I got another phone call today from a person who I’m lightly acquainted with. I believe he and I may have been in a company together at some time in my past but I’m not quite sure.
The phone call started the way many of them do:
THEM: Hey, Tony, how are you?
ME: Good, doing good. How can I help you?
THEM: “Well, I’m actually calling because I was thinking about you today and I wanted to share something with you that I’m really excited about. I know you’ve got your own business already but — someone like you could do this with one hand behind their back and make another six-figures a year without even trying.
Right. Flattery aside, let’s be clear on this: there’s no such thing as earning any significant money in network marketing without putting forth some effort. I know this. Every top-earner knows it. The only people who don’t know it are the people who aren’t making money….and that’s WHY they’re not making money.
But the surest way to make me roll my eyes is to tell me that I can sign up in your business, twitch my little finger a couple of times a day, and I’m going to make an extra $200k per year. Riiiiight.
He went on…
In fact, if you could get 10 people like yourself to close 3 sales a day, you’d be making $15,000 per day…..”
Without wanting to seem rude, I’m listening to this thinking: “This guy has likely never made $15k in a YEAR in any home business but he’s telling me how to make $15k per DAY in his business??” Then he goes on to start attacking my network marketing company by saying, “Your company hasn’t been around as long as mine. So, what I’d like you to do is to go to this website and it’ll explain all about it.”
What!?
Call me up…insult my business (and my common sense)….and then assume I’m going to be interested?
Well, dear reader, I know this may come as a shock to you, but I did NOT quit my own business, whip out my credit card and run over to his website to sign up in his sparkly new deal.
Why? Well, it’s the same reason I didn’t join the other 6 businesses I was pitched this week. And, with no disrespect intended, it’s why I also won’t join yours. And it’s the same reason that you’re not likely to enroll any top-earners who are actively building their business.
The reason? Because we chose our company deliberately (not on a whim)….we chose it for a variety of reason (that are not easily swayed)….and we have an actual blueprint for reaching our goals (that we look at daily)…..and we’re actively making progress toward that goal (by consistently working the business every day and not getting sidetracked by the Shiny Object Syndrome.
Read that again. Because it’ll save you some time when you think about pitching someone who’s actively and passionately building their business successfully.
Len Clements once wrote an article called “The Land of A Thousand Heavy Hitters” or something like that. Maybe it was a million. I can’t remember exactly. The article was about Len’s experience of someone contacting him and asking how to get a list of “heavy hitters” that they could call to pitch on their business.
Len recommended a phone book. His point was that Mark, Art, Mike, Gene, or John weren’t always “heavy hitters”. They were once auto-mechanics and soccer players and waiters and ministers. They became heavy hitters because someone ran an ad or told them about their business and they believed in themselves enough to sign up and make a go of it.
And one of the ingredients in their success recipe is that they didn’t get lured by the Shiny Object Syndrome….and the didn’t get distracted and jump from deal to deal just because someone called them up or emailed them with a pitch.
So, to the fellow who called me (or the lady who called me, and the four people who said they “just wanted to connect”)……don’t take it personally. It wasn’t you or your business. You were just aiming your pitch at the wrong person. You should probably focus your attention on people who have actually ASKED you for information on your business. You’ll find a much higher success rate.
By the way, just in case you think I’m being a little harsh, I’ve got NO problem with someone sending me an email saying,
“Hey, Tony. I just wanted to let you know I’m in a new business and am really excited. Here’s a link if you ever want to check it out; maybe you’ll see something you like and want to be a customer. Either way, thanks for taking the time to read this. I’m excited and just wanted to share it with you.”
See, that’s totally different. That’s cool. That’s classy. But that’s not what most people are doing.
ONE LAST THOUGHT:
If you’re one of those people who are in a new deal every few weeks….stop it. Just stop it. You’re ruining your credibility. It doesn’t take more than a few moves for people to start seeing you as someone who can’t stay focused doesn’t stay anywhere for long and never finishes what s/he starts.
So, please…for your own sake: stop jumping around. The corollary to that is that you should also stop trying to build 3-4 companies at once. You look like you have no focus (because you don’t). The term “adding another company to my portfolio” or “adding another company to my quiver” are terms you will never hear from a person who’s earning serious money in MLM. Seriously: I challenge you to go find someone who’s consistently making $50,000 per month in their network marketing business who’s also building 2-3 other deals simultaneously. Take your time. You’ll need it.
Plus, as Randy Gage has said, “Besides…if you’re not at the top of your company’s pay plan yet, why are you even LOOKING at another company??” Well-said Randy.
Friend, you CAN be wildly successful in this industry. But, it will come when you get focused on one opportunity, put your blinders on and go to work. It’s the only thing that has ever created long-term, large results in this industry.
Share your thoughts below!
Mar 11
10
Living In Awe
Have you ever noticed that a child will suddenly start laughing for no apparent reason at all? That they almost always have to skip or run where they’re going instead of walking? Or that they jump out of bed first thing in the morning already excited about their day?
Why do they do it? Because they stand in absolutely AMAZEMENT of it all.
I want to be like that again. And I’ve taken steps toward that life by consciously SEEING how incredible everything in my life is. I don’t just mean the big things.
For instance, I love hearing The Eagles harmony on “Peaceful Easy Feeling”. I never get tired of it. I love “Stardust” by Nat King Cole and “Smooth” by Carlos Santana.
I love the Bradford Pear trees in our neighborhood. They look completely white and when they start dropping their blossoms it’s like it’s snowing in 70-degree weather.
I love coming back from the restroom at a restaurant and finding that my food has arrived. I love sweet tea. I love chips and salsa. I could eat chips and salsa every day of my life and never get tired of it (and often behave as though that’s my goal).
I love watching Easton eat an apple. He leaves a tiny little tooth-shaped trail all around the apple because he never bites in the same place twice.
I love rain. It wouldn’t bother me at all if it rained a minimum of three days a week and at least one of them can be a thunderstorm.
I love going to the movies with Jessica and losing ourselves into another world for 90-120 minutes while sharing a large pop-corn (no butter) and a large Coke. Then talking about the movie in the car on the way home.
I love the color of the sunshine in Italy. I love staying in a great hotel with Jessica and having those great city-walk adventures where we just walk out of the hotel, pick a direction and walk around holding hands, looking in shops, buying snacks.
I love seeing how big Will is getting. He’s going to be taller than me, I think. I love that Pate can entertain himself for hours with a pad of paper and colored pencils.
I love Jessica. Everything about her. It’s a cliche’ I know but it really is amazing being married to your best friend.
I even love those few gray hairs that I’m starting to see in the mirror when I’m getting ready in the mornings. Turn color, just don’t turn loose. 
I love that I can go to my sink and get clean water anytime I want. Millions of people can’t do that.
I love good friends. I love having people in my life who are better at something than I am and they’re willing to show me something. I love encouragers.
I love authenticity. I love when someone’s willing to be themselves instead of playing a role or trying to fit into someone else’s preconceived expectations.
Hopefully reminding myself of these things regularly — and noticing lots of new ones — will help me recapture that spirit I had when I was a kid. Whenever everything was just amazing and you couldn’t help but go through the day in awe of it all.
What about you? What makes you happy?
Feb 11
11
Is this a paradox?
The opening line of Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” is “It was the best of times and the worst of times….”
That’s how I feel about our economy right now.
On a conference call recently, I made the following comment:
“We make our own economy. There’s just as much money out there as there ever has been. Your life is a result of your mindset, actions and decisions.”
In another conversation about Mike Dillard’s new product, The Elevation Group, I’ve recommended that people wake up and realize a simple truth:
“What we’re going through right now is not just another recession. This isn’t just a slump that we’re going to work out way out of. The US dollar is in decline. And it’s time for Americans to wake up and realize that hyperinflation in America is not only possible but it’s likely.”
If you look at those two statements, they might seem like a paradox. In fact, a couple of people have heard me make both statements and they’ve asked me, “Tony, which is it?” Because it sounds contradictory to them.
So, let me clarify what I mean and how that second statement doesn’t negate the first one.
I DO believe that our lives are the result of how we choose to think. That the quality of our lives is a result of the quality of our thinking. I believe that our thoughts, beliefs, expectations, decisions and actions are the “ingredients” that make up our lives. And we create our lives every hour of every day by the decisions we make. Call it “law of attraction” if you want to. Call it “law of the harvest”. Call it whatever you want, but it’s a law of sorts. We create our own lives.
At the same time — and this is what has confused some people — the fact remains that this “law” — whatever we want to call it — is not the only factor working in our lives. To use an extreme example, anyone who’s read “Man’s Search For Meaning” would agree that Victor Frankl did an amazing job of maintaining a positive mindset in the horrible circumstances of Nazi imprisonment. But — and this is my point, so don’t miss it — he was still in a Nazi prison camp.
Now, I don’t mean that to say that Frankl’s attitude and mindset was unrelated to the fact that he survived the ordeal. In fact, quite the opposite. My point is that he didn’t stick his head in the sand and say, “I’m not in prison, I’m not in prison, I’m not in prison.” He simply looked around and said, “This is the environment I’m in. And I have a choice about how to deal with it.”
This is how I feel about our current economy.
Only a fool would say, “Our economy is the same as it’s always been.” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to notice that food prices have gone up dramatically….that the value of the US dollar is dropping like a rock…..and that the economy is steadily getting worse, not better. It’s obvious for anyone who wants to observe it.
So, to borrow from Frankl’s experience, let’s call this economy our “prison camp”.
It is what it is.
The question is, within this framework what are you going to do about it? THAT is the opportunity for us to choose our thinking, our decisions and our actions. That’s what we have control over.
Some people prefer to say, “No, I don’t want to hear anything negative. I don’t believe in negativity. I just want to focus on the positive”.
Well, if someone is in the group, here’s my message for them: Grow up. There are weeds growing in the garden. It’s not enough to stand around and say, “There are no weeds, there are no weeds, there are no weeds.” If you want to have a healthy garden, sooner or later you’re going to have to acknowledge that — YES — there are weeds in the garden. And you’re going to have to figure out how to deal with them.
So, I don’t see a paradox.
YES, I believe that we have the ability to create our lives by our thoughts, decisions and actions.
And YES, I also believe that the economy is in a precarious position that will make the Great Depression look like child’s play.
And it’s IN this situation, that we have a great opportunity! Sure, it’s frightening….but it’s also exciting.
Did you know that there were more millionaires created during The Great Depression than in the 20 years prior?
Did you know that the Empire State Building was built during the Great Depression? And the Golden Gate Bridge?
I believe you and I are facing even GREAT opportunities right now. And it will come from
- Understanding that it’s still our thoughts, decisions and actions that create our opportunities
- Being informed about what’s going on and not ignoring it or sticking our heads in the sand
- Finding out what informed, wealthy people are doing in this economy so that you can model their behavior
I honestly believe that anyone who’s reading this blog has the opportunity to become VERY RICH in the next few years, even if you don’t have a lot of money right now. Because it’s not about how much money you have….it’s about getting into position so that — when the s&$% hits the fan — you’re not caught with your pants down and wondering what to do.
Not you.
You’ve got a plan.
You read the books.
You got informed.
You made some preparations.
You weren’t lazy.
You didn’t stick your head in the sand and say, “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening”.
That’s what Jessica and I have been doing: getting into position. And even though we’re running late compared to a lot of people, I think we’re still ahead of 90% of the population.
I’ll close with this. If you want some recommendations on what I think you can do right now to start getting into position, here’s my top three tips:
- Get a membership in The Elevation Group. If you’ve been to the financial section of Barnes & Noble, you already know that the information there is either outdated or useless in this economy. Some of the information is not just bad, it’s dangerous. The Elevation Group is a resource website that Mike has put together so that the “average person” can find out what’s really happening in our economy, how to prepare for the possibilities, and how to make a ton of money in what we call “The Greatest Wealth Transfer In The History of the World”.
- Start buying some silver. Physical silver. Not silver stocks. Actual silver coins. American Silver Eagles are good. So are Canadian Maples. Buy bullion coins, not “collectibles”. (Collectibles are great but, if you’re hedging against inflation or looking to protect your assets, bullion coins will let you buy more silver for your dollar.)At the time of this writing, silver is still only around $30 an ounce. Anyone can afford to buy an ounce or two of silver every week. You’ll be glad you did. Silver is actually more rare than gold and — as the dollar continues to plummet — putting your money into silver is the best way to protect your assets and watch them grow. (Note: I’m not a financial counselor. Due your own research. I’m just telling you what I would do.)
- Buy a book called “Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life” by Neil Strauss. The reason this book was helpful to me was NOT because it was written by a guy who knows all about a possible economic crash. Quite the opposite, in fact. When he started writing this book, he knew NOTHING. So, this book is an opportunity to “look-over-his-shoulder” as Neil goes through the whole process himself, learning about the economy, learning what possibilities could occur in a economic crisis, etc. This book also includes non-economic preparation. Think about it: if the dollar crashes, the banks are closed. If the banks are closed, there will be a run on the grocery stores. If there’s a run on the grocery stores, you’d better have a plan. Emergency is very easy to read, even funny at times, but will leave you with a very clear perspective about your ability to not only survive but to prosper in times of crisis.
Bottom line: there has never been a time when “self-reliance” is more important than it is right now.
We live in times of uncertainty. So, it’s important that you understand how to control your thinking….don’t follow the knee-jerk reactions of the “herd”…..and start thinking for yourself. If you do that and you get informed, you’re in the top 1% of people who can get very RICH in the next few years.
As always, please leave your comments or questions below. Also, please use the link/buttons provide to share this with others!
Posted in economy Mindset personal finance Productivity prosperity by .
With all the talk about investing in gold and silver as a way to hedge against inflation and to protect your wealth from the economic uncertainties…..you might not have heard that some organizations are actually doing their best to suppress the price of silver. It’s been said that “silver is the most manipulated commodity on the planet”.
Mike Maloney is the author of “RichDad Advisor’s Guide To Investing In Gold and Silver”. Here’s a video from him that explains why he doesn’t MIND that silver is being manipulated. Pretty interesting!
I like his basic point near the end:
“I’m not a gold bug or a silver bug. I’m really a cycles guy. Silver, I believe, is the best way to get a whole bunch of cash flow, real estate, high-dividend-yield stocks, or something that is creating income every single month. What you eventually want is cash flow.”
Bottom line: we’re about to cross the threshold into the biggest wealth transfer in the history of our planet. Those who understand what’s happening have an opportunity to become overnight MILLIONAIRES. Those who don’t will definitely be caught with their pants down.
When Mike Dillard re-opens The Elevation Group, I recommend you get involved. You can click here to get on the early-bird notification list so you don’t waste another second finding out what most people don’t know. It’s eye-opening information!
Tony Rush
http://www.tonyrush.com
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Over the last few years, I’ve done well over 1,000 conference calls and teleseminars on becoming successful, earning money, creating a life of prosperity, etc.
On most of them, I’ve signed off at the end of the call saying, “Have a great day; you deserve it.”
When I started using that phrase, it never occurred to me how much it would mean to people. At conferences and seminars around the world, people have walked up to just say “Thank you for telling me I deserve something. No one has ever told me that before.”
It’s very humbling.
Who knew that three little words — “You deserve it” — could have such an impact on so many people? Why is that?
I think it’s because most people have been so beaten down by negativity in their life that many of them don’t feel like they deserve good things.
I can relate to that because — due to heavy involvement in a particular ultra-conservative religious denomination in my youth — I spent years being told that my basic nature as a human being was to do evil….and that I was incapable of doing anything worthwhile on my own.
The oft-quoted Scripture to support their view was that my “righteousness was as filthy rags in God’s sight”. (It’s part of a verse in the Old Testament).
As a result of that teaching (and the people I associated with), becoming wealthy was something that never occurred to me.
Why would it?
I didn’t have a college degree.
No one in my family was wealthy.
And the dominant teaching I got at church was that I didn’t deserve anything at all.
What’s the outcome of living in that kind of environment?
Sally decides there’s no point in trying out for the lead role in the school play. “I probably won’t get it anyway”.
Tom knows the answer to the question but won’t raise his hand in class. His self-esteem is so low that he figures that — if he gets the answer wrong — everyone will laugh at him or find out he’s stupid.
Rachel goes on a job interview but doesn’t expect to get it. After all, why would God reward her with a good-paying job when she’s good-for-nothing?
Randall doesn’t get a promotion at work even though he’s a great worker. Without even consciously thinking about it, he figures that God gave the promotion to someone else because he hasn’t been going to church regularly lately.
Bob decides not to ask out the girl he adores because he figures she’ll turn him down. Why on earth would she say “yes” to a date with him?
In these and a thousand other ways, people misconnect the dots: they think that every negative thing that happens to them is a result of their own lack of deservability.
“After all,” they think. “Who am I to play big in life? Who am I to think that I could be great at anything?”
And — if it’s left unchecked — that attitude and mentality will dog their every step through life. A tiny, negative little whisper in their ear that says, “There’s no need to try. You don’t deserve it.”
And here’s the thing: I wasn’t really conscious of all that going on. I doubt most people are. That little voice in your head sounds logical, doesn’t it? Especially when it disguises itself as the voice of your Dad or your Mom or your best friend. It’s pretty easy to fake yourself out and think that all that negativity is actually the right way to think.
So, imagine how refreshing it was when I got involved in personal development and discovered that….I DID deserve to live a wonderful, prosperous life! I DID deserve to set big goals and expect to achieve them! I DID deserve to see myself as a unique, talented, gifted person who could create my own life by simply choosing my thoughts and actions.
What a difference it makes to simply accept a few different realities:
– You DESERVE a beautiful home.
– You DESERVE to wear beautiful clothes
– You DESERVE to drive a safe, beautiful and reliable vehicle
– You DESERVE to eat the best foods
– You DESERVE to be free from excessive work and toil
– You DESERVE to be healthy and vibrant
– You DESERVE to have plenty of free time to enjoy your friends and family
– You DESERVE to have the time to study and read and learn about the things that interest you
– You DESERVE to be able to travel and see as much of the world as you possibly can
– You DESERVE to visit the museums of the world and stand in awe at man’s ability to create beautiful things
– You DESERVE to earn a large income so that you can experience financial security
– You DESERVE to be able to go to sleep each night free from worry and stress about bills
– You DESERVE to love yourself for who you are and what you’re capable of achieving
The list goes on and on.
You….deserve…..to…….live….a….properous…..life.
Don’t let anyone tell you differently.
Not your parents.
Not your friends.
Not your pastor, rabbi or teacher.
You were not put on this earth to “just get by”.
You were not placed here to “settle” for a mediocre way of life.
You were not meant to be alone.
You were not meant to doubt your abilities or potential.
I’m writing this on the first Monday of 2011. It’s about 5:15pm here in Alabama
And in a couple of hours, I’ll host another conference call for some people who may be where I used to be:
They might be a little bruised.
They’re a little nervous about what they believe is possible for themselves.
They might be a little beaten-up by life.
Some of them might be where I was: misled and deceived some negative environment they’ve been stuck in……
….and once again, I get to be the ONE person in their life who tells them something they’ve been STARVING to hear and didn’t even know it.
That they deserve it.
You do, too.
You really, really do.
Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Especially that person in the mirror.
You rock.
Tony Rush
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