Are you willing?

The following is probably my favorite quote - it's from Tom Landry, a Hall of Fame NFL football coach talking about achievement. and what it takes.

"My job is to make people do things they don't want to do, so they can achieve what they want to achieve."

Please allow me to say that in a different way to those of you who sincerely want to grow your Shaklee business to higher levels: our job is to start doing the things we don't want to do, so we can achieve what we want to achieve.

What holds most people back from having the kind of business they dream about? They just aren't willing to do the things it takes to build. When I got started I remember exactly what I didn't really look forward to doing. My obstacle was prospecting. I had never done anything like prospecting. I didn't like making calls. Speaking in front of people was the other thing that was a obstacle for me.  Why do we have the business we have? Because I decided if we were going to experience everything Shaklee offered, I was going to have to start learning to do what I didn't like doing.

What is it that you feel might be holding you back from achieving at higher levels? It's all about making a decision. Go for it. You'll never regret learning to do what you might not like doing.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

We have no limits

Chasing a dream.... I have seen those words in many books and magazines over the years and I always seem to hesitate and think about what we do in this business. I don't know if you feel that you have been chasing a dream, but when I think back to our beginnings in Shaklee I'm reminded that I wasn't looking for this kind of a business. I was looking for a job. 

The possibilities that Shaklee offered were very compelling to me and that is what encouraged me to check it out.  What if it were true?  What if this company is everything my sponsor described it to be?  What if the products are really as great as he says?  There were a few "what if's?  I knew I needed a future as I had a job but it didn't have much of a future in my eyes.

I learned by attending as many meetings as possible that what my sponsor described to me was true because I met many people at meetings that were making it happen. Okay, so it's true but what about me? I started to think different and this means I started to think I could build this business and before I knew it I found myself chasing a dream.  What it comes down to in my mind is this, it's about allowing yourself to start dreaming and think about what your new future can be like.

Think about it friends....create your dream and then run it down, chase after it. We have no limits on what we can do but that means we have to think and believe that way.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

Skill with people

Over the next few days I’ll be sending you some simple information about the importance of having people skills. I’ve had this book for many years and have read through it many times.  It is simple but very powerful. I hope you enjoy learning from some of these ideas about having SKILL WITH PEOPLE.

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

Skill with people is the most rewarding of all human talents.
Your skill with people determines the quality of your business
Life – your family life – your social life.

The following ideas will help you increase your skill with people.

HOW WE RETAIN INFORMATION

10% of what we read

20% of what we hear

30% of what we see

50 % of what we see and hear

70% of what we say as we talk

90% of what we say as we as we do a thing

What's really important?

I read the following yesterday and it really jumped off the page at me. There are times when I have felt totally overwhelmed about what should I do next in building this business......especially in the early years. This statement made me think about those times.

"If you haven't clearly identified what is the most important, then everything seems important."

Another way to say this might be, I just don't seem to have time to do everything there is to do. Well think about this: once you decide what IS the most important, the 1 or 2 things that absolutely must be done if you are to grow your business, it's easier to grow. Why? Because the focus is on the absolutely most important things you know you should be doing.  Kind of simple.

The challenge is to decide to decide that you will be working on the 1 or 2 most important things to do. It seems to me that this might be something to make sure you develop the habit of doing.......working/doing the most important things you know it will take to grow. THINK ABOUT IT!

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

The word for today is BOLD

This is a word that I know I needed when I think back about my getting started in this business. As I reflect back, the most difficult part for me was approaching people on the idea of the Shaklee products or the opportunity. A little background on myself is needed here I think. I can't ever remember raising my hand in school to answer a question. I can remember kind of slinking down in my seat with hope that the teacher couldn't see me to call on. Speaking up even if I knew the answer or had an opinion was very difficult and I did everything I could to not be noticed.

Fast forward to the idea that this business had huge potential for people who were willing to talk to people and get appointments, give presentations, etc. There were so many times when I would walk away from someone thinking to myself, "I wish I had talked to that person about Shaklee." I had a lot to learn and I knew that if I wanted this business to work for us I had to be more bold. 

