Intentions are good, but...

When I think back to when I got started my goal was to find out what was true about what I heard. I had 4 questions:

1. Is it true about this company?

2. Is it true about these products?

3. Is it true about the system...network marketing?

4. Is it true that people are earning the kinds of numbers I was hearing?

 Others might describe it as I wanted to find out whether the company, products, system, and earning potential were "for real."

 

I felt compelled to learn as much as possible to answer those questions because I knew a couple things: It sounded too good to be true and I was very inspired about the possibilities. I went to every meeting, I listened, used the products, continued to be inspired by what I was learning and in about my fourth month my belief kicked in. I decided to set some goals and make it work.

 

Did I always do what I knew I should be doing? No! Did I have good intentions? Yes, every day I had thoughts and ideas but I wasn't always as active as I said I wanted to be. I knew I had to move my good intentions to productive activity. That was my challenge. The more I learned the more I was convinced this opportunity was special and I just didn't want to blow it off.

 

I've always been what I call a back row guy. Kind of laid back and rather quiet. But my inner person wanted to make this thing work and I was making some effort, but not growing like some others were that I got to know. Darn! I wanted everything Shaklee offered. 

 

I kept at it and when I reflect back a major key for our growth was simple...be consistent with my thinking and activity. I learned that I had to be willing to put myself in situations that were challenging and follow through on my intentions. I got it.  I couldn't be afraid to be uncomfortable as that was a huge part for personal growth. So, if you truly want everything Shaklee offers, you must get to the point where you're willing to be uncomfortable for a while and start putting yourself in situations that are challenging. 

 

Success doesn't just happen because we have a great company and have awesome products. Success takes place when individuals build their belief, accept challenges, follow through with those good intentions, and work hard. When you do this you'll get to the point eventually where others will call you lucky because you've made the right moves and built yourself an incredible future. 

 

This will be my last message until August 5th as Faye and I will be headed to Nashville for the conference on Monday morning and we return on August 4th. We look forward to seeing many of you there.   

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

What are your answers?

Here are some questions that seem relevant those of us who have the desire to make a difference and grow this business.

 

What am I going to do with the ability I have?

What am I going to do with the talent I have?

Am I using my God-given potential?

Am I taking advantage of the opportunity I have to change my future?

 

That's my message for today and I suggest you look over these questions and think about them. Go for a walk and ponder your answers. Only you know the correct answers to these simple questions.

 

Have a great day and I hope you take the time to inspire yourself today.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

How to get better

In the Minneapolis paper yesterday there was a excellent article about Sharriff Floyd, a player with the Minnesota Vikings. He told his story about growing up in a very tough area - as a young boy he heard gun shots, friends were killed because of drugs, his father was murdered over drugs and all in all it was quite a story about where he lived.

 

The point of the whole article was he decided he wanted something better. That is putting it mildly. He described how he made various choices that would lead him away from that kind of life. He made a statement about getting better and it really impressed me because in life and business it's about improving and getting better as time goes on.

 

"There's a difference between wanting to get better and getting better. Don't talk about it. Show it."

 

In the context of our business I believe it's the same. If you want to grow yourself and your business, you'll have to get better. Better at getting appointments. Better at listening, at giving presentations, at follow-up, doing a meeting, being consistent with effort. We all have to be willing to learn lessons.

 

The only way to get better is to start by making better choices. Look, we have an opportunity that literally changes peoples lives. I know that is true because this business has certainly changed our lives in so many ways. It's about the choices we make.  

 

If you want to advance to a higher rank or to earn four times what you're currently earning, it comes down to making choices. Meetings, conference calls and webinars are good places to learn but it's the application that really counts. You can't get better by attending meetings, you can get better by doing some meetings. I think it's pretty clear what I'm saying. Make choices. Apply what you learn. Over time you will become more efficient and effective in everything you have to do to build yourself an incredible future.

 

It very simply goes like this: Learn lessons, apply, learn lessons, keep applying, learn more lessons, keep applying, learn more lessons...I almost forgot, this is when you will see the fruit of your efforts and it's called succeeding. Keep on keeping on.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

Do you have a personal development library?

Here is a thought I first read in my very early, early days of building our business. This simple idea had a great impact on me because I decided that the personal growth side of life was going to play a role in our future. I don't know why I kind of knew that, but I did. 

 

"You will be the same in five years as you are today,

   except for the people you meet and the books you read."

Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

 

Books especially have helped me to think and ponder ideas as well as teach me about how others became highly successful in their specific area of life. I developed the habit of reading a book with a highlighter. Always with a highlighter. Always.

