Sound at all familiar?

Personal Development Today

As the personal development industry has evolved, especially within the past decade, terms such as the “law of attraction” and “the secret” have surfaced. These terms have spread like wild fire inside and outside the home based business industry. People were given the idea that they could attract absolutely anything they desired into their life through their focused thoughts. Basically, if a person could hold a concentrated thought for long enough that the “universe” would present this desire in physical form. Now… hold that thought for a moment while I go on.

The Allegory of the Cave

Topus Uranus is a dialogue between Socrates, Plato’s teacher, and Plato. In this dialogue, Socrates explains the Allegory of the Cave, sometimes known as Plato’s Cave, which further explains the meaning of Topus Uranus. It refers to a group of prisoners being chained to a wall in a cave to the point where all they can look upon is the rock of that wall. As people pass by the fires behind them, all they see are shadows being cast on the wall. The prisoners only know what the shadows on the wall look like. That’s their reality. That’s how they discern one thing from the next.

Suppose that a prisoner is freed and permitted to stand up and gaze around the cave. If someone were to show him the things that had cast the shadows on the wall, he wouldn’t recognize them. He couldn’t name them and would believe the shadows on the wall more than what lies before him. That’s his reality. Better yet, what would happen if that man was forced to look at the fire that once burned behind him? He would be struck blind and would try to turn his gaze back to the shadows on the wall, because that’s what he can see clearly. The shadows are real to him, not everything else. He wouldn’t be able to recognize an animal in real form over the shadow it cast upon the wall.

What if someone were to drag this prisoner out of the cave into the sunlight. Everything that he once knew to be real was only a figure on a rock wall. Do you think this prisoner would have an anxiety attack? He’d be a little distressed, wouldn’t he?

After some time on the surface, the prisoner would acclimate and learn. His eyes would eventually be able to look into the sun and realize that it is the source of warmth and light. He would learn a different reality. He would learn that his old reality, once just shadows on a cave wall, is no more his reality. His eyes have been opened, but only because he believed  and accepted what he was shown. Fear could have overcome him and pushed him back into the cave where he came from…back to the reality he had known for so long.

So here are a few though provoking questions:

Do your thoughts really create your reality? If so, are your thoughts and ideas hindering you? Is your reality at this very moment serving you? Is there another reality for you? If so, when are you going to decide to change your reality and how?

We have all heard of the common phrase, “The best place to start improving is in the space right between your ears.” Paraphrased of course. To change your reality, the change must, I say MUST start in your mind. The way we think and view our surroundings is our reality. What one man considers to be junk, another considers to be treasure. Some people can create nothing out of the same thing others can use to create amazing things. It’s all in our perception of what is possible and what is not.

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I’ll never forget when we experienced our first thousand dollar day. Everything we had hoped for was gaining momentum. From that time onward, we became leaders in the direct sales industry. We had gone farther and earned more in a home based business than anybody we had ever personally known.

With that said, choosing the right network marketing company to join is extremely important. You’ve got to choose a company for where it’s headed, what value it offers the public and your ultimate earning potential. Even though I had experienced some amazing results for quite a while, I chose the right company, but with the wrong leadership. The opportunity was flawless but the brains behind the vehicle were destined for a crash.

So what did I do?

I pulled a Maverick!

If you’ve ever watched “Top Gun,” then you know the terminology. If you haven’t seen “Top Gun” then you are probably part of a group of individuals that grew up without electricity. Everybody I’ve ever known has seen it. But I did, I pulled a Maverick. While right in the middle of all the action, I broke away from it for a period of time, still watching from the side lines. I still had my hands on the controls, I still possessed the skills to create success, but I was hovering above the action just cold sweating it out, doing something outside of a home based business to generate income. I guess I was clenching the old dog tags, gathering my thoughts.

WHY?

I guess I felt betrayed. I thought the company I had joined in the beginning was going to be around forever. That’s what I honestly believed! But I was naive. Companies come and go left and right. Here one day, gone the next. It was my own fault. I didn’t have a plan B. I forgot my roots as a Boy Scout, to “Be prepared.” I didn’t want to join another company because I really enjoyed the one I was in. The product line, the income potential, the community….it was home to me. I guess all I was doing was waiting for the right moment to re-engage.

The Right Moment Came

After sitting on the sidelines for a little over a year, I’m back in the game and ready for action. The timing is right and the opportunity is wide open. It’s time to become a TOP GUN again. I’ve heard others say, “Sure. That’s easy for you to do because you already have the experience and all of your marketing still in place.” Dang right! And I started from scratch. Just like every new home based business owner will have to do. But with the right mentor, it’s a lot easier to do.

How to Become a TOP GUN?

Believe it or not, to be a TOP GUN in network marketing is an extremely simple concept. There’s no secret to it really. It’s the same with every opportunity. It’s a simple equation.

Vision + Ambition + Consistent Action = TOP GUN

That’s it! There are other things you can add to the equation that will make things easier, but that’s the equation that produces results. That’s all I’ve done. Because of the vision I held for my future and my ambition to achieve that vision, I was able to put one foot in front of the other and make things happen. I consistently advertised, lived the lifestyle, called potential clients, wrote those blog posts, built that website, printed and handed out fliers, went to all the training events, attended the conferences and masterminded with other leaders. It wasn’t up to my mentors to do it for me, or even show me how to do it all. I had no idea how to build a website and didn’t even know what a blog post was, but I learned it because it was going to bring me closer to my goals.

How many of us have pulled a Maverick in our business careers. We jumped in with both feet, created some success in the industry, ran into a speed bump in life and withdrew ourselves from everything? How many of you are waiting for the right timing to jump back into things? How many of you are waiting for the right time to simply begin?

Not everyone can have a happy ending….and it’s not for any other reason but the pure fact that… everyone doesn’t deserve it. Only the ones who work for it truly deserve it. Those who deserve it will one day soon, metaphorically, be sitting on a motorcycle,  in front of the sunset, wearing a leather jacket  and slick shades, with the Top Gun soundtrack playing in the background. They’ll have their glory day in the sun.

It’s time to get a piece of the action. Come join me if you’re ready.

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I was grateful for the opportunity they gave me to work there, even though it didn’t work out. But there were others who worked there during the same time that were let go as well, and they were vengeful, and bitter. They would bad mouth that employer all around town, every where they went.

I received a spam email the other day from a disgruntled ex-employee who was trying to get back at their previous employer by showing people where they could go to get that product for a much lower price. He was trying to put them out of business, but wasn’t making any profit from it.

Apparently, he had worked there for a good period of time and was let go due to down sizing. So he became angry and blamed the company for all of his misfortune, and I have a big problem with that. He should be grateful for the opportunity he had to trade his time for money. That company paid his bills, put food on his table, probably provided health benefits and much more. He should show gratitude  instead of being angry. After all, he put himself in that situation.

So if you happen to find yourself fired, let go or down sized, here are a few things you can do about it.

1. Stay positive. Striking revenge at your old employer will never get you anywhere!
2. Of course, you can look for another job. But, being pro-entrepreneur, you may be putting yourself right back into the same situation again.
3. You can start a business. You only have so much control over your financial future as an employee. Your wages, your work schedule, your job, all depends on your employer. With a business, you have absolute control over everything.
4. As an employer, I know that every employee that I hire is a potential competitor. How many disgruntled employees have you known that have started a business in the same niche they were fired from? I know plenty who have….and they’ve taken a good portion of their old clients with them. Rather than being upset and trying to destroy your old employer, become their competitor. Do what they didn’t do very well, better!

Loosing a job is a hardship, but never the end of the world. Even in a somewhat downed economy, there is plenty of opportunity. Stay positive, stay focused, and get what you want.

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I’ve been in those same shoes, but haven’t really been as hesitant. And that’s brought me some trouble a time or two, but I don’t ever regret doing it. Regardless of the outcome, if there’s something that I want to do or try, bottom line, I’m in and ready to go. Why waste so much time thinking about what could have happened or what might happen, just take action today and find out.

So here’s a list of ten things to do right now, not later:

Buy a home

Of course, do it when you are financially able to. Instead of wishing you had a place you could call home and make your own, some where you’re kids can come home to when they have families of their own, start now.

Go on vacation

I have heard horror stories of people who have YEARS of vacation time built up at work who have not had a vacation in over five years. What in the HECK are you thinking. Take your family on vacation! Your loved ones and the memories you have with them are what matters most. Go now!

Have a child.

You’re definitely not getting younger. You don’t want to be grandma or grandpa age when you’re kids need you the most! So what if you’re in college or at the start of your career. It all comes second to the joy you will experience with children.

Start that business

If you have a great business idea, put it to action. There will always be those who are skeptical. They’re they nay-sayers but you’re the visionary. Fear is just a figment of your imagination and a tool that destroys dreams. If you need help with a business plan, get with your local small business association. They’ll help you set one up for FREE! There’s no excuse. Get started now!