I read books, I listened to people give presentations and for them it seemed so simple and easy although I'm sure it always wasn't. I decided I had to step up to the plate and be more bold. To make a long story short what happened basically was I kind of willed myself to start doing the small things. Asking questions, being a good listener, get appointments and of course learning to tell the Shaklee story in a very simple way.

The best thing was this, I knew this company, products and opportunity was really special.  It was interesting because hearing "No" never really bothered me. The difficult part was, what if they say "Yes?" The boldness turned to confidence and that only happens because of activity. Putting myself in motion and being bold was my answer and of course over time my confidence grew.

I will say this, the personal development that takes place in this business is more valuable than anything else I can think of. Believe me friends, if you decide to put yourself in motion, talk to people, do the things that may feel difficult at times and reach down deep within yourself and be bold, you will experience that personal development. Go for it. Be a doer. Be bold.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

Being consistent is...

Today I want to focus on the word consistency. If there is one thing Faye and I have tried to do over the years, it is being consistent with our efforts as well as our thinking about this incredible business.  For example, there are certain fundamentals for this business that once we figured out what they were, we stuck with them and basically just tried to get better at following them.

"It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It's what we do consistently."
- Anthony Robbins

Talking to people on a regular basis, attend as many meetings as possible, learn from those who have accomplished what we wanted, conduct regular meetings, regular appointments, 3 way calls, once I started doing these messages the feedback encouraged me to be consistent sending them out, we were consistent at the little things that turn into big things over time.

Read that above quote again and again. If you want to build your future around this great company are you doing the basic fundamentals over and over and over again? Consistently. A very simple message that has huge potential is be the person who is consistent.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

Why not now? Why not you?

Here we are in September. How is your month going? Have you sponsored some new people? Will your PV be higher than last month? Are you having appointments this week? You still have time to make this month be a great month. 


"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves."
- Thomas A. Edison

I found that quote this past weekend and it caught my attention. All of us are capable of doing so much more than we probably do. I know this is certainly true for myself and I'm sure many of you would agree with the above quote. So, why not make a plan for the rest of September for doing what we all are capable of doing. Just think how fun it can be to literally astound ourselves. It will set the stage to make October be a terrific month. Why not? Go for it. Be the example.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

The answer to conquer fear

The following quote from Dale Carnegie is THE ANSWER to conquer fear.  Don't let it's simplicity fool you into thinking it isn't accurate.

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."
— Dale Carnegie

It is amazing what taking action can and will do for the person who is ready to grow their business.  By getting busy, taking the action, it will for sure gain you experience of what to do as well as what not to do.  You will learn what works for you.

Decide to take action on something you have been thinking about for days, weeks or even months.  In some cases even years. Test this quote.....Read it again......once more.  Once you start the action it doesn't mean everything will work 100%, far from it.  I do believe though that regardless of what happens you will feel good about your effort.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

The Best - from Jim Rohn

The following is in my opinion one of the best messages Jim Rohn has ever expressed. 
 I need to say no more.

Gary Burke

Jim Rohn: Change Begins with Choice   

Any day we wish, we can discipline ourselves to make important changes in our lives. Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish, we can start a new activity. Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. 

We created our current circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions.   We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life: If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life—and it all begins with your very own power of choice.

The key is being determined

I read the following a couple weeks ago and of course saved it because it made sense to me.

Most people succeed because of being determined, not because of talent.

Think about that statement. Believe it. Make a decision to become more determined to work hard and develop business building skills. As you develop the needed skills you will get better and better as time goes along.

Get determined. Stay determined. Everything is in our favor as we have the absolute best products to work with as well as a earning opportunity that has worked for thousands of people, and a very unique company with excellent leadership in Roger Barnett.

Start now to build momentum for the growth you want to have in 2018 - 2019. You'll never regret working hard at this business.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

Be bold. Have fun. Build your future.

