Marketing systems, tools and training are important for success in network marketing but the most important success tool is your thinking.
Three mistakes That Can Shipwreck Your Network Marketing Business
1. Not Taking Personal Development and Self-esteem Building Seriously: If you don’t have a love for yourself and a strong self-esteem, you will NOT care enough to do what it takes to build a business that actually earns income. You will not care enough about your dreams to make things happen. This may sound a little funny to some but it’s really important.
Jim Rohn said, “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”
Without personal development, you won’t build confidence and self-esteem in yourself and your business. Your prospects will pick up on that.
If you have a love for yourself you will invest in your life plan. Network marketing is an industry that has a high failure rate. That’s not because the business model is bad, it’s because people jump in with dreams of making a lot of money but they don’t realize they need to invest in their success. Investing not only time but money. Yes, I said money! Invest in training books, audios and courses. Things that help you grow your skills, and yes, that includes building self-esteem. As you get more training and skills, your self-esteem and confidence grows.
2. Focusing on the Wrong Things: Fear of failure is one of the big obstacles distributors struggle with. We all deal with it to some degree but we must focus on the right things if we want to get where we want to go. Don’t focus on every temporary setback and bump in the road. Focus on what you want to achieve, the road ahead of you, keeping the goal or your WHY in mind.
Think of it like driving a car and going on vacation at the ocean. When you drive your car anywhere you are looking at the road ahead but you are looking in the distance, not at every bump or pothole in the road. If you spend too much time looking at the bumps and holes on the surface of the road, you can end up missing something really big. You can even end up in a ditch. While you will notice holes and bumps, you aren’t looking at them with full attention. You just notice enough to make corrections in your course, all the while keeping your attention on the goal ahead of you: Your arrival at the ocean and enjoying a wonderful vacation.
Your business is similar. Focus on what you want to achieve in your business and your WHY! Don’t let the bumps along the way derail you.
3. Letting Negative People In Your Life Derail Your Success: This one sort of goes along with the previous one. These negative people can be a bump in the road. Are you going to let them derail your success? This is why it is SUPER IMPORTANT to attend as many network marketing and company events as possible. Some events require us leaving the house but many are available to us through conference calls and webinars. These events keep us going and act like an antidote to the poison of negative people. Negative people can poison our dreams and make us give up.
I’m just like you. I have had to deal with negative people. In the beginning it was a real challenge. My own husband was negative. He didn’t believe we could build a business. Back then I was “spending too much time on the computer.” Today he’s delighted I worked hard on the business. He works with me from home.
I remember one relative telling us to “Quit selling herbs and get a real job.”
We all have negative people in our life. These people love us and they think they are helping but they unknowingly poison our dreams if we let them. We can’t let them do that. Our diligent attention to personal development can help us remain strong and focused on our goals. Hanging around successful people will help offset the negative energy and help keep our vision in view.
Network marketing is an awesome business. Keep moving forward and never give up.
Tagged with: goals • mlm success • network marketing success • self esteem • Success Mindset
Filed under: Self Esteem • Success Mindset
Melodie, you have hit it right on the head with what you are saying about these mistakes. Sometimes it seems that the only thing people see on any kind of journey are obstacles. They make lists of reasons why they are going to fail, maybe not on paper, but in their minds, using their self-talk to reaffirm the many possibilities of failure.
I think that what you are saying about letting negative people control your life is spot on. If our lives are going to be filled with people and our relationships with them, it just makes sense to fill our days up with positive people. Thank you for this post, I think its awesome that you are using EFT, that is one of my favorite personal development ideas. Simple, effective and very safe. And even better, it works. 🙂
Melodie, it took me sometime to understand I needed to invest in personal development, it was not a choice. Once I did it, things started falling in place and my Team was doing the same thing; therefore I was able to see results. Great post, thanks.
Really important advice Melodie – each one of your points is valid, but I have to say my personal ‘hot button’ is keeping negative people out of my life. I used to do a lot of meetings in direct sales, and there was this one woman who had a permanent scowl embedded on her face and she would inevitably sit right in front of me at meetings. I’m trying to pump everyone up and give recognition and talk about new stuff and she’s just sitting there waiting for an opportunity to complain about the products or not getting a shipment, whatever. I’d try so hard to look anywhere but at her because she just threw me off so much. We can’t always keep negative nellies out of our life, but I sure give it a try!
Melodie I love this.
You have explained this to perfection and hit the nail on the head. People really do not take this seriously enough…and then wonder why it is not working for them. Really when will people realize that they have to invest in themselves to realize their life goal.
Awesome stuff…
Darlene
Hi Melodie,
You have put this very clearly for anyone with a brain to absorb.
I spent 3 years immersed in Personal Development Courses and then ran Festivals promoting this aspect of life. It made a huge difference to my outlook on life as previously my nickname was “Gloom”.
In Network Marketing confidence is everything. Your new recruits need a shoulder to get past all of those things you list here.
I have worked through good times and bad. Consistency and to use Stephen Covey’s words, “Begin With The End In Mind” is key to success.
I think a clear vision of your destination and feeling how that manifests provides the motivation to stay excited and bring others on the journey with you.
Hi Melodie,
In my opinion the most important reason that people fail in network marketing and any kind of home based online business is that there is so much hype out there that make people believe that they can make a lot of money by just working a few minutes per day. Of course this is a big lie, especially in the beginning where there might be times when you need to work all the day. The result is that when people realize that this doesn’t happen they simple give up…
Melodie,
No arguements from me. All three points are so well taken. The last one is a true killer and destroyer of dreams. Pick the people you hang out with carefully! Pick the people you share your dreams with carefully.
When you boil crabs in a pot and one tries to get out, the others pull him right back down.
Don’t let that happen to you!
Thank You Melodie
For your insight,Your three shipwreck points are right on, I have several friends and family members that think I am wasting my time, I love what I do, And I know with hard work, believing in myself and last of all dedication I will make it.
Thank You again and want to wish you and your loved ones a Happy Easter
Sharon
Melodie,
You given everyone a key factor to focus on. Personal development is always overlooked.
We are all lifetime students and coaches. The more you get involved in how our industry works and the different tools that are available that helps you stay focused and organized. The better creating your business will be.
Yes, leave the negative people and environments out of the equation. Keep yourself away from all of that. Surround yourself with people who can coach you for each step needed to reach each milestone. You will be surprised at how people will be willing to give what knowledge they have. Then you must put it into action to mean anything.
Melodie, your a great coach and visionary in our industry. I love each visit and learn more in helping others on topics that seem to be at the top of this weeks conversations.
Every point in your post the average network marketer can identify with. I think negative people can cause the most damage. They can contribute to your lack of self development and get you focusing on the wrong things. Negative people are a real distraction.
Hello Melodie
Dealing with negative people can have a harmful impact on our business if we don’t do as you suggest in this powerful article. When you say that the most important success tool is our thinking you hit the mark. Personal development, which sharpens our thinking is commonly overlooked. Here is Wikipedia’s definition of Personal development, it includes activities that improve awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, build human capital and facilitates employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams
Thanks
Perry A Davis Jr
Music City
Hi Melodie
This is so true! All 3 of these can kill not only our business, but our spirit! We can get literally spiritually swallowed up by the negative people, the naysayers, focusing on the wrong things or wrong people, and because of all this not take personal development seriously! It’s a trap that can be easy to fall into if we don’t stay ON PURPOSE with daily personal development, and purposely inspiring others. I think if we work to uplift ourselves and then make a point to pass it on to someone else every day, we cannot help but keep the “creepies” away.
Good One Melodie
Laura Morris
Melodie, your analysis of success is concise and direct. It is spot on. As marketers or entrepreneurs, we have no chance of winning if we do not like ourselves. This is not a self-serving attitude but rather an attitude that permeates a humble confidence. People who have a low self-esteem are often times very self-absorbed. The whole world owes them something when in fact they owe the world. they owe the world what they can give the world to make it a better place. Thanks.
I think the biggest thing for me was getting rid of the negative people and surrounding myself with more positive people… both online and in person. It really is a drag to get people who are close-minded and it tends to make you want to not do anything as all you hear is pure droll all the time.
Melodie, You shared one of my favorite quotes. Jim Rohn said, “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”
It also makes me think of another one…”When writing the story of your, don’t let anyone else hold the pen.” ~unknown
I whole heartedly agree that personal development is so important in our success. It is right in line with staying away from negative people. How wonderful and inspiring to have the same dreams and goals as the people you are close with.
