It has been quite a long time now that Erik Weihenmayer did a most extraordinary thing. He stood atop the 29,035-foot peak of the world’s highest mountain. He conquered Mount Everest as one member of a Team of nineteen hardy, determined souls. Oh, yes. There’s one other thing. Erik is blind.

In order to be the first blind person ever to achieve this feat, the 32-year-old American knew he had to be part of a larger group committed to the same goal. He put his full faith and confidence in sighted people such as Eric Alexander, Luis Benitez, and Jeff Evans. They arrived at their goal on May 25, 2001.

In an interview with a CNN reporter on the afternoon of his success, Erik spoke by phone of the “team accomplishment” he had shared. He spoke of sponsors, people who were on the mountain with him, and many who were not there but who had prayed for him. “I felt like, when I got to the top, I was on the shoulders of lots and lots of people,” he said. “It wasn’t just me standing there.”

The same thing can be said of every great achievement. If a single researcher in her lab makes a monumental discovery, it was on the basis of what hundreds of others contributed through their work and publications in the field. Even if it is an athlete or musician whose great moment is unshared on the field or stage, there are hosts of people who inspired, taught, and otherwise made their contributions to that one bright, shining moment.

There are some worthwhile and challenging goals you have for your life that will be too much for you alone. It isn’t a sign of weakness but intelligence to realize you will need help. So don’t hesitate to surround yourself with people of similar goals, more extensive experience, and skills superior to your own. The best way to learn in MLM is to attach yourself to others who already know more about what is important to you. And here’s a fact that may surprise you:

Most of them will be eager to share their experience and insights with you.

Erik admits to be “scared all the time” on his ascent. But he continued to trust his partners – and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

In your MLM business, family, or personal spiritual life, the notion of going it alone will be a disastrous mistake. If you are willing to stand on the shoulders of others, you can go places that otherwise would be out of reach.

If you doubt it, just ask Erik Weihenmayer how he got to the top.

So my Fellow Network Marketers, are you embracing the idea behind your chosen MLM Company’s vision and the MLM Team you are on?  Are you sharing your successes, your obstacles and things you learn as you go?  Are you getting the support you need so you aren’t struggling and feeling alone?  It truly DOES take intelligence to understand how much your team is willing to help but it also takes guts to ask.  What do you need help with, where do you feel your skills may be lacking that could stop you from seeing your MLM goals Fulfilled?

Good fences make good neighbors, but do good personal boundaries make good Networkers?

Yes.

While many  Network Marketers have been conditioned to get “close” to the prospect, the real goal is to build strong, lasting relationships. The more distinct the boundaries of a relationship, the easier it is for upline and downline to know, like, and trust each other — which is essential to starting and building a business together. Boundaries are key to maintaining both strong relationships and individual strength through the inevitable ups and downs of our business.

What exactly is a Boundary and How can You Use One?

In simplest terms, a boundary sets limits, makes distinctions, informs you as to what is you and what is not you. A boundary makes clear the distinction between you and others, and tells you where one thing ends and another begins. It lets you know that another’s ideas, values, and feelings are not necessarily yours. A boundary is flexible and permeable, letting information flow back and forth.  It allows you to actively listen without having judgments. Read the rest of this entry »

It is a well-documented fact that the players who hold the record for the highest goals, hits, or baskets also miss more than other players.

Some even hold the record for both!

Why? Well, they know that the only way they are going to ‘score’ is by attempting to in the first place. They know that they WILL score on a certain percentage of their efforts – so they shoot as much as they can.

Remember…missing only means that you are one step closer to scoring.

Network Marketers can be challenged Read the rest of this entry »

Back on March 13, 2004 at 10:45am a Motion to Form the Distributor Rights Association was placed on the floor of the Clarion Hotel, Las Vegas, at a deliberative assembly open to anyone involved with the MLM Industry and unanimously passed by the audience of approx 80 Professional Network Marketers along with some Corporate Executives and MLM Attorneys that represent companies and distributors.

And on that same evening, the operational structure and Board of Directors and Officers were nominated and unanimously voted on… so that a Staff was in place to begin creating a Voice for all Independent Contractors who call themselves MLM’ers/Network Marketers! (approx 13M in US).

The attorney panel was awesome as we drafted, and voted on the standards to be published in the 1st Edition of the “Independent Contractor’s Global Standards and Education for Companies and Distributors” now published and available to any one who becomes a member or wants to buy a copy. Robert’s Rules of Order was used and adopted by this deliberative assembly to keep parliamentary order and parallel early American legislative procedure. Read the rest of this entry »

As paradoxical as it sounds, there are many Network Marketers out there who never network. They never engage in the process and mechanics of networking to build their list of contacts with any speed. I’ve often wondered why this is the case. Who knows — maybe it’s lack of understanding about what it takes to succeed in this business, maybe fear, maybe just lack of know-how.

Yet networking can jumpstart an MLM business like nothing else, and it’s vital for maintaining a profitable MLM business. Here I’ve outlined seven fundamental actions we all need to do to fully access the potential Network Marketing offers each of us:

1. Be Where People Are
2. Expectation Intention
3. Host Mentality
4. Plant First, Harvest Later
5. Discover for Connection
6. Reconnect and FollowUp
7. Provide Value

Let’s look at each one of these for better clarity. Read the rest of this entry »

A flash success in Network Marketing is rare. And when flash success occurs, there usually is a reason.

Many times you’ll hear a speaker at an MLM training or MLM opportunity meeting say, “I just joined, talked to a few people, and by golly, in only one month I reached the top level of achievement and they need a truck to deliver my giant-sized bonus check.”

Well, what the speaker said may be true. She did reach the top and it was fast. Unfortunately, because of time constraints on the meeting, the speaker didn’t get to tell her whole story. So before you buy into any story, be sure you get the Full Facts behind it.

You see, the reason the speaker (s) sponsored such a big downline in her organization in only 30 days was:

1. She had 20 years experience in Network Marketing. She had lots of contacts, relationships and friends who knew her, trusted her, and respected her. Since they were also experienced Network Marketers, they were able to sponsor many distributors quickly as well. The speaker had 20 years of preparation for this so-called “flash success.”

2. The speaker went door-to-door in her city and everyone she talked to joined her program. Too bad there wasn’t enough time during the meeting to mention that her father was mayor of the town, owned all the houses, and that the tenants felt obligated to do whatever his daughter suggested.

3. The speaker worked as an assistant teacher for 40 years in the community. She also taught junior high sports. Everyone in town knows her, trusts her, and respects her. in fact, she taught most of the town’s residents. How could you say “No’ to the person who used to make you clean the erasers?

Instant, flash success?

I don’t think so.

You have to earn your success in Network Marketing. That’s why some people grow faster than others.

So, if you don’t have any friends, people hate you, no one respects you, well, you’ll just have to start building some new relationships to get your business started. Once you’ve built the relationships, your business will grow.

Networking is done successfully with people who trust you. If you don’t have anyone to network with, go out and build some trust.

Have you worked like crazy in your Network Marketing opportunity for months or years, talked to hundreds, maybe thousands of prospects, and achieved very little result? Ever wonder why those ex-truck drivers and ex-welfare moms posing next to their Lamborghinis and million dollar homes can do it and you can’t?  Have you ever thought “What’s wrong with me?”

If so, you’re in good company. Thousands of would-be successful distributors are giving up or starting over yet one more time, and most of them are headed for a familiar dead-end result. You see, they lack one little piece of vital information. If they knew and accepted this little morsel of truth, a futile and continuous round of failure would be transformed into a path of assured success and fulfillment. It would transform their hours of teeth-clenching and gut-wrenching “working the numbers” into pleasant exchanges with interested and qualified prospects, many of whom would join their organizations. Knowing this tidbit can do the same for you!

What is this closely held and much-denied secret? It is that effective Network Marketing requires selling!

Horrors! You say they told you that you didn’t have to be a salesperson? There it was, right there in their ad: “No Selling Required!” They said, “Just share the products and the opportunity with a few others, help them do the same!” They may have overstated the simplicity and ease just a bit. Read the rest of this entry »