Saturday, January 24, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 5)
From NetworkMarketingTimes.com
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 5)
By Randy Gage
This is part five in our series of seven things that will make a difference for your MLM success. These seven things are what top leaders do to build a large group. The most successful ones use all of them.
These seven things aren't really skills. Some are habits. Some are mindset. And some are techniques. But they all are things that you must use effectively to build a large business.
So let's look at number five: Consistency.
Consistency certainly doesn't sound sexy like lead generation, Internet marketing, or secret recruiting techniques. But consistency will make you rich in Network Marketing. In fact the single biggest disparity between the top earners and the grinders is how they approach consistency.
Now if I asked you whether you're consistent, you would probably assure me that you are. Most people believe this. But most people are not even close to consistent in their business efforts. So let's look at how you're really doing in this area:
If you've followed my training for a while then you know I'm a big believer in launching your business with a "major blast" and then doing two or three exposures a day after that. Some people commit to do this six days a week, some for five.
Now of course this doesn't mean you do two or three presentations a day. Most people start part-time with 10-15 hours a week and couldn't do this. So we're not talking about presentations, just exposures.
So an exposure might be sending an inquiry email to someone you know, handing out a packet of information, or inviting someone to a meeting. You could even meet your quota by leaving five or ten brochures at the car wash one day. An exposure just means you let someone know you have a business that could be great for them, and you offer them the chance to find out more about it.
I'm sure when you started you were creating exposures every day.
But now that you've been in a while, how are you doing? How many did you do today, yesterday, all last week? Consistency means consistency.
For my group, we do a Leadership Training call once a week.
Invariably new team members listen the first couple of weeks.
Then life starts to get in the way. The successful leaders are on 50 a year. They're consistent.
The same thing happens with opportunity presentations. You probably have them weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. New distributors are always excited about these to start. Then inertia sets in and they start whining about it always being the same thing, they don't have guests that week, and so on. They lose their consistency.
The same thing happens with training events. They start off strong. But once they're in a while, they have all kinds of excuses why they can't make the meeting that time. When they started, those excuses would never have held water for them. But now they have given up on consistency and now things like having to mow the lawn, help a friend move a sofa, in-laws coming to town now seem like a valid excuse to neglect their business.
So how are you doing?
Be honest and rate yourself on how consistent you really are in your business. And next time we'll explore number six. Have a great week!
-RG
© Copyright MMIII by NetworkMarketingTimes.com
a division of Prime Concepts Group, Inc.
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 5)
By Randy Gage
This is part five in our series of seven things that will make a difference for your MLM success. These seven things are what top leaders do to build a large group. The most successful ones use all of them.
These seven things aren't really skills. Some are habits. Some are mindset. And some are techniques. But they all are things that you must use effectively to build a large business.
So let's look at number five: Consistency.
Consistency certainly doesn't sound sexy like lead generation, Internet marketing, or secret recruiting techniques. But consistency will make you rich in Network Marketing. In fact the single biggest disparity between the top earners and the grinders is how they approach consistency.
Now if I asked you whether you're consistent, you would probably assure me that you are. Most people believe this. But most people are not even close to consistent in their business efforts. So let's look at how you're really doing in this area:
If you've followed my training for a while then you know I'm a big believer in launching your business with a "major blast" and then doing two or three exposures a day after that. Some people commit to do this six days a week, some for five.
Now of course this doesn't mean you do two or three presentations a day. Most people start part-time with 10-15 hours a week and couldn't do this. So we're not talking about presentations, just exposures.
So an exposure might be sending an inquiry email to someone you know, handing out a packet of information, or inviting someone to a meeting. You could even meet your quota by leaving five or ten brochures at the car wash one day. An exposure just means you let someone know you have a business that could be great for them, and you offer them the chance to find out more about it.
I'm sure when you started you were creating exposures every day.
But now that you've been in a while, how are you doing? How many did you do today, yesterday, all last week? Consistency means consistency.
For my group, we do a Leadership Training call once a week.
Invariably new team members listen the first couple of weeks.
Then life starts to get in the way. The successful leaders are on 50 a year. They're consistent.
The same thing happens with opportunity presentations. You probably have them weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. New distributors are always excited about these to start. Then inertia sets in and they start whining about it always being the same thing, they don't have guests that week, and so on. They lose their consistency.
The same thing happens with training events. They start off strong. But once they're in a while, they have all kinds of excuses why they can't make the meeting that time. When they started, those excuses would never have held water for them. But now they have given up on consistency and now things like having to mow the lawn, help a friend move a sofa, in-laws coming to town now seem like a valid excuse to neglect their business.
So how are you doing?
Be honest and rate yourself on how consistent you really are in your business. And next time we'll explore number six. Have a great week!
-RG
© Copyright MMIII by NetworkMarketingTimes.com
a division of Prime Concepts Group, Inc.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 4)
From NetworkMarketingTimes.com
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 4)
By Randy Gage
This is part four in our series of seven things that will make a difference for your MLM success.
These seven things are what top leaders do to build a large group. The most successful ones use all of them. These seven things aren't really skills. Some are habits. Some are mindset. And some are techniques. But they all are things that you must use effectively to build a large business.
So let's look at number four: personal development.
This is the most important habit to have in the business, and the one that most new people resist. Because telling someone that they need to work on themselves isn't sexy. To them "sexy" is learning prospecting techniques, recruiting scripts or lead generation strategies.
What they don't understand is that those recruiting techniques are useless if you aren't the kind of person that people trust, believe in and want to work with. The other issue is that to be successful in the business, you have to have a certain confidence, demeanor, and presence. And that comes from who you are - and that comes from personal development.
If you remember, in the first installment in the series we talked about posture. Well you can't have good posture if you don't have the rightmindset.
The fact is, our business is not easy. It is simple, but it's not easy. We're approaching sometimes skeptical people, who don't always understand the differences between illegal pyramids and legitimate Network Marketing. Often we are promoting breakthrough products that need some explanation. We're bringing in a lot of people who never have been their own boss before, so turnover is a reality of the process. We have to be UP all the time.
We have to see challenges as growth opportunities, setbacks as learning experiences, and adversity as necessary for character building. And that's pretty tough to do when you are surrounded by negativity all day, as most of us are.
The truth is, most of your average co-workers, friends and family members are probably negative. They don't mean to be, but they can't help it. They're being programming, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just as you are. (For more on this, read my latest book, "Why You're DUMB, SICK & BROKE and How to Get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!")
To really have a positive mindset, you have to counter-program your subconscious mind with positive programming. Every great MLM leader does this religiously, usually on a daily basis.
I believe in 30 minutes of daily self-development time, done first thing in the morning. Doing this early creates your consciousness for the day and determines the results you will get that day. (If you watched or read "The Secret," this is a perfect demonstration of how the Law of Attraction works.)
For some reason, most new people think top leaders never have anyone quit on them, all their prospects say 'yes,' and they never face any adversity. Of course the truth is top leaders face a lot more challenges and adversity.
But they do enough personal development so that it doesn't prevent them from success. They are so far over the line it wouldn't matter if an earthquake swallowed up the corporate headquarters. They'll still find a way to be successful and they'll never quit.
But that's not a mental destination; it's an ongoing journey. They work on themselves enough to keep their mental state positive enough that the negative things can never outweigh the positive ones.
That's where you need to be.
And it isn't just about getting you over the line or keeping you from quitting. It is about dramatically improving the results that you produce, each and every day. Personal development time in the morning creates a physiological state change in you, which in turn produces better outcomes and results from the actions you take that day.
I promise you that if you call ten people and invite them to a presentation, you will pull a higher percentage if you spent 30 minutes that morning listening to a Jim Rohn CD.
If you read "Think & Grow Rich" for 30 minutes when you wake up, you are a different person at your opportunity meeting that night. There is a different posture in your body, a different tone in your voice, and a different look in your eyes.
If you started your day watching TV, and you get rejected at 7 pm, I bet you put down the phone and gravitate right back to the TV. If you started your day by reading "As a Man Thinketh" for 30 minutes and you get rejected at 7 pm, I bet you're calling the next prospect at 7:03.
So how well do you use personal development in your business and your life?
This is the fourth thing that top leaders do well that keeps them successful. Next issue, we'll explore number five. Until then, have a great week!
-RG
© Copyright MMIII by NetworkMarketingTimes.com
a division of Prime Concepts Group, Inc.
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 4)
By Randy Gage
This is part four in our series of seven things that will make a difference for your MLM success.
These seven things are what top leaders do to build a large group. The most successful ones use all of them. These seven things aren't really skills. Some are habits. Some are mindset. And some are techniques. But they all are things that you must use effectively to build a large business.
So let's look at number four: personal development.
This is the most important habit to have in the business, and the one that most new people resist. Because telling someone that they need to work on themselves isn't sexy. To them "sexy" is learning prospecting techniques, recruiting scripts or lead generation strategies.
What they don't understand is that those recruiting techniques are useless if you aren't the kind of person that people trust, believe in and want to work with. The other issue is that to be successful in the business, you have to have a certain confidence, demeanor, and presence. And that comes from who you are - and that comes from personal development.
If you remember, in the first installment in the series we talked about posture. Well you can't have good posture if you don't have the rightmindset.
The fact is, our business is not easy. It is simple, but it's not easy. We're approaching sometimes skeptical people, who don't always understand the differences between illegal pyramids and legitimate Network Marketing. Often we are promoting breakthrough products that need some explanation. We're bringing in a lot of people who never have been their own boss before, so turnover is a reality of the process. We have to be UP all the time.
We have to see challenges as growth opportunities, setbacks as learning experiences, and adversity as necessary for character building. And that's pretty tough to do when you are surrounded by negativity all day, as most of us are.
The truth is, most of your average co-workers, friends and family members are probably negative. They don't mean to be, but they can't help it. They're being programming, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just as you are. (For more on this, read my latest book, "Why You're DUMB, SICK & BROKE and How to Get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!")
To really have a positive mindset, you have to counter-program your subconscious mind with positive programming. Every great MLM leader does this religiously, usually on a daily basis.
I believe in 30 minutes of daily self-development time, done first thing in the morning. Doing this early creates your consciousness for the day and determines the results you will get that day. (If you watched or read "The Secret," this is a perfect demonstration of how the Law of Attraction works.)
For some reason, most new people think top leaders never have anyone quit on them, all their prospects say 'yes,' and they never face any adversity. Of course the truth is top leaders face a lot more challenges and adversity.
But they do enough personal development so that it doesn't prevent them from success. They are so far over the line it wouldn't matter if an earthquake swallowed up the corporate headquarters. They'll still find a way to be successful and they'll never quit.
But that's not a mental destination; it's an ongoing journey. They work on themselves enough to keep their mental state positive enough that the negative things can never outweigh the positive ones.
That's where you need to be.
And it isn't just about getting you over the line or keeping you from quitting. It is about dramatically improving the results that you produce, each and every day. Personal development time in the morning creates a physiological state change in you, which in turn produces better outcomes and results from the actions you take that day.
I promise you that if you call ten people and invite them to a presentation, you will pull a higher percentage if you spent 30 minutes that morning listening to a Jim Rohn CD.
If you read "Think & Grow Rich" for 30 minutes when you wake up, you are a different person at your opportunity meeting that night. There is a different posture in your body, a different tone in your voice, and a different look in your eyes.
If you started your day watching TV, and you get rejected at 7 pm, I bet you put down the phone and gravitate right back to the TV. If you started your day by reading "As a Man Thinketh" for 30 minutes and you get rejected at 7 pm, I bet you're calling the next prospect at 7:03.
So how well do you use personal development in your business and your life?
This is the fourth thing that top leaders do well that keeps them successful. Next issue, we'll explore number five. Until then, have a great week!
-RG
© Copyright MMIII by NetworkMarketingTimes.com
a division of Prime Concepts Group, Inc.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 3)
From NetworkMarketingTimes.com
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 3)
By Randy Gage
This is part three in our series of seven things that will make a difference for your MLM success. These seven things are what top leaders do to build a large group. The most successful ones use all of them.
These seven things aren't really skills. Some are habits. Some are mindset. And some are techniques. But they all are things that you must use effectively to build a large business.
So let's look at number three: Events.
If you remember when we began, I told you that these seven things are about a concept in the biz we call "getting over the line." Getting someone over the line means helping him or her to develop the mindset that there is no turning back. They have a rock-solid commitment to the business and your company, and will not quit, no matter what challenges present themselves.
They are in. If the company puts all products on backorder for three months. If their top leader quits. If the company is the recipient of negative publicity on national television. It doesn't matter, they are in. That's over the line.
And nothing does getting people over the line better than events.
They are the glue that holds the organization together, and the vehicle for critical functions such as recognition and training.They're also the best medium for building belief, an integral element of getting your people over the line.
Now you may be relatively new in the business, not really in charge of events, and think that this category doesn't apply to you. That would be a big mistake. Because the real issue here is how you promote and use the events that are put on. Many will be events from your sponsorship line; others put on by the company.
It can be generic MLM events conducted by me, Tom Schreiter or some other trainer in the business. Or even events put on by people not in the business, in other areas such as personal development.
I do believe the best scenario is a steady diet of events put on by the field leadership in your sponsorship line and your company. These events will be the most helpful in terms of building belief in your specific company, product line, and system. In my case, I believe in having four major events each year, spread out about every three months. Usually one of these is the convention put on by the company, and the team does the others. (We do have one or two other leadership training events, but those are only for top-level leaders; not for the wholeteam.)
Here is the thing you must understand if you want to be a leader and continually grow your network.
You have to be at every one of these events. But most of them are not designed for you. They are designed for your team - to get them over the line. Your role is to create a culture where the events and attendance at them is a top priority.
Every event, you must promote and get as many of your team members there as possible. Lets suppose you get 25 people at a major event. If the event is done right, at least 10 of them will get over the line. Something will happen that clicks, and they "get it."
It may be meeting the company president and looking in his or her eyes. It could be a speech from one of the top income earners. It may just be a comment from the person sitting next to them, or a conversation that happens in the hallways during a break. Often it is someone new giving their acceptance speech for reaching a new rank or award. A certain number of your people will relate to that person and realize that the story they are hearing could be their story.
And they resolve to make it true. And once that happens, it's over. They will make it come true, and of course they are over the line.
Now 15 of your 25 may not get it. But they'll be excited, leave a little more motivated and probably get into better action.Some of them will then come back to the next event and get over the line there. Or the one after that.
Some will have to come to five or 10, or 15 events before they get over the line. Others will never get over the line and will drop out along the way. But they will be replaced and augmented by the new recruits brought in from the people who got over the line.
The magic of 100.
I learned a very valuable lesson from my sponsor, Eric Worre. He discovered something quite intriguing about getting your people to events.
He found that once you get at least 100 people from your team to an event - it is "Game Over!" Having at least 100 people there ensures that you have enough who stick around and eventually get over the line that true duplication sets in, and your business is vested.
So the secret to success is get to your first major event. Get as many people there with you as you can. Learn to PROMOTE events, not just ANNOUNCE them. Create a culture where events are sacred.
Never wonder if an event is different than the last one, or what you will get out of it. You will always pick up something at every event. But after you reach a certain point, the events are not really about you learning skill sets. (With the exception of an annual Leadership Summit which is totally focused on helping you develop your leadership skills.) The events are there for you to use to build your team faster.
So give some real thought to how you use events, and grade yourself in this category. At the end of the series, let's see how many of these seven things you use well in your business, and where you can improve.
-RG
© Copyright MMIII by NetworkMarketingTimes.com
a division of Prime Concepts Group, Inc.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
From NetworkMarketingTimes.com
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 2)
By Randy Gage
This is part two in our series of seven things that will make a difference for your network marketing success. These aren't really skills. Some are habits. Some are mindset. And some are techniques. But they all are things that you must use effectively to build a large business.
So let's look at thing number two: Image.
Now mention this topic and most people think they know what you mean, and most think their image is good. Most would be wrong.Very wrong.
Think about it.
Where do you first run into your prospects? It's not at your business briefings or company events. It's not when you're "prospecting." You will meet the vast majority of your prospects for the first time when you are going through your day-to-day life.
Ok, you get all dolled up in a suit when you meet them at your business briefing, opportunity meeting, or presentation luncheon. But by the time they get there, their impression of your image (and thus YOU) is already set. And it was set in most cases by the first time they met you.
At the video store. In the supermarket. At a party. When you attended a concert or cultural event. At the car wash. Having dinner with friends.
In other words, while you are going around living your day-to-day life, picking the kids up from soccer practice, going to the dry cleaner, and shopping at the mall, is when you are going to first encounter many of your prospects. Or more accurately, they will encounter you.
So how do you look?
Do you look like the rank you want to be when you leave the house each day? Or do you look like the rest of the herd - dressed sloppy with no regard for the image you project?
Now this does not mean you need a business suit or tie every time you leave the house. But it does mean you have to look SHARP. You can be wearing blue jeans and still look smart. But it means dressing on purpose.
Are your clothes pressed? Clean? Your breath is fresh? Your hair styled? Appropriate jewelry?
And what about your attitude? Are you positive, friendly, and the kind of person that people like to be around? Do you practice proper manners and treat others with courtesy?
I remember visiting a city and a colleague who wanted to do business with me, when I had another company. He picked me up at the airport and wined and dined me to show how important I was to him. But I decided I didn't really like him and determined that I didn't want to give my business to him. You know why?
Because although he treated me with respect, he didn't do that for anyone else. When we went through the tollbooth on the way from the airport, he didn't say 'hello' or even 'hi' to the toll taker. He just thrust a dollar bill at him, waited for the change and then drove off. I thought that was very rude.
Then the same thing happened at the restaurant. He treated me like a king, but he treated the waiter like garbage. I certainly doubted the sincerity of his respect towards me, and I was uncomfortable being around someone with so little concern for others.
So we've established that every time you leave the house, you create an image for yourself. Is the image you project one that would attract people to work in your business?
And then there's the second part.
The image you have among your group. Everyone has a "brand," a perception that their team has of them. This brand is a collection of a number of factors:
How you speak; The way you dress; Your overall style; How you treat others; The skill set you have developed; Your rank and income; and, How you 'market' yourself.
Now marketing yourself to your group may sound strange. But you do it all the time, whether you're conscious of it or not. One of the things we teach our leaders when they get to the higher ranks, is that they need to start developing their personal brand.
Once someone gets into some decent profit, I will often take him or her to some of my favorite clothing stores and help them dial up their image. At a higher level they'll need some elegant jewelry. By the time they are Diamond Director, I'll be counseling them on what kind of car they should have. We teach all of our leaders that it is important they have a rock star photo of themselves that can be used to promote for events.
At my leadership training events, I bring in image and etiquette experts to help train us on the finer points of life. We have a formal event once a year with black-tie attire.
If you're a man and you fail to pull out the chair for a lady dining next to you, or let a door slam in her face, you're a boor and you certainly don't need that image. And you're hardly going to impress prospects at a networking lunch if you are pushing food on your fork with your fingers, slurping your soup, or talking with food in your mouth.
We are always selling the dream in our business. We sell it to prospects, and we're also selling it by example (or lack of it) to our team. The image you project determines whether a prospect joins your team or not. In fact, your image often determines whether they will even review your information or attend your meeting. Even when you're brand new in the business, you can project an image of confidence, belief, and professionalism. And nothing will attract good prospects faster!
And the image you have with your team will dramatically affect how far you can go and how fast you get there. Is your image that of a leader or a follower? Do you project trust or create doubt? Do you look like a professional or an amateur?
Give some real thought to the image you project and grade yourself in this category. At the end of the series, let's see how many of these things you use well in your business, and where you can improve.
I'm on my way back from Moscow, where I finished a tour working with my Soviet bloc leaders. I'll stop home just about long enough to swap clothes with the dry cleaners and I'm off to my next event. Once that is over, we'll explore the third thing that can make a difference. Have a great week!
-RG
© Copyright MMIII by NetworkMarketingTimes.com
a division of Prime Concepts Group, Inc.
Seven Things That Make a Difference (Part 2)
By Randy Gage
This is part two in our series of seven things that will make a difference for your network marketing success. These aren't really skills. Some are habits. Some are mindset. And some are techniques. But they all are things that you must use effectively to build a large business.
So let's look at thing number two: Image.
Now mention this topic and most people think they know what you mean, and most think their image is good. Most would be wrong.Very wrong.
Think about it.
Where do you first run into your prospects? It's not at your business briefings or company events. It's not when you're "prospecting." You will meet the vast majority of your prospects for the first time when you are going through your day-to-day life.
Ok, you get all dolled up in a suit when you meet them at your business briefing, opportunity meeting, or presentation luncheon. But by the time they get there, their impression of your image (and thus YOU) is already set. And it was set in most cases by the first time they met you.
At the video store. In the supermarket. At a party. When you attended a concert or cultural event. At the car wash. Having dinner with friends.
In other words, while you are going around living your day-to-day life, picking the kids up from soccer practice, going to the dry cleaner, and shopping at the mall, is when you are going to first encounter many of your prospects. Or more accurately, they will encounter you.
So how do you look?
Do you look like the rank you want to be when you leave the house each day? Or do you look like the rest of the herd - dressed sloppy with no regard for the image you project?
Now this does not mean you need a business suit or tie every time you leave the house. But it does mean you have to look SHARP. You can be wearing blue jeans and still look smart. But it means dressing on purpose.
Are your clothes pressed? Clean? Your breath is fresh? Your hair styled? Appropriate jewelry?
And what about your attitude? Are you positive, friendly, and the kind of person that people like to be around? Do you practice proper manners and treat others with courtesy?
I remember visiting a city and a colleague who wanted to do business with me, when I had another company. He picked me up at the airport and wined and dined me to show how important I was to him. But I decided I didn't really like him and determined that I didn't want to give my business to him. You know why?
Because although he treated me with respect, he didn't do that for anyone else. When we went through the tollbooth on the way from the airport, he didn't say 'hello' or even 'hi' to the toll taker. He just thrust a dollar bill at him, waited for the change and then drove off. I thought that was very rude.
Then the same thing happened at the restaurant. He treated me like a king, but he treated the waiter like garbage. I certainly doubted the sincerity of his respect towards me, and I was uncomfortable being around someone with so little concern for others.
So we've established that every time you leave the house, you create an image for yourself. Is the image you project one that would attract people to work in your business?
And then there's the second part.
The image you have among your group. Everyone has a "brand," a perception that their team has of them. This brand is a collection of a number of factors:
How you speak; The way you dress; Your overall style; How you treat others; The skill set you have developed; Your rank and income; and, How you 'market' yourself.
Now marketing yourself to your group may sound strange. But you do it all the time, whether you're conscious of it or not. One of the things we teach our leaders when they get to the higher ranks, is that they need to start developing their personal brand.
Once someone gets into some decent profit, I will often take him or her to some of my favorite clothing stores and help them dial up their image. At a higher level they'll need some elegant jewelry. By the time they are Diamond Director, I'll be counseling them on what kind of car they should have. We teach all of our leaders that it is important they have a rock star photo of themselves that can be used to promote for events.
At my leadership training events, I bring in image and etiquette experts to help train us on the finer points of life. We have a formal event once a year with black-tie attire.
If you're a man and you fail to pull out the chair for a lady dining next to you, or let a door slam in her face, you're a boor and you certainly don't need that image. And you're hardly going to impress prospects at a networking lunch if you are pushing food on your fork with your fingers, slurping your soup, or talking with food in your mouth.
We are always selling the dream in our business. We sell it to prospects, and we're also selling it by example (or lack of it) to our team. The image you project determines whether a prospect joins your team or not. In fact, your image often determines whether they will even review your information or attend your meeting. Even when you're brand new in the business, you can project an image of confidence, belief, and professionalism. And nothing will attract good prospects faster!
And the image you have with your team will dramatically affect how far you can go and how fast you get there. Is your image that of a leader or a follower? Do you project trust or create doubt? Do you look like a professional or an amateur?
Give some real thought to the image you project and grade yourself in this category. At the end of the series, let's see how many of these things you use well in your business, and where you can improve.
I'm on my way back from Moscow, where I finished a tour working with my Soviet bloc leaders. I'll stop home just about long enough to swap clothes with the dry cleaners and I'm off to my next event. Once that is over, we'll explore the third thing that can make a difference. Have a great week!
-RG
© Copyright MMIII by NetworkMarketingTimes.com
a division of Prime Concepts Group, Inc.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
New Beginnings and my last post of 2008
I posted this on my main blog new years eve. Perhaps it will show up there when the error codes get hammered out...
Over the next few days Clara, my wife, and I will be working on our ‘Plan for 2009.’ Our business plans intention is to inspire and motivate us to new levels of prosperity. I will share the result here early in 2009. It will include our goals, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual. In the past I had a few ‘resolutions’ that came true more often than not. In general I never made these public and did not risk much in their creation. We will produce a list of promises about our affairs, how we intend to improve and in what areas we expect to give most of our attention. All areas will be addressed. Personal growth, health, wealth, work times, fun times, balancing it all and the spiritual.
The future looks bright from where I stand and I hope you find the same place as me to generate your next year too. I have learned much this last year and though the experience has been a struggle at times I am pleased with the overall outcome. I hope your New Year is the best one ever and I leave you with a quote that suggests how to proceed.
The year is ending. This means, as always, that we spend a few minutes in reflection. We draw up balance-sheets and make an effort to anticipate what the future may bring. For a moment we become conscious of the strange thing called “time,” which otherwise we simply use without thinking about it. We felt both the melancholy and the consolation of our own transiency. Much that caused us distress, much that weighed us down and seemed to make progress impossible, has now passed and become quite unimportant. As we look back, difficult days are transfigured in memory, and the now almost forgotten distress leaves us more peaceful and confident, more composed in the face of present threats, for these too will pass. The consolation of transiency: Nothing lasts, no matter how important it claims to be. But this consoling thought, which gives patience its character of promise, also has its discouraging and saddening aspect. Nothing lasts, and therefore along with the old year not only difficulties but much that is beautiful has passed away, and the more we move beyond the midpoint of our lives, the more poignantly we feel this change of what was once future and then present into something past. We cannot say to any moment: “Stay a while! You are so lovely!” Anything that is within time comes and then passes away.
Our feelings toward the new year show the same ambivalence as our feelings toward the old year. A new beginning is something precious; it brings hope and possibilities as yet undisclosed. “Every beginning has a magic about it that protects us and helps us live” (Herman Hesse)… What can we as Christians say at this moment of transition? First of all, we can do the very human thing the moment urges upon us: we can use the time of reflection in order to stand aside and widen our vision, thus gaining inner freedom and a patient readiness to move on again.
--Pope Benedict XVI
Have a most happy and fulfilling New Year and I hope to see you here again next year.
Michael & Clara Eisbrener
www.iceburner.net
www.iceburner.com
www.iceburner.info
www.iceburner.ws
www.iceburner.org
Over the next few days Clara, my wife, and I will be working on our ‘Plan for 2009.’ Our business plans intention is to inspire and motivate us to new levels of prosperity. I will share the result here early in 2009. It will include our goals, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual. In the past I had a few ‘resolutions’ that came true more often than not. In general I never made these public and did not risk much in their creation. We will produce a list of promises about our affairs, how we intend to improve and in what areas we expect to give most of our attention. All areas will be addressed. Personal growth, health, wealth, work times, fun times, balancing it all and the spiritual.
The future looks bright from where I stand and I hope you find the same place as me to generate your next year too. I have learned much this last year and though the experience has been a struggle at times I am pleased with the overall outcome. I hope your New Year is the best one ever and I leave you with a quote that suggests how to proceed.
The year is ending. This means, as always, that we spend a few minutes in reflection. We draw up balance-sheets and make an effort to anticipate what the future may bring. For a moment we become conscious of the strange thing called “time,” which otherwise we simply use without thinking about it. We felt both the melancholy and the consolation of our own transiency. Much that caused us distress, much that weighed us down and seemed to make progress impossible, has now passed and become quite unimportant. As we look back, difficult days are transfigured in memory, and the now almost forgotten distress leaves us more peaceful and confident, more composed in the face of present threats, for these too will pass. The consolation of transiency: Nothing lasts, no matter how important it claims to be. But this consoling thought, which gives patience its character of promise, also has its discouraging and saddening aspect. Nothing lasts, and therefore along with the old year not only difficulties but much that is beautiful has passed away, and the more we move beyond the midpoint of our lives, the more poignantly we feel this change of what was once future and then present into something past. We cannot say to any moment: “Stay a while! You are so lovely!” Anything that is within time comes and then passes away.
Our feelings toward the new year show the same ambivalence as our feelings toward the old year. A new beginning is something precious; it brings hope and possibilities as yet undisclosed. “Every beginning has a magic about it that protects us and helps us live” (Herman Hesse)… What can we as Christians say at this moment of transition? First of all, we can do the very human thing the moment urges upon us: we can use the time of reflection in order to stand aside and widen our vision, thus gaining inner freedom and a patient readiness to move on again.
--Pope Benedict XVI
Have a most happy and fulfilling New Year and I hope to see you here again next year.
Michael & Clara Eisbrener
www.iceburner.net
www.iceburner.com
www.iceburner.info
www.iceburner.ws
www.iceburner.org
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