Here was my routine:

• Read the book and highlight what kind of jumps out at me.
• Set the book down for a couple days
• Go back and read every highlight and star or double star what I want to keep and read again.
• Take a pad of paper and write out for my files everything I highlighted that also had a star or double star.

Those files have been very valuable for me because there were so many times when I have gone back to read what I saved and I would get re-inspired all over again. Even today for these daily messages, some mornings I sit here and pick out a couple of books I haven't read in a while and page through just looking for a word or an idea that was highlighted months or years ago. I look for what jumps out at me, and then I write a message.  

We used to recognize people in our team at our annual conference with a plaque of some kind or maybe a beautiful glass piece.  One year Faye and I decided not to give out any more plaques for recognition, but rather to give a book to each person that could be helpful to them for their life and business. I remember one time I was in the home of Bob and Bobbie Acton from Pennsylvania. Bob said he wanted to show me something so we walked to another room and there in a book case was books they had earned as recognition over a few years. I'll never forget what Bob said: "Gary, this is our library, and I want you to know that before Shaklee I had never read a book that could help me personally." Bob had 10 to 15 books in his library they earned and he was very proud of it. That memory just came to me as I wrote that simple paragraph above. Life is so good.

 

So, what have you read in the past couple years, or the last 90 days? What are you reading today? My suggestion is to read something every day that can possibly inspire you. I read one chapter out of the book of Proverbs almost every day...there are 31 chapters so I read the book of Proverbs 12 times a year.

 

Have a great week.....READ SOMETHING.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

It's about getting better at who you are

After yesterday's message where I mentioned "renewing the mind" I received a couple of questions about what do I do to renew my mind, or to renew my thinking. As I'm sitting here in my office as I look around I see books, post it notes I've written to myself, a couple CDs, and just some stuff. Everyone has "stuff" I think that is just kind of there.

 

I read something every day because I got sold on the idea that feeding my mind good things would be to my benefit.  I bought into that idea very early, mainly because I figured out that it's my personal responsibility to keep myself somewhat inspired, interested in growing, and motivated to make progress, and learning what it's going to take to become highly successful.  It certainly isn't Faye's job to keep me inspired, or my upline's job.  I don't have a boss because I don't have a job.  I have a business and I'm in charge of me.....no one else is.  

 

I've listened to hundreds of tapes over the years - of course times have changed so we now have CDs and DVDs, as well as digital files.  I have invested thousands of dollars in books, tape albums which are a now albums with CDs, I have attended many seminars to learn what the experts have to say about becoming more successful.   Faye and I flew to Dallas many years ago and attended a 3 day workshop with Ziz Ziglar.  There were only about 15 or 20 people there but it fun and very inspiring.  We attended a 2 day seminar that Jim Rohn did and I still have the notes that I refer back to from those 2 days.  The point I'm making here is that I invested in Gary because I was willing to do whatever it would take to make this business work and I knew I had to get better personally.

 

As I reflect back, before I got involved in Shaklee I wasn't really concerned about personal development. I wasn't reading or being careful of who I was listening to but that all changed because I worked on myself by reading, listening to positive, inspiring people, investing in myself by going to seminars.   What all this boils down to is simple, as all this was taking place I was continually renewing my mind.

So, what are you reading?  How often do you read?  Do you have plans for getting better as a person? Are you investing in yourself or do you hear yourself tell yourself that you just "can't afford it."  It is every individual's responsibility to do whatever it takes to renew their mind.   In my opinion it's worth the time, money and effort.

 

Enthusiastically,

 

Gary Burke

Renewing your mind

I had a thought this morning as I was driving to get my morning coffee while up north at our lake home.  I was listening to my favorite station up here and some of the words in the song were.."are you on the right road.." and of course it struck a cord with me as that is about life as well about building a future and/or a business.

 

I learned quite early in my desire to grow a large business that I can learn something from anyone and everyone.  There isn't anyone I can't learn from.  But what goes with that is the fact that I can't follow just anyone or everyone as that leads to confusion.  I decided that I would follow the people who I chose as mentors.  They had already achieved what I wanted to achieve......they were on what I considered to be the right road to be on and that very simple was consistent effort will bring consistent results.....eventually.

 

Many times I would be putting in the effort and it seemed like nothing was happening the way I wanted it to be.  I was having appointments, giving presentations, attending and conducting regular meetings, but the results weren't always the same.  At times my self-talk led to self-doubt.   Doubt would always seem to try to steal my dream and make me wonder if I could really build this business. 

