When I first started out in my blogging venture I often shared inspirational stories. I know, I haven’t told one in quite some time. But, there will be one coming today which was inspired by a comment that was left on my last post by one of my regular readers, Tim Singleton. (Thanks Tim for the inspiration for this blog post!)

Tim shared his disappointment about a prospect he spent money and a lot of time on, educating him about his product and then in the end, lost to his sponsor. The prospect’s reasoning, Tim’s sponsor was a “bigger deal.” Huh? Are you for real?

Sound familiar?

If you’ve been in the network marketing industry long enough, I bet it has happened to you too at least once. I know it happened to me before.

Yes it stings. Your ego gets rattled a bit, but you can’t let that get to you. And for God’s sake, don’t let self-doubt creep in. It has nothing to do with you.

When someone passes you by and joins with your sponsor instead, because “he’s a bigger deal” there’s nothing you could have done. Don’t worry, karma will take care of it. What goes around comes around.

Besides, every big shot started out as a little shot that kept on shooting.

But on to the story I was going to tell you….

The Donkey in The Well

One day a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The poor thing cried piteously for hours as th farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally he decided since the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. So, the farmer invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed shovels, and began to shovel dirt into the well.

All the other farm animals were very upset about this, because the donkey was their friend. But they discovered there was nothing they could do to help him. At first, when the donkey realized what was happening, he cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well, and was astonished at what he saw.

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off, and take a step up on the dirt as it piled up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well, and trotted off!

Takeaway from this story: Life is going to shovel dirt on you. All kinds of dirt. But each obstacle, road block, and yes, lost prospect can be a stepping stone. What happens to you isn’t nearly as important as how you react to it. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not giving up!

Shake it off, and take a step up!

There will be many more detours on our way to success. Taking the “scenic route” can be a great learning experience. I am a strong believer that everything in life happens for a reason.  Sometimes we find out what the reasoning was for certain things that happened in our life, and sometimes we don’t.

So, never let self-doubt creep in. Keep believing in yourself…
and keep on shooting!

To Your Massive Success!

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

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Since we are all different, success will mean different things to you and me. To some people success is just getting up in the morning. To others it means reaching the lifestyle of their dreams.

Success isn’t a destination. It’s a journey. It has peaks and valleys, twists and turns and yes, also the occasional road block.

Success needs planning. But before you can plan you need to know exactly what you want. That’s where the clear vision comes into play.

For the occasional speed bumps and roadblocks
I like to have my favorite success quotes handy.

Today I would like to share them with you starting with number 10 and counting down to my very favorite…

10. “Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown.” _Ross Perot

9. “Success is tons of discipline.” ~Al Tomsik

8. “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” _Michael Jordan

7. “Every single successful entrepreneur I know has studied and accumulated information on their industry that is the equivalent of a Master`s or PHD”. ~Mike Dillard

6. “Success Starts With A Dream…Followed By Action.” ~Unknown

5.  “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” – Les Brown

4. “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” _Bill Cosby

3. “Success is steady progress toward one’s personal goals.” ~Jim Rohn

2. “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Vince Lombardi

and my #1 favorite….

So there you have them, my top 10 favorite quotes about success.

One that reminds me almost daily to adjust my attitude is one I came up with myself.

“Success starts and ends in the mind. Period.”

It’s really true! Whatever mood you start your day with sets the tone for the whole entire day.

For example this morning my mood was pretty good when I got up. But then life set in at the Flood house. My youngest wanted to check his email and started to complain about the slow internet. The oldest got mad at the stuck door handle when he tried to leave for work. One thing led to another and within minutes I was in a bad mood.

Thinking that today was the day I needed to write a blog post I found myself in a real pickle. “How will I ever get something positive and inspiring down in that kind of mood”, I thought.

And then, wham, my quote popped in my mind ….”Success starts and ends in the mind. Period.”

I changed my attitude and look what happened.

To Your Massive Success!

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

Related posts:

1. The Terminator Shares His Six Secrets to Success
2. 31 Killer Quotes about Networking and Network Marketing
3. 10 Principles of Success [Infographic]

Take Immediate Action Using the Tools Already Available to You

Here’s an amazing story to illustrate my point for today on how to stop getting ready to get ready and instead take immediate action with the tools already available to you. You know without action your network marketing business is not going to grow.  Au contraire. There has to be constant and consistent action to keep it alive. Massive action taken will even put it on turbo charge.

But anyway, let’s move on.

I heard this story told by Roberto Monaco who is a great story teller and public speaker. Oh and by the way, he was the top producer in the Anthony Robbins Company for 5 years straight.

Without further ado, here is the story. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

The Little Dog and the Lion

There was this family on vacation in Africa and they had a little dog with them.

Somehow the dog got loose and disappeared. The family was devestated because they thought their little dog was lost forever. They searched and searched but they couldn’t find him.

Meanwhile that little dog had run into the bush. He was really scared because there were a lot of skeletons and dead animals along the way.

Suddenly he heard a loud roar and as he turned around he saw this huge lion charging at him. “Oh my gosh! What am I going to do? This lion is going to eat me alive if I am not resourceful and do something quick.”

He looked around for something and saw this dead animal. “I have an idea,” he said to himself. With the lion still charging at him,  the dog turned his back, pretended to eat the dead animal and started talking to himself in a loud voice so the  lion could hear him …”Hmm yum, yum. This is so good. I love this lion that I just killed and am eating for breakfast.”

The lion stopped dead in his tracks. “Wow,” he thought, “this little dog killed that big lion? I better not get anywhere near him or he is going to kill me too.” And he escaped.

A monkey up in the tree saw and heard the whole thing. He swung from the tree and followed the retreating lion.

“Hey lion’” he said, “I saw the whole thing. That little dog is a liar. He didn’t kill that lion. It was already dead. He was playing a trick on you only pretending to eat it so you wouldn’t attack him.”

Now the lion was really angry. How dare this little dog to make such a fool of him. “I’ll kill him and eat him,” he said, and with the monkey on his back went back to where the little dog was.

The little dog saw the lion charging at him again. This time faster and much more angry. “Oh boy, I’m in trouble now. That monkey must have squealed on me and made the lion really mad. I don’t stand a chance of survival if I’m not resourceful with the tools I already have and do something quick.”

As the lion gets really close and ready to jump on him, the little dog turned his back to the lion and the monkey and said real loud… “Man, I hate that monkey. I told him half an hour ago to go and grab another lion for me to eat and he’s taking too long.”

The lion heard that, looked at the monkey and killed him.

Take away…

The morale of the story is…You have to be resourceful with the tools you already have and use them to your advantage.

Oftentimes people are waiting for new tools to come out. New websites, new presentations, new marketing systems or whatever, instead of using the tools they already have and taking immediate and massive action.

Getting ready to get ready is getting you nowhere. While you are sitting there waiting for the latest and greatest with all its bells and whistles the competition is going to pass you by.

Take immediate and massive action with whatever tools you have available to you …right now.

To Your Success…

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. As always, if you liked this story and found some value in it, please be sweet and retweet and also share it with your friends on Facebook. Don’t forget to tag me so I can properly thank you. Thanks!

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Napoleon Hill said, …“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. Regardless how many times you may have failed in the past or how lofty your aims and hopes may be.”

When you read the story below, than you will see that this is absolutely true.

So get away from the naysayers and dream stealers and go realize your dreams. If you have a vision and you believe deep down in your heart that you can absolutely accomplish it … then  go for it!

Just like Washington Roeling did.

Here’s his inspiring story….

Back in 1883 a visionary and engineer by the name of John Roeling had a big vision. He wanted to build something really big. Something spectacular that had never been done before. He wanted to build a bridge between New York and Long Island.

Everyone told him that was foolish. Something like that had never been done before and he should give up on his crazy idea as it was impossible to do something like that.

Roeling couldn’t. He was bound and determined to realize his vision. So he set out to look for some influential people to buy into his dream. Finally he recruited his son Washington who was an up and coming engineer.

“We can do it! Let’s build that bridge.”

They found the capital needed and started building the bridge. But only a few months into it there was a terrible accident on the bridge which cost Roeling his life and left his son Washington with brain damage in a hospital bed.

He couldn’t talk. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t do anything more than move his fingers on his left hand.

Now all the media, all the employers and all the naysayers said, “See, we told you it couldn’t be done.

There’s no way. Why are you doing this? People lost their jobs, they lost their money. Now there is no bridge.”

Laying there in his hospital bed Washington wasn’t about to give up. As a sudden flash of light came through the window he took it as a sign and all his determination came back. He said, “I have hope. I have vision. I can do this!”

While his body wasn’t working, his mind still was and was sharp as ever.

His beautiful wife was by his side and supported him through all these moments of terrible hardship.

Washington said, “I am actually going through with this. I will finish this bridge.”

So since he could only move the fingers of his left hand he developed a communication code to express every single idea in his mind to his wife so she could understand.

He called back all the engineers and for 13 years communicated every single idea in his head by tapping his wife’s arm with his left hand.

He finished the bridge … which today is known as the Brooklyn Bridge.

And that’s the Brooklyn Bridge Story – A Story of Determination and Realizing Your Dream.

Again … Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”

See, whatever you set your mind to, you can do. If you only believe it. So don’t let anyone steal your dreams.  Go for it! … Realize them! You can do it!

To Your Success…

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. If you liked this story please be sweet and re-tweet it and also share it with your friends on Facebook. Don’t forget to tag me so I can thank you properly. Thank you!

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Developing an Attitude of Gratitude!

Hmm, I wonder.

I’ve been reading quite a bit about “developing an attitude of gratitude” lately.

Taking things for granted is never a good thing.

Have you ever noticed that when you loose something you suddenly (and sometimes painfully) notice its value to you?

I try hard not to take anything for granted, but this morning when I sat down on my computer I noticed that I had taken for granted the very things that are KEY to my business success.

Here are just a few things I had totally taken for granted …

• My computer
  The very first thing I do every morning after getting out of bed is turn on my computer. Without even thinking about it, I expectit to turn on and to hear that familiar humming sound.I never gave thought to the many people who were involved in creating the parts and putting it together. Nor have I ever thought of the genius who was able to figure out that a bunch of zeros and ones somehow could make a computer in the first place.
• The Internet
  Again, I totally expectit to appear as soon as I log in. Should it go out (usually right in the middle of me working on something – like would you believe it – right now as I am writing this) I kick and scream (sometimes) and get very upset.The internet is the life line to my customers, my team members and prospects, my online friends … well to basically everything. It’s the heart beat of my business. Without it I am dead in the water.
• Email
  I took it for granted (until right now) that I can send an email to someone half-way around the world in seconds and that I can get a response back just as quickly.
• Skype
  I can call friends, family and prospects all over the world and don’t have to pay a penny to do so (if I call from computer to computer) or very little if I call from computer to a land line or cell phone.
• The Telephone
  The ultimate credit goes to Alexander Graham Bell for inventing it in the first place. But look how far we have come since then. I’m not tied to a wall phone but can call people from anywhere and can be reached anywhere with a cell phone or mobile phone.

Someone had to invent all these tools I’m using on a daily basis to build my network marketing business.

Someone had to make all this possible. But have I ever thought about those people or thought about giving thanks to them? If I’m really honest … no, not really. I’ve totally taken all that for granted.

So here today is my official expression of gratitude to everyone who has anything to do with me building my online business. Thank you for making this possible for me!

The only ‘thing’ I haven’t taken for granted are you, my readers. I truly appreciate you stopping by and reading my posts and leaving me your thoughts. Thank you so much!

So again my question … Can there be success without gratitude?

In my opinion, no, there can’t be success without gratitute. Because expressing gratitude for the things you have opens yourself up to receiving more. And the power of gratitude goes a very long way.

What are your thoughts?

To your success,

Ilka Flood

P.S. As always, if you got something out of this post please don’t forget to share it with your friends on Twitter or Facebook…or Digg it.

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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…

Let’s say if:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as numbers:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But ,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,
B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far a** kissing will take you.

A-*-*-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, it is pretty safe to say with mathematical certainty, that while Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, Attitude is right on. But it’s the Bullshit and A** Kissing that twill put you over the top.

I have often wondered what it means when people say, “I give it a 110%. Or 120%”. Or whatever. How can you give more than the whole?? You can’t give more than there really is. Or can you?

Have you ever said anything like that? Have you ever wondered? What’s YOUR definition of attitude? Let us know in the comments below.

To Your Success,

Ilka Flood

P.S. As always, if you liked this post share it. Thanks!

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Good question! The answer is, actually, quite a bit.

Read on to find out….

A man came across a young boy who happy as could be was shoveling horse manure. There was a big pile of it and the boy would dig up shovel full after shovel full and toss it aside.

“What a stinky job”, the man thought to himself, “who would want to do that?”  But the boy seemed to get happier with every load he tossed aside.

