​It has always fascinated me how people, living in the richest nation on earth, struggle with financial problems when the opportunity to achieve success and acquire wealth is on everyone’s doorstep.  

There are many reasons why.  Consider these two points of view.  

Let’s say two couples, each with $350, want to buy a dynamic new learning program, such as a weekend conference that costs $400 plus $500 in travel expenses.  

Couple One – they might see the price as out-of-reach, thinking “Hmm, We are $550 short, so I guess we can’t afford it and we won’t go.”  They pass without much more thought.  

Whereas Couple Two, possessing greater vision, might say, “Well, I may only have $350, but I can see the potential to make tens of thousands if we go to the Seminar, acquire that knowledge, and apply it.  So although I’m $550 short, I’ll find a way to come up with the difference… even if I have to borrow, sacrifice, and struggle… because it’s an investment in our future, our greater success and income later… and that future income will pay for the price of the program many times over.”  

Financial decisions should be about changing your purchasing criteria.  Rather than basing it on cost vs. available dollars… base it instead on potential long-term value gained vs. available dollars.  

If the value is there, don’t give up.  Maybe you should FIND the money you don’t have, even if you have to risk going into debt for a short while.

Don’t get me wrong - paying in cash, in full, beats borrowing.  But an investment in your knowledge and future income growth when the full amount isn’t readily available doesn’t always have to mean walking away.  

When an investment is in yourself – purchasing it on a credit card, and suffering with payments over several months, even at a high interest rate could still be a powerful investment.  When you grow your knowledge, you are investing in your future.  When I have invested in myself, I always achieve the greatest return.  What choice do I have?  To not invest - I will always be where I am verses to invest – I open the possibility for growth, success and a better future.  When I am confident that I will reap the benefits, those credit card payments just become a reminder of my investment in myself and how I need to apply the knowledge.

However if long-term value will not be gained – then walk away from the deal – even if you had more than enough to cover the cost.  

Not grasping this rudimentary concept in a reason so many people living paycheck to paycheck… and missing opportunities for greater income and wealth creation.  

It even sabotages companies when some leaders can’t see the broader visionary picture of the dollars they spend.

ACTIONS FOR YOU

Why not re-think your own buying strategies on major opportunity purchases, educational expenses, software programs, and a product that saves time, or reduces an expense somewhere else.

When cell phones first came out, many people -- even businesses -- couldn’t justify the monthly expense.  A great radio commercial is an example of greater vision thinking.  A plumber who had purchased a cell phone explained that it allowed him to place and receive customer calls anytime, anywhere, or any place.  He never missed a customer call and explained that “Just one leaky elbow joint and that sucker’s paid for.”  

Brilliant expansive thinking of the extended value return of knowledge or a product.  He justified the purchase and it expanded his income. How do you think about an investment in yourself or business?

The payback is not always money.  It might come in another form… maybe intangible… like establishing a new relationship, expanding a current relationship, building credibility, gaining influence in a new area, or prestige with important people, maybe even a door-opener to yet another opportunity.
 

The late motivational icon and sales trainer Zig Ziglar tells the story of the couple who could afford a $300,000 house, and found one they loved with a few extra amenities.  But it cost $340,000.  Unable to see the bigger picture, they walked away dejected, agonizing that they could never afford a $340,000 house.  Zig stopped them and said:  Wait.  This is only a $40,000 decision… you’ve already made the $300,000 buying decision.  

Are you missing great opportunities because of short-sighted affordability thinking?

(1) Create a can-do winning mindset.  It all starts inside your own head.  Stay unflinchingly positive (within the boundaries of reality).  Block out negativity, disbelief, past failures, bad advice from well-intending friends and loved ones.  Use positive affirmations or self-talk - CEP.  “I’m capable of anything I put my mind to.”  “I succeed despite negative conditions.”  “I overcome all obstacles that block my path -- I let nothing stop me.”  

(2) Take massive action.  When you start any new endeavor, discipline yourself to sit quietly for a short time and list everything you must do to get the outcome you want.  Maybe it’s 5 or 6 big actions, maybe 20 or 30 small.  Put them in time sequence and affix deadlines to each.  Then dive in the deep end.  Failure is often caused by half-hearted effort. Consistent winners ‘flood the zone’ with overwhelming action.

(3)  Get comfortable being uncomfortable.  Engage the difficult conversation.  Take a risk of failure.  Push past your perceived limits to get what you want.  Get over that your actions will anger or disappoint some people.  If you try to please everyone, you’ll accomplish nothing. Withdraw from the popularity contest.  Some people will dislike you.  Deal with it.  

(4) Be accountable -- do what you say you’ll do.  This is integrity… living up to your commitments.  You’ll create allies and win people to your cause by being reliable.  You can win alone occasionally, but life is a team sport, and you’ll need help most of the time.  Being dependable is being there for them, so they’ll be there for you.  

(5)  Do only what you’re passionate about.  Let others do the rest.  And pick people who are passionate about what you’re not.  I’ve surrounded myself with an amazing cadre of reliable and enthusiastic people to help me where I am weakest.  I hear people bellyache “Living your passions all the time is impossible.”  Baloney. I enjoy what I do each day – if you don’t change your routine.    

(6) YOU own your time, your cell phone doesn’t.  People whine and moan incessantly that they get nowhere because there aren’t enough hours in the day.  They let the cell phone interrupt their conversations or work.  What bothers me the most is people who interrupt a conversation to take a call from a number they don’t even know whose it is – now that is rude.  If that’s you, stop it.  Take back your time.  Stop letting friends, co-workers, video games, and email control you.  Plan your day – schedule time for the email, and other interruptions – you will take your time back.  

(7) Deal with facts, not assumption.  It is easy to believe what others say, even if it isn’t based on facts.  The phrase “People say” drives me up the wall.  Get the facts.  ‘Facts’ matter more than our flimsy wishes or unfounded thinking.  Winners design and build their futures around universal facts that don’t and won’t change. 

ACTIONS FOR YOU

High achievement is not a one-time event… it’s all about consistent, winning behavior over a lifetime.  If you diet for a few days, then quit… or exercise for a couple weeks, then quit… or manage your time well for a month, then quit… you’re toast.  

Discipline is required.  Yes, it means following through, it’s painful and may require sacrifice.  Just put on your grown up pants and get to it.  

You eat every day, sleep every day, brush your teeth every day… without thinking about it.  If you want repetitive success, you need to develop the same rigorous habitual disciplines about all winner behavior.  It’s what high achievers do. 

That’s right, the next 20 days are it. Why? I’ll get to that in a minute. But first…

Do you want 2016 to be the best year of your life?  Sure, who doesn’t?

But here’s the trap of the unmotivated:  They think simply turning the page of the calendar magically delivers new riches gift-wrapped to their doorstep, effortless triumphs, and nothing but sunshine and soft landings. Good luck with that.

Here’s the rude awakening:  On Jan. 1, grocery prices will be right where they were the day before. Education still expensive. Wars still being fought. Businesses still struggling. Unemployment still high. And crime won’t stop.

The world doesn’t change just because the ball drops on Times Square. Never has. This isn’t pessimism… it’s the cold reality of life.

My point:  2016 will not be your best ever if you just cross your fingers, wait by the phone, and hope. Takes more than that. Much more. You can’t change the world, but YOU CAN CHANGE YOU.

Launch off the couch, energize our attitude, dream loftier, plan better, immerse yourself in new learning, acquire new skills, seek new ventures, unleash your passions, throw caution to the wind, banish negative thinking, take action.

Shorelines are littered with carcasses of lazy folks who died waiting for their ship to come in. Meanwhile, aggressive winners are swimming out to get their ship and pull-towing it in to dock.

ACTIONS FOR YOU

Do you really want a super 2016? Not just saying’ it?  Enough to do whatever it takes?

If yes, then get serious. Over the next 20 days, find quiet time for yourself to PLAN the outcomes you passionately want in the next 12 months. Write them down (they’re goals!), each on a separate sheet of paper (or electronic). Give each goal a target deadline for completion… written, sequential, time-dated action steps toward achievement… and a list of benefits that will come to you once done (to keep you motivated).

 List resources you’ll need and how you’ll acquire them.

Put it all in a binder -- it’s now your life planning blueprint -- and review it every day, preferably early in the morning. Stay focused and on-path. Navigate around obstacles, or plow straight through.  Let nothing derail you. Not family, not friends, not co-workers. (You’ll have detractors. Ignore them.) Track your progress, celebrate your wins.

THAT’s how you make next year your best ever. By taking control. By owning it. By being CEO of your own life.

Research abounds verifying that goal-setters and action-takers are the most successful people among us. My favorite is the Yale study. Some years back at a 20-year reunion, returning seniors were asked if they set goals for themselves upon graduation 20 years earlier, and how much money they currently made. Turns out, only 3% set goals back then.  And here’s the kicker.  That 3% out-earned the other 97%… combined. 

Reading is a way to improve your knowledge and grow as individuals.  By reading we obtain new ideas to improve our life, relationships, business, and hobbies.  Most important may be that you become more exciting to be around.  We all know this to be true but do not take the time, often just 10 minutes a day to start the process. 
 
A friend of mine gave me a thought that I think is worth sharing.  It may be a unique concept but it is worth a try.  He calls it “sound bit learning”.  Open ANY BOOK whether it is a self-help, how-to, or non-fiction book to any page and just read one paragraph or maybe a full page, grabbing one idea – then close the book and run with the idea for the day.
  
He doesn’t know what precedes the concept, or what follows but he got his idea for the day.  His statement is that every day he gets an idea and runs with it.
 
What a great idea – reading looking for something to employ or use.  One of the N21 core principles is to read at least 15 minutes a day or ten pages a day.  Here is a variation on that concept to read anything seeking an idea or concept to use that day.  The book can be any book, the idea is reading until you find something to use.
I am sure your personal library is full of books, some you have read before and others you intend to read.  Most people have a great collection of books they have intended to read but have not found the time.  Here is an easy way to dive into those very books and also get a sense of accomplishment because you are reading with a purpose of getting something out of the book.
 
What have you got to lose – try it for a week and see if you discover something new and useful?  Realizing this will be incredibly liberating.  Instantly, you give yourself permission to NOT finish any books, but to get out of them only what you want, a snippet at a time, and move on.  In fact, Nancy Dornan has shared similar observations that she reads for that concept or idea she can use and rips it out of the book.
 
I suspect this may not work with fictional novels where a full storyline is developed and must be read from beginning to end however non-fiction, self-help or how to books are fertile sources to capture that one idea for the day.
 
Reading with a purpose to find a tidbit to use can change your entire reading experience. 
 
TRY IT.

ACTIONS FOR YOU

Most people have books just lying around the house.  I have two on my night stand, several at my favorite chair and there are a couple in the kitchen.  Why not take a moment and pick one, open to any page and read for an idea.  Read with a purpose of finding an idea to use that day in conversations, maybe a good word to share or just an idea or place you want to make your own.
What will come of this will be extraordinary – you will be a more interesting person to be around.  What you will find is when reading with a purpose, you will remember a lot of previous day ideas and still include them in conversation or your daily life.
 
Reading with a purpose changes the entire concept.
 
My friend also shared that this same concept works for audio tapes and videos too.  Listen for that sound bite that you can use TODAY in your life and make it your own.
 
You will enjoy the stimulating new ideas and discover reasons you may want to expand on your reading plan.   

In the Amway business, meeting people is what we get paid for.  Yes turning to someone in the elevator, or while waiting in line and find out about them.  Just the mere question of “Hello, hope you are having a great day too?” will start a conversation that can go anywhere you want it.

I was on a plane a couple of weeks ago and sat next to a gentleman and we struck up a conversation.  He was in a unique business working with solar technology and power storage.  Some of his products are revolutionary – really out of the box thinking.
We had a great trip to Boston that passed very quickly.  After exchanging cards he asked if he could contact me to help him with his business model.

My point – you never know who you will meet and how you could help them. 
People want you to show an interest in THEM and really are interested in sharing their experiences. 

Yes we met again and he introduced one of his partners.  As we talked it became apparent they were needing some direction to guide their business – we call it FOCUS. 
My observation was that since they did not have a definition of their client, they were accepting all forms of orders and displaying a multiple venues that did not turn up work. 
I have shared in previous newsletters that having a goal or definition of what you want will drive the business model.  In the Amway business we call it a goal or dream.  A dream is what we fight for and work hard to achieve.  In business it becomes the definition of why the business moves forward and becomes successful.

What is your FOCUS?  What is it you want to have that your current job will not provide?  Is it more money, greater freedom, or a sense of accomplishment? 

What I find is that most of our team does not realize Amway is a vehicle to achieve your goals and dreams.  It rarely is the destination. 

I am often reminded of that by Mike Wilson the Diamond from Atlanta.  He talks consistently repeat that he got into Amway so he could quit.  He realized that to get to his desire of carefree living he could use the Amway vehicle to achieve his dream. 
Once reaching his dream he did quit working but kept receiving the checks from the team he built.  BTW, he has a new goal of becoming an Executive Diamond and is once again building.  The real reason is to be able to spend as much of his time and money with his grandchildren. 

Amway is his vehicle to get what he wants.

ACTIONS FOR YOU

What to do want?  Do you have a goal or a FOCUS that you want to accomplish? 
You have the vehicle to make it happen.  The only question is WILL YOU GET IN YOUR VEHICLE AND START IT UP?

Every wonder – How did great product ideas are created – or maybe successful businesses start?

There are prime opportunities staring you in the face yet we are blind to them.  The worse reason is seeing the opportunity, wanting it badly, but frozen in place, unwilling to act.  

So why is opportunity so hard to spot?  And not acted on even when it is?  

Consultant/author Robin Sharma says, “The activity you’re most avoiding contains your biggest opportunity.”  

Personal success author Napoleon Hill said “Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.”  
 
We all have a BIG OPPORTUNITY in our hands with the Amway business and Network 21.  Proven again and again – if you do the “work” to be CORE, you will achieve financial freedom.  What we find is what inventor Thomas Edison has said “Opportunity is missed by most people because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work.”  

Many will miss it or deny it exists.  Or argue it’s just wishful thinking.  Or stall until it dissipates and goes away.  Then claim bad luck, complain they never get a break, and blame everybody and everything but themselves.  None of which is true.

ACTIONS FOR YOU

“Opportunity is always knocking.  The problem is, most people have the self-doubt station in their head turned up way too loud to hear it.”  Brian Vaszily, author, speaker, columnist, founder of the Creative Genius Institute.  

“Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others.  Unsuccessful people are always asking, ‘What’s in it for me?” Brian Tracy, success expert, author of 50 books and more than 500 audio/video self-help programs.  
 
Rousing inspiration in how high achievers view and describe opportunity.  High achievers are exceptional role models, because they often see what others don’t, take fast action while others sit, and successfully finish before others start.  
 
Bobbie and I are looking for people we can help grow their income by $50,000 per year.  The Amway business is the vehicle enabling people to achieve this OPPORTUNITY, but it comes with a need to overcome your self-doubt and do some work.  Time to kick it in gear and get moving. Nothing is life is free, but rewards for the work are often forever.

Here is an article that was written by Rick Houcek, a friend of mine, about a women in our neighborhood.   Her business message is inspiring and should resonate with everyone no matter what your age.    

“There’s a very friendly lady in my neighborhood -- her name is Nell -- who owns and operates a small fruit and vegetable stand called “Nell’s Produce” under a red and white tent in a nearby strip mall parking lot.  

Rain or shine, she’s there, April through October, six days a week, from 10 to 6.  She actually runs two such tent locations, several miles apart.  

So far, nothing unusual -- it’s basic retail.  But listen to the rest of her story.  

She’s up at 3:45 am six days a week, while most are asleep.  By 5 am, she’s already at the Atlanta State Farmer’s Market way south of town, buys her stock for the day, fills two trucks with fresh-bought produce, then hauls it to her two locations on the other side of downtown, over 40 miles away.  

She stocks her tables, greets customers, and has a loyal clientele of locals who swear by her produce.  

She has help.  Her kids and grandkids are on the payroll, but she’s the lead-by-example matriarch.  Yes, I said grandkids.  

And that brings me to the zinger:  Nell is 82.  And she has more energy, more zest, more pep, more grit… than people half her age.  And she just celebrated her 25th year in business.  

In that time, she’s been booted out of two parking lots because big chain grocery stores moved in.  She had to find new locations both times… and did.  One chain grocery has since closed -- Nell outlasted them -- and she lumbers on at her tiny stand unaffected -- providing her friendly service, unbeatable products, and great prices -- paying no heed to the giant chains.  

Nothing stops this lady.  We customers hear no complaints, no my-back-hurts, no I’ve-got-it-rough stories.  

Nell grew up on a farm and worked the fields… then spent nearly 30 years at GM in data processing and inventory control.  She took early retirement in her late ‘50s -- but after only one year -- she and her husband decided to launch a new business and opened the produce stand.  He died soon after, and Nell chose to keep the dream going.  

One more time:  she’s 82.  

I tell you about Nell -- not because I’ve been a delighted customer for 17 of those 25 years -- but because every time I drive by her stand -- whether I stop in or not -- I’m inspired.  I smile and light up like a Christmas tree.  

And why wouldn’t I?  Nell is the American dream in action.  Doing her own thing, her own way, serving others well, passionately enjoying it, and proving that with dogged diligence and steadfast resolve, anyone can -- you and I can -- create the life we want.”  

We all have the opportunity to create the life we want to have through the Amway business.  As with Nell, building a business will take some work.  That work starts with a decision that you want to take control of your life.  Control begins with buying products from your own store, sharing the opportunity with at least two people a week, giving out samples and suggesting they visit your website.  One of the keys is constantly feeding your own mind with positive stories through reading books or listening to CEP.  You will be surprised as people remark “you have changed.”

ACTIONS FOR YOU

What is your dream?  Have you been putting it off, saying I will get to that when I finish ………..?  

People too often put off control of their life until later.  Unfortunately later never comes. 

I challenge you to “Dust off that dream.”  Don’t waste any time to take control of your future.  You have the tool, the system to become whatever you want to be. 
 
Remember, a tool is something you use to complete a task.  Just because I used a hammer to drive a nail, does not mean I want to become a carpenter.  Network 21 and Amway are tools to achieve financial freedom or whatever else is your goal.  Amway is not a career decision, only a tool. 

Your dreams can become real if you decide that you really want to achieve them.  Only you can decide to dedicate the effort to make them real.  The decision is yours alone, not your parents, your brothers, or your friend.  You have to live your life, they will not live it for you. 
 
Think of Nell at 82 getting up at 3:45 to do what she loves all day.  What do YOU really love to do and what is stopping you from doing it – every day.

The dictionary defines success as “accomplishment of an aim or purpose”.  A leaders may define it their own way. 

Zig Ziglar:  The pursuit of worthy goals.  

Winston Churchill:  Success is stumbling from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
John D. Rockefeller:  To do common things uncommonly well.  

Pablo Picasso:  Action is the foundational key to all success.

Soichiro Honda:  To me, success can only be achieved through repeated failure and introspection.  In fact, success represents 1% of your work that results from the 99% that’s called failure.

Paul Meyer:  The progressive realization of worthwhile, pre-determined, personal goals.  
 
Sumner Redstone:  Success is not built on success.  It’s built on failure.  It’s built on frustration.  Sometimes it’s built on catastrophe.
 
General George Patton:  Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.  

F.W. Nichol: It simply means to follow through.  

Napoleon Hill:  A lot of people believe that being rich makes you successful.  My own personal definition on success is that you are happy, and not tied down by the burdens of money.  So many people are rich, but they are not happy.  Success is the complete package.  

Maya Angelou:  Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, liking how you do it.  

My own definition: To help others accomplish their goals.  Through this I am able to accomplish my mission of “planting trees under which I will never sit”.  At the end of each day I look back and ask “have I helped someone move toward their goal?

ACTIONS FOR YOU

How do YOU define success?  Are you clear on it?  

If not, then how will you know when or if you reach it?  Knowing how YOU define success helps establish your goals, defines who you are, where to invest your time.

Yes, investing your time as we only have so much time.  When starting the day, how do you know when to say yes and work on it, and when to say no to time wasters.  What do you aim at or what should you ignore.   

Your definition must resonate for you, deep in your soul, and ignite your fire of passion every day.  Never lose sight of what success means to you.  It’s your target.”

I’m talking about the only ownership that really counts.  Owning YOUR choices.  Owning your actions.  Your words.  Your deeds.  Your health.  Your fitness.  Your finances.  Your outcomes.  Your results.  Owning your life.  

Owning all that stuff means taking personal responsibility -- even for the outcomes you didn’t want.  

“Owning it” means accepting failure as your own doing.  No one else’s.  It means acknowledging your personality quirks as something you do -- no one makes you do them -- and they are yours to fix.  Accepting that the way you handle ugly or uncomfortable situations is on you.  No one else makes you say stupid things, or conduct yourself in foolish, regrettable ways.  No matter what they do or say.  

There’s a refreshing, unburdened freedom to all this.  Because when you screw up, or regret something you did, or wish you hadn’t said what you said, or made a mistake that cost you dearly… the good news is… YOU have the power to fix it.  To be better next time.  To make a different choice.  To use different words.  To go a different route.  

When you accept responsibility for failed outcomes -- when you truly own it -- what comes with it is the ability to mend yourself.  Without reliance on anyone else.  

That’s the ultimate freedom.  

Here are examples of words uttered by ownership-type people:  

“Wow, I really screwed up.  I’m going to learn from this and do better next time.”  

“I’m so sorry.  No one else is to blame for this except me.”  

“This is my doing.  It’s on me.  Please accept my humble apology, and I hope you’ll give me another chance.”  

The highest achieving people… those with the most integrity… those we most want on our team… and in our circle of friends… are ownership-type folks.  

The opposite of ownership is… BLAME.  

Blame is an ugly concept.  Blame is finding fault in someone or something other than you.  

Blamers are excuse-making people who always have another person, policy, or event to point to… and accuse.  

They blame their parents, siblings, spouse, kids, the in-laws, best friend, bosses, co-workers, the guy in shipping, the woman in customer service, competitors, suppliers, rules, laws, traffic, weather, government or whoever is not there to defend himself. There’s an endless supply of flimsy, sappy, feeble, implausible, pathetic excuses.  

These are non-ownership people.

ACTIONS FOR YOU:
​
 Three suggestions: 

• Be an Owner. 
• Only invite other Owners into your inner circle.
• Don’t tolerate non-owners.  Hold them accountable in a respectful way… or choose not to be around them.    

When America was founded in the 1770s, we were largely comprised of owners.  Today, in 2015, we’re largely comprised of non-owners, blamers, finger-pointers. 

Be an owner, and control your own life.  Take control and build a life free of another’s control – Build you own Business.  Amway and Network 21 can help you make that difference.  

You have the tool.  The choice is yours.  Are your ready to own your own life?  

In 1940, Albert Gray discovered and revealed that the Common Denominator of Success, lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things failures don’t like to do.  

Don’t get me wrong, successful people do not like to do some of these things but suck up and do anyway and achieve the result they want.  

Another Common Denominator of Success is finding the good in all things that happen.  Everyone encounters both negative and positive influences.  It works by converting every negative influence into a positive direction.  Successful people have a habit of making “Lemonade out of Lemons.”  They developed the habit and mindset that all that comes our way is energy. There is positive energy, and there is negative energy.  Successful people convert ALL energy into positive voltage.”  

This is a powerful concept that all can benefit from.   

How about some real-life examples? 

Author J.K. Rowling was rejected by dozens of publishers -- but refused to accept defeat, kept hammering away, and finally found one to launch “Harry Potter”.  

Colonel Sanders, in his 60s, was turned away by more than 1000 restaurant owners, yet maintained his resilience.  Finally, one agreed to let him cook his chicken and share the profits… which not long after, led him to create the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain.  

Tyler Perry’s rough early years included child abuse, getting kicked out of school, and two suicide attempts.  But he turned the corner and later wrote, produced, and starred in his own stage production.  It failed miserably.  Still, he never quit… and 6 agonizing years later it was a huge success… and launched his now-stellar acting, TV, movie, and film production career. 

Rowling, Sanders, Perry were confronted with many obstacles but never lost faith. 

What is limiting you and are you pressing on

ACTIONS FOR YOU

What challenges or obstacles are you facing?   Consider thinking about how you can make them positive events.

Making phone calls to new prospects.

Picking up the phone to check with current and former team members to help them order  

In any case what negatives can you turn into a positive.  Give you an assignment and the next negative that affects your business or life – seek to find a positive side out of each situation.