Confidence is Silent. Insecurities are Loud!

Whether you are to your business or if you’ve been in the industry for a while, many people lack confidence, perhaps even dislike certain things about themselves.  It is important to free yourself from feeling unworthy, lacking knowledge, scared or powerless.  Rise above these feelings and learn to control your personal and professional life.  In this post, I will primarily discuss professional confidence. 

It is easy to get caught up in trying to be like our mentors or others in the industry.  The truth is that your prospects want to know you.  When people join your team or purchase your products, they are doing so because they like YOU, the real you.  

I don’t claim to be totally confident in my abilities, my skills or my character.  However, over the past few years, I have become much more confident.  Now it is time for you to allow your confidence to rise to the surface and shine!  

Make the decision today to look deep within yourself and know that you are worthy!  You are skilled and able to build a business.  With few exceptions, fear and doubt are created in our own minds.   

Most people start a home business to be their own boss, earn a living or supplement their income. Try changing your perspective to helping others instead.  Take time to think how you can serve other people.  If you are working with a reputable company with great products, you can change their lives with your business opportunity.  From that perspective, you are less likely to be afraid. 

When I first learned about and joined my current company a few years ago, I lacked confidence.  Having never succeeded with previous businesses, I had no reason to believe I could do so with this one.  I knew though, that if I was ever to achieve what I wanted with my business, I had to “follow the leader.”

I began doing everything my mentor asked me to do.  I was still scared, and it took me some time, doing the same things repeatedly, before I was no longer frightened.  It was about that time that I realized I wanted to help others succeed as much as I wanted it for myself. 

Forget your fears, and do what you know you need to do.  Promote your products and business opportunity. Imagine how many people you can help build their own business and grow their income.   Once you begin thinking this way, your confidence will begin to shine and your business will grow.  When you shift your thoughts from fear to power, you’ll be on your way!

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For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit  http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://ibourl.net/XpressFacebook 

A Rather Unique List…

As I sit at my desk working on my home-based business in my new home, I am realizing how very fortunate I am.  In fact, I believe I am blessed.

In today’s world, so many people are suffering - struggling to put food on the table, trying to stay safe and alive in war-torn countries and hoping to stay healthy and alive.  With all this in mind, I would like to share my thoughts about my own situation.  Perhaps this will remind you to “count your blessings” as well.

·         I am a senior citizen, and like many others, I have health issues.  However, I realize how minor they are when compared to many people I see every day and the millions around the world.

·         After living in another state for nearly twenty years, my husband and I recently returned to the state where our family lives.  We have children, grandchildren, siblings and cousins whom we love and who love us in return.  They are all in excellent or relatively good health. 

Four Generations

·         We live in a lovely home with heat and air conditioning and no major repair issues.

·         We have plenty of food to eat and never have to worry from where our next meal will come.

·         We have clean, safe water to drink and with wish we can bathe.

·         We live in a relatively safe neighborhood where we feel secure in our home and to take a walk whenever we wish.

·         We are far from wealthy, but we have enough money to cover all our needs and a few wants.

·         Over our lifetime, we have been able to invest and save some money, providing us with a measure of security when combined with our income.

·         We have good health insurance at a very reasonable cost.

·         We have friends about whom we care, both actual and virtual.

In addition to stating my blessings above, I would like to thank all of my IBO friends and associates for the support and assistance they have provided over the years I have been an IBO Toolbox Member.  You are all truly appreciated.

If you care to comment on this post, I would love for you to include something for which you too are grateful.

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For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://ibourl.net/XpressFacebook 

How Can I Use Social Media to Grow my Business?

Throughout our lives, we have all had to learn new skills.  Once that “light-bulb” moment arrives and we finally understand how to do it, it becomes easier.  We then perform that skill repeatedly until it becomes second nature.

Learning how to utilize the marketing power of Social Media is no different. I remember well when a friend suggested I begin using Facebook and writing blogs.  My first question was, “What would I write about?”  It was challenging at the beginning.  I did not think anyone would care what I had to say.  I was surprised and pleased to find they did!

If you are new to internet marketing industry, there are a few things you need to know…

1.     You can only truly learn how to proceed on social media by doing it.

No matter what you have read or how many other networkers have helped you, you will actually begin participating and posting to understand completely.  You will learn once you join a few sites, i.e. Facebook, Twitter and IBOToolbox, and comment on others’ posts and begin sharing your own stories or information.

2.     It may take a while.

Once you are participating regularly on various forums and other social media sites, do not expect that you will suddenly see results.  Sorry folks, but you likely will acquire few or no friends or connections or make any sales during the first few days, or even weeks.  It takes time to build your internet presence and gain followers and friends.  Social Media marketing is actually relationship marketing.  I have seen people become successful after it took them three months before their first sale.  .

3.     Do not become discouraged.

It is common and quite easy to become disheartened when you spend hours on social media sites and no one connects with you.  First, your posts and blogs will improve in time.  The more you participate, the more skilled you will become.  The more skilled you become, the more people will notice and connect with you.

You must KNOW that you will grow your internet presence as time goes on.  Do not allow yourself to become disheartened.  Your continued momentum forward will serve you well.

4.  Read others’ posts and blogs.

Part of your learning process should include reading lots of blogs and comments.  By doing this, you will learn how other people post and what they write about.  It will help you see the myriad topics about which you can write.

Social Media marketing is not a quick process, but once you gather followers and connections, you’ll be happy with the results.  Be persistent, diligent and patient.  If you are, it will be well worth the time and effort you invest.

The Magic Bank

I received this via email from a friend.   The author is not known.  It was found in the billfold of coach Paul Bear Bryant of Alabama after he died in 1982.

Imagine that you had won the following “PRIZE” in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use.  However, this prize has rules:

The set of rules:

1.    Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

2.    You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

3.    You may only spend it.

4.    Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.

5.    The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, “Game Over!"  It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?

You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would be replenished in the morning, right?

Actually, this game is real…

Shocked ? YES!

Each of us is already a winner of this “PRIZE.”  We just can't seem to see it.

The prize is “TIME.”

1.    Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.

2.    And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

3.    What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.

4.    Yesterday is forever gone.

5.    Each morning the account is refilled, but the “bank” can dissolve your account at any time without warning.

So, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about it, and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!

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For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://ibourl.net/XpressFacebook  

Looking for Extra Motivation? 52 Quotes on Persistence

52 Quotes on Persistence

By David Van Rooy     

http://www.inc.com/david-van-rooy/looking-for-extra-motivation-try-one-of-these-52-awesome-persistence-quotes.html?cid=em01012week33a

Whether you're a schoolchild or a CEO, persistence is the factor that will allow you to make the most of your natural ability.

Your natural ability in life is largely predetermined. What you do with it is not.  Persistence is essential to success, and the more of it you display, the more you will accomplish. It is persistence that will allow you to make the most of your ability.

In the spirit of persistence, I'm not going to give up easy and give you just 10 great quotes. Or even 20. Or 40. I'm going to persist and give you 52 great quotes! Why 52? Because I was targeting 50 and thought I would persist just a bit further. Find your favorite, print it, write it down, or bookmark this page, and then refer back to it next time you feel like you need a boost of energy or motivation. The list is ordered by first name--to give you an idea of how broadly the importance of persistence ranges among walks of life, this list consists of authors, sports icons, celebrities, politicians, business luminaries, scientists, and more!

1.     Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them. ~ Ann Landers

2.     It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer. ~ Albert Einstein

3.     To follow, without halt, one aim: There's the secret of success. ~ Anna Pavlova

4.     We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle

5.     Energy and persistence conquer all things. ~ Benjamin Franklin

6.     As long as there's breath in You--Persist! ~ Bernard Kelvin Clive

7.     No great achievement is possible without persistent work. ~ Bertrand Russell

8.     Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in. ~ Bill Bradley

9.     Champions keep playing until they get it right. ~ Billy Jean King

10.  My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However, down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories. ~ Bjorn Borg

11.  Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. ~ Calvin Coolidge

12.  Persistence and determination are always rewarded. ~ Christine Rice

13.  Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. ~ Colin Powell

14.  Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success. ~ Dale Carnegie

15.  Talent is nothing without persistence. ~ Dean Crawford

16.  A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. ~ Elbert Hubbard

17.  Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries. ~ James A. Michener

18.  The most essential factor is persistence--the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. ~ James Whitcomb Riley

19.  Money grows on the tree of persistence. ~ Japanese Proverb

20.  The key of persistence opens all doors closed by resistance ~ John Di Lemme

21.  Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th. ~ Julie Andrews

22.  Slight persistent effort can move you successfully forward in anything you do. ~Kelli Wilson

23.  Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity. ~ Louis Pasteur

24.  P is for Persistence! Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Wishing will not; Talent will not; Genius will not; Education will not; Persistence is like a Genie that creates a magical force in your life. ~ Lucas Remmerswaal

25.  Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time. ~ Marabel Morgan

26.  If you can't fly, then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

27.  You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it. ~ Maya Angelou

28.  Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success. ~ Napoleon Hill

29.  Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel. ~ Napoleon Hill

30.  It always seems impossible until it is done. ~ Nelson Mandela

31.  Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~ Newt Gingrich

32.  Patience and persistence are the keys... The keys to unlock doors of success... With these two virtues, you grow in reasoning and experience. ~ Ogwo David Emenike

33.  Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone ~ Pablo Picasso

34.  He conquers who endures. ~ Persius

35.  Our greatest glory is in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

36.  Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. ~ Ray Kroc

37.  To persist with a goal, you must treasure the dream more than the costs of sacrifice to attain it. ~ Richelle E. Goodrich

38.  In my experience, nothing worthwhile has ever really been all that easy. But it certainly has been worthwhile regardless how difficult it seemed. ~ Robert Fanney

39.  If you do not have persistence then no amount of education, talent, or genius can make up for it. ~ Stephen Richards

40.  The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense. ~ Thomas Edison

41.  Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. ~ Thomas Edison

42.  Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to always try just one more time. ~ Thomas Edison

43.  Permanence, perseverance, and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. ~ Thomas Carlyle

44.  With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable. ~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

45.  I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. ~Thomas Jefferson

46.  We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are. ~ Tobias Wolff

47.  All right Mister, let me tell you what winning means... you're willing to go longer, work harder, give more than anyone else. ~ Vincent Lombardi

48.  Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second. ~ William James

49.  Continuous effort--not strength or intelligence--is the key to unlocking our potential. ~ Winston Churchill

50.  Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." ~ Winston Churchill

51.  Paralyze resistance with persistence. ~ Woody Hayes

52.  Consider the postage stamp: Its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. ~ Josh Billings

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For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://ibourl.net/XpressFacebook 

Which Business Opportunity is Right for Me?

Thousands of people are searching for a business opportunity every day.  The first things to consider when researching an opportunity are:  1) Is it a reputable, legitimate company?  2) Is it a good fit for you?  Will you be able to be passionate about the product or service the company offers?

It can be time consuming and challenging finding the right business for you, but it is worth the effort. Because you've heard of a company does not necessarily mean they are reputable or that it is right for you.

Warning:  Do not rely completely on the Better Business Bureau.  Some businesses simply choose not to pay for BBB membership. While many very good organizations are accredited and highly rated by the BBB, there was a time a few years ago when businesses could purchase a high rating with them.  Since this situation was publicized, it is likely they stopped the practice.  Watch this video to learn more.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo8kfV9kONw

If a company promises or guarantees a huge income, be wary.  Some people will never apply themselves; and some don’t have the right skills for the business.  There is no way everyone can be successful, let alone earn a huge income, with any company.

If a company’s advertising makes it seem too good to be true, trust your judgment.  It likely is.  If the company has no product or service to sell, how is the company staying in business?  If all their income is from bringing new people into the business, it is not a legal company.

When performing research of a company, if you find many complaints about it, look into those complaints carefully.  Keep in mind though that some excellent companies have complaints filed against them for various reasons, so a small number of complaints alone may not mean the company is disreputable. 

Learn about the product or service being offered. Would you buy it?  What is the cost of the product?  No matter how great the product, if it is too expensive, you may not be able to sell it. 

Determine the TRUE cost of operating the business.  Virtually all business opportunities have a fee involved at some point.  It may be an up-front cost, a monthly fee or both.  If a company claims that it is totally free to start and operate the business, question it. There are companies that tell you there is no start-up cost, but later charge for the training, websites and more.  Do your homework, not only on the company’s own website, but also on third party sites to see what those outside the company say about them.

When you speak to a representative of the company, do you feel a “connection?”  Do you believe they are being honest and open with you, or are they “hyping” the business?  Hype should be a red flag for you.

Consider the company’s compensation plan. Some people like to have “multiple streams of income.”  Others like a simple payment plan.  Neither is right or wrong, but be sure that you understand the comp plan and that it is acceptable to you.

Does the company pay a one-time commission or residual income?  With residual commission, you will be paid monthly for each active customer/client.  Straight commission means you are paid only once for each sale.

There is no business right for everyone.  Take the time to research a company thoroughly.  Then, do whatever it takes to succeed. 

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For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://ibourl.net/XpressFacebook 

Who was David H. McConnell?

There may be a few of you who know his name, but I was not among them until I looked it up today.  I likely knew about him at one time, since I worked with his company many years ago.  I gleaned most of the information for this post from:  http://www.avoncompany.com/aboutavon/history/mcconnell.html.

In the 1886, it was extremely unusual for a woman to have an opportunity to become financially independent.  It was at that time, however, that David H. McConnell made it possible for women to earn money and operate their own business.

http://www.avoncompany.com/images/aboutavon/history/tn_mcconnell.jpghome

The few jobs women had in the 19^th century were usually in the area of agriculture, domestic service and manufacturing.  Women were paid only a fraction of what men could earn.  McConnell was able to improve that situation greatly for many women.

David H. McConnell was the founder of Avon, originally named the California Perfume Company.  I was an “Avon Lady” many years ago, and I have a collector’s item that says California Perfume Company on it.  

Mr. McConnell was a bookseller who sold books door-to-door.  While working in this capacity, he observed that his female customers were not especially interested in his books, but they were interested in the free perfume samples he offered to get him in the door.  He created his own perfume fragrances, which in itself was unusual.  Most of the women he encountered while selling his books were struggling financially.  From these observations, this man became a man with a dream that enabled women a chance to own their own business through an unusual method of selling that later became known as “direct selling.” 

His very first representative he recruited for his new company was Mrs. P.F.E. Albee.  From the beginning, he set the tone for his company to be family-oriented.  His positive spirit, guidance, motivational and incentive programs helped to grow the number of Avon representatives to 5,000 in only 13 years?

Today there are many companies that produce great products and help their representatives to gain financial freedom, but David H. McConnell was among the first.  Today’s Avon reps should be proud of their founder’s vision and what his company has become.

“If we stop and look over the past and then into the future, we can see that the possibilities are growing greater and greater every day; that we have scarcely begun to reach the proper results from the field we have before us.”  David H. McConnell, Avon's Founder 

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For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

I invite you to visit my Facebook Page at http://ibourl.net/XpressFacebook