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Thursday
Do we really know what we want?
Henry Ford is famously quoted for saying "If I asked the people what they want, they would have asked for a better horse." Funny but probably true. There is a paradox in choice where, at some point, there is too much choice and people just take anything.
In this funny but educational video, Malcom Gladwell tell us about Howard Moskowitz, an American market researcher and Psychophysicist, who is responsible for Prego's perfect sauces and the creation of "extra chunky"...
It's also interesting becuase it highlights the new commercial, social, and socio-economic thinking; there is no "standard" consumer, we're not robots.
Monday
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This is one of the poems from which I took the company name "The Path I Choose". In this life, we but one traveller so we can only choose one path. This is an incredibly powerful notion, that we can choose our own path. If we believe that, then there are no excuses, no outside forces to blame and we must take full responsibility. Wow, taking full responsibility. It doesn't sit well with a lot of people for myriad reasons but mostly becuase we've learned to surrender a lot of our decision making to others.
It's at the crux of the current financial situation we find ourselves in now. We trusted financial institutions with our money making decisions, we trusted our politicians to govern with integrity and we trusted what we earn to companies that pay just enough to keep you.
So when you stand at a V in the road of life, first consider that you have a choice and then be prepared to stand by it. While many subscribe to the axiom scientia potentia est the truth is knowledge is only powerful if you act on it.
Now, time for my walk...
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
This is one of the poems from which I took the company name "The Path I Choose". In this life, we but one traveller so we can only choose one path. This is an incredibly powerful notion, that we can choose our own path. If we believe that, then there are no excuses, no outside forces to blame and we must take full responsibility. Wow, taking full responsibility. It doesn't sit well with a lot of people for myriad reasons but mostly becuase we've learned to surrender a lot of our decision making to others.
It's at the crux of the current financial situation we find ourselves in now. We trusted financial institutions with our money making decisions, we trusted our politicians to govern with integrity and we trusted what we earn to companies that pay just enough to keep you.
So when you stand at a V in the road of life, first consider that you have a choice and then be prepared to stand by it. While many subscribe to the axiom scientia potentia est the truth is knowledge is only powerful if you act on it.
Now, time for my walk...
In God we trust (me I'm not sure about).
Belief in oneself often comes when we see what we've accomplished. If we don't see what we've done, this can be a stumbling block. This is especially the case when we feel that we're just doing what everyone else is doing anyway. Big "Whoop eee!", I've done the shopping and yet a whole series of events and circumstances have taken place that we just take for granted.
Most, if not all, reading this will have no dis-abilities so there will have been no challenges go to or from the car, drive the car, negotiating the aisles or reaching to the higher shelves. There will have been no curb too high for a wheelchair to overcome or issues carrying the groceries.
Most, if not all, will have no intellectual impediment. You'll have read the labels and the sell-by dates with ease. You'll have made calculated choices about how many steaks to buy for the family and what to make instead for the vegetarian or the vegan in the family. At the till, you'll tender the correct amount or know what change to expect.
You'll know where your car is parked and an you'll know how to get home, a home that you have created through your choices. The neighbourhood, the house, the decor and the storage.
It's easy to take note when something isn't working properly and all too easy not to notice when something is. In personal development we learn to appreciate the now and be grateful and not 'comparative gratitude' (I should be thankful that I'm not...). A gratitude that celebrates what works in our lives, the miracles that happen every day for those who have eyes to see.
Yes, there's a lot to celebrate daily so start by taking note of all the good decisions that you've made during the day. Trust your gut and see what the results are.
I'm always reminded of the scene in the Matrix when Neo, having been shot, is brought back to life and begins to see the fabricated world for what it is. For so long it was someone else's reality and it took a life changing event to make him see otherwise.
Don't wait to 'die' to see how wonderful the world can be through your eyes and through your choices.
We trust in God but we forget that we are of God. Trust that you have been made with great abilities to make great choices (remembering not to be prideful by praising the decision not yourself).
Most, if not all, reading this will have no dis-abilities so there will have been no challenges go to or from the car, drive the car, negotiating the aisles or reaching to the higher shelves. There will have been no curb too high for a wheelchair to overcome or issues carrying the groceries.
Most, if not all, will have no intellectual impediment. You'll have read the labels and the sell-by dates with ease. You'll have made calculated choices about how many steaks to buy for the family and what to make instead for the vegetarian or the vegan in the family. At the till, you'll tender the correct amount or know what change to expect.
You'll know where your car is parked and an you'll know how to get home, a home that you have created through your choices. The neighbourhood, the house, the decor and the storage.
It's easy to take note when something isn't working properly and all too easy not to notice when something is. In personal development we learn to appreciate the now and be grateful and not 'comparative gratitude' (I should be thankful that I'm not...). A gratitude that celebrates what works in our lives, the miracles that happen every day for those who have eyes to see.
Yes, there's a lot to celebrate daily so start by taking note of all the good decisions that you've made during the day. Trust your gut and see what the results are.
I'm always reminded of the scene in the Matrix when Neo, having been shot, is brought back to life and begins to see the fabricated world for what it is. For so long it was someone else's reality and it took a life changing event to make him see otherwise.
Don't wait to 'die' to see how wonderful the world can be through your eyes and through your choices.
We trust in God but we forget that we are of God. Trust that you have been made with great abilities to make great choices (remembering not to be prideful by praising the decision not yourself).
Friday
When I Entered The Home Business Arena...
Over three years ago I started my business. I started it for the money, as you do with business. I had tried several multi-level programmes in the hope that they would turn in to businesses and generate a serious income. I so wanted to leave my jobs and play big. You see, I have a particularly wealthy uncle and aunt who had started their business in the motor car industry from the ground. They are so generous and they don't hesitate to share this life, my cousins too. As much as I love it though, it's not mine. So this was my motivation for starting a business. I was 38 at the time and my goal was to retire by 40.
So, having tried some programmes for which I am truly grateful to have done, I learned my first lesson. It was a simple lesson in mathematics. I failed to calculate how much in sales I would need to generate in order to at least break even. As a result, I was spending more on marketing than I was making in sales. The knock on effect was that I questioned the profit margins of the programme. At the same time, I was trying to recruit to a 'business' website whose training practices were, to be frank, unprofessional. It drives me scatty when I see people do some of those things now but I also remember that I did it once too due to poor leadership.
So I continued my search. At the end of my tether, I must have keyed in "Big profit home business" or something similar to Google. I clicked on a link and took the chance and filled out the contact form. I didn't expect much. So when I got the inital call I was waiting for the 'the hook'. "Give us your credit card details and..." and I had this vision of a woman in curlers in her dressing gown on the couch doing this to several people. But that didn't happen. The call was rescheduled to Monday at 5.30pm (the first call being at 9.00pm on a Friday evening due to them being in the States and I in Ireland). So when I got the call at 5.30pm on Monday (not 5.30ish), I took note. I was dealing with people of integrity. The kind of people that I wanted to be associated with.
After a brief call/interview I got a link sent to me. I'll never forget it. I was blown away by what I heard and saw. Really? Could this be true? I called my wife... could this be true? Here it was, a business, with products, leverage and big, up front profits. It required investment that called for me to step outside my comfort zone, to stop thinking like and employee, the call to play with the rhinos and leave the herd of cows. And I nearly didn't because I didn't particularly like the attitude of my enroller who I thought was abrupt and unfriendly (which I absolutely understand now. This guy was looking for a business partner not someone he had to molly coddle and babysit). Whatever my personal feelings were, I wasn't going to leave that kind of money on the table though. This was franchise level income without the franchise level casts. In I went. Three and a half years ago.
As a by-the-way, the industry the business is in is Personal Development/Entrepreneurial Education and now, positive media too. I can't tell you how much I've grown as a person. Sometimes step-by-step other times by quantum leaps. Identifying what's holding you back is only the start. What I thought was the fire was only the spark. The absolute feeling of serendipity is tempered by the journey you need to take if you want enact change. I'm happier now than ever, which means my parents are happier, my wife is happier, my kids are happier, my friends are happier and people that I haven't even met but catch that constant smile on my face are happier. And yes, I'm making the kind of money that can only be generated by owning a business.
So here's a checklist of questions that I would suggest any would be home based business seeker ask.
Why am I looking? (This has got to be about you and what you want.)
Are there products? (You may think this is an obvious question but believe me, I've seen programs that just call for a cash donation to be made directly with no products.)
What are the profit margins like? (Making 0.05c per sale will require thousands of customers. So how much work will be required to do this? Only you, through practical experience, can answer this. Don't ask anyone else, they won't be running your business.)
Could I make a presentation to a bank for a loan about this business?
Is the compensation plan set up so that could I make more money than the person who enrolled me? (Every organisation is in the shape of a pyramid, EVERY one but in network marketing, through your own efforts, you can make more money than the person who enrolled you.)
What is the training like?
What is the level of investment to return on investment ratio?
Am I prepared to stick this out? (This will depend on your answer to question one.)
Is my goal worthy of my effort? (Don't shrink your dreams to fit your pocket. If you're going to put in the time and the effort, make sure your dream is worth it.)
And here is the most important question that is for no-one else to answer:
Do I believe that I can make this work for ME? (In any compensation plan the 'x', the variable in the equation will always be You, no-one else. So look carefull and solve for 'x'.)
There may be a question that is conspicuous by it's absence "What about liking the product?". I'll tell you that, for me, I had no idea about personal development or what it was about when I started but I'm over the moon about it now. Whatever you turn your hand to, be a product of the product otherwise the only person you'll be short-changing is yourself.
So, having tried some programmes for which I am truly grateful to have done, I learned my first lesson. It was a simple lesson in mathematics. I failed to calculate how much in sales I would need to generate in order to at least break even. As a result, I was spending more on marketing than I was making in sales. The knock on effect was that I questioned the profit margins of the programme. At the same time, I was trying to recruit to a 'business' website whose training practices were, to be frank, unprofessional. It drives me scatty when I see people do some of those things now but I also remember that I did it once too due to poor leadership.
So I continued my search. At the end of my tether, I must have keyed in "Big profit home business" or something similar to Google. I clicked on a link and took the chance and filled out the contact form. I didn't expect much. So when I got the inital call I was waiting for the 'the hook'. "Give us your credit card details and..." and I had this vision of a woman in curlers in her dressing gown on the couch doing this to several people. But that didn't happen. The call was rescheduled to Monday at 5.30pm (the first call being at 9.00pm on a Friday evening due to them being in the States and I in Ireland). So when I got the call at 5.30pm on Monday (not 5.30ish), I took note. I was dealing with people of integrity. The kind of people that I wanted to be associated with.
After a brief call/interview I got a link sent to me. I'll never forget it. I was blown away by what I heard and saw. Really? Could this be true? I called my wife... could this be true? Here it was, a business, with products, leverage and big, up front profits. It required investment that called for me to step outside my comfort zone, to stop thinking like and employee, the call to play with the rhinos and leave the herd of cows. And I nearly didn't because I didn't particularly like the attitude of my enroller who I thought was abrupt and unfriendly (which I absolutely understand now. This guy was looking for a business partner not someone he had to molly coddle and babysit). Whatever my personal feelings were, I wasn't going to leave that kind of money on the table though. This was franchise level income without the franchise level casts. In I went. Three and a half years ago.
As a by-the-way, the industry the business is in is Personal Development/Entrepreneurial Education and now, positive media too. I can't tell you how much I've grown as a person. Sometimes step-by-step other times by quantum leaps. Identifying what's holding you back is only the start. What I thought was the fire was only the spark. The absolute feeling of serendipity is tempered by the journey you need to take if you want enact change. I'm happier now than ever, which means my parents are happier, my wife is happier, my kids are happier, my friends are happier and people that I haven't even met but catch that constant smile on my face are happier. And yes, I'm making the kind of money that can only be generated by owning a business.
So here's a checklist of questions that I would suggest any would be home based business seeker ask.
Why am I looking? (This has got to be about you and what you want.)
Are there products? (You may think this is an obvious question but believe me, I've seen programs that just call for a cash donation to be made directly with no products.)
What are the profit margins like? (Making 0.05c per sale will require thousands of customers. So how much work will be required to do this? Only you, through practical experience, can answer this. Don't ask anyone else, they won't be running your business.)
Could I make a presentation to a bank for a loan about this business?
Is the compensation plan set up so that could I make more money than the person who enrolled me? (Every organisation is in the shape of a pyramid, EVERY one but in network marketing, through your own efforts, you can make more money than the person who enrolled you.)
What is the training like?
What is the level of investment to return on investment ratio?
Am I prepared to stick this out? (This will depend on your answer to question one.)
Is my goal worthy of my effort? (Don't shrink your dreams to fit your pocket. If you're going to put in the time and the effort, make sure your dream is worth it.)
And here is the most important question that is for no-one else to answer:
Do I believe that I can make this work for ME? (In any compensation plan the 'x', the variable in the equation will always be You, no-one else. So look carefull and solve for 'x'.)
There may be a question that is conspicuous by it's absence "What about liking the product?". I'll tell you that, for me, I had no idea about personal development or what it was about when I started but I'm over the moon about it now. Whatever you turn your hand to, be a product of the product otherwise the only person you'll be short-changing is yourself.
Saturday
Just Do It!
You can make money or you can make excuses but you can't do both. Here, Art Williams from his 1987 address states very clearly what the difference is between winners and losers.
Earl Nightingale defined success as the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal. This means that you are successful as sonn as you make that decision and take that first step. Therefore success IS YOURS TO LOSE. You are already successful and the only way to fail is to quit. It's your choice.
Earl Nightingale defined success as the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal. This means that you are successful as sonn as you make that decision and take that first step. Therefore success IS YOURS TO LOSE. You are already successful and the only way to fail is to quit. It's your choice.
Thursday
We Are Not Who We Were
I was speaking with a friend of mine recently (I say friend, she works in the same business as I do and unless something drastically alters, that's her status!). She had Skyped me wondering about my daily affirmations. I have three at the moment and I tailor them depending on where I want to go. She was having an issue with abundance. She's not alone. Many people feel that if I take something, then there is less of it for someone else. What kind of god would create a world in which we would have to steal from each other in order to survive? She felt that this was reason that she wasn't moving forward as quickly as she would like in her business.
Digging a little deeper, the word 'fear' kept appearing in her dialogue. She was afraid of this and regretted that and wasn't sure she could make that happen because she had made bad choices in the past. Well here's some food for thought; neither the past nor the future have any reality. We can't go back in time and we can't go forward in time (time being the common, linear illusion). What we can do is make a decision in the NOW having learned from the past that will shape our future. So only the NOW has any reality. We can only act in the NOW and shape our future.
So here's the rub, NOW is in a continuous state of change. In personal development we learn to evolve, to release the shackles of our mind that is bad habit. We learn to evolve, to move forward with the time and to embrace change, to morph with it. As we do this, we become entrepreneurs. We discover how read "change" and how to put it to our best use. And I'm not just talking about business, I'm talking about being a father, a son or a brother. I am not the person I was when I wrote nor 5 minutes after you read this.
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." said the oft quoted Mr. A. Einstein. And it's true. One of the great pieces of evidence to support this is the lack of mediaeval Starbucks. Ok, so I'm being flippant. We no longer live in caves or have to hunt for our food. This is just change, it's neither good nor bad, it's people who put those tags on them.
To expend energy worrying about your past is about as fruitful as getting stuck in a revolving door so use that energy and brain capacity for something you can influence, a better future for yourself.
Digging a little deeper, the word 'fear' kept appearing in her dialogue. She was afraid of this and regretted that and wasn't sure she could make that happen because she had made bad choices in the past. Well here's some food for thought; neither the past nor the future have any reality. We can't go back in time and we can't go forward in time (time being the common, linear illusion). What we can do is make a decision in the NOW having learned from the past that will shape our future. So only the NOW has any reality. We can only act in the NOW and shape our future.
So here's the rub, NOW is in a continuous state of change. In personal development we learn to evolve, to release the shackles of our mind that is bad habit. We learn to evolve, to move forward with the time and to embrace change, to morph with it. As we do this, we become entrepreneurs. We discover how read "change" and how to put it to our best use. And I'm not just talking about business, I'm talking about being a father, a son or a brother. I am not the person I was when I wrote nor 5 minutes after you read this.
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." said the oft quoted Mr. A. Einstein. And it's true. One of the great pieces of evidence to support this is the lack of mediaeval Starbucks. Ok, so I'm being flippant. We no longer live in caves or have to hunt for our food. This is just change, it's neither good nor bad, it's people who put those tags on them.
To expend energy worrying about your past is about as fruitful as getting stuck in a revolving door so use that energy and brain capacity for something you can influence, a better future for yourself.
Monday
Where to now?
As you can see from the length between posts, I've had a looooog holiday season with regards to blogging. My attention has been on my business and my role within it. It's been a real eye-opener and I love what I see. It's a revelation that has been three years in the coming. Like an asteroid that was once viewed by a telescope, it's now entered the earth's atmosphere and hit me.
So where to now? Well the new me is sounding different and is using different language, is aware of others but as the great Bob Proctor says (I'm paraphrasing here) other people's opinion of you is none of your business. As I grew up the underlying message that was handed down to me was this question "Do you think that no-one else has thought of that?" and "Empty vessels make the most noise". I believed that I was the same as everybody else, my thoughts, actions and words were nothing new. I learned how to be a socail chameleon. I could fit in anywhere by being anyone which was rarely myself. I would have to listen to others' conversation before I spoke so that I knew how to be in that setting. To my mind it worked. I was caught out a couple of times but hey...
That was then. Over the past three years I've had the time freedom and the curriculum to work on myself. It is a most amazing journey and the great thing is that it never ends. It means that I always have something to look forward to. What a great way to live, evolution.
So where to now? Well the new me is sounding different and is using different language, is aware of others but as the great Bob Proctor says (I'm paraphrasing here) other people's opinion of you is none of your business. As I grew up the underlying message that was handed down to me was this question "Do you think that no-one else has thought of that?" and "Empty vessels make the most noise". I believed that I was the same as everybody else, my thoughts, actions and words were nothing new. I learned how to be a socail chameleon. I could fit in anywhere by being anyone which was rarely myself. I would have to listen to others' conversation before I spoke so that I knew how to be in that setting. To my mind it worked. I was caught out a couple of times but hey...
That was then. Over the past three years I've had the time freedom and the curriculum to work on myself. It is a most amazing journey and the great thing is that it never ends. It means that I always have something to look forward to. What a great way to live, evolution.
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