Are You Expecting The BEST?

Do you have the right kind of expectations?   Do you expect to receive the BEST or the WORST?

"The Law of Attraction" teaches us that whatever we give focus and energy to--that is what we are going to receive.  So, I suggest that you focus on great things to come!

That is really hard for some people.  Many individuals do not believe that they deserve good.  Live a good life.  Put others first.  Care for your own family.  Help people in need!  If you focus on these types of deeds, good will also come to you.

Expect the best!  You do deserve it.  Don't let anyone tell you "You don't deserve it."  They may not, but you do.  Stay positive.

What Are You Grateful For?

Even during our darkest days we  have so much to be thankful for.  God has definitely blessed me and my family.

Teaching bad habits early!

When I was diagnosed with cancer almost 18 years ago, one of my first goals was to live long enough to see my children graduate high school.  For my youngest, that was  8 years away.  Not a lot of non-Hodgkins lymphoma patients live that long.  But I can tell you today, that all three children have graduated college and are all married.  Three weeks ago, Gwen and I were in Houston to enjoy the birth of our first grandchild.  Last week we returned to babysit while Momma go out for the first time.

In June, 1993, I never thought about a "bucket list" per se, but there were definitely milestones I wanted to reach in this life and I am so grateful that I have greatly exceeded all of those expectations!

When times are tough, don't let yourself stress too much, or become depressed.  Rather, spend your time counting your blessings.

A "bucket list" is a good thing.  We all need to have goals and dreams.  Create, or update your list, then start celebrating as you check out the items on the list.

Cash Aaron - Our latest blessing!

All Network Marketing Companies Are NOT Created Equal!

When some people hear MLM, multi-level marketing or network marketing, they ask, "Is this one of those pyramid schemes?"  I ask them, "What do you mean by that?"  Some respond, "Where only the people at the top make all the money!"

If that's your perception, then let me briefly explain why USANA is so different.

• There were approximately 200,000 active associates in about 14 countries when we started in 2004, yet we were recognized at the 2010 USANA International Convention last year as being in the Top 200 income earners.
• We can only grow our income by starting new business centers (virtual stores) at the bottom of our organization.

Did you ever consider that the organizational structure of every Corporation is a pyramid.

As an employee, can you ever make as much money as your boss or the President of the company?

In USANA, I have the potential to earn more than anyone who started their business before me.

 
The U.S. Government is one of the largest pyramids in the world.

Here are some other key differences.

• USANA is a 19-year-old company, publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol USNA.
• Associates DON'T get paid for recruiting people - you are paid on volume of products sold.
• You get paid on the volume of everyone in your organization.

Network Marketing is the industry of growth in the 21st Century.  If you aren't networking, you may not be working!

How's Your Life Going?

Are you happy with your current place in life?  Are you doing what you want to do?  Does it seem to good to be true?  If not, then what is keeping you from having the life that you want?

I think it is very simple.  As the great motivational speaker, Les Brown puts it, "You aren't hungry enough!"  Until we are hurting so bad that we will do anything to change our life, some people will never get out of their comfort zone.

For years, I know that I was a perfectionist.  One of the biggest problems with a perfectionist is that they are afraid to embarrass themself.  They won't get out and try something unique, something that might make them stand out, because they are afraid of failure.

If you have a USANA business and it is not growing, it is pretty simple--you are not talking to enough people, or you are not sending the right message.   You can offer the #1 Nutritional products to people.  You can offer the #1 company in network marketing, both documented by third-party sources, so what is holding you back?  Probably YOU!

You must present your business with great confidence and excitement.  You must exhibit the confidence that you know you are going to be successful.  You could be saying the right things, but if you don't show any enthusiasm, it doesn't matter.  It must be evident to people that you love what you are doing and they would love it too.

Failure only happens if you are not introducing USANA to other people.  You can go too far--you can talk too much about USANA to your friends.  If you mention USANA to one of your prospects every time you see them, then you are saying too much, unless they are asking you for more info, or asking how your business is doing, you need to make it a point to NOT mention USANA in the next couple of conversations.

Failure is not sharing your business with others!

If you are introducing USANA to people on a regular basis and your business is not growing today, don't worry about it.  The other thing is that you can't just talk to the same people over and over.  You have to get out and meet new people--contact people you haven't approached before.  When you are approaching new people, you are planting seeds.  Don't burn any bridges.  If people are not in "the looking mode" it doesn't matter what you say to them.  Build relationships and work your business.  When people see you later and ask, "Are you still doing that business?" and your response is, "Absolutely!", they will be impressed.

Don't be a failure.  Action overcomes fear.  So what if you look silly a few times.  It didn't kill me the first 1,000 times I did it, so it probably won't the next.

Sanoviv - Delivers Hope When Most Doctor's Can't

The current issue of the USANA magazine, Vol 1 2011, has in-depth group of articles about Sanoviv.  If you are a USANA associate, use the magazine as a prospecting tool.  Show people the science behind USANA.

Click here to see the entire USANA magazine on-line.  It is large, 11MB, so it will take a minute to download the PDF file.

Here's my article.

If you are not a USANA associate, but would like to learn more about Sanoviv or USANA, please email me.

If you are looking to go to Sanoviv, and a Sanoviv patient has not referred you, please use my referral code, GB100579.  The code will create a $100 credit for your stay.

Check out Sanoviv's improved website.

Take charge of your health!

Maintaining Optimal Health

I just returned from a week at Sanoviv Medical Institute and all of my test results were great!  My doctor said that he normally doesn't see results this good!  Of course, he is usually dealing with people who have come there because they are dealing with serious health conditions.  I've just defeated cancer on 6 different occasions.

This was my first doctor's visit of any kind in 13 months.  That's the longest period of time between visits in the last 17 years.  I have had check-ups or treatments every 3 to 6 months, or more frequently since 1993.

This blog entry is titled "Maintaining Optimal Health", because that's what you learn to do at Sanoviv.  Every evening they provide a 1 - 2 hour class on nutrition, mental health, proper digestion or another related topic.  You are assigned a primary doctor, dentist, chiropractor and nutritionist.  Each of them are specialists in their area.  Your room has a beautiful ocean view.  Your meals are included.  You have a heavy, raw vegetable diet, but you also have some great fish and chicken dishes.  On Saturday nights, you get a dessert.  One morning is pancake day and they have some awesome, fluffy, gluten-free pancakes.  On Thursday, it's time to give you digestive track a break, so it is a liquid diet all day.  If you like meditation, or you have never tried it, you can attend a meditation class every morning.  Then, you can go to light stretching class every morning before breakfast.

While there, I was asked to do a video testimonial of my experiences at Sanoviv.  That should be posted on YouTube soon.

Did you know that you can have a cholesterol level that is too low?  It is unhealthy to have a level below 150.  Your body needs good cholesterol was good health.


A major emphasis in the area of nutrition is to make your diet "gluten-free".  Gluten is the new, major problem for a lot of people.  Many people are developing allergies, because fast foods are loaded with gluten products.  Of course, for those of you that bake, flour contains gluten.  So, avoid gluten when you can.  By the way, USANA has several gluten-free food products--Chocolate Whey Nutrimeal, Peanut Butter Nutrition Bar, and the Chocolate Fusion Bar, among others.


Also, I was put on a protein and good fats diet (very low carbs), because I am not absorbing my nutrients as efficiently as I should.  After doing this for 3 months, and continuing to eat a healthy diet, my gut should function as designed by our Creator.  Did you know that you can eat all of the natural, raw butter and not gain weight?  It's a good fat for us.


Give yourself the gift of good health, or share it with a friend!  If you decide to go to Sanoviv, I would appreciate it if you would use me as the referral person, and use my code GB100579.  


If you are one of my Facebook friends, you can view a Sanoviv testimonial video that I made a short time ago there.


Have a great Holiday season!

A Difference Maker

In a network marketing company, the founder can make all the difference in the world in whether the company is, or is not successful. 

In most network marketing companies, the founder of the company was very successful in another industry, made a lot of money, then started their own company, because of the huge sums that can be made in network marketing.  In many cases, they start the company, then search for the product that will make them successful.  I am not  bashing the following company.  I'm just using it as an example.  Look at the bios of the founders, yet this is company is selling 'green' products.  Their backgrounds don't have anything to do with the industry.
                                  Wowgreen International, LLC founders

In the case of USANA Health Sciences, you will see that the founder is typically wearing a lab coat, because that is his comfort zone, the laboratory.  Dr. Wentz has dedicated his life to improving the quality of lives of  people by developing viral test kits (Gull Laboratories), USANA and Sanoviv.  Dr. Myron Wentz is well respected around the world, because of his huge vision of "I dream of a world free from pain and suffering ..."

