I love reading - I always have. Well, except maybe all those university text books -- I didn't read a lot for pleasure in university, as I was always needing to "read to learn". But since then, I have enjoyed a lot of fiction, trembling under the blankets reading Stephen King into the wee hours of the morning, and I love the Outlander series; and more often non-fiction, reading true crime novels, fascinating over forensic psychology, and even some autobiographical works occasionally.
Recently though, I have been devouring all I can from a personal development standpoint. Since becoming a network marketer, I have spent a lot more time and energy focusing on me - the person. What an incredible journey! Truly the most fulfilling aspect of network marketing has been opening my mind to becoming a better person. Our industry truly is about personal development, as that is a cornerstone to success. And since you own your own business, your destiny is yours, and your personal development becomes more important than I found it to be in an employer / employee relationship. I have to wonder whether or not my past employers were all that concerned about my personal self ... I think they were more concerned over my personal performance as it related to their bottom line, the rest of it they ignored for the most part. Not to say my immediate managers and co-workers didn't care about me - I worked with many incredible people who were instrumental in my development personally and professionally. But I mean the corporate world itself, as a whole.
So I've been reading, listening to some audio cd's as well, and I'm growing, becoming, and living. I love it. If you are new to this area of reading (as I am), I think 2 great reads are Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
There are so many other great books out there, and I can't wait to read them all. Won't you be so kind as to provide a comment with your personal development reading recommendation? I'd love to know what you have found to be valuable to your self.
Make it a Sensational Day!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Are you playing the "What if..." Game?
It's Monday. On Mondays, I always like to revisit the past week, and get the "new" week off to the best start. Today is a bit of a double-whammy, because we're nearing the end of June, and I am now looking at the past month and looking for finish strong.
What were your goals for June? Did you write them down? Did you re-write them every day? Did you build your plan to accomplish those goals, and then put that plan into action? If so, you are likely looking at your list of goals, and celebrating your accomplishments.
But what if you didn't make goals, write them down, build and act on a plan. What if you aren't celebrating your accomplishments as we close out the month of June, and the first half of 2010?
NO WORRIES!
Firstly, it will do you absolutely no good to dwell on the past, wishing you'd done this or that, thinking "If only I'd ....". You know what? The past is the past. Learn from it and then leave it behind. LEARN from it, and LEAVE it behind. The key here is to learn from it first, leave it behind second. and move on.
When you learn that the first step to realizing your goals is to define your goals, it is not such a big leap to then write those goals down. I encourage you to do this for all areas of your life. But don't get hung up on details, or the "big picture". Your goals can, and will, change over time. The important thing is to write them down, and then start working towards them.
For July, why not try first defining a couple of goals for the month, then write them down. Put your goals up on the wall by your computer, by your fridge, on your mirror, in your wallet. Somewhere that they will be visible reminders throughout your day to keep you focused on achieving those goals.
Your goals don't have to be fancy or sophisticated. Your goals can be focused on work, personal, relationships, money, fitness; whatever you want to achieve.
Tips for Goal-Writing
Make your goal as SPECIFIC as possible (i.e. I will call my mom every Tuesday); write MEASURABLE goals (i.e. I will lose 2 pounds); your goals must be ATTAINABLE, but still be a stretch for you; make your goal REALISTIC - it must be something you want and will work towards or else you won't put the effort into attaining it; and ensure that your goal is TIMELY - something you can achieve within the timeframe given (in this case, one month).
Now, write down two things: your goal(s) for July; and reminders on July 15 and 25 to revisit your goals and your progress towards them. I'll be here August 1 to help you celebrate your success!!
What were your goals for June? Did you write them down? Did you re-write them every day? Did you build your plan to accomplish those goals, and then put that plan into action? If so, you are likely looking at your list of goals, and celebrating your accomplishments.
But what if you didn't make goals, write them down, build and act on a plan. What if you aren't celebrating your accomplishments as we close out the month of June, and the first half of 2010?
NO WORRIES!
Firstly, it will do you absolutely no good to dwell on the past, wishing you'd done this or that, thinking "If only I'd ....". You know what? The past is the past. Learn from it and then leave it behind. LEARN from it, and LEAVE it behind. The key here is to learn from it first, leave it behind second. and move on.
When you learn that the first step to realizing your goals is to define your goals, it is not such a big leap to then write those goals down. I encourage you to do this for all areas of your life. But don't get hung up on details, or the "big picture". Your goals can, and will, change over time. The important thing is to write them down, and then start working towards them.
