Judy's Solutions

Let me respond to an article I just read indicating the following steps to success:

• Success comes from having the right mindset;
• The right mindset causes the correct thinking process;
• The correct thinking process causes the right words used when talking to people;
• The right words used creates success;
• Success equals at least a six-figure income.

Of course, all the above statements are true. However, I object to a mindset that’s based on success equalling at least a six-figure income. Real success does not always equal six-figures. Success depends totally on set goals being achieved before the opportunity disappears.

The writer of an article I mentioned earlier notes that she and a woman of retirement age have been talking about her friend’s business, that she is excited about how well it’s doing, and that she doesn’t have time to retire now.

One of the woman mentioned during their conversation that, if she has “X” number of people, she will have a six-figure income.  The writer observed that the word “IF” is the wrong word to use for achieving success. The correct word to use should be “WHEN” she has “X” number of people she will have a six-figure income.

It bothers me that people think success equals a specific amount of income or specific numbers. Often people, particularly in Network Marketing or a home-based business, believe that becoming financially rich is how we measure success. I disagree with that concept.

• What if you consider success as doing something you love and that satisfies the measure of your creation?
• What if, at the same time, you are fulfilling your potential, blessing others, and making their lives better?
• Isn’t success better measured in these types of pursuits, even if the income does not always equal some sort of financial substance?

Money and potential income should NEVER be the measure of success or the most important motivation for succeeding in business. This type of thinking does not serve a personal well. Let me tell you why.

I really believe that the problem with people in business today is that they always want to make at least a six-figure income. They want to make lots and lots of money, and they dream of all the things they can have or do that they can’t have or do now.

It’s this attitude that messes with people’s thinking and makes them dissatisfied with the life they’re living now. In almost every situation, there is nothing wrong with life the way it is when we have the right mindset. The truth is that wanting more than we have is not necessarily a good thing on which to place our focus. In most cases, being dissatisfied with our lives often means that we have failed to be grateful for our blessings.

The way I see it, wanting to be rich is like putting the cart before the horse. We need the horse in front so it can pull the cart forward. Unfortunately, people become confused sometimes and put the cart before the horse because they’ve been influenced by incorrect principles.

• For example: if big money is the motivation, then what happens when the money doesn’t come fast enough or is not as much as they expect or need?
• If the money isn’t enough to make the cart move, then nothing happens because the horse can’t pull the cart from behind.
• When something other than big money forces the cart to move, with or without the money they expect or need, then the cart moves forward. The affects of your products, your service, your plan, your efforts will be the force that pulls the cart forward.
• It IS YOU, your personality, your commitment, your excitement, your attitude, and your concern for the people you serve that makes people want to do business with you. The cost of the product is secondary.
• When you satisfy a person’s wants and needs or make them feel better, you will receive the income you want. However, what I just said is only true as long as your focus is N O T on the money you can make off them and what you can get from them. You can’t fool them, they know where your focus is and will respond to you accordingly.

Our focus should be on doing something that we love, doing it makes us feel good, doing it gives others what they need or want, and doing it gives us a reason to get up in the morning. We love doing it because it uses our gifts and talents to bless the lives of others in ways no one else can, and that is a rewarding feeling!

The reward for living this way is making people around us feel good while we’re giving them what they need. Making a good income comes secondary because we know we are doing what we are born to do. That means money SHOULD NEVER BE THE MAIN MOTIVATION behind our efforts.

Putting the cart before the horse makes us “I” oriented because the focus is on ourselves and what we want instead of doing the right things for others–without others, there would be no money.

Focusing on dreams that are based on the income we will make from others WILL NOT sustain us very long in real life. Whatever financial success we attain will be shallow because it is without the depth we need to feel secure.

SUCCESS

• What you do should include use of your God-given talents that bless others lives, as described in the parable of the Talents.
• God expects you to use what He gives you in a way that multiplies through others. This is what constitutes success.

FAILURE

• The result of burying your abilities
• The result of wasting your talents
• The result of being afraid of failing or of not bringing in enough wealth to satisfy your appetite
• The result of using your abilities improperly
  • For personal gain
  • For evil purposes

SELF-WORTH

You gain self-worth when you see the value you have added to someone’s life. Also, you will enjoy your life much more when YOU LIVE IT with meaning and purpose. However, you will never know these benefits when you become addicted to the ways of the world and to financial success in terms the world uses to measure it.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU?

Is success measured in terms of income or is it measured by accomplishing what your goals plan to do?

For example, I wrote a book on what I learned after 9/11/2001

• About Peace, Joy, Happiness, and Chaos
• About how to Respond to Stress More Appropriately
• About Excessive Thinking
• About Gratitude for Blessings
• About Making My Life Mean Something.
  • I felt like the Lord put a spotlight on situations and then expected me to write about what I learned. In this way, I can help people learn the same lessons that I did and live a more peaceful life.

 

HOW AM I SUCCESSFUL?

Am I successful because I completed the book and published it?

Am I successful because blessed the lives of others, who changed their lives because of what they learned in the books I wrote?

Am I successful because I reached my goals for writing the book and getting it published?

Am I successful financially or a failure because I did not make a six-figured income from sales of my books?

It depends on what standards you use to judge my success.  I only made about $100 profits in book sales, so financially am I a failure?

In contrast, listen to what people said about how my book helped people.

• Carol said my book and conversations online with her helped her and her daughter mend their broken relationship.
• A section in my book that discussed healthy relationships helped Joni put things into perspective and avoid an extra-martial affair.
• Ann, a nurse at the Doctor’s office said, “You don’t understand. I really need your book”.  She said it helped her get passed something she has never been able to do until after she read my book.
• Doyle said, “You have an amazing ability to mirror life in general. I have learned more from the first ten pages of the book than I have from all the other self-help books I’ve read.”
• Carol also said, “You understand me better than anyone has in all the years I’ve been in counseling. I believe God sent me to you.”
• Helen said, “It’s a lot like reading the scriptures. You have to read over a few times to get all the important things you need to know.”

So tell me if these stories are the way to measure my success or should it be measured by missing a six-figure income?

Indeed, I am very successful because my goal was to write it, get it published, and help people. I felt my job was to write the lessons I was taught and God’s job was to get the book in the hands of those who need it. As far as I am concerned, I think I have met my burden but there is more that needs to be written.

All of my blogs also shows my need to continue writing and help people by sharing what I know. Maybe a six-figure income in still on the horizon but that doesn’t matter to me. I am just grateful that my husband has been so supportive of this work and the expense of it. He has been a sweetheart.

Success is measured in many ways, but the “mindset for succeeding” is measure by how you think and what you do about it!

Below is a copy of a message I received on Facebook from a friend. The program she talks about is called “Mentoring For Free”.  Although I have been exposed to their teachings and to their program, I do not agree with some of their teachings. However, what they teach is truly beneficial for people who have not been in the field of Network Marketing for over thirty years as have I, so the information will probably be new to you.

The intense training that I received from International Leadership Development (now known as ILD Global) is the best training on this planet as far as I am concerned. In the absence of ILD, Mentoring for Free does have some value.

I don’t teach Mentoring for Free principles. What I teach comes from ILD training because the focus is on success in life and business by developing internal strength and growth that transcends business goals. In other words, ILD teachings develop characteristics in a person that provide balance in life.

I include Judy MacEachran’s message below for those of you who wish to contact her and receive Mentoring for Free Training. I approve of many of their teachings and believe you can benefit from their teaching and mine as well. Feel free to contact her and listen in on the call.

In addition, I include a video series for you to watch that emphasizes the idea of  knowing your WHY and having a strong desire.

My Story, Why I Said I Will Not Be Denied:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPD3IyZrwC8,

1-Revised, I Will Not Be Denied My Potential: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRHi3KwFmJY

2-I Will Not Be Denied My Destiny, Staying Positive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzk6kLZxzcY

Judy MacEachran sent a message to the members of The Business Cafe.

Judy MacEachranMay 29, 2010 at 5:18pm

Subject: A Very Special Call on Memorial Day?

Hello, My Networking Friends!

WHY are you in network marketing? What is your WHY?  Is your WHY big enough to make you cry?

Your WHY is never about the money. And it is NEVER EVER about proving something to anyone else!
Your WHY has got to be about YOU…

Every day in this business we face obstacles that make us want to quit. And some people are born to quit.
We can’t fix them – that’s what they do. Those people never ever had a WHY.

I am not a quitter. But 3 years ago I was ready to quit. I had no clear WHY, and was very frustrated.

And then I met Michael Dlouhy. Michael taught me:

“Your real WHY is about who YOU really are. Your driving factor must be WAY more than money. Your WHY
should make you CRY!”

Do you want to OWN your life? Then you NEED to get an ALL encompassing, BURNING DESIRE to have what you
want.

If you don’t have your WHY, you’ll never have the DESIRE. They work hand in hand. If you don’t have a strong enough WHY you don’t have anything.

On Monday, Memorial Day, we will have a special training call. Michael is going to devote the entire call to DESIRE.

If you have never heard Michael’s brilliant word pictures and stories, you are in for a real treat.

More important, he will use those stories to drive home the vital importance of your WHY, and to show you the power of what YOU can do when you get YOUR all encompassing desire working in YOUR life.

I hope you will join us on Monday, May 31 at 3:00 P.M. Eastern time.

To listen to this F*REE training call, just e mail me at judy.maceachran@gmail.com with “Your WHY” in the subject line. I will give you the call number.

I look forward to hearing from you!

To YOUR success,

Judy MacEachran
603-228-1944
Skype: judy.maceachran

You may not agree on every point discussed in this post. However, I am confident that once situations begin to reveal the symptoms of a problem within an organization, you will recognize the red flags as they emerge and see things from a different perspective. Naturally, in the future, you will want to teach these principles to your own downline and associates.

How Great of an Opportunity is It?

Often, a desire to change our lives lulls us into an opportunity that only lines the pockets of somebody else. This happens because there are experts in the field who know how to capitalize on your dreams, and they know how to present their programs so it appeals to you. They have you pegged the minute they begin talking to you and so they know what tools to use in manipulating you.

It’s true that sometimes an opportunity is as good as it appears, and yet other times an opportunity is a bad risk and you should not become involved with it. You have to weed through all the hype associated with the plan and scrutinize what they tell you in order to find the truth.

First, I must qualify myself. I’ve seen many people do well in their Network Marketing businesses. I’ve also seen many more who have not done well. I, myself, have done very well in some ventures and others I have not done as well as I expected. Nevertheless, I joined each venture believing that I would succeed and that it would be the best opportunity.

With that said, even when we are committed to the success of our businesses, it still may not work for us; possibly because there are holes in the plan that we did not see in the beginning (usually the holes are found in their terms and conditions). This is why we need to take the time we need to investigate an opportunity enough to know the truth or accept the risk. If we accept the risk, then what about the people we involve in the risk with us? We owe it to them to be sure that they will not be taken for a ride along with us that they were not prepared to take.

Take the Time To Investigate

The reason family and friends won’t join us in most of our ventures is because they know that we do not investigate opportunities well enough and so we get taken for a ride. Therefore, they won’t listen when we try to talk to them; they don’t trust us to know if this one is a good opportunity or not.

I’ve learned that, if we are unsure about the worthiness of an opportunity, we need to take some time to investigate it more thoroughly before we make a decision. Look at an opportunity with objectivity. This means we are less likely to be taken in by all the fluff and hype they use to rev-up a group or a crowd. However, if the promoter tries to apply pressure on us, it’s time to tell them goodbye. There is a reason for the pressure, and usually it is NOT for our best interest.

A mistake many of us make is we perceive a good followup as being pressure to join. We need to be honest when they call so they do not followup at a pace that makes us feel uncomfortable. We can resolve this problem by agreeing to attend their meetings for awhile and then make a decision.

Attending all their functions will acquaint us with the Association and the upline with whom we will be working closely. This is the only way we will find out who is making real money and who is putting on a front. Take note of how hard people are working and if they are running themselves ragged but seeing little payoff for it. My friend says this is like an airplane running down the tarmac and not having enough lift to take off.

Attending their meetings is a good way to find holes in the plan and learn more about the integrity of their organization. After awhile, they will no longer see us as an investigator but as part of the group; that is when the walls come down and we see the true integrity in their business dealings.

What’s the Gimmick or The Ploy That Hooks You?

I am going to get personal with you here because I want to be very candid about the pitfalls in Network Marketing—even the good ones.

Network Marketing is the best tool available today for average people to get into business and change their stars. Although there are many bad opportunities, there are still some that are reputable and have a viable business plan. With use of the Internet now, there are even greater opportunities to do well if one will follow sound principles when working it.

Below is a list of the gimmicks and ploys I’ve discovered that hook us into an opportunity…be it a good or a bad one. Perhaps some of you found many of these examples are true and can attest to what I’m telling you.

1 – Experts Look For Your WOW! The promoter’s objective is to get you to start dreaming or to wake up the passion inside you about your dreams. You need to have a reason for doing what they want you to do. They are looking for your trigger so they can capitalize on it. This doesn’t mean that everyone who taps into your dream has sinister motives. It just means they know you won’t do anything without having a reason. Your WOW is your motivation and, without it, you’re dead in the water before you even get started.

After a good promoter spends time finding your reason for taking advantage of their opportunity or building on your dreams, they spend time convincing you that you can do it. On the surface, there is nothing sinister about these motives. It is the wise thing to do, and this is what makes Network Marketing work for people.

Being suspicious of someone getting you to dream is not necessary in most cases; it’s part of the training so you can succeed. Talking with you about your dreams and ambitions gives them an opportunity to ask important questions that you need to consider and gives you a chance to look inside yourself to answer them.

It is completely appropriate, however, to be suspicious about their claims and the plan they promote. An honest promoter will tell you exactly what it takes to succeed in their business without resorting to a bunch of hype to sell you on their plan.

2 – You need to watch out for holes in the plan.

*Does the plan make sense?

*Are products too expensive for most people?

*What is the upfront cost to join?

*Where does that money go when you join? Some companies give part of your signup money to philanthropic organizations. You need to know the percentage and how much really goes out to those organizations.

*How are products being moved?

*How much product do you need to move to produce the volume from which they base each level of income shown in their presentation?

*If income is not based on moving products, then what actually makes you money?

*What is the risk? FTC laws say the opportunity MUST be the same for everyone, from top to bottom. If it isn’t, then it is a pyramid and likely a scam—which means that, most often, it will be shut down within the first year or so.

3 – NEVER JOIN an opportunity when you have to buy into a position: either by purchasing a certain amount of stock to reach leadership levels or they reserve a spot for you to buy a downline. If they bought a downline, then they don’t really know how to help you because they have not had to do what they are requiring of you. The promoter will tell you that this is the fast way to make money, and in some cases it could be true. However, I am telling you that this is NOT TRUE in most other situations and for most people! Let me explain why, because this is really the final straw that broke my own business.

Buy UP to a level:

When your income depends on monthly volume, it means your profit is dependent on products moving within your group. Stocking up on products is like shooting yourself in the foot.

For instance, you sell product “A” to someone (to an associate or a customer) so that product needs to be replaced (ordered) for it to count as volume for the current month. If you have the product in stock, you won’t make a purchase until the stock is low or gone. Without new volume going through your business every month, the money you need to restock is usually spent by the time you need to reorder. Also, you will likely do what many Network Marketers do in this situation—you bank on the fact that enough money will be there when it’s time to restock product “A”.

Do you see the error in this type of thinking? You are spending money today by banking on money being there tomorrow. You have faith or a belief that your business will grow and that you will have more than enough money to restock products then. In principle, it makes sense; in reality, it makes NO sense to stock up on products in order to buy up to a new level.

YOU MUST NOT BANK ON SPENDING “TOMORROW’S MONEY” TODAY, THINKING THE MONEY WILL BE THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT! If you break this Universal Law of Money, there will always be a consequence that follows. Even if the money is there when you need it, did you have to sacrifice something to make sure that enough money is in the account? Is that sacrifice your consequence?

If you need volume for a specific level, it means you and your downline must create it through movement of products. You do not create new volume unless you sell something and then order it for that volume to count in the current month. If you buy up or accept autoship (read this representatives experience with autoship), you will likely have a charge on your account that you can’t pay and so you will be cancelled.

Sponsoring new people moves products, but not enough to move you up several levels in volume. The way many opportunities work today is they require you to have a standing order every month by requiring you to have a product shipped to you every month or you will not qualify for a bonus from downline production (it’s called autoship) and your upline may get it instead.

If your downline buys products for themselves and their customers, along with the volume you create, and the total volume gives you enough for a new level, then all is well and everyone is happy. However, what if some of your downline decide to stock up on products as you did and they buy up to a level also?

Remember, your downline will duplicate you and usually that is a good thing. The problem with this plan is that now they have stock and you have stock. None of you will restock until products are gone or low enough to reorder. This system will work fine IF you and your downline work very hard to move the products you stocked up on and IF you can order new stock in the month you need new volume.

4 - Your contact list gives your upline names and phone numbers of everyone you know, which he or she can use as contacts after you drop out. Most new signups give up too quickly because they think the opportunity is a fast fix for their money problems or because they expect cash to come rolling in before they have given it enough time to expect that outcome. When people quit or are cancelled because of an unpaid charge, the upline scoops up the downline. Then the company sells the name

Sometimes upline will take ownership of your contacts and start communicating with them behind your back. Even if the upline has good motives, this does not edify you as the sponsor and diminishes your position with your new signup and your group. Some of them even sell your name as being interested in network marketing.

Your upline SHOULD ALWAYS work through you when there is ANY CONTACT with people on your list. This mistake is one I made in the beginning with my own business. I never did gain back the respect and trust of my downline after that mistake.

Keep in mind that your upline is doing this for a reason. Either he or she is looking out for his or her own interests, or he or she doesn’t trust you to handle your own prospects correctly. If your upline is doing this to you, then ask yourself why? Also, ask yourself if what your upline communicates to you and your downline makes sense and is it in agreement with sound principles? If not, then why and what do you plan to do about it?

Greed Is A Motivator

A devious marketer will try to appeal to the GREED inside every human being. We all want a good deal, and we all want to get something for nothing or for very little effort on our part. We know this is true when we think or hear ourselves say: I only have to do this much and I will get this much money for it. Do you see it?

In contrast, an honest marketer will spell out the plan, it’s weaknesses and strong points, and commit you to working the plan the way they know it works best. The plan will include a specific amount of effort in order to receive a certain amount of reward. Any plan that tries to say otherwise is a lie. All Network Marketers who have made it up the ladder know exactly what it takes to get there. Either they purchased downline to reach their level or they made it with hard work. You need to know exactly what hard work it will take.

DON’T make the mistake of basing your success on the success of those who are talking to you. You are not them and your circumstances are different. Your commitment level and work ethics are different. Your contacts and financial situation is different. Although all of this is true and very important to consider, you still look for holes in the plan that people want to hide. You need to understand the true success of those who want you to join them in the opportunity.

If you are seriously considering an opportunity, you must be bold and discuss these points with the person who wants you to do this plan. If the person is new, then don’t depend on them to give you the answer, go straight to the “horses mouth” and find out for yourself.

For example, you need answers to the following questions.

*How many clients do I need to see in order to get the volume you show in the plan?

*Is your success level based on the same compensation plan and the same presentation as they just showed me or did you buy your business from someone?

*How many “no” responses do you get compared to “yes”?

*What must I do every day towards reaching the levels that you describe?

*Tell the upline that you recognize your success cannot be based on others, but there is a figure required by law for them to disclose that tells you how many people actually make the levels discussed in the plan they showed you. Be sure to see their their terms of agreement. If it’s a long terms of agreement than run. The shorter their terms the more transparent they are.

If you set guidelines for yourself and follow them, you will be less likely to get mixed up in a “sinking ship” or a scam. Scammers depend on your vulnerability and greed. Protect yourself by understanding what red flags signal a scam. If it doesn’t ring true then tell them “NO THANKS”.

Good examples of red flags:

*Network Marketing companies that are ground floor opportunities or in pre-launch (pre-launch means they could be having financial problems so they plan on their reps to bring in the income because they don’t have financial backing)

*The Newest Book on the market on How to Become a Millionaire

*And the newest deal that’s almost too good to be true.

These are all questionable opportunities.

If you have questions about this article, I will be glad to respond to an email.

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Pitfalls Of Payday Lending

I received this important message from AARP that is of interest to most Americans these days. These people are just legal loan sharks. Your chances of coming out on the positive end of such a loan is non-existent. That’s why they risk lending to you. You pay for the risk they take and for those who do not pay back the loan.

With the economy still sluggish and many folks still struggling, there’s one booming industry that’s been taking advantage of many Texans. Our Texas page of April’s AARP Bulletin took a closer look one man’s experience with predatory payday loans: He had never walked into a payday loan shop, but Cleveland Lomas thought it was the right move: It would help him pay off his car and build up good credit in the process. Instead, Lomas ended up paying $1,300 on a $500 loan as interest and fees mounted and he couldn’t keep up. He swore it was the first and only time he’d visit a payday lender. “It’s a complete rip-off,” said Lomas, 34, of San Antonio. “They take advantage of people like me, who don’t really understand all that fine print about interest rates.” Lomas stopped by the AARP Texas booth at a recent event that kicked off a statewide campaign called “500% Interest Is Wrong” urging cities and towns to pass resolutions calling for stricter regulation of payday lenders. Read the rest of the story in the article, “Payday Loan Shops Exploit a Loophole”. Know someone who’s been impacted by predatory payday or auto title lenders? Or have you had a personal experience with these incredibly high interest loans? Let us hear about it. Your story will make a difference. Let your voice be heard!

This email was sent to you by AARP. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add aarptx@aarp.org to your address book.

This e-mail is being sent by the AARP Texas State Office, 98 San Jacinto Blvd #750, Austin, TX 75231. Visit us at http://www.aarp.org/tx. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people 50 and over ~ http://www.aarp.org/about_AARP. Join or renew your membership at http://www.aarp.org/join/. AARP Privacy Policy | (c)1995-2009, AARP. All rights reserved. Unsubscribe Or visit the email preferences page to manage the types of email you receive from AARP.



Judy MacEachran sent a message to the members of The Business Cafe.

Subject: Your Daily Motivation

I appreciate the message Doris Day sings in this video and have referred to this concept often.

It’s important to recognize that we can only do what we can do, and that we must allow what will be to naturally find it’s way through.

We cannot force things by strong-arming our way to have what we want. Self-will eventually spells trouble because it comes from ego, pride, and arrogance.

It is important to go after our dreams and do what we can every day towards attaining those dreams. However, we need to be patient enough to allow the process to take its natural course without force.

Forcing our “will” may create a reality that we do not want. Because we are not patient enough to wait, our dreams may not materialize as they should if we had allowed things to happen naturally.

The same applies to letting go of what we cannot change, “what will be will be”, and allow whatever “will be” find its own way without our interferrance.

We can make “what will be” a blessing if we allow it to be, or let it become gloom and doom if that’s how we want to see it.

We can only control ourselves and how we react to a situation. Being wise enough to recognize what we can do and do what we can allows us to be at peace with whatever happens.

Trying to control anything else is a waste of energy. Wishing for good things to happen will be fruitless when we try to control the events that are already set in motion and are surely on the horizon.

Accepting our role in a situation and contributing worthwhile ideas, along with directing our efforts in the right direction, is all we can do.

For example, I am concerned about the anger I see in America right now over politics. I see politicians using race as a way to stir up the people so they will go against those who disagree with their position.

In other words, what I see is manipulators trying to take advantage of the iniquities of racism by stirring up the hearts of people in order to obtain their objectives.

I am angry to see this evil ploy used to control the way people think. So, instead of reacting with the anger I feel, I think it is wiser to speak to people in the community about uniting as one nation by seeing through the ploy to divide them.

Focusing on what resources are available in communities that help our neighbors, along with the need to be supportive of people in stressful situations, actually unites people instead of dividing us.

Supporting each other and uniting together in our efforts produces better results than trying to deal with a situation by ourselves.

United in positive ways is much more affective than becoming part of the problem through negativity.

Protect your dreams by recognizing what you have the power to affect or change and let everything else be as it will.

If you have a Facebook account, I advise you to connect with Judy MacEachran.

Judy MacEachran sent a message to the members of The Business Cafe. Judy MacEachranMarch 30, 2010 at 12:57pm Subject: Your Daily Motivation YOU WIN, WHEN YOU AREN’T AFRAID TO LOSE The difference between great and average is how often you take risks. Accept risk as a normal part of living. View risk as a part of the process of exploring your world. Make note of the lessons you learn with each chance you take and move on. Forget about the consequences of taking chances. Risk opens you to only a temporary change in direction that can set you straight for your next success. If you’re brave enough to risk, to temporarily live outside of your comfort zone, for a short period of time, you’re big enough to win. To Your Success, Judy MacEachran © 2010 http://www.facebook.com/l/91546;YourDailyMotivation.com

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I am basically very careful about the risks I take in life, but when it comes to business decisions, I seem to naturally know when it is or is not prudent to jump into an opportunity.

I am familiar with the symptoms of a bad risk business, but still I am occasionally fooled. That is all part of the process when we go into business. As a result, I agree with Judy MacEachran on her remarks about being willing to take a risk when you are not afraid to lose…that’s called CONVICTION.

The important thing to remember is that we should only risk after we consider what we can afford to lose. This does NOT mean you don’t risk if you are afraid to lose.  There is a difference between exercising wisdom when risking and being afraid of risking.  If you take a risk that will cause a great loss for the family, then you should first consider if you are being mindful of their well-being; the one thing you should NEVER risk, not for any reason.

Decide whether or not your internal need to be fulfilled outweighs the well-being of your family.  Also, consider the necessity for taking a risk. For instance, a person who loses a job may decide to go into business for himself is a risk worth taking after considering the option of waiting for another job to open up.

It’s one thing to be willing to take a risk, but another to go against common sense and not take advice from people who care about you. However, I am the first one to say that, once those who care about you have had their say and you have considered their concerns, you must do what you know inside is the right thing to do.

More to the point, there is no doubt that I would have been dissatisfied with my life if I had allowed family and friends to influence my willingness to risk failure with writing two books. I knew that I had to do it and that I had to fulfill my potential no matter the financial outcome.

Success and failure did not concern me when I considered the manner that some people view success. I knew that real success was dependent on my willingness to help people change their lives. I also knew that there would be people, whose lives I helped change, would benefit from my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned. I had to listened to my own internal instincts instead of those who worried about me failing.

We have to consider what others say and then do what we know to be right. Without that conviction, we should not take a risk. I hope you appreciate the difference between feeling you should do something and having the conviction to do it no matter the risk.

What are your convictions and how much are you willing to risk?  More importantly, should you be willing to take the risk?

Being The Most of Your Ability

I enjoy some of the comments I get from leaders on Facebook.  When I find great messages that I think you will appreciate, I pass them on to you. This one came from Darnell Curtis that he sent a message to the members of http://www.facebook.com/l/06c34;YourNight.com.

To Your Night, Thought of the day Do not base your abilities on someone elses results, YOU MAY BE BETTER THAN THEM….

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I completely agree with Darnell Curtis’ statement. We often put too much pressure on ourselves and our downline when we try to be like somebody else and try to do the work of somebody else. We are all unique. We have our own challenges and abilities, that are unique to us; they belong to us and no one else.

We need to be wise about our expectations and set goals according to accurate thinking* (I will cover this topic more at another time.) Remember that YOU are unique. There is no one like you.That is why you must only demand from yourself the things you have the power to affect, change, or control. Doing otherwise will frustrate you and those with whom you associate or do business.

Use the following guidelines when setting goals according to your aibilities:

• Use Accurate Thinking. As you make plans for your future and set goals, do not buy into the hype that is often associated with Network Marketing or try to be like others you believe are successful.
• Practice good work ethics, doing what you say you will do and follow through with the plans you’ve made.
• Choose who you listen to: Listen to only people more interested in your success than in their own.
• Keep your perspective in check. This mean you don’t try to run faster than you should and then fail because your perspective was out of whack.
• Stay in balance. Examine your priorities to make sure you are in alignment with God and Success Principles in order to be successful in life and business.
• Keep your priorities straight. Do only what you and your spouse have agreed upon as being important and will protect harmony in your life and home.
• Do NOT chase after people. Allow them to come to you because they know you, you have what they want, and they want to do business with you. To do this, your mind needs to be thinking right, your priorities need to be in alignment, and you need to be balanced. When people feel that they are on your radar, they will run in the opposite direction. People need to know that you are there for them but they won’t believe it if you chase them.
• Do NOT pretend to be successful or try to convince someone that you are a leader. True leaders just lead and don’t have to talk about being a leader. In other words, your actions speak louder than words. Doing what leaders do makes you a leader just as doing what successful people do leads to success. If you are not doing those things leaders and successful people do, then YOU ARE NOT a leader and you will not be successful.
• Be yourself, unless you are not the type of person with whom you would want to do business or to be on the other side of a discussion or an invite. You would not be impressed with someone who talks too much, doesn’t look or act professional, or is pushy.
• Take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. Work on improving yourself in the weak areas through positive motivation and then decide how to take advantages of your strengths.
• Use your abilities to help those with whom you associate. When appropriate, offer to help someone FOR FREE and without strings attached or taking advantage of them. The more you share your abilities with people, the sharper your abilities become.
• Make a difference in someone’s life; doing so builds self-worth. Notice that I said it builds self-worth and not self-esteem. Self-esteem is the result of how others interact with you and how they make you feel. On the other hand, self-worth is how you feel about yourself when you understand how you have added value to someone’s life.
• Be true to yourself and the commitments you’ve made to yourself. You cannot allow people to steal your dreams, to keep you in a box or do things to prevent you have achieving the goals you’ve set for yourself. You need to love them for the value they contribute to your life and accept them for who they are, but you have to set healthy boundaries for them. Let them know you value their judgment and ask that they trust your judgment as well. If it’s a mistake then that’s the end result but you need to do it and see how far it takes you.

Being the most of your abilities means you fulfill the measure of your creation and strive to reach your full potential. What can be more satisfying than this?

*Note: I wrote about accurate thinking in my book “The Treasure Box Series, Volume I: Peace, Joy, and Happiness”, copyright dated November 2005 and published by BookSurge.

I have received several comments on my blog posting about generating leads.  In responding back to them, I realized that I needed to do a follow-up on this subject.

Below you will see comments from readers that apply to the posting on gathering leads. After the comments is my response to the request to do a follow-up. I’ve included a link to the sites of the commenter so you can see what products/services they offer and can suggest that site to others.

Please feel free to leave comments. I enjoy reading what you have to say about this subject. Those who wanted to comment but have not yet, please know that your privacy is protected and I will not spam you. If you do not want your name or blog site mentioned, make that notation so I will not mentioned your name or site if I use your comment and my comment back.

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Definately an eye opener. Thanks. Do you have any plans to follow up on this post. I hope that others will see this and contributeas well. Any time I come accross quality information like this I like give credit where it is due. I’ve already bookmarked this so I don’t have to wade through all the other sites. Believe me I’ve been at this for a week  http://felixgreenpct.insanejournal.com/

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Howdy, nice day! Your work is quite striking. I never thought that it was possible to carry out something like that until after I read your post. You certainly offered an excellent understanding on how this kind of whole process works. I’ll always visit for more advice. Keep it up! http://www.electronicmegastore.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=2951;sa=summary

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I was studying something else about this on another blog. Interesting. Your position on it is diametrically contradicted to what I read to begin with. I am still mulling over the different points of view, but I’m inclined to a great extent toward yours. And irrespective, that’s what is so great about modern democracy and the marketplace of thoughts on-line. http://www.rugbyworldusa.com/

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Hi. Real good information on MLM Leads. I saw your nice blog while exploring bing. For the previous few days I’ve been attempting to find more. Particularly anything to do with the actual lead generation or companies making them. I’ve witnessed it all and my neighbor continues promoting her recent lead system craze on me. So I’m happy I encountered you. Bye!   http://www.bigactionmedia.net/

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Thank you for the sound critique. Me and my neighbor were just setting up to do some research about this. I am very glad to see such great info being shared freely out there.       http://www.octagonpicnictables.com/The-Plastic-Storage-Bench/

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I’ve been in network marketing since 1977, and I’ve seen successes and failures; it seems to be “the nature

of the beast” for network marketing.

I’ve also seen a lot of so-called experts who don’t really understand the important principles to being successful. The problem is they may succeed in gathering names but that’s it! They don’t have people skills, especially when their goal is to make money and they could care less about what the people want when they contact them.

There are too many people like this out in the field of Network Marketing. I will NOT do business this way. Using this approach may be successful to a point but it is only short-lived. I appreciate the comment that sparked my thoughts for this posting. Thank you for all of your comments.

Gathering leads is a subject most MLMs are interested in learning more about. I suggest you get yourself on wordpress and set up your own blog or contact me and let me give you some advice about a better way to do it; seriously, call me.

Write some articles that represent your business and your honest feelings about why you are doing it. Tell people you would appreciate them giving you their contact address so you can send them information about your business. Pledge that you will NOT spam them and that you will respect their privacy. Some people still won’t trust you but some will, especially if they are connecting with you through your blog.

The important thing to remember is that being sincere and honest in everything that represents you is extremely important. People will begin to trust you when they know that you do what you say you will do. Now that I’ve said this and you do write an article, give me the link and I will promote you.

Keep up the comments and tell me about your experiences and the areas you’ve done well in and the areas that need help.  Thanks again for being so forthright in your comments. It’s okay if you don’t agree with me, I want to hear that too and why you don’t agree.