Stepping Out Of Comfort Zone

You’ve probably heard MLM trainers before recommending that you should “step out of your comfort zone.” Well, I even mention it on a few of my blog posts here at The EnlightenedNetworker.

That’s great advice! But what if you are just not quite ready?

What if you don’t feel comfortable of stepping out of your comfort zone completely and do things you are just not ready for yet. That’s okay! We’ve all been there at one point or another. It’s all part of the growing process.

Don’t panic!

Instead of freezing and doing nothing at all try to just ‘stretch your comfort zone’ a little bit. It’s much better to grow a little than not growing at all.

Just imagine how different your life – or your network marketing business – would be 5 years from now if you made a few simple changes today and stuck to it. If instead of watching another episode of CSI you would pick up a personal development book and read just 10 pages every single day. If instead of reading novels and living someone else’s dream, you picked up Napoleon Hill’s “Think & Grow Rich” and build your own dream.

Do you think this would change your life? I betcha!! They say it takes 21 days to break or make a habit. I dare you to try it out.

Reading 10 pages a day doesn’t take a lot of time. Maybe 10-15 minutes? But just think within a year you will have read 3650 pages. Let’s assume the average

If you have been following my blog for a while you may have noticed that I like to tell stories to illustrate a point. Well, here’s another one …

Which Way Is Success?

A man meets a successful person on the road and asks him, “which way is success?”

The successful person speaks no words, he just points to a place off in the distance.

The man, thrilled by the prospect of quick and easy success, rushes off in the direction he was sent to. Suddenly, there comes a loud “SPLAT.” After a while, the man comes limping back, tattered and stunned, assuming he must have misunderstood the message. 

I wanted to share the “Definition of Attitude” I came across the other day, because on one of the many blogs I read on a daily basis I read that attitude is not everything.

I was shocked, because to me, it absolutely IS everything. Having the right attitude is a key ingredient not only for building a successful network marketing business, but for anything else in life as well.

But may it be as it may be, even if it isn’t everything it is still 100%.

And I will prove it to you.

What makes up 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%. We always hear people say that they give more than a 100%. Heck, I’ve even said that myself on occasion. But, I will be a lot more careful about that in the future.

And here is why…

One of my “Better Bunch” friends challenged me to write a blog post every day this week, Monday through Friday.

I’m always up for a challenge, but let me tell you, that was not easy. I had to put some things on the back burner, make some sacrifices and really stretch my limits, but in the end I did get it done.

“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines practiced every day.” _ Jim Rohn

When I told my husband about this challenge on Monday, the first words out of his mouth were …

What is the right time for every action?

Who are the most important people?

What is the most important business?

Sometimes we wish we had all the answers. It would make life so much easier, wouldn’t it?

Well the little story below will give us the answers to the questions above. But having those answers could we still fail?

The Three Questions
By Leo Tolstoy

It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.

And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout his kingdom that he would give a great reward to anyone who would teach him what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.

And learned men came to the King, but they all answered his questions differently.

In reply to the first question, some said that

Time Out!

Sometimes I feel I write this blog just as much for myself as for you, my visitors. I have been extremely busy lately. Learning new things, figuring out new WordPress plugins, and gadgets and widgets. I’m almost at the point of burnout.

You can only burn the candle at two ends for so long.

Last night, while laying in bed, unable to sleep because my mind was still going a thousand miles an hour, I remembered this story below. I love motivational and inspirational stories. Lately I’ve been putting them into custom greeting cards and sending them to my customers, team mates, friends and family.

So here’s the story …

The Mayonnaise Jar and Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar… and the coffee…

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began,

Gosh, don’t you just love her? She is such a kind-hearted, wise woman with such a witty sense of humor. I don’t remember who sent the article below to me, but I just felt I had to share it with you.

Don’t break the elastic!

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older. And, there on television, she said it was ‘exciting…’

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day…..like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:

‘I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.’

‘I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.’

‘I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.’

‘I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life.’

‘I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.’

‘I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back…..’

‘I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.’

‘I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one…’

‘I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.’

‘I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn..’

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’

We all have certain people we admire and look up to. I invite you to share some of yours in the comment box below.

I was cleaning out some files to make more room on my hard drive and came across this poem by Jim Rohn. I thought it would make an excellent tribute to one of the greatest mentors of this century. So here it is…

“I wish for you a life of wealth,
health, and happiness; a life in which you give to
yourself the gift of patience, the virtue of reason,
the value of knowledge, and the influence of faith in
your own ability to dream about and to achieve worthy rewards.” _Jim Rohn

Do you make choices in life, or do you react to it? Below is a beautiful story of making choices. I hope it will inspire you…

We Have Two Choices

Jerry is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone asks him how he is doing, he always replies, “If I were any better, I would be twins!”

Jerry is a natural motivator. If an employee is having a bad day, Jerry is right there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Because of this attitude he has several waiters who have followed him around from restaurant to restaurant.

This really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, “What’s the deal with you? Nobody can be that positive all of the time! How do you do it?”

Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, ‘Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.’ I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.”

“Oh come on, it can’t be that easy,” I protested.

“Yes it is,” Jerry said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react. You choose how people affect your day. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line is that you choose how you live your life.”

I thought about what Jerry said for a long time.

Soon thereafter, I left the area to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about Jerry when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins. Wanna see my scars?” I declined, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the

robbery took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door,” Jerry replied. “Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked.

Jerry continued, “The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, ‘He’s a dead man.’ I knew I needed to take action.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“Well, there was a big, blonde nurse shouting questions at me,” said Jerry. “She asked if I was allergic to anything. ‘Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, ‘Bullets!’ Over their laughter, I told them, ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.’ ”

Jerry is alive today, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that day that we always have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

Now you have a choice: you can forget this story, or you can choose to let it make a difference in your attitude and your life.

Author unknown

They say, “Attitude is Everything.” I totally agree. Every morning when I get up I make a choice. I can make it a good day or, I can make it a bad day. It’s totally up to me and my attitude. I can greet the new day with a smile, or I can greet it with a frown. I can be negative, or, I can be positive. As I start the day, so it will surely end though.

I came across the video of Zig Ziglar below and would like to share it with you. It’s one of my favorites.

Zig Ziglar: Attitude Makes All the Difference

The Entrepreneur’s Prayer

As I awaken with the gift of yet another day and prepare for the tasks at hand, I offer up this most ardent prayer.

I pray for continued clarity of purpose so that I may hold my vision steady and keep my focus on the needs and success of others, which in turn shall bring me success.

I pray for the wisdom to epect abundance in my life, that it surrounds me and is available for the taking and to be shameless and unapologetic upon its receipt, for I deserve abundance.

I pray for a cheerful countenance, be it clear or cloudy skies and that I may radiate and infect others with my positive attitude.

I pray for the trust of others that they may recognize my sincerity and true intentions so that we may move forward together.

I pray for the strength to fend off adversity and use my desire and determination as both weapon and shield.

I pray for the courage to carry forth my convictions during the battle of business and to resist temptation to a quicker monetary result when such temptation compromises things for which I stand.

I pray that I may be used as lightning rod to collect the amazing ideas already present in the universe and when blessed with such inspiration, that I may be able to apply my talents and abilities to turn the power of thought into measurable advancement of my goals.

I pray to retain my childhood wonder so that I can recognize and revel in the small miracles of each day that others may miss.

I pray for an infinite supply of self-confidence  for it alone fortifies faith, strengthens my resolve and conquers the largest enemy I will ever face…fear.

I pray for a compassionate spirit and the patience to offer those  who seek my advice and my help, my full and undivided attention.

I pray for good health and a feeling of well being, and the continued desire to improve those areas of my physical life I may be neglecting in the name of my spiritual and entrepreneurial advancement.

I pray that today is a day of excellence and at its conclusion I can acknowledge and be grateful for the forward motion I have made and the growth I have experienced.

I pray most of all for the understanding and support of those closest to my heart, my family, that they will equate what may seem like endless hours of apparent pre-occupation with affairs of business to what is at the very core of my being, that which drives me, for once I achieve what I have set out in its fullest, I will become that more complete being I strive to be.

It is for these things I pray, for I am an entrepreneur.