Are you willing to pay the price?

Let’s start off with another quote that tells it the way it is.  This is simple but also very accurate.  

                               

“There’s a price to pay if you want to make things better, a price to pay for just leaving things as they

 are. The highway to success is a toll road.  Everything has a price.”

                                                               

I’m sure everyone has been on the highway and come to the point where everything slows down and you arrive at a toll booth to pay to use that highway. Paying the price before arriving at your destination. That’s how life is. 

 

What paying the price means while building your future with Shaklee is we will have to put up with a number of obstacles along the way. Rejection is certainly something that we all either have faced or will face. We have to pay the price to experience that by not giving up or not quitting just because various obstacles got in the way.

 

We all have heard I don’t have time, the products are expensive, I don’t know anyone who wants to do this, I don’t like to sell to my family and friends, I don’t like to go to meetings, I could go on and on and on of all the things people might say to you as you prospect. Obstacles. Excuses. I’ve heard them all.  

 

Here’s the point, probably the most important thing we will ever do is make a quality decision that regardless of what anyone might say or do I will never give up.  Making that decision that you are going to be successful no matter what. Decide to be a mentally tough person. Mentally tough just means that nothing will stop you from building your dream business. You have to pay the price along the road to success.

 

The above quote says it all when it says “Everything has a price.” Think about it.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

Let's make 2018 special

Last Sunday I heard the following in a sermon.  “Too many of us are not living our dream, because we are living our fears.”   That really got my attention because for the past few weeks I’ve been reading various articles and books that are addressing fears.

 

I must say that when I first got involved in building a Shaklee business there were a number of things I avoided because I had never done anything like this before.  I had a couple long conversations with myself and I came to the conclusion that if I wasn’t willing to do what’s necessary to build a successful business, I would never experience success.  

 

The following are some of the areas I had to deal with.  

                        Afraid to take risks

                        Afraid to ask questions

                        Afraid to speak up

                        Afraid to set goals

FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real

 

We never grew as fast as many people but when I reflect back it was obvious that the more I addressed the above fears, the more we saw our business grow.   You will experience the same thing.  The more you start paying attention to overcoming whatever is hold you back, the more you will grow as a person and the more you will experience business growth.

 

Consider making a decision that your 2018 is going to be a special time because you’re going to do what you know you should be doing.  I can assure you that once you face whatever obstacles might be holding you back, the more you will grow yourself and your future.

 

Think about it.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

Hope for your future

A couple weeks ago I mentioned a new book I was reading about hope.  The book is The Hope Quotient by Ray Johnston.   I want to start off this week with some points made about the importance of hope.   It's just a word but it is filled with potential for our tomorrows.  I think everyone wants their tomorrows to be positive and loaded with potential to change things.  It seems that almost anything is possible when a person has hope.

 

The following points come from the book I mentioned above.  Some things to think about from this one important word, hope.  

                Four Things Hope Does That Nothing Else Can Do

                   1. Hope liberates.    Hope releases you from your past.

                   2. Hope motivates.  Hope helps you bounce back.

                   3. Hope initiates.     Hope sets you free to dream.

                   4. Hope activates.   Hope is the fuel that makes the world a better place.

                               When you have hope, anything is possible.

 

When I reflect back to when I first saw the Shaklee opportunity I remember thinking,  I wonder if it's true?  I hope I can do it.  I hope I can make it happen.  When I attended meetings it was like fuel in my mind because it helped keep the dream alive.   I learned early that the meetings were a key part of the future growth I would have because when I left meetings I always, yes always, felt inspired.  I would hear stories about the products, about people growing their income on a very part-time basis.   I loved that sense of thinking about the future and the possibilities that would come from this business.   

 

Do you have hope for your future?  If you don't I strongly suggest you attend every meeting, every event, that is possible for you to attend.  Read good books.  Listen to people you want to emulate.  I've been discouraged in the past and when I think about it,  what helps to overcome being discouraged was the inspiration and hope I got from meetings.  How about you, do you want to change your world?  Get involved and stay active as I believe that is the path to keeping the dream alive with hope.

 

Enthusiastically,

 

Gary Burke

Mistakes...regret

I think the reason most of us don’t do what we want to do is, what if I do it wrong? Or what if I make a mistake?  

 

“Making mistakes is how we learn contrast, how we discern what we want and don’t want in our life.  As they say, pick yourself up,  dust yourself off and move on.  Everyone makes mistakes, has challenges, bumps in the road.  Looking back with regret blocks our movement forward to bigger and better things.   Your future is up to you.  Walk forward in your choices."

-  Debra Oakland, of livingincourageonline.com

 

I remember hearing many years ago that it’s not the things you do that you regret, it’s usually what you don’t do.  I guess the point in today’s message is simply be a “can do – will do” person regardless of what obstacles might be in your path.  

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

What changes must take place?

The secret for improvement is to accept the idea that changes have to take place if growth is to happen.  Change can be kind of scary because we might have to start doing things we’ve never done before or maybe we just haven’t done those things for a few weeks or months.   Being willing to make needed changes is the starting point for making things happen.

 

Most of us have good intentions and we know something has to change if PV is to be increased, or if we want some new leaders.   Good intentions are just a first step.  Taking action is step two.   Maybe it’s as simple as just making that first call.  Or maybe it’s calling one of your upline and having a conversation about getting a fresh start again.   Another way of saying this is it’s just a matter of desire for results and if it’s going to happen, I have to make the move and get myself moving in the right direction.

 

Here are three questions that if you take the time to answer on paper it might help you   to know what has to be done.     WHY?     HOW?      WHEN?    Why do I want to double my business?    How am I going to make it happen?   When will I start?

 

Think about it!  Then create your simple plan.  Action is next and I believe that once you get yourself moving it’s easier to stay in action.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

What will it take?

I have learned that for me the best investment I can make is in myself. Think about that for a couple minutes. People who invest in themselves have become a “do it now” person. Pick one thing to do today, then just start. Getting started is a decision about making a commitment to do something every day.  Getting started doing what?

 

There are seven skills that you will want to work at in order to get better and better as the weeks roll by.   

1.  Finding Prospects

2.  Inviting Prospects

3.  Presenting

4.  Following up

5.  Closing

6.  Helping New Distributors

7.  Promoting Events

 

This will take some time but it’s about making that investment in yourself and your future growth in this business. So, bottom line is it will take repetition to develop the seven skills. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort and develop these skills the day will come when people will call you lucky because you have such a terrific business.

 

For me the most challenging skill is prospecting. To be very honest I’ve never really liked the step about prospecting. I have been an introvert my whole life and that is a major reason we grew slower than some people. But I finally got to the point where I was really hungry for Shaklee to be my future. It was to good to pass up. I made a commitment to myself that I was going to do whatever it might take to build a highly successful business.  

 

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to build yourself an incredible future? Once your hunger for success is stronger than any fears you might have you will do whatever it takes. It’s a matter of becoming that “Do it now” person.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke