Goal setting.

What better discussion in January that that of goal setting.
The following artice is tremendous.
I couldn't have said it better myself !

You Gotta Have Goals....
by: Robert A Crutchfield
Kingdom Relationship Ministries

I’ve always found it interesting that a ship cannot be steered unless it is moving at a certain minimum speed. Those who navigate everything from small to massive ships call this “steerage.” Steerage is the exact point at which choosing a ship’s direction becomes possible. Of course a ships’ pilot also has charts, other publications, and a variety of tools to help him know in great detail where the ship should go. As people goals are what give momentum and motion to our movements, goals are how we know where to go, how far we have been, and how far we have yet to travel. Goals are the human equivalent of the navigators charts,and tools.

Where do we get our goals ? The best goals come from within ourselves. Goals that come from external sources are rarely truly motivating, or effective. Goals also require some thought. Developing good, life changing goals requires digging deep into what really means anything to you, and what you genuinely want to accomplish. I want to spend the rest of this article discussing some things you should look for in goals that will have true power in changing your life.

GOALS SHOULD BE ATTAINABLE
By attainable, I mean goals have to be realistic. After all goals are a tool to use in achieving success, they are not meant to be pipe-dreams ! Improving your sales 500% in the next year for example would be an example of an unrealistic goal. On the other hand a 20% sales increase may be very much within your grasp.

GOALS SHOULD BE SET HIGH
Look at our previous example. A one year sales increase of 20% could look pretty good if last year sales,were flat. The same 20% increase in sales would look pretty pathetic if last year,sales doubled. Only goals that are set high will drive you to success. Whatever you are trying to accomplish your goals should be set toward the top of what is possible not the bottom. At the same time don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t always make it all the way to your goal. In fact if you always easily make your goals, I guarantee you aren’t setting them high enough !

GOALS MUST BE MEASURABLE
“ I want to sell more widgets.” or “ I want more free time this year.” are powerless goals. “I want to spend 8 more hours a week with my family.” is an example of a goal with life changing power. It is specific, identifiable, and measurable. You in fact will be able to know the exact moment this goal is reached. What a rush ! Try this, show your goals to a mentor, coach, or colleague. If they can’t tell you exactly what you want to accomplish without further explanation, revise your goals.

GOALS MUST BE PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL
Making more money won’t drive you to success if what your really want is more time with your family. Goals that matter mean more to you than anybody else. They are tied directly to what you want, to what makes you happy. If you cannot get absolutely passionate about your goals, if they don’t have you jumping out of bed in the morning, they’re wrong. Other people may be able to define your goals if you let them, but they will never be able to define your true happiness. Without what makes you truly happy, you can never be truly successful.

GOALS SHOULD HAVE VARYING TIME HORIZONS
Powerful life changing goal making involves short, mid and long term goals. Different people have different ideas on the time frames involved, but here is how I look it. Short term goals can be accomplished this month. Mid term goals can be won within a year. Long term goals are things like earning a college degree, that can take more than a year to attain. Its also important that at least some of your short, and mid term goals build on each other to reach your long term goals.

GOALS NEED TO BE VISIBLE
Making goals will not do any good if they get shoved in a drawer, or buried on your hard drive somewhere. Make a list of your goals and put them somewhere you will see them at least daily. Better yet put each goal on a separate index card, and post them all over the place so you will constantly be reminded of one goal ,or another. All of us take in way to much of other people’s garbage everyday. Why not counter this “negative programing” with reminders of what it it that you want ? Want to do even better ? Get yourself an “accountability partner.” Somebody you trust , and share your goals with. The best accountability partner would be somebody with similar goals. If your really lucky you can find a mentor who has gotten what or where you want. In fact this does not even have to be a single individual. A support group, or personal “board of directors” would have an even more profound, powerful impact on your ability to reach your goals.

GOALS NEED TO BE REGULARLY REVIEWED
Circumstances change, goals get achieved, new opportunities crop up. Beyond all this we can’t loose sight of the fact that goals are intended to keep you focused, motivated, and moving forward on those things you use to define your personal success. Short term goals should be reviewed at least monthly. All others need a good going over every 60-90 days.

CONCLUSION
Its nearly impossible to get what you want, unless you know where you are, where you are going, and how to get there. That’s why everybody needs goals. Good, powerful goals are the roadmap to your success, no matter how you choose to define it. Believe me, nothing creates more powerful more life changing goals than beginning with what you want the most. Search your heart and figure out what that is. Find out what it takes to get there. Develop high, specific, meaningful, goals you can be passionate about daily. Then all you have to do is, go get it tiger !

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Robert A. Crutchfield is President of Kingdom Relationship Ministries. He works as both a minister and a life/success coach. He is a Brainbench Certified Trainer, and holds the Competent Leader designation from Toastmasters International. His articles on a variety of subjects have been read in dozens of countries. For more information and a free personalized report to help with your goals, visit him at www.kingdomrelationships.org.

Shelley Penney is a network marketing and internet marketing specialist with 8 years in the field. She is currently mentoring a small group of people to achieve financial freedom from home. There are openings. :-)

I don't want to "sell" to my family.

If you've been around the industry of Network Marketing, Multi-level, or direct sales for any length of time, you know the drill. Make a list of your friends and family, and start calling them.

Many people simply don't want to do that. I know what that feels like. I remember starting fresh in my new business, and being afraid to talk to my loved ones. They knew that yesterday, I didn't know anything at all about cosmetics, and now all of a sudden I wanted to "teach them".

Reason's why not to speak to friends/family

• They might feel "obligated" to buy.
• They might laugh or discourage me.
• They might feel like I am harrassing them.
• They might say no.
• They might say yes. :-)
• They might think........... (your objection here)

Well, I certainly thought all of those things, and as a new distributor I was on shaky ground in the confidence department. I didn't know much about the products, or the compensation, and I didn't know how to handle objections. I certainly didn't have the successes behind me to prove I could succeed.

Here is what I have come to believe.

I believe that if I have something that could help my Mom's diabetes, I am obligated to share that with her. There are many "wellness" products out there that have real-life testamonials of efficacy. If they have helped "someone" they could help a "loved one. Doesn't Mom have a right to the information?

If my sister is fed up with her job, and I believe that I have a way that she could make a change for the better, I am obligated to share that with her. Network marketing has allowed me to walk away from my job and provide for my family at the same time. Doesn't my sister have a right to that information?

These are adults. They have a right to evaluate the information and accept or reject it, just like you did. You don't have to attack them at every turn. But surely they deserve a chance.

Let me ask you this.... If you knew that your friend, the nurse, was unhappy with her job, and you heard that the doctor's office on your street was hiring, would you call and tell her? Of course you would. And if she said that wasn't what she was looking for, would you be devastated? ......... I didn't think so.

The problem lies with in ourselves. Network marketing success is tied to others. In order for us to succeed, we need people to say yes. So we emotionalize that need and make it about us. All of a sudden there is importance attached to the answer, because if they say yes good things could happen for us.

Stop..... think very carefully about what I am about to say.

The success of your business does not depend on any one person. If this one person says "no" then nothing changes for you, or them for that matter.

Take yourself out of the picture for a minute.

Try this approach..... "Mom, I care about you very much, and I am concerned about your diabetes. I know of a product that has helped a lot of people, and I would like to give you some information to read, so you can see if it is something for you" All of a sudden, it's not about you"selling" your family, it's about providing information so she can make an informed choice. If she reads the information and decides against it, then at least it was her choice.

Or how about this....."Sis, I can hear how frustrated you are with your job, and having to leave your children with a babysitter. I might have a way that you could spend a bit more time with your children, and still bring in the income you need. I think it wouldn't hurt to look at the information. Would you come and meet my business partner and just hear what he has to say? It might not be for you, bit I think it is worth a look." Now you aren't "earning commission from your sister", you are showing her that there might be a better way.

I didn't approach my friends and family because I wanted something from them, I approached them because I care about them, and I respect the fact that they are adults who have the right to evaluate what is or isn't right for them. Some of them joined me, some became customers, and some were very happy right where they were. all of them have remained my friends and family members.

Work your business in service of others, and just watch what happens to your business !

Shelley Penney is a network marketing and internet marketing specialist with 8 years in the field. She is currently mentoring a small group of people to achieve financial freedom from home.

MLM Opportunity: The 7 Hidden Things to Look for...

and MUST HAVE in an MLM Opportunity.
~by doug firebaugh

If you are looking for a good or the best MLM Opportunity, and really do not know what to expect or pursue, then this article can help you know what to look for, and what to demand for your future.

It doesn't matter if it is a franchise, retail store, real estate agency, or MLM opportunity, you should embrace and become a part of only what you deem worthy, and demand that your future deserves the best and you will not settle for anything less. There is an MLM Opportunity waiting for you, and it is the one you really want.

But there are some hidden things that you need to look for, and demand from Your MLM opportunity. Not everyone looks at these things, and if they had, they would have had a different outcome in MLM.

Here are 7 hidden things to look for that you MUST HAVE in an MLM Opportunity:
1) MLM Opportunity - Timing.
Timing is everything in an MLM business. You need to make sure that timing is good for the company you are looking for, and timing is good for YOU. Is the company experiencing growth and momentum? Or is it going through a slow time that could slow you down? Is it succeeding in the marketplace, or struggling? There is a growth curve to MLM Opportunities. Where is it along the curve? That will determine a lot of the future potential of rapid growth.

Timing in the marketplace is everything for you. Look at the market trends (anti aging, technology, skin care advancements, legal product improvements, insurance product advancements, weight loss advancements, etc) and see if the mlm company has products that contain ingredients or technology that are being talked about in the media. This alone speaks volumes of where the company is in the timing curve.

And how old is the company? If it is too young, it could fold, and if it is too old, it could be stale, and living on past Successes, not current. But there are some older MLM Opportunities that stay current with their approach to the marketplace. My suggestion is start looking for an MLM Opportunity that is at least 3 years old.

2) MLM Opportunity - Seriousness of Owners.

This is a Million Dollar Question: How serious are the owners about a LONG TERM business? If you are going to build a business for your future, you need to make sure that the owners are as serious about your future as you are. There are some that are not unfortunately.

They may talk about it, but you need to SEE it. They need to make sure they make decisions based on long term growth, not short term profits. This is a key sign to look for. Talk to people and see if they have made any recent changes to the compensation plan, or the requirements to qualify for your check, or consistent changes in product pricing.

If they have, and it is not the first time, beware. They are thinking short term profits. Owners that are serious, have proven to do what they need to do internally, in house first, and only as a last resort take money from the field. And ask around, and even see if you can talk to one of the top earners, or one of the owners themselves.

3) MLM Opportunity - Product Uniqueness.

Does the mlm product you are looking at have a one of a kind reputation? Does it have a unique marketing proposition?

Is it a truly unique product, or honestly, just another "me too" product or product line? Me too products can fade from view in the marketplace quickly in MLM.

Your products MUST be unique, and no other quite like it. Yes, there can be many skin care, weight loss, make up, nutritional products out there, but the product you are considering must have a unique "sizzle" to it that sets it apart. There are many vitamin products, but what does the product have that makes it unique? This is a HUGE test for long term product viability, as well as what the next products will be like.

An MLM opportunity may have products that come across as sleek, sexy, and hot. But if they are not unique, they will have a limited life span in MLM.

4) MLM Opportunity - Idiot Proof Training System.
A good MLM opportunity will have a training system that can be used 24/7 and can train anyone anytime, anywhere. It does not replace the role of the sponsor, but a good training system will train the new distributors quicker, and with more impact.

This is a brutal truth fact: Most sponsors do not train their people. That is just the way it is, and I wish it wasn't like that, but it is. Ask anyone who has been in MLM for a while. They will say the same thing, if they are honest. That is why that a good training system, including training manuals, cds, online training, and live events and conference call training is a must. That gives the new distributors a "menu" to choose from and to start getting their training immediately.
And it must be step by step. If the MLM opportunity has these things, or working on them, that is a great sign that they are serious about their field's success.

5) MLM Opportunity - The Better Business Bureau Factor.
Simply, in a good MLM opportunity, there cannot be a lot of complaints with the BBB. It is that simple. Yes, you will always have disgruntled distributors, that is part of the business. But a lot of complaints from all over on shipping, getting their checks, refunds, products, legal challenges, all must be considered when looking at an MLM opportunity.

Every company I know of that has had massive MLM Success, has had some things against it with the BBB. But they all were minor, and not really of the "you should be concerned" type.
If the complaints are consistent, and current and fresh, then you need to really look into that, as where there is consistent smoke, somewhere there is a fire.
Make sure you do not get burned with that fire.

6) MLM Opportunity - Is the company "product and customer focused?"
Understand this: Without customers, there is no business. Without good products, there are no customers. Without either, there is no use to look any further.

A company MUST be customer and product focused, but business driven. It is the customers and their purchases that create the volume for the MLM company. But it is the distributors driving the message out to the masses that creates the business vehicle. But it ALWAYS needs to revolve around creating a massive customer base, with a great downline helping to build that army.

Check on the MLM opportunity you are looking at, and if they are more business focused, and the products are a mere mention, then you may want to seek an MLM Opportunity somewhere else. Lots of loyal customers create wealth, not one time up front hits of volume, as that eventually goes away.

7) MLM Opportunity - What kind of people does this company attract?

This is HUGE. I have seen so many good companies that have attracted people who want to become scientists, and not distributors. They want to become Ph.Ds, not build a wealth producing business. Some MLM opportunites attract people that are more focused on short term gain, then long term stability. Some companies attract mostly the older crowd. Some network marketing companies attract mostly people under 30.

You MUST have a mix. Not too heavy on either. Why? Overall market viability. Today's MLM opportunites that are going great guns, appear to have a great mix of ages, and the average age is not too young, but yet, not too old. This is a hidden factor that speaks volumes of the MLM opportunity.

Too much youth, or too much grey, will slow any company down over time.

These are 7 Hidden things you MUST HAVE in the best MLM Opportunity. Check them with who you are looking at, and see where they stand, and how they add up.
Yes, these things are what most people do not look for, and my suggestion is you do. They speak volumes about your future with an MLM opportunity.

You will be so glad you did in the long run, with your best MLM Opportunity.
Blessings...Doug (c) _2005/ all rights reserved
http://www.passionfire.com
http://www.passionfire.com/pf_heat_7.html
Doug Firebaugh is one of the top MLM Network Marketing Trainers in the world. Over a million people a month read his training ezine. He spent the last 7 years traveling the world speaking and training on Success. He lives in Birmingham Michigan, and you can receive a FREE subscription to his training ezine- The MLM Success HEAT- at: http://www.passionfire.com/pf_heat_4.html and http://www.passionfire.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Firebaugh