 

The Bible talks about "renewing your mind..." and that is one of the absolute best lessons that I learned in building a good solid business.  I had to renew my mind many, many times and that is one of the reasons I like to remind people as I write these messages that it will pay off for you if you will pay attention to your thinking and understand that you will more than likely have to do the same thing I did and many others did as well......Renewing your mind will lead you to renew your efforts and that will rebuild your confidence in what you are doing.  

 

The right road leads to renewing the mind.   Think about it. 

 

Enthusiastically,

 

Gary Burke

You can become what you want to be

I've been listening to some teaching about how we as humans function and how our subconscious makes all of our decisions.  I went to look in my library because I knew I had a workbook from a seminar by Lou Tice called INVESTMENT IN EXCELLENCE.  It was an awesome seminar. The rest of this message comes directly from this workbook. This might be a little long for a Monday morning message but I can guarantee that if you will read this carefully, think about yourself, who you are and what you do.  But also think about how you can improve. This could be life changing for some of you..

 

The Subconscious Mind by Lou Tice

First, your subconscious mind is your recorder.  It stores your interpretation of reality.  It's your data base tape recorder.  It records all of your experiences - what you think, what you say, what you imagine about yourself, and also your emotional reactions to those experiences.  All this adds up to a picture of reality, what we call truth.  But remember, it is only truth as you perceive it to be. 

 

The subconscious records both the good and the bad.  We are stuck with what's in our data base until we consciously decide to change what goes into out belief system.  (My comment - I can't sell. I've never done that before, I can't talk in front of a group, I don't know anyone who would be interested, I don't have time, I don't know how to train people, I've never conducted a meeting before, etc)

 

The subconscious also handles functions like tying your shoe laces, doing multiplication tables  - things we do automatically.  We have learned those through hundreds of repetitions  and they are controlled at the subconscious level of our minds and these become habits.   Most of our habitual behavior is good.  We can function efficiently.   But some habits can be barriers.  These poor habits can obstruct us when we choose to change.   We are blocked by old habit patterns by what we think and what we say when we try to deal with new experiences and new challenges.   (My comment...does that sound familiar?) 

 

I'm going to stop at this point as I don't want this to get overly technical.   But I hope you get the point.   The bottom line is our subconscious makes the decisions. Doesn't that sound kind of weird? It does to me but I have learned it is incredibly accurate. The point here is I have to pay attention to my thinking and what I'm saying to myself and others.

 

Just think about this for a minute.  Isn't it incredible that we can literally change our own lives and become very effective in whatever area we choose? But we have to use the right words in our minds as well as what we say.   (I can learn how to prospect, I have the time, I'll learn how to do a meeting,etc.)   We all must strengthen our inner person to resist all negative and doubtful thoughts that seem to come flying through our minds.  Resist anything and everything that seems to want to take you away from what you truly want to be.

 

Enthusiastically,

 

Gary Burke

Want to change your life? Change your mind!

This is another one of those simple, powerful messages that deals with our thinking. Maybe you feel you've heard enough, but I just love finding different ways to say the same thing. You just never know when someone is going to get it - I mean really get it.

 

Set your mind in the right direction and

your life will be headed in the right direction

 

Simple, right? It doesn't get better than that in my mind. It does raise questions though.  What do I want? What direction do I want to be headed in? Does it matter if I get to _______? Does it matter if nothing changes for me? What changes do I have to make in order to become what I want to become?

 

When I first got started, I knew nothing about what it took to become successful. I was always a hard worker. I understood working hard. It took a while to understand what it would take to become a Master Coordinator. My thinking had to change in so many areas. I don't like to sell and I had a fear of talking in front of a group - nothing made me more nervous than the idea of standing up in front and talking. I didn't think I would like approaching people about this business. Conducting meetings was on the list of what I saw Master Coordinators do. I think you get what I'm talking about.

What happened was simple. The more meetings I attended, the more I started to think that I could learn how to do what had to be done. The more meetings I attended, the more excited I got. In short, all that happened was I was willing to put myself in situations so I could learn. I would give almost anything to have a recording of the first 20 meetings I did. It would be very difficult to listen to I'm sure, but the point is my thinking changed and I decided to learn how to do what had to be done. As I reflect back it was simple, I just wanted everything this incredible company offered.

My thinking changed. My life has changed. Our future changed. The direction I was headed in became very exciting and all I can say is it's been a great ride. It will be for you as well if you decide this business is for you.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

21 days

Habits are very easy to create but very difficult to break. For years, I have heard that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. I don't know if there was a study done or if someone just made it up, but I do know I have a daily routine that could certainly be labeled as habits. I read every morning and go through the same routine every day - pretty much the exact same thing every day, every week, every month.

 

Let's assume it's accurate that we can break a habit in 21 days or less. What is it that you want to change in yourself as a person or in some behavior that you do every day?  I'll give you an example: I stop and get a cup of coffee every morning at the same gas station, and the display of bakery products is very handy because it's within reach of the coffee. For a few years when I stopped to get my coffee, I would also get a doughnut.  Actually, that's not true - I would usually get two doughnuts. :( It became a habit. I never went to get a doughnut, my stop was to get a cup of coffee but it became a habit for me.

 

In January 2012, as I was driving to Arizona I decided I wanted to lose some weight - actually, that's not true. I needed to lose some weight. I weighed 205, and today I weigh 175. I lost 30 pounds and have kept it off. The question isn't what did I do to lose weight, the question is what did I stop doing? It's been 17 months sine I made the decision, and I have had many cups of coffee, but very few if any donuts. That was one step behavior I changed. I also decided to eat better and at that time use our Cinch product which today is the 180.

 

As humans we get to make choices. We can stay the same, do the same, settle in doing just we do every day and continue on the same path. Or we can turn our future around by starting to make the necessary changes - and it will take 21 days to establish a new pattern of effort or 21 days to change our behaviors.

 

What do you want your Shaklee business to look like 6 months from today? One year from today? What do you have to change? Let's start with the thinking! Are you making calls? Did you have two or three appointments last week to show the opportunity we have? Did you attend a meeting last week? What are you reading? Who are you listening to? Do you have a system that is working for you to build this business?  

 

My guess is that you do want to change your future. Why not get started right now - RIGHT NOW. You know what has to change. It will only take 21 days to change some of your habits. Keep the good ones, of course, but what has to change for you to become that person you want to be and to have that future you know is available?

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

What will make you a winner is...

Last night I was watching the Golf Channel, as there was a one hour show with former PGA champion Raymond Floyd. It was a great interview; he is a very strong-minded person and during his career he won 22 times, including four majors, which is a big deal in the world of golf.

 

Towards the end of the program he was asked what would he say was his greatest strength over the years he was a golf professional. His answer was:

"What made me a winner was I wasn't afraid to lose."

 

That answer is what inspired today's message. It isn't just the words he said, it was also the steely look he had on his face as he answered. He was known for having a stare that would bring out his intensity for what he did. I'm sharing this with you today because what he said about being a winner in his profession is also very important in our business.

 

To translate to our business: If you want to build yourself a future in this business you must be willing to fail. I know we've talked about this in previous messages but being willing to fail is a part of every day. Are you willing to lose/fail? If you are, you'll make those calls, you'll ask that question, you'll build curiosity, you'll do that presentation, you'll conduct that meeting. You will be willing to do whatever it takes to build your business.

 

If you are very sincerely willing to lose/fail, the day will come when people will ask you what was your secret for being able to build yourself such a great future like you did. Decide now for what your answer will be when you're asked that question.

 

Have a great day and I hope you experience a failure today as that will be a signal to yourself that you're doing the right things. Think about it.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

How does your future look?

Yesterday I heard a sermon about how predictable God's word is. As the day went on and I thought about that, I also started thinking about our business and how predictable *it* is.   

 

I know that once a person has discovered that Shaklee is the right company for themselves, if they are willing to follow the basic fundamentals for building a network marketing business, their future can be very predictable. A solid network marketing business will predictably pay residual income for many years. Just think of that for a minute: you and I have a future filled with certainty if only we are willing to do what it takes. 

 

I know that we have the right company, the right products and a compensation plan that is incredibly lucrative and it will pay you handsomely for sticking with the basics. If you are willing to learn some lessons along the way and follow a mentor who has already achieved what it is you want to achieve, you will make progress, master this business and get to higher levels of income.

 

Here are some facts: if you talk to 10 people this week about the products and/or the earning opportunity, some will be interested and some won't. If you hold an opportunity meeting for your team, some people will always attend and some people won't. If you set appointments every week, there will be some who told you "yes" only because they didn't know how to say "no" so they don't show up. But there will be some who do show up. There will be people who say they want a Shaklee business but they don't want to talk to people. I also know that if you aren't talking to people it's very difficult to grow and enjoy the business. It's very predictable what we will face as we build.

 

So to keep it simple, it comes down to this in my mind, how are you going to handle the little setbacks that happen on a regular basis? Will you keep doing the right things, or try to figure out why some people aren't interested and try to convince and/or persuade?   Our job is not to convince and/or persuade people. Our job is to show this incredible idea to as many people as possible, keep it as simple as possible, and don't get all hung up trying to figure out how or why some very simply say "no."

 

We do have a future filled with certainty and it is predictable. This business flat-out works for anyone willing to learn lessons and work at the fundamentals. Think about it. Have a great week.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

What will it take?

Is one of your personal motivations travel? If it is, then it's time for you to sit down and set some new goals.

 

Yesterday, Shaklee announced the dates and location for the 2014 travel incentive - December 2014 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Go to www.shaklee.net for more details. But first things first. Does this inspire you and make you think about making this trip? Then set some goals. I don't mean just saying to yourself that you want to go. I mean preparing yourself mentally and deciding that nothing will stop you from doing what has to be done.

 

Remember that new goals always require two things: new thinking and new behavior.

 

Once you decide you WILL MAKE this trip you only have to answer two questions:

1. What is my new thinking?

2. What will be my new behaviors?

It all starts with your new thinking. Growth always does, so this shouldn't be new to you. Please don't over look your first step. Here is the principle you should hang in your office as a reminder for yourself:

 

"The common denominator for success is simply this:

Successful people form the habit of doing things failures don't like to do."     

Albert E.N. Gray

Do these people like doing everything that has to be done? NO! They do those things because that is their view of what it's going to take. THINK....ACTION....RESULTS.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

How are things going for you?

In his book Dare to Succeed, Van Crouch says, "If your life or business isn't working out the way you thought it would, have you thought about why not?"   It makes me sit back and think for a bit because when I found this business, things didn't seem to be working very well.

 

As I reflect back, I'm really glad that I took the steps to evaluate the things I was doing.  I was future-driven.  I think it's easy for someone to get discouraged, and if some encouragement doesn't come from someone along the way, the easy thing is to start to lower your aspirations and settle for something less than you really want.   So the point today is about being or staying encouraged.

 

I need encouragement.  Everyone needs encouragement, from young children to those of us in later years. 

The thought I have is what if that someone doesn't come along to give us the encouragement we need?  I believe we can learn to encourage ourselves. I have learned that my mind needs good thoughts and if it's going to be up to me to keep me headed down a good path. I need to know how to encourage myself.

 

I read a daily devotional every morning as well as I read a chapter or so out of whatever book I'm currently readiing. I love to read about how others have moved through their life and made things happen. Success isn't an event. It doesn't just happen. Small successes have always been encouragement for me. Good music is another source for me.  Reading and/or listening to a CD inspires me. I have CDs I have listened to 10 to 20 times, because I always get inspired by them.

So if you need encouragement, read some positive materials, listen to something you know inspires you.  Maybe it's music that will do the trick. And then here is the most important thing we can do as sales leaders: encourage people in our business.  Pay attention to the people around you and tell them how important they are, not for what they do but just because of who they are.  Look for ways to encourage - give a book, make a positive comment...we all need it.   So who are you going to encourage today?

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

 

It only takes one decision

The longer I'm in this business, the more potential I see in for anyone who is willing to go after what they want - with Shaklee being their vehicle. I believe that most people are one decision away from having a renewed vision, commitment and purpose. Just think about that: one decision away from working hard for a few short years and having residual income that will pay you for decades.

 

Sometimes, it's just a matter of attending a meeting and hearing again what is possible in this business. Sometimes, all a person needs is encouragement from their friend/upline - or maybe even rom a book. It is the individual's job to figure out how to stay inspired and motivated. How do you do that? Well, what are you currently reading? Who are you listening to? Are you putting yourself in a growth environment, such as attending meetings? Are you willing to put yourself in situations so you can practice? Are you willing to follow the steps for growth even if it means you'll feel uncomfortable in the beginning?

 

I recall very vividly how uncomfortable I felt starting out calling people, trying to get an appointment, trying to tell the story, staying positive when those around me were suggesting this business wasn't a good idea for me. I've heard it all. I spent the first few months trying to figure out what was true and what wasn't. I went to meetings...never missed...used products...asked some questions...did my due diligence, didn't earn much in those months but I met some great people and they were doing incredibly well. Around my fourth month, I decided that this company and the opportunity were the real deal.

 

I made a decision. I decided I could learn what these successful people knew how to do. I then decided that there wasn't anyone or anything that could stop me from building a future. That was it. I didn't care what people said. I made a decision. Did we have any adversities? HA! Of course we did. We had our share. But my decision was firm because I wanted everything this business offered. The best thing I can say is this: I would start all over again if I could. 

 

Think about making that one decision that has potential to literally change your life.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke