"Back" In The Game!

You know you're getting older when..... We've all heard the jokes starting with that famous intro. Well, this past week or so it wasn't a joke, at least for me it wasn't. I woke up one morning and my lower back was screaming at me. I couldn't get out of the bed! Pain was shooting down my right leg, and my back was locked up. I managed a few stretches, struggled to get to an upright position, and called my Chiropractor. It took me over an hour to get up, dressed and in the car, my wife driving me of course.

I had no idea what I had done to bring this spasm on. I have a history of low back trouble, degenerative disc disease, and as I indicated, I am under the care of a Chiropractor. The next five or six days were awful, filled with Chiropractic adjustments, pain pills, muscle relaxers, Ice, stretches, agonizing walks from the bed to the bathroom where I could not even stand erect without being in excruciating pain. I'm much better now, not totally pain free, but much better.

Why am I writing about this? well, it knocked me out of the game for almost a week. I couldn't call leads, couldn't follow up with customers and prospects, couldn't work with my team. Here's where the point comes in. I have a gal in Atlanta, Thora, super gal, great right hand (wo)man. I gave her my leads, handed over my three newest people and she took the ball and ran with it. She followed up with them, did some training with them, called leads with them, etc. You see, you have to have someone or someones like Thora on your team, someone who can step up in relief so the game can go on. This is only possible if you have learned how to duplicate yourself in your downline.

It could have been a disaster, no one to lead, no one to support the new guys, no one to manage the reigns. But it wasn't. No, it was instead, a testament to the power of duplication. You cannot delegate if you don't duplicate. I am fortunate. I have folks who are working hard to learn the system, learn the business, folks who in times like this can keep the ship sailing on course, and on time. Now that my back is better, and I'm "Back" in the game, I can rest a lot easier knowing that it's not all on my shoulders. And that's a great feeling to have, I assure you.

A Work At Home Business Opportunity, Better Than The Lottery!

I was talking with one of my business partners this afternoon, about people who would like to start a home based business but will say they are unable to come up with any start up cash. They'll agree that it's a legitimate work at home business opportunity, but still they balk at the cost. Of course it's absurd to think one can start a business and have no capital with which to do so. The online forums are full of posts indicating that any business that has start up costs must be a scam. They couldn't be any more wrong, but that's not really the subject of this article.

These same people, who say they can't come up with any start up capital have no qualms about going down to their local 7-11 each and every Payday and purchasing lottery tickets! They'll plop down anywhere from $10 to $20 or more every week without any reservation, knowing that the odds of even recovering their investment are slim to none. To make matters worse, once in a while they may actually win a hundred bucks or so, which just adds fuel to the fire. Yet, they're unwilling to spend $50 - $100 to start a home based business that will enable them to work at home with the opportunity to make thousands of dollars a month, passive residual income and be secure financially for the rest of their lives.

One definition of the word Insanity is "To continue doing the same things over and over, expecting different results." That definition certainly applies to these people. They want to strike it rich and they're willing to bet on extremely long odds, over and over again, to do so. Insanity! It's incomprehensible to me to think that anyone would refuse a legitimate opportunity to work at home and build a respectable and profitable business but they'll turn right around and throw money away on nothing more than a pipe dream!

No, there's no guarantee that a home based business will succeed. There are no guarantees in life, period, with the exception of death and taxes! But I will promise you, the chances of success with a work at home business opportunity are a heck of a lot better than they are with a lottery ticket. I'll take those odds all day long! Wouldn't you?

Who Inspires You?

I posted my article, "The Secret To MLM Success" in one or two of the online forums in which I participate. I never know what kind of response I will receive when I post an article out there. Well, the feedback I have been getting from this one has been incredible. The most common adjective that comes to mind is, Inspiring. This prompted me to write and post a little more about a man who is somewhat of a hero to me, "Pistol Pete Maravich." He almost singlehandedly revolutionized the game of basketball. But it was his dedication, his faith, his desire to let nothing stand in his way and prevent him from being the best he could possibly be that is truly inspiring. That phrase "This is Inspiring," keeps coming up over. Here is my response. Enjoy.

Yes it is, ______. I will not ever forget seeing him play. He was one in a million, a skinny white kid who looked like he would break in half if someone ran into him. But once he stepped onto a basketball court, he was poetry in motion. His shooting ability was matched only by his ball handling and passing skill. He would make some of the most incredible passes that teammates would miss because no one would ever expect that a pass that good was even possible.

But what I said about Pete in my post above is only part of the story. The rest of the story (Oh man, now I sound like Paul Harvey, LOL!) is even more inspiring. His dad, Press Maravich, was was a successful college basketball coach and former college and professional player. When Pete was growing up, he found a passion for the game that fueled the most amazing, even legendary work ethic. He was determined to be the best that had ever been.

His unwavering dedication, the superior knowledge of the game of basketball he gained from his father along with hours upon hours upon hours, usually late into the evening, spent working on ball handling, passing and shooting drills, also learned from his father all combined to produce the most incredible and unstoppable force the game had ever seen.

It is this dedication and tireless and relentless practice and work ethic that comes to mind now, as I reflect upon my post, above. The fans only saw the end result, and as awesome as that was, it pales in comparison to the work ethic and dedication that got him there. His confidence, his skill, his ability to take over a game and carry his team upon his shoulders were only the tip of the iceberg. So, when a bad game would come, and they always do, he would just keep right on doing the things he knew would get him through it and the law of averages, which it always does, would turn in his favor. Success and the turn of the tide, was always only one "jump shot" away.

It's important that we have people in our lives that inspire us to keep on keeping on, when it looks hopeless, when everyone else says "just give up, it's impossible," when nothing seems to be going right. I have had many such people over the years, to inspire me, the greatest of all being my Father, truly the best man I have ever known! Another is "Pistol Pete Maravich," the greatest player I have ever seen play the game of basketball. My quesiton to you, the reader, is "Who Inspires You?"

The Best MLM Business Opportunity

What's the best MLM business opportunity? Well, there are lots of excellent MLM business opportunities depending upon what you're looking for. What's the best one? To be completely honest, there isn't one. Let me explain. I'm with The Berry Tree and Nutronix. For me, this is The Best MLM opportunity. It has changed our life. I love the products and would use them even if they were not attached to a business. I like the people I am in business with, upline and down and I have met and like the company ownership and many of the company leaders. I believe in the business and products. So for me, The Berry Tree and Nutronix is the best MLM business opportunity out there. However, there are lots of folks for which this MLM would not be the best. People are as different as night and day, each with his or her own unique personality traits, likes and dislikes, and so forth. For some, MLM is not a good business opportunity at all. They'd be better off opening an online store or a traditional brick and mortar business. Some people are not a fit for being business for themselves, period. There's certainly nothing wrong with that. What I am saying here is, when it comes to a business opportunity, there's no such thing as "one size fits all."

If someone is looking to start an MLM home business, online or off, they should at first, search with no filter at all. Just explore all the opportunities that are available, to start with. Some of them will "strike a chord" with you, and some will not. Toss aside those that don't and start narrowing the search. Examine their products, marketing plan, compensation plan, up front cost, monthly autoship requirements, etc. and even more of them will prove undesirable. A word of caution here, don't let cost alone be the deciding factor. Any business will incur costs. You're looking for a business, not a job. Look past the cost, to the potential return on investment. Also keep in mind, you're looking for the best MLM business, not the cheapest. Once you've settled on the MLM business opportunity you like the looks of and there may be two or three of them, do some more detailed research. Open every closet, look behind every door and leave no stone unturned. One of them will shine above the others. The one that looks best to you will not necessarily be the one that looks best to someone else. Remember, "one size does not fit all."

Once you've decided on the best MLM business opportunity for you, don't hesitate to jump in with both feet. Don't be tentative, here. A number of MLM businesses offer a free trial period. That's fine. Take advantage of the offer. This will allow you some time to get better acquainted with the company and the folks you'll be working with. But after that, if you still like what you see, GO FOR IT, and go all the way. Find out the highest level you at which you can get on board in order to maximize your profitability down the road, and start there. Don't let the old "I don't have any money" excuse cause you to miss what could be the very best decision you have ever made. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way. Remember your goal, financial and personal freedom, or whatever your particular "why" may be. Focus on that, find a way to get in, and in the words of the Nike commercials, "Just Do It!" In the end, the best MLM business opportunity is the one you can sink your teeth into, believe in whole-heartedly and be passionate about. It will feel more like a breath of fresh air, than a job. It has been said that those who love what they do for a living never have to "go to work." For them, it's like being on vacation, every day. That's how to find the best MLM business and for me, without question, it's The Berry Tree and Nutronix.

Stay The Course

People are lazy. In this credit based, I want it now, microwave oven world we live in, the concept of delayed gratification is a forgotten ideal. Analysts and philosophers alike debate the reasons behind the recent economical recession. I propose that at least in part, the problem can be attributed to the all pervasive "I want it now" mentality. If we want something we charge it to a credit card or a line of credit from the bank. People used to work hard and save their money and when they had enough to make the purchase, they bought whatever it was they wanted. They payed in real money, too. Not anymore.

Now we can whip out a piece of plastic or sign our name on a piece of paper and the desired purchase is ours. We may not even have the funds to repay the bank or credit card company, but that doesn't matter. We want it, we don't want to wait to get it, so we charge it. Now, extrapolate this concept so as to include the entire world and it becomes clear what is playing a major role in the downturn of the global economy. The culprit, at the very core of it all is greed and it's sidekick, impatience. The global economy is based on debt. Not a very sound foundation, would you agree?

So how does this apply to running a home based business? As I said before, people are lazy and they're impatient. They want success but they aren't willing to work for it, let alone be patient enough to wait for it. In the MLM world, people jump around from one home based business opportunity to another almost as often as they change shirts. If they don't make it rich in a month or two, they begin to grumble and complain and within a very short time either quit or jump ship. Very few will invest their time, money and energy and then stay the course, giving the plan time to work. If you've ever had a vegetable or flower garden, you understand that it's rediculous to assume that you will sew one day and reap the next. Just ask a farmer and see what kind of answer you get.

No, you have to till the ground, mix in some fertilizer and plant your seeds. Then you have to water the garden regularly and get rid of the weeds that will crop up every few days, or so. It takes weeks sometimes, especially in a vegetable garden before you begin to see the first sign of growth. If this were an MLM and after a week or so, there was no visible evidence of anything growing, most people would give up. Or they would just dig it all up and start over. How utterly absurd! Yet, that's the pervasive mentality among Network Marketers. That is in part, why 95 percent of the people who start out in an MLM, fail. They either don't know how or they don't want to stay the course. They want it now.

If you're in an MLM like The Berry Tree, my particular business, and you're prepared to do the things necessary to succeed and if you're willing be patient and wait for the results, those results will come and they will be incredible! The true gem in MLM is the achievement of a long term passive residual income that will enable you to live financially free and comfortable, for the rest of your life. The best part is, you will eventually reach the point where you don't even have to do anything to perpetuate it. It will just keep on coming.

No, you won't get there overnight. You may have to work hard and invest into your business for a year or two or three. So what? Can you achieve that in your current job? Not likely! What if it were to take five years to get there, would it be worth the wait? If you can answer that question with a resounding yes, then you have what it takes to stay the course. You have what it takes to succeed and succeed you will, and you will become very wealthy. The others? They'll just keep on grumbling, complaining, dropping out or jumping ship. So work hard, give it your all and by all means, stay the course!

On The Making Of New Years Resolutions

The practice of making new years resolutions seems to get somewhat of a bad rap. Few people seem to take it seriously and every year one hears any number of jokes about it's sincerity and how long those resolutions will last. I have never really done this, made a New Years resolution. The idea always seemed a bit pretensive to me, not to mention somewhat proud.

Just take a look at the root of the word, resolution. It's resolve. Now that's a strong word. It speaks volumes, doesn't it? It resounds with deep undertones such as commitment and determination. It speaks of serious intent to make good on something. If one is going to resolve something, one had better give some deep thought as to the seriousness of the resolution and whether or not one has the strength to follow through.

Let's look at some of the definitions of the word resolve:

1. to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine to do something.

2. to settle, determine, or state formally in a vote or resolution.

3. to clear away or dispel doubts, fears, etc.

I like that second one, to settle. That sounds decisive, stong, certian. It has a sense of surety about it.

This New Years, after wrestling with these things and giving much thought to what I would be willing to resolve to do, I made some resolutions. I resolved to persue a closer walk with The Lord and to work at being a better man, a better husband, a better father. And I resolved to treat others with more respect and dignity and to practice putting others first and self, last. Of course without the first of those resolutions, all the others are impossible to keep.

But maybe that's the point. Mere human strength is often not enough. We need to lean on the devine. One of my favorite scriptures says it best. "Those who wait upon The Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31.

In the persuit of success in business as well as in life in general, one can achieve nothing unless one has resolve. And true resolve, the kind that can stay the course, comes from The Lord. I wish all who read this post a very happy, prosperous and faith filled, New Year.

The Customer Is Always Right

I was born in 1953, grew up in the 60's and graduated high school in 1972. So many things have changed, since then. Life was different, slower paced, simpler. People felt a much stronger sense of community. Neighbors would hang out on one anther's front porch on into the evening and catch up on what was going on in each others' lives. Neighborhoods were like one big family. Kids would run and play outside from dawn till dark and no one ever worried about a child being abducted. Life was a lot less expensive. Gasoline was cheap, we could get high test for 37 cents. We could go to the movies for under a dollar, two if we bought a soda and some pop corn. Heck, you could buy a really nice sports car for under Five Grand and the average mortgage was under Fifty Thousand. Yeah, life was more simple.

There was a popular saying in business in those days, it went something like this, "The customer is always right." Sadly, that philosophy is rarely if ever, adhered to, today. Of course, the customer was not always right but that wasn't the point. Business establishments, especially those that were locally owned, treated their customers like family. There was a strong sense of honesty and fairness in business dealings. Proprietors would rather make a little less on a sale, than cheat a customer. In return, people felt a sense of loyalty and would shop at the same stores, buy a car from the same dealership, get gas at the same station, eat at the same restaurants and so on. Why? Because the customer was always made to feel that they were important, that they were family. And in a very real sense, they were.

Another benefit to the establishment was word of mouth advertising by very satisfied customers. This is the best kind of advertising because it's very effective and it doesn't cost anything. Well, it does, but not monetarily. It's cost is measured in things like integrity, character, honesty, a good work ethic, taking the time to insure the customer gets the right product at a fair price. This is the kind of advertising that will grow a large and successful business for you. In Network Marketing we talk a lot about offering products and a business opportunity that meet a real need and make someones' life better. To me that's what that old "The Customer is Always Right " philosophy meant.

The truth is, this business, any business, is not about you. It's about your customer, your prospect. Our business exists because we have products and an opportunity that can help people and make their lives better. People don't care what's important to us. They don't care about how their purchase or decision to join us will help us, financially. They care about what THEY need, want or desire. If they believe you care about them and truly want to help them, they will buy from you and they will sign up for your opportunity. Remember, People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. It's not about you. It never has been. It's about your customer and "The Customer is Always Right."