I found this book titled How To Be Interesting by Jessica Hagy.  The title kind of interested me and compelled me to look through it and it seemed like something that would be fun to read so I bought it a few weeks ago. So today I want to share what is on one page of this very fun little book.

Have No Shame
Sing badly and loudly.
Skip down the street.
Go to that open mic night.
Un-censor your personality.
More people will smile than laugh.
and if they laugh, that's their sad problem

I've read this a few times this morning and each time it makes me think about our business.  I know for a fact that many of us don't do things we want to do, or we don't talk to people we want to talk to about the business or the products because, what will they say?  What will they think?  Will they laugh or criticize?

Talk to everyone.  Be bold.  Have fun.  Build your future. Smile!
As it says, "if they laugh, that's their sad problem."

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

When is the best time?

There are times when I read something it just kind of jumps off the page. I had that again this AM so I hope this makes you think about what to do and when to do it. Simple stuff but interesting.

The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.
The second best time is now.
                                           A Proverb

The best time to call someone was last month.
The second best time is now.

The best time to build this business was in 1970.
The second best time is now.

The best time to achieve your goals was last year.
The second best time is now.

The best time to make a commitment to achieve was when you first got started.
The second best time is now.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

How do you win?

I was wandering around a local book store a couple weeks ago and came across a interesting title of a book so I bought it. The book is FAIL Until you Don't, by Bobby Bones. Read that title a couple times and see what it says to you. What it says to me is to keep at it until you've won the so-called battle.   The following is on the inside flap of the book.

How do you win?  You lose a few times along the way.

FIGHT :  Deciding what it is you want; setting your goals; and strategizing and taking the first steps toward that goal.

GRIND :  Never missing a detail; always being ready and on call; and doing the work no matter how tired, sick, or over it you feel.

REPEAT : Having the patience, resources, and resilience to keep doing the same thing over and over until you get what it is you really want.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

It's never too late

In a magazine I was reading there was a great article about this 89 year old man who finally got his high school diploma. He talked about how important it was to him and how pleased he was to have that diploma. Isn't that a great example of not giving up but doing what had to be done to earn that recognition? After all those years he finally finished what he started many, many years earlier.

Here is the point for me and I hope for you. It's never too late to finish what you start. Every once in a while I get the question like, "Why do you keep on working this business?" I only have one answer.  I truly enjoy doing what I do and I love this business.  I'm not finished. I have actually said that many, many times...I just don't feel like it's over.

I grew up in a single parent home in the 1940s and 50s. My mother was a tough lady and very smart.   She had three boys and one girl and in those years it was unusual to be a single mother of four kids.  My mother was our model for the kind of people she wanted us kids to be. What we heard in our home over and over and over was: be polite, be on time, if you tell someone you will do something, make sure you do it, if you start something, finish it.

Did you begin this business with a dream in your mind about what you could become and what you could have? Have you reached that dream? If  you have not reached what would be your dream, is that dream still alive in your mind and heart? Finish! Don't allow that dream to be idle just because of obstacles and setbacks. Finish! Don't compare yourself with anyone else, just be the very best you can be. Finish!

It's never too late to finish.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

Getting more experience is key

The more I think and read about building a team or building a business, the more it becomes very clear to me that there really aren't any secrets. It's about knowing what you want and then organizing your time so you can give it a good effort, learn a few principles, and very simply follow the lead of the people who have already achieved what it is you want to achieve. 

 Working hard is the secret. I'll bet that isn't news to anyone. Another way of saying that is make sure you get more experiences because the more experience a person creates for themselves, the easier it gets. So, if you want it to get easier work hard to have more experience.

So what are you going to do today to make some progress? Are you working from a plan? Plans don't have to be very complex. Just have a list of what you want to do, then do the hardest item on your list first. Very simple isn't it? That's the part that always impresses me: simplicity. Here is a good goal for all of us today: make sure we're doing something that gives us more experience. 

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke