Today's Leadership Insight - Love and Care for Others

August 31st, 2009

Today concludes former Mayor Rudy Giuliani's Six Leadership Principles.

#6 of 6: Love and Care for Others

In life and in business, you'd think this was a principle that was practiced without thought. It's very hard to find success in any area of life without the proper emotional attachment to your fellow man and woman. Sadly, this is lost on many people.

Some "scam artists" don't care anything about people. Their only concern is to convince someone what they're promoting is worth their while...only to take their up-front payments and disappear into the night. The good news is these people are very easy to spot in this transparent world we now live in. Those who are looking to be successful realize their rewards will come by helping you reach your goals. This exemplifies an obvious devotion to your success.

Some major corporations treat their employees like numbers, leaving them high and dry without a word of warning. Many people lose jobs they've had for several years simply because the company failed to prepare for the changes in our economy.

As unfortunate as these situations are, it's in the face of adversity that true leaders rise to the top. Those who have been presented with the challenge of continuing to support their families in the toughest of times have two choices: Give up and admit defeat or pick themselves up off the mat and get back in the fight!

A genuine leader always choose the latter. Why? Because they love and care for those closest to them. And when struggle comes their way, they'll do anything to protect the ones they love. It's human instinct on a grand stage with the spotlight at its brightest.

There's a lot to be said for a devotion to mankind, and genuine leaders have the ability to harness this skill and practice it in so much abundance, it becomes second nature.

There are people out there who have taken a stand against mistreatment, stared down fear, and let their voices be heard. The Giuliani's, the Powell's, the Kennedy's, the King's, the Lincoln's, and so many more...all the way down the line, leaders have taken others under their umbrella and led them through the roughest of waters without an ounce of concern for their own outcome. They simply pointed their love for other people in a specific direction and let their actions mold their legacy.

Today's task is easy. Care for others. Care about their goals, their dreams, and their results. You're in the position to show them the way.

"Do something for someone today, in the knowing they can never repay you..." --- John Jackson

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Today's Leadership Insight - The Power of Teamwork

August 26th, 2009

Part 5 of Rudy Giuliani's Six Leadership Principles Explained...

#5 of 6 - Teamwork

If you've ever played a team sport, you know the power that teamwork possesses. The ability to work as a cohesive unit from start to finish can be the difference between victory and defeat. If one cog in the machine fails to work with the team for even a second, the possibility of downfall becomes more prominent.

In life, teamwork is essential in all facets. Husbands and wives work together to raise a family and provide for their children. Co-workers work together to ensure the job gets done efficiently and effectively. People passionate about a similar cause will join together to spread the word and strengthen their cause's mission.

It's difficult to accomplish anything alone. At some point, there's an outside force that plays a part in the accomplishment of your goals. Handling every aspect of a task by yourself can lessen results and prevent new, sometimes better, ideas from entering the equation.

A true leader realizes each of their team members possesses a skill set that can be utilized to get the job done. More importantly, a leader recognizes his or her own weaknesses and knows what areas they need assistance.

Everyone has weaknesses, and you can never expect to be a leader if you don't pinpoint what those weaknesses are. You have to know where you excel and where you need improvement in order to succeed.

This is where teamwork plays its strongest role. Someone on your team may not possess the copywriting skills you do, but they are an expert at web design. Instead of trying to design a website and frustrating yourself, allow the person who has the skills to do the task, then utilize your ability as a copywriter to add powerful words to the well-designed page.

Even better, have them show you how they did it. In return, you can provide them with useful tips on copywriting. Now, the job is done, and you both have new knowledge you can apply to your next task.

Teamwork wins championships, whether it's on the field of sport, at home or the office, or in a home-based business. Never expect to get to the top without the guidance and training of those who've done it before you.

Today, focus on your weaknesses and the areas you need improvement. Also, look to your team members' skill sets and determine what they have to offer. Never pass on the opportunity to mastermind with someone who can help you get the results you desire. Always focus on the team aspect as you recruit people into your business and stress the fact that they'll never be in it alone and will always have you to seek out when assistance is needed.

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Today's Leadership Insight - Relentless Preparation

August 26th, 2009

Part 4 of Rudy Giuliani's Six Leadership Principles Explained.

#4 of 6 - Prepare Relentlessly

Have you ever seen an NFL quarterback throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns in a single game without preparing for the opposing defense all six days prior to the matchup?

Have you ever seen a professional golfer set course records without hours spent on the driving range and putting green, working on every mechanic of their physical and mental game?

Have you ever seen a presentation given that wasn't preceded by weeks, even months of research to ensure every important point was covered in detail?

The answer to all these questions is no. The results these professionals earn are the direct result of the time they put into preparation.

Even the simplest things in life can go array without proper preparation. I'm sure you've been to a wedding reception where the best man felt he could wing his speech, then ends up stammering over his words as he nervously tries to assemble a coherent thought.

Preparation can help you overcome fear. Everyone has been in a situation where they've had to give a presentation they felt nervous about. This could've happened at any age level, and if you're saying you've never been nervous about giving a speech, you're lying to yourself.

There's nothing wrong with fear. A life lived without fear is a life not lived (see Part 3 of Giuliani's Leadership Principles).

But if you prepared for that speech and put relentless effort into absorbing the words you needed to say, chances are it went smoothly, despite any fear you may have had.

Preparation starts the moment you wake up. The thoughts that run through your mind will dictate the direction you take for the rest of the day.

As a leader, you must prepare yourself for everything. Certain obstacles, struggles, and triumphs are going to come at you from all angles, and you must be ready to handle each situation with confidence. A leader is able to take the good with the bad and find the positive in even the worst of negatives.

Today, prepare yourself for the best. Get yourself ready for the life of success you desire by envisioning your goals and plotting a course that allows you to achieve them. Study what it's going to take to accomplish greatness, then apply it to everything you do.

"Failing to prepare is preparing to fail..."

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Today's Leadership Insight - Have Courage and Take Risks

August 26, 2009

Part Three of Rudy Giuliani's Six Leadership Principles Explained...

#3 of 6: Must Have Courage and Take Risks

Great accomplishments are the results of risks taken. And tied to that 100% is the courage to take a risk in the first place.

There's two ways to live life:

1) Safely - You can nestle yourself into a comfort zone where you become a slave to the daily routine and allow the circumstances of life to dictate your course

2) On the Edge - You can break free of pre-programmed thought that tells you to live a certain way, thus allowing yourself to take risks, earn life experience, and chart your own course by dictating the circumstances

Leaders choose the latter. There is nothing to be gained in a safety zone except more of the same. By expanding your comfort zone, the results that once seemed unattainable become more tangible and realistic.

Fear is not something to run from. If you live a life without fear, you haven't lived! Life itself is a risky venture. But missing out on great experiences because you're afraid to try something new is personal highway robbery.

If I would've been afraid to shoot rounds of golf in the 100's, maybe I would've never picked up my first club and given the sport a try. And I would've been robbing myself of something I enjoy doing as much as I can, and cost myself to the opportunity to get better at something by practice and preparation.

As a leader in your business today, have the courage to take a risk. More importantly, teach your followers to do the same. The rewards that follow will be much more satisfying than those you receive when you expect them to come naturally.

Not every risk you take is going to pan out the way you plan. But each risk will provide you with knowledge and experience, thus giving you the ability to charge forward the next day, a little wiser, and a little more willing to not suffer defeat.

"You cannot achieve success if you fear failure."

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Today's Leadership Insight - Be an Optimist

August 21, 2009

Today's Leadership Insight is Part 2 of Mayor Rudy Giuliani's Six Key Leadership Principles.

Part 2 of 6: Leaders Must Be Optimists

Being an optimist is not only a necessary trait of an effective leader, it's a necessary trait of someone who enjoys living their life.

Think about how you feel when a person who does nothing but preach doom-and-gloom walks into the room. "The sun's out, but that will only last 2 minutes and then it will rain again." "I'm not even going to go because I know I won't have fun." "I'd watch the game, but I know my team is going to lose."

And so on, and so on. Honestly, how can it be fun to go through life expecting the worst of every situation?

People who live their lives with the glass half empty miss out on so much.

Instead of complaining that it's going to rain in two minutes, isn't it more enjoyable to enjoy the sun while it's out?

Instead of assuming you won't have fun at a particular event, wouldn't it be better to go to the event with a positive attitude and give yourself the chance to have a good time?

Instead of cheating yourself out of a great game, isn't it better to watch the story unfold on the field? You never know when you might be watching the greatest game in history.

In leadership, being an optimist allows you to see things a certain way. The greatest events in the history of civilization would never have happened if it weren't for the vision of our leaders. They saw things a certain way. Therefore, they were able to make it that way.

If you spend your time dwelling on the negative aspects of any situation, you rob yourself of all the positives. If Rudy Giuliani would've shined the spotlight on the terrorists during 9/11, the city of New York, and the United States as a whole, would've never rallied around him the way they did. He took the most negative of situations and put emphasis on the strength of the city, its people, and the United States and established hope in the face of terror.

Leaders are always thinking of a solution to a problem. They don't think about the problem relentlessly until it wears them down...they think of ways to overcome the problem.

Today, look at your leadership development from the perspective of a glass half-full. Stop dwelling on the negatives and put all your emphasis on the positives. Evaluate your problems and struggles for what they are, then determine what it's going to take to overcome them.

As time goes on, you'll start to see everything in a brand new light. And, without question, you'll start to enjoy your life a lot more.

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Three Questions to Ask Before Joining a Network Marketing Opportunity

A network marketing opportunity gives you the chance to work from home and create a money-generating business from the comfort of your living room. There are many different products and services that you can get involved with, from health and wellness to travel to marketing to several others.

Network marketing is an industry that opens up the doors of opportunity to those who are looking for alternatives to their current streams of income. But just as quickly as the industry opens the doors to you, it can just as quickly slam them in your face.

There are many statistics that show only a small percentage of people who set out to start their own home-based business actually turn a profit, or make any money at all. In fact, the most staggering statistic is the fact that 97% of home-based business owners fail in their Multi-Level Marketing, or MLM opportunity in their first year. These same people spend more money than they make.

So, with the odds stacked so highly against an industry “newbie,” how can you be successful in network marketing?

There is a simple solution. The reason so many people do not succeed is because they look into the wrong criteria when considering their options. They pay far too much attention to the popularity of the product, the position of the company (pre-launch or established), the start-up cost, and other areas that don’t lead to long-term success.

When a company is right for you, you’ll know because everything will make sense. But it’s important not to get caught up in the areas of business that won’t lead to long-term stability in network marketing.

When considering any network marketing opportunity, ask yourself the following three questions before making the final decision to become a distributor.

1) Will this business allow me to change my lifestyle? – The main reason people start their own business is to change the way they live their life. Some people are tired of living paycheck-to-paycheck, while others are merely looking for a secondary source of revenue to add to income they already have coming in from a regular job. Regardless of the reason, the extra money is for a lifestyle change, whether it be a complete lifestyle overhaul or simply adding another stream of income.

You have to look at the opportunity and decide whether the income potential will allow you to reach those goals. If you’re looking to run your business full-time, will your opportunity allow you to quickly replace the income you’re used to receiving working full-time?

2) What sort of leadership am I joining? – Another reason people don’t find success is because they join a company that lacks proper leadership. Even worse, they’re sponsored by someone who doesn’t care about the success of the people they bring into the business, only their own.

Leadership is the key element to your success. Will the leadership the opportunity you’re looking at provide you with the necessary tools to not only succeed, but un-tap your own leadership potential? Also, is your sponsor looking out for your best interests or are they only focusing on their own commission check?

3) What sort of training will I have access to? – This is one of the biggest reasons people don’t succeed in network marketing. They’re handed the keys to the car, but they’re never taught how to drive. They open up their own business, but they have no clue how to market, recruit, develop, lead, or even get started.

When you join a new business, you need to find out what sort of training your company and your sponsor has in place. Will they teach you the basic fundamentals that will lead to your success, or will they constantly bombard you with “hype” disguised as “training?”

These three elements are more crucial than the product you promote or the start-up cost you pay to launch your business. If all three of these questions are answered positively, it’s a safe assumption that you’ll find success if you commit yourself to doing so.

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Today's Leadership Insight - Possession of Strong Beliefs

August 20th, 2009

Recently, I was fortunate enough to be amongst thousands of people who listened to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani speak about leadership. The next six Leadership Insights will elaborate on Giuliani's Six Most Important Leadership Principles.

Part 1 of 6: The Possession of Strong Beliefs

How well do you know your goals? More importantly, how strongly do you believe in them and how much do you live them on a daily basis?

Without direction, it's impossible to reach a destination. Therefore, in life and in business, you can never reach the destination of success if you don't know how to get there. You'll wander aimlessly looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and even if you find it, you won't know it because you never defined what you were looking for in the first place.

Defining success is something you can decide on your own terms. Most equate success with money, but the smartest leaders realize that money is simply ink on paper. It's the lifestyle you are able to lead that comes from that money that truly defines your success.

Your goals can be small, they can be large. They can be simplistic, they can be farfetched. The accomplishment of these goals may be attainable tomorrow or seem light years away. But no fruits are sweeter than the fruits of victory, and accomplishing any goal you set for yourself allows you bask in the afterglow of personal victory.

It's important to own your goals, no matter what they are. You may want to spend more time with your family, go grocery shopping on a weekday when it's not as busy, use weekdays to take your family on vacations or the park, not fight stacks of traffic to get a job you despise, or stop trading in your precious time for miniscule wages.

It doesn't matter what the goals are as long as you believe in them with all your might. You have to know what you want to accomplish and take action to make it reality!

Your goals define your WHY. They give you purpose and direction. They act as your GPS on your journey to success.

Leaders fully believe in their purpose and let nothing stop them from reaching the goals they've set. They lead with ideas and don't say what everyone WANTS to hear...they say what everyone NEEDS to hear.

People look for genuine leadership, and it's easy to provide it for them when you firmly believe in the goals you want to accomplish. Strong belief in all facets of life, business, and leadership is infectious, and I promise if you commit to your goals 100%, those who follow you will do the same.

Today, re-evaluate your goals and think about how strong your efforts have been to reach those goals. If you're on track, keep pouring your efforts into into getting the results you desire. If you're off, choose today to be the day you re-dedicate yourself to turning your dreams and visions into 100% reality!


Part 2 in this series will cover why leaders must be optimists. Tune in on Friday!

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Today's Leadership Insight - Concentrate on your Contributions

August 18th, 2009

In life, we often have a tendancy to fall into the "what's in it for me" trap. It's a simple survival instinct that forces us to look out for our best interests, thus leading to our own safety and security.

As we practice this mechanism, we forget the irony that's attached to it: contributing and giving back will get us everything we need.

As a leader, your goal is not to focus the full allotment of your efforts on yourself, but rather those around you. Those in a position of followership will seek guidance and advice from their leader, and the leader can get everything they want by simply taking the time to instruct each person that needs their insight.

A leader doesn't do this for personal gain, but for the leadership development of everyone. A person who's out for nothing more than personal gain is easy to spot, and thus their reputations are actually tarnished by emphasizing this behavior.

The one who listens to the problems of the masses and does everything they can to improve the situation, provide guidance, and make a better person out of each individual based on the experiences they face is the one who will build a legacy that lasts generations.

If you look at the long list of exceptional leaders in the history books, their legacies weren't built because they selfishly strived for their own personal gain. They left their marks on their respected communities by contributing everything they have. They make themselves attractive through leadership, thus developing a group of people who followed suit and focused their contributions on the betterment of their community.

As you focus on your leadership today, pay particular attention to a simple point: Giving begins the receiving process.

If you make your work bigger than you and start giving back and contributing, two things will happen:

A) You'll experience a feeling unparalleled by anything on this earth
B) You will begin to carve out your legacy

Your work determines your legacy, and how much you contribute determines your place as a leader. Unselfishly work for the development of others and let their development become the foundation of your success.

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This Week's Marketing Gamebreaker - Marketing to the Right Audience

Friday, August 14th

This week's Marketing Gamebreaker installment is about the importance of getting your product and opportunity in front of the right people.

Have you ever tried to show someone something that you were really excited about...only to get blank stares, disagreement, and negativity in return?

This could be about anything. A new movie that hit the theaters that you thought was great, a new car you thought looked good, or even the Clams Casino that were just added to the menu at a fast food joint.

If it's something you enjoy, chances are, you tell everyone. It's human nature to spread the word about things they enjoy.

But just because something is great in your eyes doesn't mean everyone's going to enjoy it. After all, who really feels like taking a sick day because they bought into your endorsement of Clams Casino?

No doubt, if you're in network marketing, you've had your fair share of objections and letdowns. You were super-excited about your new opportunity and couldn't wait to share it with someone who you "just know is going to be just as excited and ready to sign up as well!"

Then, once you present it to them, they shoot it down. And you're left wondering why.

Here's the problem...

Old school marketing methods will tell you to talk to EVERYONE you know about your opportunity. Or, they'll teach you to promote how "revolutionary" the product is. Then, based on that, only a fool would say it wasn't for them.

This way of "marketing" may have worked in the old days, but it bears little to no fruit in this day and age.

The truth is this: Not everyone is going to be interested in what you're promoting...no matter what it is.

More truth: Not everyone is looking to start their own business.

This is why chasing down strangers at the mall, pitching your family and friends and trying to turn them into business partners, and holding "meetings" at your house are so ineffective. It's not targeted traffic. It becomes nothing more than a sales pitch, and people hate to be sold...especially if it's something they weren't looking for.

When people join, it's not because you sold them. It's because the opportunity makes sense to them. And your job is not to sell, but attract the right candidates to what you have to offer.

The trick is to get your product and opportunity in front of those who are interested in that very thing. And how do you do that?

YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT AT ALL!

Sounds backwards, right? Stay with me here...

The fact is, there are a lot more failure stories in network marketing than there are success stories. And the major disconnect is where new business owners fail to realize they're in the PEOPLE BUSINESS.

This is the key to personal branding. People aren't going to join an opportunity based on product and compensation plan alone. They want to be sure they're aligning themselves with the right people who will show them exactly what they need to do to succeed.

So...instead of pitching your product to everyone, give the people what they want. Show them who they're going to be working with! Show them YOU!

This can be done in a variety of different ways. Naturally, the Internet is where people will go to seek out an online opportunity. This is where you want to build a presence.

Here's a brief checklist of things you can do to start branding yourself:

• Create a Blog and add content to it consistently
• Create a My Story page (Ex: www.whoisjasoncercone.com)
• Become active in Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, etc. And by becoming active, don't just spam links to your business. Provide relevant content, help people when they need it, converse, and send links to useful information
• Make videos on YouTube
• Write articles that rank on search engines so people find you

This is just the beginning. There are dozens of other ways to get your name out there. And by doing that, you'll ensure you're attracting the right people. People who want to work with you and find out more about what you have to offer.

And, you won't have to waste your time trying to "convince" the person in line with you at Starbucks how "revolutionary" your company is.

Tune in next Friday for another Marketing Gamebreaker!

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Today's Leadership Insight - How Wrestling Taught Me to Accentuate the Positives

August 13th, 2009

For today's Leadership Insight, I'd like to share a story about how I learned to place complete emphasis on the positive aspects of my business and leadership practices.

I'm a big wrestling fan and have been my entire life. Many people look down on this form of entertainment because they believe it's "fake." My answer to that comment is always the same: SO IS EVERYTHING ELSE YOU WATCH ON TV! The truth is, these men and women put their bodies on the line for the sake of our entertainment, and the real risk involved in their craft is far removed from "fake."

We're all entertained in our own way, and the best thing about "personal choice" is that it's personal.

But I digress. On with the story...

While I like the entertainment value wrestling provides, I am a bigger fan of the backstage work that goes into producing the weekly shows that draw massive ratings and bring thousands of fans to the arenas. To that end, I've watched many documentaries highlighting this very aspect of sports entertainment.

One documentary in particular, "The Rise and Fall of ECW," taught me a lesson I apply to my practices every single day.

For those who don't know, ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling, was a small wrestling company based in Philadelphia that developed a huge following in the late 90's and early 2000's. They were more graphic and violent, and that struck a chord with a very large demographic of wrestling fans.

They folded in 2001 and were bought out by World Wrestling Entertainment, but the impact they made on the business forever changed its landscape.

The Rise and Fall of ECW documentary features interviews with several of the key players that made ECW so popular. Most importantly, ECW founder Paul Heyman.

Heyman holds back no punches about his vision to build a competitive wrestling program, despite the fact that his funds were signicantly lower than that of WWE and WCW (World Championship Wrestling - a wrestling company owned by Ted Turner that sold to WWE in 2001 as well).

He discussed several factors that made his program intriguing, but one line in particular hit home with me and the business I'm building. Heyman and ECW had one credo they stuck very close to: Accentuate the positives.

Heyman was no dummy. He knew he didn't have the sort of budget to compete with the likes of WCW and WWE. They had the ability to sell out huge arenas, put on elaborate pyrotechnics, and pay their talent higher salaries.

So instead of wishing he could have all those things, he took action and accentuated every positive he could find, and he put it on center stage with the volume turned way up: better matches, more intriguing storylines, the violence the crowd wanted, and unique wrestling characters that garnered massive response from the audience.

The end result? A wrestling program the people wanted. While they were never able to fully compete with WWE and WCW in budget, they were able to attract an enormous portion of the wrestling audience and had fans chanting "E-C-W" in every arena for all three brands!

When the final curtain closed, Heyman and his ECW talent and producers left their mark on professional wrestling. Today, the innovative product Heyman brought to the masses is still desired by the most avid of wrestling fans, as chants of "E-C-W" still echo through wrestling venues.

WWE has recreated a watered-down version of ECW as part of their weekly programming, but nothing can come close to the original product.

When I thought about Heyman's accomplishments, I realized how closely his credo relates to network marketing. Each individual that starts a home-based business starts at a different point.

Some people bring a large amount of start-up capital to the table, others do not. Some people have years of experience, others do not.

But it doesn't matter.

The biggest lesson that can be taken from this story is we all bring a unique skill set to our business and the industry as a whole. We're all good at something. So, why not accentuate it?

Paul Heyman was a leader. He realized his limitations, as well as where he could shine. Once he envisioned what he wanted to create, he took massive action and poured 110% of his efforts into making his vision a reality. By accentuating the positives, he created a program that, despite all the glitz and glamour of the highly-budgeted programs he competed against, wrestling fans wanted to see.

When building your business and expanding your leadership skill set, applying the same principles will allow you to accomplish great things. Instead of making excuses as to why you can't accomplish something, accentuate the positives, take massive action, and discover what can happen!

Today, think of one skill you possess and accentuate it! Share it with the world. Pour all your efforts into developing that skill and making it work to your advantage. Put the days of "I COULD DO THAT IF..." behind you and start focusing on what you have and how it can get you to the levels of success you desire.

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Today's Leadership Insight - An Important Lesson From a Morning Jog

August 11th, 2009

Over the past couple months, and even some time before that, I've been putting a lot of emphasis on building my business and developing my leadership skills by any means necessary. Today, for example, I'm attending a "Get Motivated" Conference here in Pittsburgh, where speakers such as Zig Ziglar, Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell, Terry Bradshaw, and Steelers safety Troy Polamalu will discuss a wide variety of topics including commitment, dedication, motivation, and championship thinking.

ADVICE: When opportunities like this present themselves, take advantage.

But as I was saying, over that time, a lot of my focus has been on development, and not on my physical well-being. I have let myself go and have caused damage to one of my greatest assets: my body.

But, whatever it is, I own it. It's mine. I decided that things will continue to stay the same, or get worse, if I don't take action and hold myself accountable for getting results in this area of my life as well.

I was on a conference call with the great John Jackson and he discussed how much more focused and energized he feels after partaking in a morning workout. Because I have tremendous respect for all John's lessons, I decided to test his theory.

And JJ...again, spot-on.

My mind is more focused and alert, and I simply feel better. So...this is something I've decided to stick to because it's simply another way to improve and develop myself.

This morning, I took a jog and pushed myself as hard as I could. This is when I realized something: my legs are still not under me. As I pressed on, I started thinking about how this relates to business and leadership.

Expecting to hone your leadership skills and grow your business in a matter of days is as foolish a thought as me thinking I can take one or two jogs and be back in tip-top condition.

It's a daily process. It's ongoing. It takes constant effort, just like anything else. If you think of anything you've earned in your life, chances are you made significant improvements as you put more effort towards reaching a desired level of success.

Today, treat your business efforts with the same level of respect. Realize that an hour's worth of work will merit an hour's worth of results. If that's the time you have to dedicate to your business today, so be it. But don't expect earth-shattering results right off the bat.

Remember, everything you do is a process. If you truly believe, every goal you have is worth working for. Keep your attention set on what you can do today, and let the pieces fall into place for tomorrow.

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Today's Leadership Insight - Are You Decisive Enough?

August 10th, 2009

My wife and I had a conversation over the weekend about indecisiveness and how it can impact even the smallest parts of your day. This was in reference to a conversation we've both fallen prey to which I'll share in a moment (one we've ALL been apart of), and how much our lives have changed because we decided to make better decisions and spend our time more wisely.

One thing I've taken for granted in the past and make strides to improve upon daily is how I spend my time. I look back at all the time I've wasted, either doing meaningless activities or trading in hours for wages at jobs that made me miserable, and wish I could have that time back.

Naturally, the past is the past, and I'll never get that time back again. I chalk every minute of it up to experience.

Fortunately, life gives us a lot of mulligans. We have the ability to decide to make a change RIGHT NOW...and then do it. When I came to the realization that I was focusing too much of my personal spotlight on the negative aspects of life, I made the changes that were necessary.

You have to make a conscious decision to make these changes actually happen, and this is where decisiveness comes into play.

Have you ever been involved in one of these conversations with someone?

"Well, what do you want to do?"
"I don't know, what do you want to do?"
"I asked you first."
"I don't want to decide. You decide."
"I can't make up my mind. You pick something and we'll go with it."
"OK...why don't we do this?"
"No...I don't want to do that. Pick something else."

Think of the time wasted because both parties of this conversation won't decide on something to do. If you're ever entrenched in one of these conversations, it can be downright excrutiating!

This is where a true leader can step up to the plate and hit a home run. A leader can make a decision and save everyone involved a lot of headache and indecisive chatter because a true leader practices decisiveness.

In business, the leader's role is quite similar. Indecisiveness is the evil twin of procrastination. If you come up with an idea, but can't decide how, when, and why to bring it to life, you're more prone to put that idea on the back burner and not give it the attention it deserves.

Leaders are innovators. They will implement any idea they conjur up. If it works, that idea becomes the foundation for something revolutionary. If it fails, then it fails. The leader knows what to avoid when implementing their next idea and can inform those around them to do the same.

Today, focus on making a BIG decision...something you've been putting off for a while because you were going back and forth on whether it was a good move. Make the decision today to move your life, your business, and your leadership in the right direction.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step..."

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Marketing Manifesto - The Importance of Leadership

8-7-2009 - The Marketing Manifesto is my weekly installment which gives you tips and advice for building your business. This week's discussion is about the importance of leadership in your day-to-day activities.


I cheated!

I combined today's Leadership Insight with my weekly Marketing Manifesto. But this was done on purpose for one specific reason:

You can never underestimate the power of leadership in your life. You need to seek out leaders and study their habits. At the same time, you need to master your leadership skill set and work on it daily.

Enjoy!

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Today's Leadership Insight - The Power of Struggle

August 6th, 2009

"...It is never the duty of a leader to struggle for someone else. A leader must encourage others to struggle and assure them their struggles are worthwhile..." --- King Solomon

It's going to happen in all aspects of life. Struggle. It's been sewn into the fabric of society since the beginning of time. Not everything goes according to plan, and every person should expect to tangle with struggle at some point in their lives.

When you were a child, you may have been gifted in writing and spelling, but struggled in math. I know this was my experience, so I had to work harder at math to ensure I completed my assignments correctly.

As you grow up, you may struggle with the opposite sex. We're all in search of the person we can spend the rest of our lives with, and very rarely do we find that person on the first try.

In business, no company, big or small, can avoid struggle. Hitting projections, establishing clientele, developing a strong team, and battling an economy in a downswing are just a few of the struggles all companies and business owners face on a daily basis. No one is immune to it.

But it's how the companies, and more importantly, the leaders, react in times of struggle. It's in times of uncertainty that leaders rise to the occassion and fight through the tough times.

Leadership is defined by struggle.

Like King Solomon said, a true leader welcomes struggle, and encourages others to do the same. Why? Because a true leader realizes that struggle will come whether it's welcome or not and will become a better person because of it.

Today, expect to struggle. If you don't struggle in your business and leadership development, you're not doing everything necessary to get to the top. If everything comes easy, challenge yourself to try something new. Use the mistakes you make to learn how to master the specific task, and file it away in your mental library for use at a later time.

Be focused on finding a solution today.

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Today's Leadership Insight - Taking Massive Action

August 5th, 2009

In many aspects of life, we allow ourselves to fall prey to "paralysis by analysis." It's human nature to gather as much information as possible before making a decision. But at the same time, indecisiveness leads to a serious lack of results.

Leaders take action. There are few instances in life where over-thinking pays off. The ones who find the biggest rewards in life are the ones that put their thoughts into motion and produce results.

Simply thinking about it doesn't make it happen. When was the last time you thought about having a million dollars in your bank account and then, POOF, it happened?

Thinking is not enough. You must do as well.

The biggest reason people don't take action is because they're afraid to fail. This mentality will destroy you. You should never be afraid to fail. Every failure is a lesson you can tuck away and refer to when a similar situation presents itself in the future. When it does, you'll be more experienced and better prepared. This is the lifelong pursuit of acquiring knowledge at its finest. Knowledge prepares you for future endeavors.

Failure is nothing to be ashamed of. It's simply experience. The biggest rewards are gained in the face of risk. And risk is a phenomenon that draws a fine line between your success and your failure.

Are you willing to throw all your chips in the middle and take the massive action that will drive your results? Or will you overthink the possibilities and let the fear of failure dictate your future?

Today is all about challenging yourself to do one thing you've been hesitating to do. Take action and JUST DO IT! From there, you'll see your efforts snowball. Taking action will become second nature, and pretty soon, you'll be buried under an avalanche of results!

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Today's Leadership Insight - Setting Specific Goals

August 4th, 2009

There seems to be an inevitable, consistent desire that all human beings want: MORE MONEY.

On the surface, it seems to be the driving force behind everything we do. We go to work so we can acquire more money. We invest our money so it can become more money over time. We even gamble to give ourselves the chance to win more money.

You can ask anyone what they'd like more of, and the answer, 99 times out of 100, is more money.

But if you look at this in more detail, it's not about the money. We don't want money...we want the things money can get us.

Freedom, time, material items like houses, cars, new golf clubs, and big screen TVs. People don't acquire sums of money and let it sit on the shelf like a collectible...they go out and buy the things they enjoy.

This is where the importance of specific goal-setting comes into play.

As the leader in your business, it's a necessity to uncover the true goals and desires of your prospects. When someone says, "I want to make more money," this does not speak to any specific goal in their life and is a very generic answer. What person walking God's green earth doesn't want more money?

Now, an answer like, "I want to make more money so I can pay off my student loans by July of 2010" is much more specific and shows that your prospect has a goal they want to achieve. This will define their reason for looking for alternative ways to acquire more money, and thus keep them motivated to put forth the necessary effort to make sure they meet their goal.

Today's leaders realize that the efforts of work and business are not about the money...it's about the choices money brings! Money becomes a by-product to the things that open up to you. More time to spend with your family, more freedom to travel, more opportunities to give back to your community and people who've helped you develop, and more reason to do the activities you weren't able to do in the past because you were confined to a daily work schedule.

Today's mission is two-fold. First, look at the goals you have set for today and determine how specific they are. Do the ends justify the means? Will these activities serve a purpose and contribute to the greater good?

Second, when you speak to people about their interest in your business, be sure to dive in deep and find out the real reason why they're looking to start their own business. Don't take "to make more money" as an answer.

Leaders genuinely care about the results of everyone they partner with, and you can't expect to help your new business partner acquire those results if they don't have specific goals to meet.

Everyone has a reason "WHY" they do anything. It's up to you to uncover what it is!

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Adjusting Your Financial 'Thermostat'

When people sign up for a network marketing opportunity, the first thing that runs through their minds is how much money they’re going to make. This seed is planted in their heads normally from the first website they view about a home-based business, normally littered with income claims and flashy banners.

While that’s all well and good, it’s important not to get caught up in the hype. It also doesn’t necessarily mean the claims on those pages are false either.

The person behind that webpage could very well indeed make the money they’re claiming. But what you won’t find on that page is their back story.

How did they get to that lucrative period of income? It didn’t just appear in their bank account, right?

In order to truly make money in an MLM or Network Marketing opportunity, you have to start at the beginning. Keep in mind that the richest people in the world weren’t born that way. They had to work for it. They earned their success.

It starts with your financial mentality, or financial “thermostat.” What’s your thermostat set at?

If you say that your financial thermostat is set any higher than what you currently make, you’re lying to yourself.

For example, let’s say you make $50,000 per year. This means your financial thermostat is set at $50,000 per year. If your thermostat was set higher, you’d be making a higher amount. Of course, you probably want to make more, and who doesn’t? But when the temperature is freezing cold, we always wish it was warmer, too. Simply WANTING it doesn’t make it happen.

There’s no shame in where your level is set, it’s simply what you’re accustomed to making. But in order to make more, you have to set your thermostat higher and literally believe that you’re worth that number. You have to believe you’re worth $100,000 per MONTH before it can actually happen.

One of the major setbacks to your financial thermostat is the people you surround yourself with. Taking advice from someone with no money and no ideas for ways to improve the fact they have no money will keep you exactly where you’re at today. In order for things to change, you have to change too. You have to take advice from the right people…the ones who share the same visions as you and don’t pour cold water over any ideas you have for financial improvement.

You can never outperform your self-image. This relates closely to the belief you have in yourself. In order to adjust the income levels you’re accustomed to, you must embrace what you’re doing. If you’re in Network or Internet Marketing and you’re not proud to tell people that you are, then you’ll never find success.

If you’re looking to adjust your financial thermostat to a level higher than you’re used to, do the following three activities to get started:

1) Surround yourself with successful people. Network with them and learn what they do

2) Create a mental image of what you’re life will be like when you reach the income goals that you desire

3) Hold yourself accountable for your own success and do everything in your power to reach those goals

You owe it to yourself to live the life you’ve always wanted. But before you can have that life, you have to be willing to put forth the effort to get it. Unless you hit the lottery, no one is going to hand it to you. It comes down to mental focus, the ability to see yourself doing great things, and taking action so the adjustment of your financial thermostat becomes reality.

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How to Develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset

Picture this:

You just found a position opening at a company that’s highly reputable. You truly believe in their mission and feel you’d be a tremendous asset to them. You meet their requirements, dust off your resume, and send it to them. Within a couple days, they give you a call and set up an interview.

In the days leading up to your interview, you prepare yourself mentally by studying the company and preparing relevant questions to show your true desire to gain employment.

Then, you go to the interview, and you absolutely knock it out of the park! You blow them away. They call you back and immediately offer you the position. You accept it.

You’re excited. You can’t wait to get started. You’re so engaged in your new opportunity that you tell everyone about it.

Then…on the first day, you walk into your boss’s office and say, “Thanks for giving me this opportunity. I’m going to give it a try one or two hours every other day and see what I think.”

I don’t think I have to tell you what would happen next, but needless to say, you’d be dusting off that resume one more time.

As ridiculous as this scenario sounds, it’s this exact attitude that runs roughshod all over Network Marketing. Brand new people will join an opportunity, be excited about it, tell everyone about it, but then “test the waters” by working their new business a couple hours a week. Then, when they don’t get the results they expected, they don’t blame themselves…they blame anyone and everything around them.

Network Marketing opportunities provide you with a great opportunity to generate extra income, replace income lost due to recent job loss, even full-time business ownership. The important thing to remember is that you are now a business owner. Regardless of the amount of time you have available to work your business, you have to realize it will never take off if you just “dip a toe.” You need to dive in and commit yourself to your business.

Fully committing yourself to your work-from-home business does not mean canceling all other aspects of your life. You don’t even need to quit your day job until you feel you’ve reached the levels of success you’re comfortable with. But fully committing to your business does mean you have to set goals for yourself, and hold yourself accountable for reaching those goals. If you commit to devoting 15 hours a week to develop your business, hold yourself accountable to that number. Don’t allow yourself to make excuses.

It starts with developing an entrepreneurial mindset. If you want things to change, then you have to change!

