Ability, motivation, & attitude

The longer I'm in this business the more I'm convinced that more people can build and grow a future to high levels if they would just accept the idea that there are no secrets.   There have been untold numbers of books that outline what steps to take, but there are no secrets.   There are meetings, conferences, webinars, conference calls and three way calls all which are designed to help people get a grasp of what it takes, but there are no secrets.

There is a quote from Lou Holtz who was one of the best football coaches in the country at one time. He taught the following; 
                                    "Ability is what you're capable of doing.
                                     Motivation determines what you do.
                                     Attitude determines how well you do it."

Coach Holtz doesn't say what your upline does or what your company does.  It's about the individual, you and me. We can have personal coaches, mentors, and untold great videos.  But it still comes back to you and me. Based on coach Holtz's three points, I think it comes down to this.  You have the ability...YES...You do have the ability but you have to be willing to learn.   This means willing to do what has to be done and learn as you go.

So ability is something you have.  It is your responsibility to become motivated.  Get to meetings.  Read books.  Have a mentor who has done what it is you want to do. Listen and act on what you learn.   The final thing everyone needs is the right attitude. Having a great attitude takes work but a great attitude will help you also become an overcomer. People with great attitudes have obstacles and problems and fears just like everyone else, but they continue to make progress because their attitude won't allow them to have a "poor me" outlook. A person who won't be stopped can't be stopped.  Are you that person?

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

It's about getting better

There are certain things that everyone must take responsibility for while building a Shaklee business.   It is your responsibility to first of all put yourself in a growth environment so you can give yourself the opportunity to be trained.   The next thing of course is to create a growth environment so the people you have on your team have the opportunity to learn and train themselves.

Training! When it comes to developing the various skills that will make you more successful it comes down to your self-discipline.  What you do for yourself counts far more than what others have done or can do for you.  Know what it is you want to become or achieve, then take the responsibility to train yourself  in the areas you know must be learned....such as becoming effective in prospecting, etc.

The following was taken from Signposts on The Road To Success.   "Nothing will take the place of hard work intelligently directed.  It is you and you alone who will do the developing.  Put your whole self into life.  Study, drive yourself.  Always remember that your worst enemy is inside of you.  No circumstance can conquer you as long as you do not destroy your own prospects yourself.  Always seek to improve yourself."

As most of you know, what you and I become is more important than what we get.  Work on yourself, read books, talk to your mentor about getting better.  Personal development is the key and no one can do it for you, except you.    Think about it.

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

Who's in control of...

I was looking at the book Go for NO! and reading some of my highlighted pages. I came across the statement that we have absolutely no control over what others think, say or do, but we do have control over what we think, say or do. As I think about the fact that if it's to be it's all up to me, it's very clear that I have choices to make.

Personally, I believe my job for managing myself is this: I have to put myself in situations where I have the best chance to win, and at the same time create a growth environment so people in our downline can also have a good chance to win. Of course I can't pressure people to do the things I'd like to see them do, but I can create a growth environment because then it is their choice of what actions to take.

I have be as consistent as possible because staying active and leading the way is obviously very important. So maybe the question for today is this: if you sponsored me, what do I see you doing?  Do you provide regular meetings for me to attend? Do you have new people coming into your personal group? Is your monthly PV growing each month or at least every quarter? Do you have two or three people to work with who are serious about becoming a sales leader? Are you getting to the next rank?

If those things are taking place you are creating an incredible growth environment for the people in your downline. Lead the way. Be the example.

Enthusiastically,
Gary Burke

Happy Thanksgiving!

Faye and I want to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow.  The following few words 

are very powerful.  This is something to think about for your coming year.  

I found the following in the book KNOW….DOUBT by John Ortberg.  

 

If I leap, if I trust,

I do not know for sure

What will happen.

 

What I do know is this:

If I don’t leap,

If I don’t trust,

If I don’t hope,

If I don’t ask,

 

I will never soar.

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

Choices...challenges...change

I think we are aware that the choices we make are what eventually take us in a certain direction.    So the question for today is....what direction are you currently headed?   Do you have new people coming into your organization every month?  Is your monthly volume increasing or is it the same as it was last year?   Do you have 2 or more people in your personal group who are working to get to Director?   

 

So it's clear that we are where we are today because of past choices.  One of the most exciting things to me has been the idea that by making new choices we can literally change our life as well as our business.  We can change anything by changing our mind.  Just think about that for a minute.   That's a very powerful principle.   By changing our mind our future can be different.  It is an awesome challenge to know we can literally make desired changes by changing our mind.

 

So what is it you would like to change about yourself, your business, and of course your future.  It will always be about the choices we make and whether or not we accept the challenges it takes to make things happen.  Think about it.   Then write out the changes you want on a piece of paper and create your plan for your new you, your new business and of course your new future.

 

Change is challenging but it can also be very exciting.   Accept the challenge.   It's something to think about.

 

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

How to get new results

Thanks to Rod Larkin for the following comments.

Gary Burke

 Too many people try to accomplish something they've never done before by doing what they've always done, which usually ends up in frustration and disappointment.        Albert Einstein said- "To keep doing the same things and expect different results is insanity."
If you want things to change, you must be willing to change first and start doing NEW things-- NEW activities and NEW levels of activities (the amount of activity-- all things that perhaps you've never done before.

Over the years, anytime I've had a person share a BIG, new goal with me, I have always made this statement and I have always asked this question-- "You are planning to do something you've never done/accomplished before.  In order to get there, are you willing to do something (activity-wise) that you've never done before?"  Most people say yes, but very few people are willing to make the necessary changes to do the necessary activities that are required to accomplish his/her goal.

One example would be-- If a person has a goal to earn $10,000 a month in Shaklee, this would mean building to the Key Coordinator level.  This is something a person has never done before.  A person cannot expect to reach this goal by doing the same things he/she has been doing.  The things you have been doing have resulted in where you are now.  NEW changes and NEW activities are the only thing that will make a difference in the results one gets towards reaching this goal.

NEW goals require=> NEW thinking and NEW behavior in order to get NEW results!

Rod Larkin

A simple thought for today

Greetings,

The following came from Les Giblin and it struck me that people would enjoy this business more if they
had the following simple view for building their future.

"Knowledge itself is of no value.  It is THE USE OF KNOWLEDGE that makes it valuable.  Putting this thought another way - life does not pay off for you on what you can do.  Life pays off for you on what you do."

When you read the last few words in that quote, I wonder what you might be thinking about what you're
going to do today?  Why not start your day with the commitment to DO WHAT WILL PAY OFF FOR YOU.
Get a pad of paper and write your list the the top 5 things you're going to do today.

Have a successful day.

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke

November 12 Daily Message

Well, I’m back at writing my daily messages.  It’s been almost three weeks since my last message so I’ll start with shorter messages and work my way into more messages and ideas.  I also want to say I greatly appreciate those of you who connected with me during this lost time.  THANK YOU!

Time seems to slip by so maybe I’ll start by asking a question.  The following is from a book by Arnold Palmer and it starts with a question.  “Are you stuck?  Are you caught up in a frustrating cycle?  It takes guts to get out of ruts.  Imagination is often more important than knowledge.  Maybe it’s time to let yourself think new thoughts and dream new dreams.”

The key words to me in that quote says that maybe it’s time to let yourself think new thoughts and to start dreaming again.   Go back in your mind when you first heard of Shaklee and how exciting it was to find a company like we have.   Learning about this new company with products that were of very high quality, as well as having an income opportunity that has the potential to help you earn whatever you want to earn.   I know when I think back to those first few months it was very exciting.  I’m really good at dreaming and that’s what I think of when I think of those first few months.

Are you thinking new thoughts?   Do you still have a dream about building yourself a business that could change your life?  Well the Shaklee dream is still alive.  That’s right.  The Shaklee dream is very much alive like it was the first time you were introduced to this opportunity.  This is a new day.  Starting over is always a great idea so my suggestion is that you take today as the time to dream again.

Enthusiastically,

Gary Burke