Ask him/her out or ask him/her to marry you.

You’ll never know unless you ask! Asking or not asking is the success and failure of everything. Life is too short to wonder what could have happened. Be bold, be yourself and go for it! The best relationships are based on communication….and asking is the start of that. Your marriage will be the single most important and influential decisions of your life. So get to it!

Serve others

I don’t know if you’ve figured it out yet, but serving others is one of the reasons we are here. All the gold, silver and money in the world won’t even buy a crumb in the restaurants of Heaven. Do unto others and you would have them do unto you.

Donate to your charity

If you’re financially able, donate something to the charity of your choice. If you’ve ever been in a tough spot, financially or physically, you’d appreciate a little help too.

Make a bucket list

A bucket list is a long, not short, but long list of things you would like to accomplish before the end. Whether it’s traveling to Rome or sky diving, if you want to do it, put it on the list. Start on #1 just as soon as it’s on the list and check them off one by one as you make it happen.

Get an education

If you want a better job, more knowledge or just the status a degree can bring, apply for college or start taking courses. you’re never too old. Jim Rohn once said that the best education is “Self  Education.” Always keep learning and educating yourself. He also said that a formal education will get you a job, but self education will make you a fortune. I couldn’t agree more!

Go to church

For most people, it’s been a while since they’ve attended church. If that’s you, start going. This isn’t a debate on religious principles, it’s a principle of morality. That basics of what’s right and wrong seem to be missing in most of the world out there and there are very few who will stand up for what’s right in the face of opposition. Church can give you purpose and inspiration if you are lacking.

Excercise

This is #11 but needs to be in here. People tend to treat their belongings, businesses, and people around them, the same way they treat their own bodies. The mind and the body are one. If the body is weak, so is the mind. One without the other is a waste, but together, at their peak, they are powerful. Stay fit.

Conclusion

Always be moving forward without fear. You can accomplish more that you think you can and more than you already have. Life IS short. Make the most of it while you have the strength and resources to do so. No regrets!

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As imperfect beings, we judge….a lot. Our first impressions aren’t exactly spot on sometimes. If a dirty, filthy guy wearing clothes that are all torn up and greasy walks by me in the grocery store, it would be easy to judge. But chances are, they guy isn’t a bum, he probably just finished working on his Grandmothers car. We can be quick to cast judgement before we have enough knowledge about a person.

The same thing happens in business. You can also teach people how much you are worth, or how much you deserve to be paid for your product or service. It’s the basic law of business: get the lowest possible price for high quality products. If you don’t tell your potential clients how much you want to be paid, then who will? If you don’t know, then you’ll get paid whatever your customers want to pay you. You’ll accept any offer and by doing so, you’ll give your product or service away for less than what it’s really worth. Every time!

First, You Deserve to be Paid

Entrepreneurs tend to fall into a pit of low self worth when things aren’t going so well in their enterprise. So what do they do? They lower they’re prices thinking more customers will be attracted to the new “lower” price tag. When in all actuality, doing that just sends out a signal saying, “I’m desperate!”

Know one thing, you deserve to be paid. If you’re product can help people and is of value, you deserve to be paid for it. Don’t ever sell yourself short. Show the value and your clients will buy.

Get Good at Crunching Numbers

Here’s a great way to gauge whether or not you’re getting paid enough:

If the amount of the offer doesn’t excite you or open your eyes a bit, then it’s probably not worth your time.

During a conversation with a former business associate, he mentioned that at one point, he considered purchasing a Mexican restaurant here in town. But once they crunched the numbers, he would have been buying himself and $35k/year job. Currently, he makes well above that. The numbers didn’t excite him. Too much work for too little.

How Much Should You Be Charging?

Only you and you alone can set your price tag. It’s a combination of a few things.

1. Your Knowledge or Expertise
2. Your Confidence Level
3. The Value You place on your Product or Service
4. The Actual Value of your Product or Service

Whatever the price tag, just make sure the numbers excite you, and once they do, make sure you deliver the value. To me, it’s worth it to pay more for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese because I know that it tastes better and my kids will eat it. People pay more for value, even when offered a lower price. The price tag isn’t everything.

In conclusion, I’d like to give one more word of advice. When you hit the price tag that excites you and motivates you, there’s one great way to tell whether or not you delivered on value…..Referrals! If your customers recommend you, then you know you’re delivering.

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