting. I've had time to think everything through and pick up last minute oversights that might have involved some fancy footwork if they'd gone unnoticed.

I am so thankful that I've been working on my business part time, so it's there for me to step into full time when I really needed it. I knew I would be building my business full time at some point, I just hadn't planned on it being now. But just like starting a family, there's not often the perfect time. Sometimes you just have to jump and swim as hard as you can.

I am surrounded by supportive, positive people; I have everything I need for tomorrow's meeting, including a great business partner. We've been working together almost a year now, so we really know each other's style and strengths. We're a good team, and we're so lucky to be in this together.

She still has her full time job, and my lay off scared her a bit, but that just motivates both of us to make every moment successful, positive, and full of focused activity and fun.

I keep going back to the fact that it is so important to have something that you can fall back on and build on your own, because corporations are crumbling all around us. Be ready for when it hits you, and your life will blossom instead of collapse. You can do it! I'll show you how, because, whew, I've been there.

Pyramid scheme? Nope! How do you KNOW?

Network marketing companies simply offer effective management.

In every corporate business, the guys at the top earn the vast majority of the money. The executive assistant NEVER makes more money than the executive. Middle management NEVER make more money than upper management. The worker bees NEVER make more money than the guys at the top of the heap.

In network marketing, every person has the potential to earn scads more than the people above them.

Each person earns money based on his or her ABILITY, rather than where they're placed in the company. I make quite a bit more money than quite a few people in my upline. I'm paid according to my ability, my enthusiasm, my belief in what I'm doing. It doesn't matter one whit that I joined months and months after other people. I'm doing just fine, thank you very much.

Let's face it, every business is a pyramid. One person can't do everything, once the business starts to grow, so you always hire others to help with the work. A child care center doesn't have one adult and 88 children. Not a successful (or legal) one anyway. A successful child-care center with 88 children would have administrators, teachers, interns, volunteers, and usually one or two people making sure it all hangs together. It's a pyramid of responsibility; it's a pyramid of pay scale.

The same applies to hospitals, dentist offices, Microsoft, golf courses.

The only ones calling names are the people who expected it to work without effort, wanted someone else to do it for them, or just, quite simply, gave up.

There are a LOT of people out there who are making it work just fine. And they're making it work because they're able to teach others how to make it work.

Find one of them. Find someone who has been successful, and get them to teach you.

It's not a pyramid SCHEME! It's simply effective management.

Hey! I got fired!

Yesterday, my boss fired me. Or maybe I got laid off; not sure what the difference is. Kinder terminology maybe. Regardless of the terms, yesterday I had a job; today I don't have a job. That's a big change in my reality, and it happens to a lot of people.

Yesterday, I was pretty upset. It caught me, not completely by surprise, but I didn't see it coming right now. I knew it was something that could happen, but I had let myself be lulled into a sense of security, of things going on the way they always have. I felt safe and content, and then suddenly, during a 3-minute conversation, I felt vulnerable and all alone.

I cleared out my desk, packed up the artwork and plants that made my little corner pretty and comforting. A friend helped me carry everything out to my car. And I drove away. It happened so fast, and it was so late in the day, I was able to say goodbye to only two people. Today, everyone came in and probably saw my empty spot and wondered what in the world happened.

Now, I sort of knew it could happen, because I knew that money was tight. I knew that some funding that they'd been counting on was maybe not going to happen, but they assured me that it wouldn't affect me, that they really needed me, and that I was safe. But I wasn't safe. It did affect me. My world is very different today than it was yesterday, not even 24 hours ago.

That's the world almost all of us live in today. Things change and they can change FAST.

I went home and told my husband what had happened, and my victory was that I was able to talk without breaking into tears. He was supportive and encouraging and enthusiastic about what door might open next. I was too caught up in my emotion to be swayed by his positive attitude, but I was able to stay off that slippery slope of debilitating fear and despair.

I didn't sleep much last night, so I woke up tired and groggy. But the amazing thing was, I woke up optimistic, enthusiastic, with a sense of freedom that has stayed with me all day long.

Things happen for a reason. We've all heard that, and most of us believe it, but when we're in the middle of a crisis, we might not be able to feel it. But I feel it. I have been working hard all day long at the thing that I LOVE to do, without fear, without anxiety, just knowing that it feels so right to be doing this. I can focus my full attention on MY own business, without the distraction of someone else's business.

I'm the main wage earner in my household. My husband is a minister and loves his work, but it doesn't pay anything at all. My income pays all of the bills, and sends us on vacation and buys us new computers and iPhones. So when my income goes away, our lives change.

But I'm not worried. I know that MY own business is going to grow tremendously over the next two months, because I know what I'm doing, and I can finally, finally focus on what I love to do: MY own amazing business. My own AMAZING business.

The worst financial disaster that could have happened to me and my family happened yesterday. And I'm feeling GREAT!

The BEST business model. . .