Think about how much work you do for your boss in an 8-10 hour day. Now, ask yourself: Do you believe in your goals enough to dedicate that same sort of work ethic to your own business? How much will you do for yourself and your family to ensure the best quality of life?

The mindset shift you must go through is from “employee” to “entrepreneur.” Society pre-programs everyone to be an “employee,” but it’s impossible to be successful in your own personal enterprise if you bring an “employee” mentality to the table.

You have to develop the ability to hold yourself accountable for your goals. This doesn’t happen overnight, but you are the common denominator when it comes to your own success. Only you can decide whether you’ll be a success story or a network marketing casualty.

You may be running your business from home, but treat it like a multi-million dollar, brick-and-mortar operation. You need to devote time and energy, and expect frustration and setbacks. IT’S A BUSINESS!

In order to be a winner in the network marketing industry, you have to think like a winner. Every winner was once a beginner. As long as you develop consistency and persistently strive to achieve your goals, your results will show. And from positive results, you’ll continue to feel the shift in mindset that is crucial to long-term business growth and development.

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The Power of Personal Belief

If you’re in the network marketing business, you’re in the “people” business…at least you should be if you ever hope to find success. A lot of people get wrapped up in their company, their products, and their compensation plan, but fail to realize that complete emphasis on all three of those combined elements will get them nowhere if they don’t learn how to deal with people.

In order to grow a successful home-based business, you must attract people to YOU. And to do this, you must have a strong belief in what you’re doing. If you’re not passionate about what you do, the people you tell about your opportunity will pick up on it instantly.

I recently attended a live networking function. It was very small and quaint, and allowed the few participants to do a brief commercial about what they do. The small setting also allowed for a nice open forum to discuss multiple topics.

One attendee went through a brief rundown of what they do for a living, and just as the facilitator was ready to move to the next person for their introduction, the person “back-doored” us with a business opportunity.

The “pitch” was very indecisive and lacked confidence. The person then handed out a business flier with information about the opportunity.

In no way am I demeaning this individual or discrediting their opportunity. But what I can say is that all talk about this opportunity ended as soon as she handed out that flier with company information. It was never brought up again.

So what went wrong?

First of all, this person didn’t know anything about us and would’ve been better off using that meeting to build a relationship with us and find out what each individual was all about. From there, they could’ve determined whether the opportunity would’ve been right for any of us.

Secondly, there was no belief in the opportunity at all. This person did speak very strongly about the product, but the lack of belief not only in the opportunity, but in themselves as a potential leader within the opportunity, was very evident.

This exemplifies how strong the power of personal belief is. If you’re going to be successful in a people-oriented business like network marketing, there’s no better lesson to be learned than developing a strong belief in yourself and what you can accomplish.

Personal belief carries with it confidence, posture, leadership, and knowledge. It makes you attractive on many different levels, and that’s what other people are looking for when they join an opportunity. The product may be ground-breaking, and the opportunity may be everything someone is looking for. But if they’re not partnering with someone who is committed to their success and can show them ways to develop, they’ll move on to someone who can.

People join people. More so, people join people who provide value and they can relate to. If you’re promoting an opportunity that you don’t 110% believe in, or, even worse, if you don’t 110% believe in yourself, no one else is going to believe in you or your opportunity either.

If you lack belief in yourself, it’s time to re-evaluate your goals and mission. If you want to find success and create a real opportunity to work from home for yourself and those you present your business to, it starts with believing in what you’re doing. Speak with confidence and provide value to everyone you come in contact with. Whether it’s negative or positive, the strength of your belief is infectious and will be the foundation of your success.

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Today's Leadership Insight - Let Go of the Past

August 3rd, 2009

It's the start of a brand new month and a brand new week. We are halfway through 2009 and are charging hard at a brand new decade in just five short months.

With the spirit of change in mind, today's Leadership Insight is focused on your ability to let go of the past.

One trait leaders possess is the ability to move forward and not become consumed with what happened yesterday, last week, last month, or last year. A leader does not look at the shortcomings of yesterday and wonder why things unfolded the way they did. Instead, a leader looks at both successes and failures and treats them as experience.

Experience is the lifeblood of development. Without it, you'll be stuck at square one for the rest of your days. A positive experience will make you smile today, while a negative experience will give you the ability to make a mistake, learn from it, and smile tomorrow when positive results come from the lessons you've learned.

This can best be exemplified in the world of sports. If an NFL quarterback throws an interception in overtime and the opposing defense returns it for a touchdown to win the game, the QB has two choices. He can A) Let the experience stay with him the entire week and carry it into the next game, or B) Wipe the slate clean and prepare to do battle the next week, a little bit wiser and a lot more knowledgable.

If the QB chooses A, how effective do you think his game will be? He might as well stay at home.

As a leader, you're faced with similar choices. You can let the past dictate what you do going forward, meaning there will be no change or growth in your life and you'll remain on a steady course down the path of least resistance.

Or, you can wipe the slate clean and leave the past in the past. Instead of dwelling on what you THINK should've happened, focus your attention on the present and what WILL happen.

I always hear legendary NFL coach Mike Ditka say the following, and the more I hear him say it, the more it resonates with me:

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That's why it's called the 'present.'"

Today, make a conscious effort to put the past behind you and focus on what good things today can bring. Chalk up everything that's happened to you as experience, and use it to forge a new path. Then, and only then, will you start to see how strong of a leader you can be.

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