The Winning Game

I'm pretty flexible with my business, allowing the distributors I've sponsored to work the way they want to work. It suits me just fine to help one that just wants to drink the juice to the one that wants to build an empire , as long as he/she knows I'm here to help them with whatever their intention is as a XanGo distributor. This I have found allows them to be the CEO of their business. After all, who needs more pressure in today's world. I do feel it is my responsibility, however, to let people know there IS an opportunity for them within this group and within this company to make money. For those that choose to look at it as "pressure", perhaps, do not see the forest for the tree standing in front of them. If you are coming from your heart in looking to help them, they'll realize that.

This was a very serious situation on Wall Street this week. We can be assured that the United States was in jeopardy of having the financial world on the brink of collapse. What would that mean to the consumer? Bottom line, food, clothing, shelter, (the basics) would be hard to come by if the stores could not borrow money to operate. And what does this have to do with our XanGo business? Well, we have an opportunity to share with people how they can take back control of their lives, to do something about their finances and how they can be proactive in taking care of their health. Wow!

We are helping people in two of the most important areas of their lives. One, their health. We all know the worth of being healthy. To do something to help ourselves and others in this area is of service to the betterment of man. We spend the most dollars in health care of any nation and yet, are far from the top in being the most healthy people. We can offer a product which contributes to good health. Isn't it our responsibility to share it?

Secondly, when it comes to money, we can offer a solution to helping people put a few extra dollars in their pocket. For some, it could be the money to keep their home, to provide their children with activities, to stash extra dollars away for retirement or even help pay for that health insurance that has skyrocketed in cost. Isn't this a service we are providing to help in the area of finances? Of course.

Many of us are growing in our business, personally and financially. Someone once said, "The mighty oak was once a little nut that held its ground." Stand tall, ' fellow distributor', we have much to offer. We have stated our intentions, now recognize the power of the profit motive. You will not have financial success unless you decide that's what you want. Live consciously in the realm of possibilities.

In the book, "Secrets of Six-Figure Women" (one of my today's favorites), Chapter 6 discusses the strategy of GETTING IN THE GAME. Because of the serious nature of people's finances, and the opportunity we have in front of us with this incredible company, I want to share from this book. These are the Rules outlined in Chapter 6, Strategy #3: Get In The Game: (and I quote)

• Rule #1: Decide which game to play.

"There are two games in life," motivational speaker Larry Wilson once told me in an interview. "The one most of us are playing, called Not To Lose, is an avoidance game. We're so afraid of taking risks, looking bad, that we never really win."
People who play Not To Lose have one intention - to play it safe. No matter how much they say they want success,if they're playing Not To Lose, what they're really after is comfort, convenience, and relief. ...

The desire to avoid fear (whether it's fear of rejection or of disapproval, of success or of failure) is what keeps most of us in the Not to Lose game - and in low-paying jobs. Successful High Earners, on the other hand, play the game Larry Wilson calls To Win." ...

"To six-figure women, losses are as inevitable as ants at a picnic. And they don't let those losses ruin their plans. They focus on winning and not on defeat. Oddly enough, the object of the game is not winning per se. The whole point is to do your best and go the distance. "To win," Larry Wilson explained, "you go as far as you can using all that you've got."

• Rule #2: Jump In, Ready Or Not

There is only one way to join the high-earning game. you jump right in. You set your intention, let go of the ledge, and just start - anywhere. ... play the game To Win. ...
The real beauty of the game To Win is that you can begin playing anytime, ready or not. You don't need all the pieces in place or your route all mapped out. You don't need extensive training or formal education. In fact, you don't need to know much at all. You just need to get out and do something, anything. ...

In the game To Win, it is perfectly OK, and highly encouraged, to shoot for the moon, to aim for the "unreasonable."...

It doesn't matter how much you know, it only matters that you're willing to learn.

• Rule #3: Keep On Truckin'

Persistence is a prerequisite in the game To Win. Once you jump in, you've got to keep swimming. There is no doubt in my mind, after doing these interviews, that an ounce of talent and a pound of persistence make anything possible. One thing always leads to another. ...

... Unless you have a profit motive, all your hard work may never pay off.

However, when you play by the rule of persistence, and you're playing with an intent to make money, hard work eventually bears fruit.

• Rule #4: Grab Opportunities

You begin the game To Win by jumping in. You play it by perservering. And you triumph by grabbing opportunities, or, even better, by creating opportunities yourself. ...

This opportunity rule puts success within reach of all of us, even when all the odds are stacked against us.

• Rule #5: No Excuses Allowed

Some of the women I interviewed had valid explanations for why they couldn't succeed. In fact, every one of us can make a perfectly logical and convincing argument why we shouldn't play this game, follow these rules, or even attempt to make six figures. The true test of a six-figure woman is her refusal to buy into these pretexts. Excuses are cop-outs. They're smoke screens. They have only one purpose - to keep fear and trepidation at bay. Saying "I can't" is just another way of saying "I'm afraid."

Much of the six-figure game is played in our heads. We can only go as far as our beliefs will allow.

• Rule #6: Ignore Naysayers

No matter what you intend to do, there will always be someone to throw cold water on your plans. If you want to keep playing To Win, the rule is, as one wit said, "Let the dogs bark." Naysayers are part of the game. Whatever happens, don't let them stop you. ...

They come to test our level of commitment. If you notice, the more tentative you feel, the more pessimistic they sound.

Among the high earners I met, there wasn't one who hadn't encountered her share of naysayers.

• Rule #7: Never Personalize

Criticism and rejection are unavoidable in the six-figure game. If you're playing To Win, you can't take them personally.

Thick skin isn't normally considered a female trait. Every woman I interviewed developed this rule the same way a baby learns to avoid a hot stove, through repeated experiences.

To overcome the negative is to focus on a higher purpose instead of immediate gratification. Passion and purpose are powerful motivators."

Let's all digest The Winning Game Rules. Last week was a wake up call for many. The rubber meets the road for those that have profit motive intentions. This is an exciting time to empower ourselves with positive, forward moving determination. Let's have the gusto to go for it!

Leading Starts With Your Daily Agenda

"The secret of our success is found in our daily agenda."
("Leadership 101", John C Maxwell)

Developing good leadership qualities takes time. Letting these qualities compound over time inevitably result in growth in your organization. Here's a few quotes and interesting information to ponder as you move your own group forward.

Successful leaders are learners. And the learning process is ongoing, a result of self-discipline and perseverance. ~John C. Maxwell

You can only take your group as far as you are . . . For your group to go further, YOU must go further.

The first person you lead is YOU.

Have the power of self-discipline. Challenge your excuses.

The discipline to prioritize and the ability to work toward a stated goal are essential to a leader's success.

And now for the 80/20 Pareto Principle:

Time 20 percent of our time produces 80 percent of the results.

Counseling 20 percent of the people take up 80 percent of our time.

Products 20 percent of the products bring in 80 percent of the profit.

Reading 20 percent of the book contains 80 percent of the contents.

Job 20 percent of our work gives us 80 percent of the satisfaction.

Speech 20 percent of the presentation produces 80 percent of the impact.

Donations 20 percent of the people will give 80 percent of the money.

Leadership 20 percent of the people will make 80 percent of the decisions.

In an organization, 20 percent of the people will be responsible for 80 percent of the companies success.

1. Determine which people are the top 20 percent producers.
2. Spend 80 percent of your "people time" with the top 20 percent.
3. Spend 80 percent of your personal development dollars on the top 20 percent.

We teach what we know, we reproduce what we are. Find the people in your organization like yourself, lead them to more profits through your own example of self-discipline and initiative. Work with them, teach them what you do and what you know. Lead by example, with trust and integrity. Prioritize your daily agenda.

Lead where you want your group to go.