"For a small financial investment and a commitment in sweat equity, hard work, and dedication, anyone can be successful in network marketing."
Dr. Charles King
Doctorate in Business Administration from Harvard
Professor of Marketing at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

More quotes from Dr. King:

"Network marketing is moving into a wave of professionalism. We are seeing more and more professional - physicians, dentists, attorneys, CEOs, college professors - going into network marketing."

"There's no question, based on all of my research, that network marketing is one of the most cost efficient channels in all of the marketing disciplines - whether you're talking about comparisons with direct-purchase catalogs, direct mail, or telemarketing - network marketing continues to be the most effective distribution channel."

It's one of the fastest growing industries on the planet.

More and more companies are turning to network marketing as the BEST business model.

More and more people are treating it like a business - and succeeding!

Create colleagues rather than competition

Part of the magic of network marketing is that, as your business grows, you gain colleagues, not competitors.

As you train people to succeed, they become clones of you, out there being in more places than you could ever cover on your own. They don't break away and steal your customers. They don't set up shop across town and use the skills that you taught them to whittle away your bottom line. They stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, and become your greatest asset.

Everyone wins.

They say that it's lonely at the top.

Not if you take everyone with you!

Do it yourself, or pay the man?

There is so much to do and only so many hours in the day. You're building a business, probably while working full time at the job you're trying to escape, raising a family, juggling schedules, caring for aging parents, and having a quiet dinner out, at least once in a while, with your spouse, so you can remember why you're doing all of this anyway.

Some things you'll be really, really good at. Other things will be a struggle for you. Avoid the trap of trying to do it all yourself. Otherwise, you'll eventually run out of time and sanity.

Look for business partners with skills that compliment yours. If you don't like speaking in front of groups, keep your antennae out for someone who likes being up on stage. If you can't write, team up with someone who can. Are you super organized? Not everyone is. You can provide this skill to your partners, while they're up on stage or blogging.

Another option is to hire someone to help you. For a couple of years, I had a personal assistant. She picked up my mail and called catalog companies to get me off their mailing lists. She returned the videos (pre-Netflix). She bought batteries for my watches and kept the refrigerator stocked. She did my laundry and filled out the checks for me to sign for all of the bills I was supposed to keep track of. When I traveled for business, or pleasure, she kept all of these things going in the background, so I came home to a cleared desk, with no backlog.

Heaven.

Then I got laid off, and I couldn't afford to pay her any longer. But it taught me an important lesson: If someone else took care of the details that didn't interest me, I could focus on what I loved to do, working on my career.

When I started network marketing, things went along pretty good, but I was starting to get frazzled around the edges because there were too many things to do, and most of them I had to learn first. I was a scientist, with no experience in network marketing. I had to learn everything.

When I turned to social networking, I had to learn Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and blogging and and and. . . the list goes on as far as the eye can see.

I sent out a plea for help, and the perfect person said "I could do that for you!" And she could. She did. She still does. My business has grown fabulously since hiring her, because I can focus my attention on the parts that I've learned really well, and that I LOVE to do.

Self reliance is a wondrous thing. Overwhelm is the pits.

Where are you?

Look to the boomers

Do you want a LOT of customers? Do you want a LOT of business partners?

Look to the baby boomers.

Baby boomers control about 65% of the wealth on the planet. They have money to use; they are experienced consumers; there are a LOT of them: 76 million in the US, 1 billion worldwide.

Just after World War II, between 1946 and 1964, baby boomers popped up everywhere. What did they need first? Baby food. Gerber became a household name as it fed boomers across the country. After that, in quick procession other HUGE trends swept the world: Mattel and Hasbro (toys); the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Beach Boys (music); Ford Mustang (cars), McDonalds and Burger King (fast food); then Century 21 (real estate). These trends were so huge, that we simply think of them as reality. But, if not for the boomers, these trends would have been blips on the screen, like rotary clubs and literature societies.

Right now, the boomers are between 45 and 65 years old. What are they buying now?
Health and wellness information and products
Stay young stuff
Financial planning

If you choose one of these markets, you'll have the potential of a billion customers knocking at your door.

One of the things that I love about my company is that it's perfect for baby boomers, both as customers and as business partners. It combines aspects of business and health, financial freedom and staying healthy, that are very appealing to the baby boomers. It has it all.

Nice, huh?

What's the right product for you?

The very core of a successful network marketing business is a product that you believe in, something that people truly want or need. To be sustainable, the product has to be unique and consumable.

Unique means that people have to buy it through you. It can't be something that they can pick up at Long's or Safeway. It has to be something that piques their interest, something that they recognize is going to help them in a way that other things haven't helped them.

Consumable means that your customer uses it up and buys it again next month. If you're selling aluminum siding, then you're constantly looking for your next customer, because last week's customer isn't going to be buying another set next month.

The right product is in front of the trend. Take the wellness industry. People are disillusioned with our health-care industry and are becoming more and more interested in maintaining their health, improving their health, so they can stay out of the hospital, stay out of their doctor's office.

A great product is one that will benefit baby boomers. They're still the biggest consumers around, and if you catch their interest, you will have more customers than Colonel Sanders and Ronald McDonald combined.