Holding my own pen,
Lynn
Thanks Lynn. I had not heard the quote about not letting someone else hold the pen. That’s a good one.
These are some great tips and words of advise. I think focusing on the wrong things is a huge mistake. I really agree with your comments there. Thanks for posting.
I recently had a friend that I referred this post to because I was disheartened that they were so wrapped up in every single thing and just could not get out of their negative thoughts about past fails. They now have started a new leaf, so it was great that I could at least send them in the right direction and your post helped.
Hi Melodie, I would like to add something to your 2nd mistake – “focusing on the wrong things”, I think this is what happens to so may distributors – they can spend months even years trying to duplicate what their upline is doing. And, they think there’s something wrong with them, because it’s not working for them.
However, not everyone can do what their upline does, even if it’s working for the upline. So, when you say to stop focusing on the “wrong thing”, so many people don’t realise it’s the “wrong thing”.
We all need mentors and coaches who can steer us towards the actions that are more likely to bring results for US.
I know that you know that already Melodie, just want to add to your post, for those who are struggling with trying to duplicate their upline.
Regards from Julieanne
I have certainly had my bumps along the way.. But not giving up!! Great post, Melodie!!
Hi Melodie. I enjoyed this blog very much. It can be hard to keep running the race when it’s hard to see the goal. I’m lucky that I’m pretty hard-headed and don’t give up too easily. But I will remember these tips as I continue with my adventures in internet marketing.
All the best,
Leslie
Great content. I recently changed my whole attitude to my online businesses and i took an opportunity in network marketing and also my lead system pro. From little changes in my life and attitude, i have seen great changes in my businesses and life in general. I am surrounding myself with quality people and am thriving in the networking world rather than hiding behind emails. I love sharing these opportunities and i love writing in my own blog and helping people!
Some excellent points there Melodie!
I can tell you speak from experience. I remember too when I first started in this industry and people who I used to work with would say that either I won’t make it or I am falling for a scam.
I am glad that I let their comments motivate me instead of listening to their negativity.
Mindset and personal development are also very big factors in this path. We must be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel when we venture into working from home.
Great post. Keep inspiring Melodie!
Aidan
Thanks Aidan.
Hi Melodie,
This post made me feel really great! You discussed three things that could damage your online business, and I chose to read it because I wanted to see if I was doing anything that could jeopardize it. I’m happy to say that after reading this post, I feel I’m doing everything right!
I have grown and evolved into a different person since I began marketing. “If you don’t have a love for yourself and a strong self-esteem, you will NOT care enough to do what it takes to build a business that actually earns income.” Learning about yourself, accepting, and loving yourself is crucial in this business. How can you attract others when you are not attractive to yourself? I do not regret any money I have spent on conferences, seminars, and courses on personal development. I participated The Ultimate Game of Life last year and it really elevated my perception of everything I was doing in my life. That is only one example of my involvement in this type of program, but believe me, there will be many more to come!
As to the focusing on the wrong things, I really like your analogy about driving a car and staying focused on the destination. The reason I am building my business is for my “Why” and I have quite a list! I have learned to skip over those potholes and ignore them. Sometimes there is a lot, but plowing ahead is the only way to make it.
Finally, I have reached a point in my life that I could care less what negative people think of my endeavors. It used to bother me years ago and I found myself trying to please them…that ended a long time ago. The opinions of negative people are irrelevant to me. If it was a concern, I would have failed a long time ago. I think a majority of your readers are the same. We realize that we must disregard negativity as much as possible to reach our dreams of success and we know we are accountable and responsible of designing our own lives. Hanging around successful people is the key and I have had the pleasure to do a lot of that lately! Thanks Melodie for a great post!
Raena Lynn
Awesome Raena. So many people don’t do the things necessary to be successful.
Hi Melodie,
Thanks for this great post as always your posts are juicy and meaty;))
Allowing others derail our success is a function of the self esteem and self image we have.
Self espeem is the basis before starting any business it is the pillars upon which one builds who he or she is.
Determination and believeing in our values and our golas is the basis for every reationship and goal in life.
Warm wishes,
Patricia