Dr. Wentz created his own product, The Essentials, then his team worked to find a way to distribute the product where they could maintain the high quality of the products, yet sell them at a reasonable price.  The only answer was direct sales or Network Marketing.  Watch the USANA Difference below.

                            

A Great Week Ahead!

We are very fortunate to have a big Super Saturday this week in San Marcos, TX at The Embassy Suites.  Fred Cooper, USANA President, is our special guest.  Fred is always entertaining, but he is also a genius.  He is the personal behind the USANA compensation plan that generates the highest payout percentage of all reporting network marketing companies.

For Gwen and I, it is so great to have an event like this about 8 miles from our house.  We normally drive 35 - 40 miles to San Antonio events.  This weekend, they will be driving out near us. 

Then, January 28 - 30, 2011, is the 2011 STI Live event, which is also at the San Marcos Embassy Suites.  STI Live is the absolute best training in network marketing.  Several of the top USANA income earners will share how to build a solid USANA business.  Any associates wanting to grow their business need to attend this training if at all possible.

Have a great week!

Quality Nutritional Supplements Are Necessary!

The following video shows how uninformed the medical community and nutritionists can be about the need for taking quality vitamins and minerals.  Now, the other problem may be that there aren't many quality products and they don't know about USANA's products.

In the video, this "expert", talks about how he is healthy and just eats right.  I thought I was also very healthy when I was diagnosed with cancer.  I was running 2 miles, 3 times a week and felt great, but I felt a lump in my throat.  The surgeon went in to remove a thyroid cyst and was shocked to find cancer.  I had no warning that I was dealing with cancer.  I was in Stage III.  This person could find himself in the same position.

Quality nutritional supplements like USANA help prevent major problems from occurring.  Take a look at my post about the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements a couple of days ago.

This shows why we must have patience and be willing to educate many people on the need for nutritionals.  However, I don't recommend that you try to spend your time convincing doctors and nutritionists.  In many cases, they are convinced they know what is best.



Those of us that take quality supplements and have seen a significant improvement in our quality of life know the value of taking them.  Many people try inferior supplements and don't feel any improvement, thus they conclude that supplements are not any good.  If someone will commit to taking 5 to 7 days of the HealthPak, then they may be worth sampling.

The great thing about our products is that they work even if you don't believe they will!

Share this video from USANA's Media Center with your prospects!

Why Waste Time Complaining - Be Positive

Sorry, but I have not been inspired to write this week.  Sometimes, thoughts overrun in my head, but this week, not much seems valuable.  I got up this morning at 7 a.m. and now I'm at my local Starbucks.  It is 50 degrees, with crystal clear skies and it is just a gorgeous day.  I hate to see daylight savings time come to an end in a week.

I do understand one specific need.  Right now the kids are waiting on the school buses in the dark.  That's not a safe thing, so that is the only real important reason to move the time back in my mind.  I sure don't like it getting dark by 6 pm, but in the big picture, it really doesn't matter.

You know, we can find plenty to complain about if we want to, but why do we want to spend so much time on something so worthless?  Complaining about meaningless stuff is a downer for everyone you discuss it with.  I'm sure you have someone in your life that comes to mind when I mention a "constant complainer".  When you think about the drudgery of being around that person that complains about the small stuff in life, doesn't it make you want to avoid that person?

That's one reason I really don't like spend much time discussing politics with people.  A good rule of thumb is "Don't complain about things that you are not willing to take the time and effort to change."  The other is, "Don't complain if you don't have a solution to offer." The vast majority that complain about politics don't vote on a regular basis, and they certainly don't educate themselves about this issues or candidates.  The only input for them is the news channel.

There are a couple of activities that you can vent your frustrations about, knowing that you aren't going to be able to change things, and it is still fun - television shows (especially reality TV, because you know a lot of it is predetermined for the best ratings) and sports.  People who are really plugged into a TV show, get engrossed in the characters and "know" how they want specific situations to turn out.  For the sports enthusiast, they have their favorite sports and favorite teams.  Every player, no matter how good they are, have bad games and nothing goes right.  It is very frustrating as a fan, but I know that it is even more frustrating as the player or team when they perform poorly.  When things don't go our way, we want to express what we would have done differently.  It is totally subjective and the overcome of your ideas will never be proven, so it is a lot of fun to speculate and express you meaningless opinions.

Go out and make someone's day by doing something special for them.  You won't hear complaining from someone who receives an unexpected gift from you.

The Nutrisearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements

If you don't have a copy of the Nutrisearch Guide to Comparative Supplements, you should.  However, I just found a great link that provides a solid overview of the guide and it's information.  I like this link, because it is another third-party source.

Here's the link - check it out.

http://www.squidoo.com/nutritional-supplement-guide

What Does Your facebook Say About You?

Are you a big fan of facebook?  Do you constantly update your status?  You have a lot of FB friends that are watching you and forming opinions about you, based on what you post.

facebook can be a great place to promote yourself and it can work against you.  Are you trying to promote your business on your FB page?  Have you ever considered what kind of image you are promoting with your status updates?

Are you one of those people that others want to remove, because you constantly enter updates about senseless stuff--what TV show you just watched; how long it took to change your baby; what your dog just did; or, that you are dreading the potatoes you have to peel?  If you are providing constant updates, you may be annoying to some of your friends, and, you may be giving them the impression that you have nothing else to do.

There are other types of updates that could be detrimental to your business.
1.  You don't want to offend others by including curse words.
2.  Don't complain about never being able to afford things you want, or gripe about the cost of things, i.e.,     gasoline, medical expenses, groceries.
3.  Don't brag about being out-of-your-mind drunk from partying all night, or anything like that.

If you give the impression that you can't pay for the basics of life, then what does that tell people about your business, except that it is not making you much money.  Others will be offended with bad language, or with those that promote a party life.  Be careful what you post.  Provide status updates that will promote that person you want others to see in you.

Social media is a great way to stay connected with folks.  It can also be the wrong message, if you are careless with it.

What's Your Mood?

 
Go out to a busy Starbucks, a shopping mall, or sporting event and sit back and watch people.  You will see all types.  It's very interesting.  If you go to the same place for several days in a row, you will probably see repeat patrons.  You are probably more likely to find regular clientele at a small coffee shop or cafe than at a sporting event or shopping mall.

What are the modes of those people?  Are they consistent?  Are they different from one day to the next?  Some people enter the door with a smile each morning.  Others drag in.  Their hair is a mess and it appears that they are  carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders.  Then, there are those people totally in their own world.  They don't communicate with anyone.  They have their iPhone and headsets on, just talking, or listening to their music.  They don't respond to anyone. 

What I have observed in the Starbucks that I frequent is that people are the same day after day.  They are either always in a good mood, or always in the "woe is me" mode.  I think some people just want attention.  If you are a loyal customer of a small establishment, other regulars are, and have been, watching you.  They have their preconceived ideas about you.  How do they see you?  Do you care?  If you want to have a relationship, whether business or personal, you should care. 

I actually sat down for more than an hour with one of the other regulars the other day.  To start off the conversation, he asked me, "How are things going?"  I said, "I'm doing great!"  He said, "You are always doing great!"  It just resonated with me, that he has been listening to the small talk and watching me.  I'm glad that it was a postive impression that he had.  I have my bad days just like anyone else, but I work at not displaying it.

I have been playing basketball with the same guys for a couple of years now.  Some of them have asked, "What's going on?  Is everything okay?"  when I was in a bad mood.  Then, I had to try and snap out of it.

How do you want others to see you?  Do you care what opinion they have of you?  If you do, then I would suggest that you enter with a smile on your face and greet the people that you contact.  Add something to their day, regardless of how down-trodden they may be!

Have a great weekend!

"ME" Time

Do you allow yourself "me" time?  Time that you get to be by yourself and do whatever it is to relax, whether that is meditating, reading a book, yoga or praying.  Sanoviv recommends to their patients that you give yourself at least 20 minutes each day to relax and focus on something you enjoy, but that is not time in front of the television.  Television is a stimulus.  Although I fall asleep watching it frequently on weekends, it is recommended that you never turn the TV on right before you go to bed, because it stimulates you.

"Me" time is important for you to focus on positive, inspiring things.  Reading a personal development book, the Bible or something that is very positive would qualify.  At Sanoviv, Monday through Friday, they have a meditation class at 8:30 each morning.  They are exposed to a different type of meditation each day, so that you can possibly find one that you enjoy.

The real challenge for most people is devoting that time to themselves.  For some people, they don't feel that they can give themself 20 minutes each day, but lets get real.  We find time to do what we want to do.  That may be watching a particular TV show each day, or reading the newspaper.  Neither of those qualify as quality time for yourself.

Again, at Sanoviv, you are NOT allowed to have your cell phone, laptop or newspapers.  You are to spend free time relaxing.  And, that is not surfing the Internet, reading news stories that are typically very negative in nature, or talking or texting on the phone.

So, I challenge you to dedicate 20 minutes a day to yourself.  During that time, focus on positive thoughts and inspiration.  It can be focusing on your goals; on reading your affirmations, or anything else that I have already mentioned.  If you are suffering from an illness, it can be a time for visualizing yourself being healthy and combining that with positive affirmations, such as, "My body is healing and I feel much better."

"Me" time -- you deserve it!

In My View - Why Network Marketing Turns Off People!

Do you find that some people are very receptive to Network Marketing and others are very turned off by it?  That's just like anything else.  There are people for it and people against it.

Many baby-boomers were turned off by the Amyway approach from many years ago.  People would lie to your face, because they were taught to never tell a prospect what the name of the company was until they were in a presentation.  I even had people that I attended church with, lie to me.  I hate to admit that, but will definitely turn off people.

Support, or lack thereof, is a huge reason why people are turned off by Network Marketing, or MLMs.  They enroll, pay the money, then they never see their sponsor again.

Then, there are companies that require you to carry a significant inventory of products.  For most people, this runs up their credit card balances much quicker than they can move the product.  This give a person a bad taste very quickly when their garage or closet is filled with products that haven't moved--that's pressure!

If a person is only able to make a significant income as long as they recruit new people, then they grow weary of having to constantly recruit.  Instead, our compensation is based on the amount of product consumed in our business network.  We don't get paid for recruiting people.

So, how do you overcome this?  If the person is belligerent, just move on to the next person.  If the person expresses concerns, but still has an interest, then:
1.  You must sell yourself.  You must make them believe that you will be there to support them.
2.  You can explain to them that USANA is very different.
     A.  Associates never sign a contract with USANA.  You can freeze your auto-ship at any time.  All you
           lose is your accumulated volume when you freeze your auto-ship.
     B.  Therefore, we have no sales quotas.  No weekly or monthly volume is required to keep your business
           open.
3.  Be upfront with people and let them know you represent USANA Health Sciences.
4.  A true residual income can be built with a consumable product.

Believe that you have a gift of health and financial freedom and you will be successful!  Keep sharing!

Are You The Friend That You Want Others to Be With You?

Surprises, shocks, disappointments, friends turning on you.  They all result in surprising you.  Some are positive and some are very disappointing.  It really shows you those who are your friends and those that simply use you.  At times it may not be a friend that wrongs you, but rather a third-party who heard something about you and took a shot at you.

A true friend will let you know what they are thinking, whether it is something you would like to hear or not.  Friends can share their differences and still be friends.  A good friendship many more good times than bad.  The solid relationships will cause you to overlook the rare instances when you are blindsided or surprised!  In addition, a true friend will know when one of your sarcastic remarks was just a funny line, and when you really meant it.  Friendships may be put on hold when one of the parties offends the other, but in most cases, a short time heals the situation and the offender will apologize to the one offended.

Are you one that will work hard to keep the friendship sound?  If the other person offends you, do you have the courage to let them know?  Sometimes, that person doesn't even realize that they said or did something offensive.  You would be a friend by letting them know that it was hurtful and something they should not do.  Other times, they may try to take advantage of the relationship and you need to let them know that is not acceptable.  Every situation is different.  You have to decide what is best.  Some people want to avoid confrontation at all costs and that ends up leading to them being hurt time and time again.  Don't be one that is confrontational, but have the courage to let someone know when they have overstepped the boundary and wronged you.

When the friendship is fairly new, you may very well have some interesting situations.  The other person may not respond just the way you expected.  It may be that you made a sarcastic statement and they didn't understand that you were just teasing.  You need to be aware when you do or say something that is a little edgy, to watch the person's response.  Was their response spontaneous or did they seem confused, startled or puzzled?  You may need to explain yourself, before the situation escalates.


Are you the friend that you want others to be with you?  If you will honestly evaluate yourself from time to time, then your attitude is in the right place!  If you never feel that you do anything wrong and it is always the other person at fault, you are probably at fault!  Be honest with yourself.  Everyone else knows!

Time Flies!

Do you remember when you were in grade school and your parents take about how time flies?  My parents did and I just couldn't understand what they were talking about.  Especially, during the summers.  My parents were very strict.  We lived in a rural area and I wasn't allowed to get away on my bicycle without them knowing exactly where I was going and how long I would be gone.  Typically, it was never more than 2 hours at a time that I could be gone.  Instead, I had chores to do around the house--burning the trash, painting fences that my Dad welded, etc.  The summers seemed to just drag, and drag, and drag.

But how time changes as you get older.  It's hard to believe that most of October 2010 is already gone.  Before we know it, it will be Christmas, then 2011.  If you don't put an event on your planning calendar, you probably aren't going to be a part of it.  Time becomes a very precious commodity as we grow older.  For one thing, you start seeing your high school friends becoming very ill, or dying.  That's a WAKE-UP CALL!  That type of news can make you very depressed and you can start dwelling on how little time I have left, or "What is around the corner for me?"  But don't do that!

Instead, embrace the moment!  Be thankful for each day.  Tell those that mean so much to you, just how important they are.  Remember those goals that you have and put everything into getting what you want!  We have no guarantees in life.  You may be that person that lives to their late 90's, or you may not have much time left, because of health problems, or just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  We can waste a lot of time worrying about what might happen, or we can live each day to it's fullest!  What's your choice? 

Rank or A Solid Check--What Do You Want?

This post is USANA-specific more so than a lot of my other posts.

Associates tend to get hung up too much on what their rank/title is. Rank advancement is the easiest way to measure if someone is building their business, because you can see advancement, but it is not a true indicator how solid their business is.

People can become a Silver Director in the first week of working USANA, but if they don't recruit anyone in Week 2, they don't have a paycheck on Week 2.  A solid business is about the auto-ships that you have in your network of customers and associates.  Without auto-ships, you don't have a residual income.  If someone becomes a Gold Director in 4 weeks, that means that they have at least 10,000 points of enrollments and purchases each of the 4 weeks, but their auto-ships on weeks 5, 6, 7 and 8 may only be 1,000 points left and right (1,000 points per side could be 5, 200-point auto-ships).  Meaning that their checks, if everyone was doing a 200 point auto-ship and no one stopped, would be $200 a week.  That's not close to being a solid Gold Director, making $1,000 per week on one business center. You must continue to build your business until you have more than 5,000 points in auto-ships in every leg, every cycle.

Personally, I have always been much more concerned about the size of checks we receive, than the rank we have achieved.  We are not yet solid Ruby Directors, but a solid Ruby Director can make $3,000 - $5,000 per week.  I would be very happy with that kind of income.  Achieving that level is more important to me than reaching Emerald director.

If you will focus on building a solid business, your rank advancements will happen.  But being a Silver Director by title, but only having a weekly check of $100 - $500 does not constitute a solid business.

Now, there is an exception to what I have said.  If you are working with people in a new area, it is important to have one of those new team members advance to the level of at least Achiever as quickly as possible.  That way, the new associates and prospects will see that this thing really works.  As more people receive checks, the easier it is to promote the business.

I'm not saying that your Rank is not important.  Until you reach a full-time level of Gold Director or above, it is important.  If someone sees you at the Builder or Achiever ranks for 4 to 5 years, you will have to spend more time justifying why USANA is not working for you.  It may be easy to say, "I'm very happy with the $400 - $500 a week that I receive", and the new prospect will be impressed.  There are not a lot of people making $2,000 residual per month in Network Marketing.

Enjoy building your business!

Another Coffee Shop Bites The Dust!

And so goes our economy.  I usually go to a local Starbucks to write my blog and check emails.  This morning I decided to go to the coffeshop on the Square in downtown New Braunfels, only to find the signs gone and a sign in the window, "Office Space Available."  So, I'm back at the local Starbucks.

It surprises me how much business is done at a Starbucks.  I spoke with a Yellow Book salesperson the other evening after one of his appointments.  They move from one small town to another, working as teams.  He said they used to rent an office space, but with laptops, they usually meet at the client's place of business, or at the Starbucks.  That has really changed from when I owned a software company in the 80's.  I see job interviews, managers conducting out-of-office one-on-ones, etc.  A lady that makes wedding cakes meets clients here all the time.

Traditional businesses are falling left and right.  At the same time, opportunities are always there.  Robert Kiyosaki will tell you that recession is a great time to start a new business.  In his latest book, "The Business of the 21st Century", he quotes from a recent study, "72 percent of all adult Americans would rather work for themselves than for a job, and 67 percent think about quitting their jobs "regularly" or "constantly"."  What he recommends is the direct sales industry or network marketing.

You can't depend on the longevity of a traditional business.  It has as many flaws as owning your own business.  A traditional business needs employees.  Employees never have the same level of commitment as the business owner.  They don't have the same fixed costs and intangibles.  Employees can make your business or break it up with a poor performance.  Being the business owner requires you to be self-motivated, willing to make things happen when no one else is doing anything.

Being a business owner requires sacrifice.  I don't watch all the television and sports that I used to watch.  We don't get to be with family as often as we would like because we are attending Super Saturday trainings, or traveling on business.  When we travel to work with our business partners, we usually get up early and work late, making the most of their time, because we are only available for a short period of time.  Most people are not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to make their business solid.  After 10 presentations, with one no-show and 9 "No's", they are ready to do something else.  A "no" just means that you are getting closer to your next "YES!".  Persistence is critical for any business owner.

Robert Kiyosaki and Napoleon Hill will tell you that successful people have just failed more times than those that are not successful.  Kiyosaki says that he has lost everything on two different occasions, yet today he doesn't have to work, because he has built a solid stream of income and true wealth with time and financial freedom.

If you don't want to be an "employee" the rest of your life, you must be willing to fail many times, and then celebrate the small victories as you move forward.  There is no 'silver bullet' in doing our business.  It's a matter of speaking with a lot of people and finding those who value their health or want to be their own boss.

Do you feel like this?

Or this?

You have to believe in yourself and walk around with a big smile on your face.  If you look frustrated or down, people are not going to want what you have to offer.  Obviously, it doesn't make you happy.  They must see you full of energy, enjoying everything in life and needing to ask you what you do.  Greet strangers as you walk by them.  Show a genuine interest in others.  If you are not genuine, people will see right through you.  Some days you have to fake the happiness, but if you act like you are happy, you may just start feeling it.  Remember, "Things could always be a lot worse."

Positive Influences Are Important!

Do you watch the news on TV?  Would you agree that a majority of the news is very depressing?  The US economy is in the tanks; wars continue; constant reports of new ponzi schemes; crime, and moral corruption among celebrities and sports figures.

I would suggest that you need to stay away from the news on the television or radio.  Instead, find an inspirational audio book, paperback or whatever.  A personal development CD can set you in the right frame of mind for the day.

Do you start the day by watching the news or reading the newspaper?  Where do you turn in the newspaper--leading stories are usually bad news about political battles, government corruption or crime.  I know that some people turn to the obituaries to see who died and that is not very uplifting.

I watch too much TV, but the majority of what I watch is sports.  I love rooting for my favorite teams, or rooting against those I can't stand.  The special stories that they have are usually informative and a good insight story about a particular athlete, but this last year has been filled with reports of immorality with the likes of Ben, Roethlisberger, Tiger Woods and now, Brett Favre.

We would all be better off if we turned to the Bible, or personal development books, DVDs or CDs that are uplifting and encouraging.  If we would focus on starting each day with something positive, our attitude would be set to the right thought process.

Spend time on your way to work listening to a motivating CD or reflecting on things that you should be grateful for.  If you stay at home, start with some personal time in reflecting on things that you appreciate, or reading the Bible.  Start the day with a positive influence, whatever that is for you, and you are much more likely to enjoy your day.