Look around. Find something that wows you. I tried 4 different companies, no wait, 5 companies, before I found the one that makes my socks roll up and down.

Find yours, and you're half way there.

Benefits of network marketing

There are so many. Here are a few:

You get to be the boss.

You control how many hours you work each week, each day.

You choose the people with whom you want to work. You get to ignore the people with whom you don't want to work.

You choose how much money you want to make.

You decide when to give yourself a raise.

You decide when to take a vacation. You decide when to come back. You decide if you even want to come back.

You get all kinds of tax advantages.

You can leave the business to your heirs.

You are investing your time, instead of spending your time. You get future returns, just like any investment, only of more time, which is a rare thing indeed.

The business belongs to YOU, and you choose how to manage it.

You get to help others do the same.

It's a wonderful world.

Abundance

You've probably heard that jobs are scarce, that we're in a recession, that things will get worse before they get better, that we're in for hard times.

That might be true for many people, but it doesn't have to be true for YOU!!!

My company is experiencing record growth; so are many others. You just have to look in the right places.

The world is rich with possibilities, just waiting for you to look at them.

Open yourself to abundance!

Some people envision the world holding a finite amount of wealth, that if you get a piece of the pie, there will be less on their plate. Ludicrous!

Think about how much wealth existed in 1903, in 846BC, in 1960. Imagine how much wealth will exist in 2083, in 2010. Wealth expands and contracts according to the imagination, inspiration, determination of whoever happens to be standing on the planet.

I have never felt more confident about the financial future of work-at-home business owners. We are the wave of the future. We are stay-at-home, work-at-home moms. We are military wives. We are corporate escapees. We are college students, recent graduates. We are enthusiastic, motivated, inspired, richly rewarded.

You should check us out!

Choose your emotion

It's easy to be in a good mood when you're in a good mood. It can be somewhat harder to shift from a bad mood into a good mood.

Sometimes I wake up enthusiastic, with 24 ideas on what I want to write about, who I want to call, what I'm going to say at lunch, the messages I'm going to email my downline, my crossline, my upline. Those mornings are fabulous.

Sometimes I wake up weary. I curl up in a ball and just want it all to go away.

But those days are becoming more and more rare. I've been learning how to choose my emotion.

How?

Here are some clues:

1. Practice when it's easier. Have you ever gone through child birth? Have you ever watched or coached someone going through child birth? There are breathing techniques that help you separate yourself from the pain. There are body positions that you can uses at different stages. There are things that you can do during child birth that will help a lot.

But you have to practice them ahead of time. If you wait until you're in the middle of labor, and someone says, "Breathe, sweetheart, breathe", your apt to take a wild swing and punch him in the jaw. You have to practice when it's easier, so that you can draw upon your expertise when you're in the moment and really, really need it.

2. Act consciously. When you feel yourself slipping into a mood, pay attention. I tell myself, "This is not where I want to go." "This does not belong to me." "This belongs to someone else, and I'm not that person." I play great music, really loud, really quietly. I sing. I keep a collection of inspiring books, and open one up and read a few pages to get me back on track. I tell myself again and again, until it starts to take hold, "This is not mine. I'm giving it back to You."

3. Be kind to yourself. If you're too far gone to drag yourself out, let yourself wallow for a while. No berating. No self-flagellation. Turn away from those habits again and again. Realize that you're here now, but you won't be here for long. You'll come out on the other side and return to the reality that fits you better.

4. Balance your energy. I have to admit that my most powerful tool is my Ayurvedic herbal drink. It shifts overwhelm to decisiveness. It shifts foggy-headedness to clarity. It shifts procrastination to action. It balances my energy, so I can exist in my best reality.

It's all in your head, but that's a marvelous thing. That means you can take charge and change it. Choose your emotion. And make it a good one.

Bean by bean, the bag gets full

Network marketing doesn't often explode into being. Some people can do that, but not many. Most of us build over time, solidly, determinedly, cyclically.

I've heard people say that their business imploded 5 or 8 or 6 separate times before they hit the top. Mine has imploded twice. It might implode again. That won't stop me. I KNOW in my heart of hearts, that this is the business that will help the most people the most. That's MY life goal: to help people blossom into the best version of themselves.

I don't care how long it takes them. I'm there for them. I match their effort. I lead them where they want to go.

I don't do it for them. That's pointless. If a mother never lets her child tie his own shoelaces, then that child grows up hampered. I take the time to show each person his or her next step. I hold the bicycle, running alongside, until she gets her balance, and then watch as she swoops toward her future, calling out encouragement and praise.

And bean by bean, my bag gets full.

I coach each person on how to run alongside the bicycle that someone else is trying to ride. I watch from a distance, my hand shading my eyes from the bright sun of their future.

I watch as, bean by bean, their bags get full.

We're changing the world, one bean at a time.

Where are you going?

When we start a new venture, we don't always know all of the details. Network marketing definitely falls into that category.

Maybe you can see the whole picture. Maybe you know where you want to go, but aren't sure how to get there. Maybe you don't have the slightest idea what you want to do; you simply know that things have GOT to change.

Congratulations!!! You're ready!

There are a myriad of paths that you can take to business success. A good leader will help you sort through them and find the one that's perfect for YOU. A good leader will say "Try this. This might be the plan that works best for who you are."

A good leader will continue to show you the next step. Sometimes the next step will suddenly shine like a beacon, and you can flow forward on your own.

Sometimes you have to put your foot out into the dark before the stepping stone will begin to glow, showing you where to stand next.

Be impeccable in your thoughts and deeds. . .
and let the universe sort out the details.

Do your best, as often as you can. You'll get better and better, and soon you'll be showing others how to go where they want to go.

Don't worry about the entire journey. Focus on where you want to go AND the next step to take you in that direction.

Let your heart guide you. Let your leader guide you. Blend the two, and you'll end up where you want to be.

Yellow brick road

All things are possible. An idea, a dream, starts floating around in your brain, bumping into things, coming into focus, melting into the background, floating, bumping, today, next week, last month.

An insight blossoms in your heart. You see something that speaks directly to your inner self and you know that this is important.

Do you let it go? Do you turn away, sighing?

You don't have to.

Take the first step. Simply turn your attention to the idea, the dream, the blossom. Hold it firmly, gently, in your heart.

You've started.

Every journey begins with a first step. Progress is made, step by step.

Make a commitment to YOUR yellow brick road.

What's your dream?

In your heart, in the center of your being, what is the dream that waits, yearning to blossom?

I want to wake up . . .
when I'm finished sleeping.

I want to go where I want. . .
when I want. . .
with whomever I want. . .

I want to travel. . .
and find amazement in the world.

I want to study. . .
and explore all that fascinates me.

I want to help others. . .
and watch their eyes. . .
as their world transforms. . .
into their dreams.

I want to make a difference!
I want to be somebody!
I want my life to matter!

What do you want from life?

What do you believe is your greatest challenge?

If you take this step. . .
what does your life look like?

Where do you want to go?
How will you get there?

Connect with your enthusiasm and abundance!

I will lead
not follow.

I will believe
not doubt.

I will create
not destroy.

I am a force for good.

Step up!

Step up!

Step up!

Be a leader

People want direction in their lives. Sometimes we get so bogged down in the details, that we need someone to step up and point in the direction that we want to go. It helps us end up where we want to be.

What is leadership?
Leadership is the ability to lead people to do things they wouldn't normally do.

We all have the ability to become a leader.
Will you awaken your innate ability?

A leader is persistent, honest, inspiring, respectful, trustworthy, authentic, firm, confident, courageous, visionary, encouraging, supportive, loyal, organized, consistent.

You learn how to be a leader by practicing. Your learn how to be a leader by hanging out with leaders. Emulate. Internalize. Make it your own.

Sometimes it takes a while to develop your leadership. No worries. Just make sure you're headed in the right direction.

If you're not yet headed in the right direction, then turn so you're facing the right direction.

If you're not ready to face the right direction, then pray to your higher self, or God, or whatever is your source of inspiration. Pray for inspiration to turn in the right direction. Pray for the will power and the determination to turn. Pray for help.

You will get there. You will succeed.

Start now.

Communicate from your heart

When you're getting ready to talk with a new prospect about your business, take a moment to energetically prepare yourself. Let yourself grow quiet. Connect with your higher self. Reach out to the person with your thoughts, with your heart.

All you know about the prospect may be a phone number. Maybe you know the city where she lives. Maybe you have a fancy program that tells you things about that part of the world, like current weather, local news. Maybe you only know what time of day it is there.

Just let you mind rest on the connection you're making with her.

If you don't know how to do this, pretend that you know how. It works just as well that way, too. Pretty soon, you'll know how to do it.

Ask yourself: Is what I have to offer a fit for what she needs?

Let your mind rest on that question for a moment.

Then call her, and ask her about herself. Take quick notes. Children? Corporate job? Laid off? What does she enjoy doing? What would be her perfect job? What qualities about her perfect job are her highlights, her favorite aspects? If she had all the time in the world, how would she spend it?

Sprinkle in information about yourself, too, so it doesn't start to feel like 20 questions. Ick. But always end your SHORT story about yourself by bringing the conversation back to her.

Where did she go to school? Does she like to work with her hands? Does she write much? Does she like floating around the internet?

Then, ask yourself what aspect of your business would appeal to her the most? Does she like talking with people? Does she like meeting friends for lunch? Does she use the internet all day long? Is she overwhelmed with her kids and can't imagine taking time to start a business?

Handle her objections. Connect with her truth, and link it up with your truth. Be honest, sincere, supportive, creative, empathetic, authentic, courageous, respectful, inspiring. Be a leader.

Then she'll be able to see what fantastic business partners the two of you can be.

network marketing? Bah! Humbug!

Network marketing has changed my life. I used to think that network marketing was for the birds. I thought it was overrun with desperate people, frantically running around coercing their friends into helping them to make this month's quota. I felt nothing but contempt and pity for people who got sucked into network marketing.

And then one of my best friends ever, asked me to buy some weight-loss shakes from her. I cringed. "Why are you doing this???" And she burbled over with enthusiasm, her face alight with hope; she was so excited that she couldn't sit still in her chair.

So, I took her pamphlet home with me, sighing. That night I started looking through the information she had given me, and I gradually grew very still. I read on and on. I got on the internet and checked things out. I grew quietly excited because I realized that network marketing was exactly what I had been yearning for, for more years than I could bear to think about. Here it was, right here, disguised by my preconceptions and ill-informed assumptions.

If YOU think network marketing is for the birds, if you don't get what all the fuss is about, you should look into it. It might be exactly what you've been hoping for, yearning for.

Network marketing has changed my life. I have come into my own. I'm a believer.

Build your business to fit YOU

Network marketing is the perfect business, because you can build it in the way that fits you, your personality, your life.

Some people prefer to work alone, connecting with people over the internet. Network marketing is the perfect business for you. Or maybe you're a phone person, and love chatting away. Network marketing is the perfect business for you. Or maybe your favorite afternoon is sitting in a bookstore cafe, talking with a friend. Network marketing is still the perfect business for you.

Do you like mingling with people, chitchatting your way across the room? Guess what! Network marketing is the perfect business for you. Do you like getting away and spending time alone or with just your family around? Network marketing is the perfect business for you.

Do you like getting things done early in the morning? Yes? No? Do you prefer sleeping in so you can move through the quiet world of late nights? Either way, network marketing is the perfect business for you.

Are you in college, wondering if you'll be able to find a job when you graduate? Are you staying home to raise your children? Are you looking for a way out of your corporate job, with layoffs looming on the horizon? Are you retired, looking for the missing something in your life? Are you a teacher, trying to make ends meet every summer?

Guess what!!!

Network marketing is the perfect business for you.

Find a company that speaks to your heart. Find someone to teach you the ropes. Find one friend who is as excited about the possibilities as you are. Now you have everything you need.

Questions! Ask away!

I love your comments!!!

I hope you're having an amazing day.

Work where you want, when you want

Today I'm building my business while perched on a cliff above the calm, strikingly blue Pacific Ocean. I've been driving down the coast of California, about to arrive in Santa Barbara, and decided to pull over and have some lunch. The beauty and calm of the vista coaxed me to stay awhile, and so I'm spending a couple of hours building my business.

Because I choose to; because network marketing offers me this choice; because the wondrous world around me inspires creativity; because this is my world now: To do as I want, when I want, with whomever I want.

Of course, this wasn't possible 10 years ago. The internet and wireless connections have freed us to stay connected while roaming the countryside. But now it is within our grasp. It's within YOUR grasp.

Some people say that it's lonely at the top.

Not if you take everyone with you!

I can help you get here, too. Don't let anything hold you back.

Fall is a time of transition

Kids are heading back to school. The vegetable garden and fruit trees are winding down. The world is starting to still and grow quiet. It's the perfect time for reflection and shifting toward transitions that are important to YOU.

The busy summer is behind us; the busy holidays are ahead of us. We're at the cusp of a season of possibilities, of preparation that will yield wonderful rewards, just around the corner.

What would you like to change in your life, if you had to chose just one thing? What kind of a difference would you like to make?

What can you do today, even a baby step, that would take you in that direction? What is stopping you from doing that one thing? What can you do to make that one obstacle float away?

You can accomplish anything, if you simply make the decision to start now.

Where are you going? How do you get there?

What's your dream? How do you get there?

How do you leverage your time?

In the previous blog, we talked about residual income. An even more powerful component of network marketing is leveraging your time.

We talked about enrolling your first person into your business, then your second, fourth, tenth, and so on. You can enroll people until you're blue in the face, and your business will creep along. But if you start to leverage your time, your business will explode!

Take the time to train the people that you enroll to do what you've done. Take them under your wing and show them, step by step, how to talk to people, how to have fun at it, how to work in their back offices, how to meet people for lunch or tea and casually, naturally, bring up the subject of your new business, whatever it is that has made it so easy for you to enroll people. Guide them along until they pick up the idea and start going with it.

I went backpacking once with a good friend who was an expert fly fisherman. We sought out a river where the park service allowed only catch and release, which meant that every time someone caught a fish, they would release it back into the river, alive and healthy, if a little shell shocked.

This also meant that there were scads of fish there, and since my friend was so good at fishing, he was catching another fish every minute or so.

Now, when a fish first comes off the hook, it's dazed and shocked. When you lower it back into the river, it lays there, motionless, listing onto its side. So while my friend had the fishing experience of his life, I opened a fish recovery pool.

I gently cupped a fish in my palm and slowly swished it backward and forward through the water, allowing the water to flow through its gills so the fish could still breathe. I would have 6 or 8 fish gathered around my feet, in their 8 inches of river water, gently swishing two fish at a time, then going to the next two, rotating through the group until they recovered their wits and could carefully swim away.

My friend would add a new fish, two would wake up and swim away, new fish, recovered fish, a cycle of success.

Now, we could have just let the fish fend for themselves. Back in the water, there you go! But by caring for them and helping them function until they could take over for themselves ensured their success. Our fish were successful fish!

Your new team members are like the stunned fish. You can leave them to flounder for themselves, but some of them might not succeed. By nurturing them and helping them function until they can take over for themselves, you ensure their success.

Now, what does all of that have to do with leveraging your time? Every person on your team who succeeds turns into another you. Instead of you enrolling every single person, you have a good friend out there enrolling people, too. You get credit for everything your team accomplishes, so their success is your success. Pretty soon you have two, four, ten yous, out there being successful and having FUN, swimming along naturally, happily.

Train your team members well, and they'll be able to take their own teams under their wings, and teach the third generation how to succeed at enrolling people and teaching THEM how to succeed. Now you have hundreds of yous, swimming along, naturally, happily.

That's leveraging your time. That's true success.

There are other ways to leverage your time in network marketing. Which ones come to mind? Which ones would you like to know more about?

I can't wait to hear from you!

I hope you're having an amazing day.

What is residual income, anyway?

Residual income is something you work for once, and then get paid again and again and again. When an author writes a book, or an actor makes a movie, she does the work once, and then gets paid royalties every time the book is purchased or someone goes to see the movie.

Now, each author or actor can stop there, with just one book, just one movie, or she can go ahead and write a second book, act in a second movie, and then she receives royalties for the second piece of work on top of the royalties that she's still receiving for the first piece of work.

I would love to be an author, or an actor. I would love to spend my days weaving words into luscious images that would enrich others lives. I would love to portray a conflict and resolution that would bring light to millions of hearts. But only a handful of people possess the reservoir of creativity that bring them success in writing or acting.

But anyone can go into network marketing. You can be young, old, in a mid-life crisis. You can be black, Asian, Anglo-Saxon, Indian, anything. You can have multiple PhDs, a grammar school education, or anywhere in between. You don't need a slick resume, you don't need a rich aunt or even a sugar daddy.

The only things you need are a yearning to help other people succeed, a product that you LOVE, and a willingness to learn the ropes.

And network marketing is all about residual income. You sign up your first person, and you earn a commission that month, the next month, the next month, the next month, again and again, for signing up that one person.

Now, you can stop there, or you can sign up a second person and earn a commission every month for that person, in addition to the commission that you're already earning on the first person. Then there's the third, fourth, tenth person. Soon you're able to pay your bills, go on long vacations, watch your son's soccer game, watch your daughter pick out her prom dress. And while you're doing all of those things, the commissions appear in your checking account, again and again and again.

What kind of a monthly income would make a difference in your life? If you had more money, what would it help you accomplish?

If you start now, you'll get there all that much sooner. What in the world are you waiting for?

Transformation or change?

The concept of transformation is different from change. Change is uncertain. Transformation is evolution.

When something transforms you, you have become something new. The experience was profound, unforgettable, rare. You couldn't go back to being the way you were before the experience, even if you wanted to.

Take something commonplace, like baking chocolate chip cookies. You get out the butter and the flour, sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, walnuts, a little bit of salt and a LOT of chocolate chips; tons of them. You mix together the butter and the sugar, add all the other stuff, and beat it into a creamy dough, add the nuts and chips, and voila! You're ready to bake.

You spoon the cookie dough onto a baking sheet and pop them in a hot oven for only 15 minutes, until they've transformed from cold sticky dough into hot, crumbly morsels of heaven. They have transformed. And I defy you to change them back into flour, sugar, and butter.

Change is reversible. You can change to oil or tires on your car, but you could then conceivably change them back to the old oil, the bald tires. You can change your clothes, take off the old tee shirt and jeans, put on an evening gown and heels, and change from a stay-at-home mom into a hot date for your enchanted man. But, at the end of the evening, you can also change back into the stay-at-home mom by kicking off those ankle-breaking heels and stop holding in your stomach once you've pulled on your sweats and relaxed. It's all reversible.

Strive for transformation if you want your life to grow toward your dreams. Seek out experiences, such as classes, books, meetups, that touch your heart and help you discover who you are meant to be.

Transform yourself. Discover the profound, unforgettable, rare, inner you. Transform.

FaceBook empowers YOU!

There are things that you can do to get a head start on your new network marketing business, even BEFORE you actually sign up and pay your entry fee and monthly overhead.

One thing that you can do is increase your internet visibility through facebook. Here's my suggestion:

Start a new facebook account. All you need is an email address that's different from the one you're using for facebook now. Start out fresh, and find some facebook groups that share your interests. Maybe stay at home moms, work at home moms, knitters, gardeners, whatever kind of things that describe you.

Then start inviting the people who also belong to those groups to be your friend. You can only invite 30 or 40 people a day, without getting a warning from facebook, so it takes a while to have a BIG group of friends.

Some people will send you a message asking if they know you, and you can just answer back saying that you're trying to connect with people that are interested in the same things you are. Something like that. Some will decline, but most will accept.

The reason you want this to be a separate facebook account from your friends and family account is that this one is going to get HUGE. You don't want your friends' posts to get lost in all of the other ones that you'll start to receive from this new group.

If you start this now, it will cost you nothing, and you'll be WAY ahead of the game once you take the plunge and sign up.

We'll go over your NEXT step in a later post.

Ready? Set? GO!!!

Find a business partner

The one thing that can ensure success in your new venture is a business partner. Your business partner might be your spouse, or your best friend, an old school body, or the person sitting one cubicle away. What makes the person a business partner is the shared enthusiasm for your shared business.

The first thing you should do when you decide on your new venture, is to start inviting your friends out to lunch or for a cup of tea. Catch up on what they've been doing, and listen carefully to what they need in their lives. During that conversation, you're going to be able to talk about what you've been up to lately.

That's when you get to reveal your enthusiasm. Burble about what makes it so special for you. Then pay attention to their response. If they yawn and look at their watch, they're not your business partner. If they sit very still and hang on your every word, that's your business partner.

It might take a while to find your business partner, but it can be a very fun process. I mean, having lunch with friends is not a terrible way to conduct a business. If you're careful not to put all of your hopes in one basket, and sway over that line of making the person feel trapped by your need for their interest, you'll have fun and so will they.

Once you've found your business partner, you'll have someone to brainstorm with, someone to go to conventions with, someone to share in business responsibilities, someone to bolster you when you have low energy, someone to call and talk for hours about your ideas and theirs.

Your business becomes a lot friendlier, once you've found that magical person who will stand by your side and never leave. NOW you can accomplish ANY thing.

The company you keep

One of the most important decisions you can make about your life is who you spend time with. Surround yourself with positive people. Their enthusiasm and supportive feedback will bolster you and help you become the best person that you possibly can.

A friend is someone who came and never left your side.

Positive people will help you stay in a positive frame of mind. You can accomplish whatever you believe that you can accomplish, so having people right there with you who will help you stay positive, will have enormous influence over the degree of your success.

When you aim high, your positive friends and colleagues add speed and power to your arrow, ensuring your success in reaching your goal.

If you can't find a positive friend in the moment, then pick up a positive book. The thoughts and insights embedded in an uplifting book can bolster you in exactly the same way as a good friend. You will be surrounding yourself in positive thoughts; all it takes is opening a book. "Chicken Soup for the Network Marketers Soul" is a fabulous collection of short stories, recounted by people just like you and me. Each story helps your soul soar.

If you can maintain a positive attitude, everything else will follow. Everything.

Never give up

Whenever we're in business for ourselves, we face challenges. The buck stops with us. We either get it done, or delegate to someone who will do it, if we're lucky enough to have such a someone. Our limitations loom in our face, and we either climb over them, or they sit there and hover, like relatives clucking over our inadequacies, again and again and again.

It's a double-edged sword. We can create whatever we envision. We can develop the lifestyle of our dreams, supported by the business of our dreams. But we're the ones who have to create it, and that takes time, imagination, enthusiasm, and above all, perseverance.

There are only winners and. . . . . learners. Just because you haven't yet won, doesn't mean you've lost. It only means that you haven't figured it out yet. You're still learning. Others can give you tips and observations, but just like learning to walk, ride a bike, canoeing down rapids, or spiking a volleyball, you have to actually practice doing it yourself, until you get that aha moment. Then you build on the aha until it becomes richer and stronger and deeper.

The only time you lose, is if you give up. So never give up. Never give up. Never give up. Pick yourself up and keep learning, keep trying. Never give up. Never give up.

The times, they are a changing. . .

So much has changed since the era of pushy sales and enrolling anyone who can fog a mirror, and yet the perception lingers that network marketing is the worst thing since income tax. We have Tim Sales' Professional Inviter and Michael Oliver's Natural Selling, to name just two supreme examples of how to connect with people without creating awkwardness and resentment, and yet the negative perception lingers.

We have online training resources, full marketing support from our companies in the form of brochures, DVDs, slide shows. We have Web 2.0 social networking. We have strong upline, downline, crossline support. We have the freedom to work at home, on our own timeline, setting our own schedules, and yet the perception lingers.

We have more and more companies turning to network marketing as the business strategy of the future. We have icons of the business world, like Donald Trump and Bill Farley, turning to network marketing. We have websites that address people's objections in an unbiased, undramatic, truthful, coherent style. . . . and yet the perception lingers.

Changing that perception is like pulling a nail out of a thick board. We don't know if the nail is about to come out of the board, or if we have to pull and pull and pull to get it out. It doesn't really matter how much nail is left in the board; our job is to pull until it comes out. And it will come out.

Public perception may be about to change. Perhaps next month the shift will start appearing here and there. Perhaps next year. It doesn't matter how close we are to the perception change; our job is to help the change happen.

My colleagues and I just created a meetup group using meetup.com. We are moving forward with a positive attitude, determined to further the effort of changing the public's opinion about network marketing.

Our vision is to create greater understanding by the general public of the truly amazing opportunity that is possible through network marketing, available to anyone who sincerely yearns for greater financial freedom and greater time freedom.

Our purpose is three-fold: 1) to bolster our resolve to create successful network marketing businesses by surrounding ourselves with like-minded souls; 2) to mastermind positive actions and identify resources that will help us spread the truth about the positive aspects of network marketing; 3) to invite guests who would benefit from learning more about network marketing in order to overcome their own objections.

Our goal is to help people realize their dreams, using network marketing as the vehicle to personal freedom.

It's easy to do, and you can do it wherever you are. Check out meetup.com. It is powerful.

Learn to thrive in a down economy

Do you know of many industries that are doing well right now? We know that bankers, auto makers, many of the formerly stalwart industry are faltering. Scores of people have been laid off and are having trouble finding their next job. The media have created a fear consciousness around all of this, so we're all shivering in our boots, hoping it doesn't hit us or our loved ones.

In the midst of all of this, network marketing is thriving. In every economic downturn in the last 40 years, network marketing has blossomed. The reasons are interwoven.

In network marketing, there's no one to fire you. You are the boss. You decide how hard you work, when you work, with whom you work. If you decide to take the day off, no one is looking over your shoulder asking "WHAT???!!!" Whatever you do is your decision. You are the boss. No one can take your job away from you.

In network marketing, all you need is the desire to help others. In a down economy, there are lots of people looking for help. You can help them turn their lives around and really make something of themselves. It is the most rewarding industry out there. You can have an impact.

In a down economy, people become more open minded about opportunities. They're willing to think outside the box. Once they've looked outside that box, they will be amazed at the possibilities. Their enthusiasm will spark; their creativity will blossom; their hope will rise.

Robert Kiyasaki of the Rich Dad/Poor Dad book series describes network marketing as the single best avenue for going into business for yourself. All of the tools are there for you to use. You don't have to develop any marketing brochures, CDs, DVDs. The slide shows are ready to go, market tested, powerful. The back office and websites are up and running, waiting for you. For a small initial investment that anyone can afford, you step into a supportive, interactive system that teaches you what you need to know to succeed.

Paul Zane Pilzer, a noteworthy economist, predicts that thousands of millionaires will create fortunes over the next 10 years. How??? Network marketing. Pilzer predicted the crumbling of large corporations. Changes in tax laws and the speed of innovation in software and the internet have shifted the advantage to individuals, away from large corporations that can no longer adjust quickly enough to meet continuing consumer demands. These large corporations didn't crumble because of global influences. They crumbled because the hot shot, intelligent, motivated, clear thinkers are no longer joining corporations. They're building their own small, innnovative companies.

The timing is perfect. Thousands of millionaires over the next 10 years. Would you like to be one of them?

Two ways to ask the question

Pay attention to the way that you ask a question. There are two ways, using exactly the same words, which carry completely different motives. By paying attention to the way you ask the question, you can double check your motives, which helps keep you on the right track.

Why are there only men at the upper levels of my company!!!

Why are there only men at the upper levels of my company???

The first question demonstrates frustration and anger, foot stamping at the way things are. Whenever you ask a question with this motive, perhaps you're not really looking for an answer. Perhaps your main motive is to rale against the world, shaking your virtual fists at invisible enemies. It doesn't get you very far.

The second question, however, demonstrates a genuine curiosity, a thoughtful wonder at the way things are. Whenever you ask a question with this motive, you are actually asking for an answer. If you ask the second question of another person, you might gain some insight. If you ask the second question thoughtfully, inwardly, you might gain some insight as well, from your intuition.

Intuition comes to you through your heart. Ideas occur, fully formed. It may take some time to put words around the idea, to explore the nuances, but it's all there, ready for your contemplation.

Are there mostly men at the top levels of your company? Why do you think that might be?

I've pondered this question, and the answer that comes to me is that men do business differently than women. Or to put that another way, women do business differently than men.

Network marketing is a field predominately composed of women. Look around at any of your conventions or training meetings; are there mostly men or women sitting around you? And then looking up at the stage, are there mostly men or women sitting up there?

The techniques that we learn in network marketing are changing; the industry is becoming more and more solidly structured around relationships. Rather than handing out 20 brochures to strangers every day and hoping someone will call you back, we're finding that what really works is to call up a friend and sit down and have chat over a cup of tea. Relationships.

So why are there more men at the top levels of your company? Because women are starting to come into our own, and we're doing it by discovering what works for us. We're changing the structure of network marketing a step at a time, which is our nature. Because we're gentle and caring and nurturing; because we include others in our success; because we embrace a balanced life.

We're getting to the top levels of our companies. Things are changing. Look how much things have changed in the last 20 years. Think about how much things will change in the next 20 years.

None of that would have occurred to me if I had demanded Why are there so many men at the top levels of these companies!!! I would have continued on, frustrated and angry, never getting any answers.

I know a lot more now, because my motive has shifted. I'm happier now, not because I've learned to be content with what I have, but because I'm content with the journey that is taking me where I want to go. It's all about the journey; the goal is simply what happens along the way.