For July, why not try first defining a couple of goals for the month, then write them down. Put your goals up on the wall by your computer, by your fridge, on your mirror, in your wallet. Somewhere that they will be visible reminders throughout your day to keep you focused on achieving those goals.
Your goals don't have to be fancy or sophisticated. Your goals can be focused on work, personal, relationships, money, fitness; whatever you want to achieve.
Tips for Goal-Writing
Make your goal as SPECIFIC as possible (i.e. I will call my mom every Tuesday); write MEASURABLE goals (i.e. I will lose 2 pounds); your goals must be ATTAINABLE, but still be a stretch for you; make your goal REALISTIC - it must be something you want and will work towards or else you won't put the effort into attaining it; and ensure that your goal is TIMELY - something you can achieve within the timeframe given (in this case, one month).
Now, write down two things: your goal(s) for July; and reminders on July 15 and 25 to revisit your goals and your progress towards them. I'll be here August 1 to help you celebrate your success!!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Direct Sales vs J-O-B
I came across this article on another blog today, and wanted to repost here. An excerpt from a speech given by a person who truly "gets" network marketing, this really hits home. I believe this speech is a true reflection of one of my favourite quotes by Jim Rohn "We all have two choices, we can earn a living, or we can design a life." What will you choose to do?
************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********
Lately, I have heard so many people say how difficult having a homebased busienss is. "Its hard." "I can't get any opt-ins." "I can't get people to sign up or buy my products." "This just isn't for me." "I didn't know how difficult it would be."
Well, I am a single Mom of three who, before joining the direct sales family, held down two jobs. I would get up at 4:00 in the morning and not get to bed until midnight most nights, after returning from my part-time retail job, packing lunches, checking homework and relieving my mother, who helped out with the kids.
That, my friends, is difficult.
It is difficult always having to lower your dreams to meet your means. It is difficult to miss your son's football game because you have to work. It is difficult knowing the rust bucket you call a car is eating you alive in maintenance, but you can't afford a new one. It is difficult to realize that someone else is going to watch your daughter take her first step or have your son say mama to the preschool teacher.
It is difficult knowing that you have spent 40 years of your life working for someone else, only to realize that you will be retiring on one-third of what you can live on today. Or, worse yet, it is difficult knowing that you have diligently worked all your life, only to be given an early retirement and replaced by someone younger, more capable.
I will tell you what is difficult. It is difficult waking up one morning and realizing that your children, the most precious things imaginable, no longer need bottles, diapers, have tea parties, or are shorter than the baseball bat they are trying to swing. It is difficult realizing it is too late and that the time frittered away can never be retrieved. It slips through our fingers one second at a time.
It is also difficult watching the spark in your partner's eyes fade because both of you realize the house you have been wanting is just a dream because someone else is controlling your finances.
We have nasty habits about rationalizing, procrastination and skirting important things, rather than facing the issues. Too often we allow others who do not pay our bills, who do not share our dreams, to direct our futures.
As children we have absolutely no freedom; we rebel in our teens and scream for freedom. We reach adulthood and are finally free, only to relinquish that freedom because we think it is too difficult. We do not want to take responsibility. We do not want to make a wrong decision, so we obligingly give that awesome power to someone else. We wake up too late. We hear ourselves uttering phrases like: "I wish I had only . . ." and "If I could do it over again."
You have no one but yourself to blame. You had the chance. Perhaps the opportunity was presented many times and each time you elevated the trivial to a higher priority than yourself.
Let me ask you: Is direct sales really difficult?
Is it so traumatic to show someone an exciting product or idea? Is it so difficult to understand that if you work this marketing idea for three to five years, you just might finally be able to send your children to a college chosen by excellence, rather than one chosen by price? That you could finally put your family in the home of their dreams?
Would you work really hard for eight to ten years, so you could mold a lifestyle of your choosing, so your family could live a lifestyle of their dreams, rather than trying to live how someone else thinks you should live?
How difficult is it to pick up the phone and call your prospect? How difficult is it to place ads? How difficult is it, really, to share what you love with others? Think about it.
Realize the awesome power you have in your hands with direct sales. There are people out there working three jobs. There are people drowning in debt; or agonizing through bankruptcy, realizing they only needed a couple hundred more dollars per month. That is difficult!
This business you have chosen has the ability to change lives. Direct sales cannot do anything. But YOU can change lives with it. You are the one with the life-changing ability. What are you waiting for?
There is difficulty and pain in success, and there is difficulty and pain in failure. Difficulty and pain in success will last a short period of time; but pain in failure lasts a lifetime. Which one is really more difficult?
You will pay a price for your actions, and your choices.
Which choice will you make?"
Reposted from
http://networkedblogs.com/4KN96
************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********
Lately, I have heard so many people say how difficult having a homebased busienss is. "Its hard." "I can't get any opt-ins." "I can't get people to sign up or buy my products." "This just isn't for me." "I didn't know how difficult it would be."
Well, I am a single Mom of three who, before joining the direct sales family, held down two jobs. I would get up at 4:00 in the morning and not get to bed until midnight most nights, after returning from my part-time retail job, packing lunches, checking homework and relieving my mother, who helped out with the kids.
That, my friends, is difficult.
It is difficult always having to lower your dreams to meet your means. It is difficult to miss your son's football game because you have to work. It is difficult knowing the rust bucket you call a car is eating you alive in maintenance, but you can't afford a new one. It is difficult to realize that someone else is going to watch your daughter take her first step or have your son say mama to the preschool teacher.
It is difficult knowing that you have spent 40 years of your life working for someone else, only to realize that you will be retiring on one-third of what you can live on today. Or, worse yet, it is difficult knowing that you have diligently worked all your life, only to be given an early retirement and replaced by someone younger, more capable.
I will tell you what is difficult. It is difficult waking up one morning and realizing that your children, the most precious things imaginable, no longer need bottles, diapers, have tea parties, or are shorter than the baseball bat they are trying to swing. It is difficult realizing it is too late and that the time frittered away can never be retrieved. It slips through our fingers one second at a time.
It is also difficult watching the spark in your partner's eyes fade because both of you realize the house you have been wanting is just a dream because someone else is controlling your finances.
We have nasty habits about rationalizing, procrastination and skirting important things, rather than facing the issues. Too often we allow others who do not pay our bills, who do not share our dreams, to direct our futures.
As children we have absolutely no freedom; we rebel in our teens and scream for freedom. We reach adulthood and are finally free, only to relinquish that freedom because we think it is too difficult. We do not want to take responsibility. We do not want to make a wrong decision, so we obligingly give that awesome power to someone else. We wake up too late. We hear ourselves uttering phrases like: "I wish I had only . . ." and "If I could do it over again."
You have no one but yourself to blame. You had the chance. Perhaps the opportunity was presented many times and each time you elevated the trivial to a higher priority than yourself.
Let me ask you: Is direct sales really difficult?
Is it so traumatic to show someone an exciting product or idea? Is it so difficult to understand that if you work this marketing idea for three to five years, you just might finally be able to send your children to a college chosen by excellence, rather than one chosen by price? That you could finally put your family in the home of their dreams?
Would you work really hard for eight to ten years, so you could mold a lifestyle of your choosing, so your family could live a lifestyle of their dreams, rather than trying to live how someone else thinks you should live?
How difficult is it to pick up the phone and call your prospect? How difficult is it to place ads? How difficult is it, really, to share what you love with others? Think about it.
Realize the awesome power you have in your hands with direct sales. There are people out there working three jobs. There are people drowning in debt; or agonizing through bankruptcy, realizing they only needed a couple hundred more dollars per month. That is difficult!
This business you have chosen has the ability to change lives. Direct sales cannot do anything. But YOU can change lives with it. You are the one with the life-changing ability. What are you waiting for?
There is difficulty and pain in success, and there is difficulty and pain in failure. Difficulty and pain in success will last a short period of time; but pain in failure lasts a lifetime. Which one is really more difficult?
You will pay a price for your actions, and your choices.
Which choice will you make?"
Reposted from
http://networkedblogs.com/4KN96
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
NEW MONTH!
I realized today how much I love turning the page onto a new month. It's like a brand new start again. Clean slate. An entire month ahead to work towards my goals. Time to reflect on where I'm at, how far I've come, and where I'm going.
I wrote out my June goals today. Made a copy to put in my wallet to carry with me everywhere. I know what I'm going to accomplish in June - do you?
I wrote out my June goals today. Made a copy to put in my wallet to carry with me everywhere. I know what I'm going to accomplish in June - do you?
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