Finally the man couldn’t stand it any longer and he asked the boy, “what are you doing?”

The boy, with a smile from ear to ear answered, … “well, with all of this horse manure, there has got to be a pony underneath.”

So again, what does all  this have to do with network marketing?

Well, as network marketers we have to put up with, well, a lot of crap.

Rejection from prospects; Ridicule from friends and family; Getting paid very little money for a whole lot of work in the beginning; A steep learning curve and what seems to be never-ending challenges.

However….

If we keep our eyes on the price, keep a positive attitude, face our challenges with a smile on our face and never give up … we will be handsomely rewarded at the end.

Remember… “Your attitude determines your altitude!”

To Your Success,

Ilka Flood

P.S. If you liked this story, spread the love by sharing it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

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Or …What not to do when you first start out in network marketing.

Let’s be totally honest here. As new network marketers just starting out in the industry we all have made some mistakes. I know I certainly have made my share. That’s just part of the learning curve. As long as we learn from our mistakes and fail forward, we’ll be alright.

So, here are probably the 7 most common mistakes we make as brand new network marketers…

1) Don’t have a Part-time Attitude

It’s certainly okay to build your network marketing business part-time and alongside your regular job in the beginning. What’s not okay, is having a part-time attitude about it. Many new networkers fail because they treat their business like a hobby. This will reflect in your commission check. So, don’t dabble in your business… Commit to it! It is YOUR future that you are building.

2) Don’t Make Yourself the Issue

When you first start out in network marketing you know absolutely nothing. Nothing about the company and nothing about the products you are selling. You are brand spanking new. So how are you supposed to grow your business? You haven’t even earned a penny in commission yet. Many new networkers feel very uneasy because they don’t know what to say to their prospects.

Don’t worry. Just take yourself out of the equation. Find either your sponsor or somebody in the levels above you who is willing to help you. Use that person as an expert to do 3-way calls with your prospects.

Don’t interrupt them while they are talking, listen carefully and take good notes on what they say and how they say it. Learn from them so eventually you can do this yourself.

3) Don’t Take Rejection Personally

New network marketers are often afraid to talk to people about their new business opportunity because they are afraid of getting rejected. What they must realize is that, it is not them getting rejected, but the opportunity might not be right for the person they are talking to. Or the timing may just not be right.

When I started out in this industry, rejection was a biggie for me. I was afraid of picking up the phone and calling my leads, because I was afraid of them telling me “NO.”

Until someone put it to me this way… “Look, when you order a Bic Mac at McDonalds and the clerk asks you if you would like fries with that, he’s not going to break out in tears if you tell him, ‘NO’, or is he?”

Well, of course not. That would be silly. Fries are not for everyone …and neither is your business opportunity. You just have to find the right people. ..Hint: Those who like fries.

4) Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

Someone has always walked the path before you. So don’t make things harder for yourself by trying to reinvent the wheel. If your sponsor or team has a system that has worked for them, by all means use it. Keep it simple! Don’t make this business more difficult than it really is.

5) Don’t Forget the Power of Customers

Often new networkers are so focused on recruiting new team members that they totally forget about customers. Retail sales count for part of your income in network marketing. Customers are the back bone of your business. They join because they fell in love with your products, and they stay because of it.

6) Don’t Alienate Your Sponsor

Your sponsor is your most valuable resource. Your ‘go to person’ who is there to train and guide you, to support and encourage you. Don’t alienate him or her by constantly whining or being negative or hanging on their shirt tails.

Don’t expect him or her to hold your hand the whole way through.  I have had sponsors who were there for me for my first week …and then cut me lose. From then on I was on my own, but I knew if I needed something they were just a phone call away. I was expected to call THEM …not the other way around.

7) Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Dream

There is a reason why you started your network marketing business. It may be to stay home with your kids. Or to bring your husband home. It may be to buy a bigger house. A new car.  It may be that you are  getting close to retirement and want to make sure you can live comfortably after you no longer work. Or you might want to go on that long overdue family vacation. Whatever your “WHY” don’t let anyone come along and steal it. Hang on to it!

And number 8…

If you like this article don’t let it go to waste by not sharing it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook. Thank you!

To Your Success,

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. May I ask you a huge favor? If you enjoyed this post would you be so kind and re-tweet and comment and share it on Facebook? Thank you ever so much!

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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 …“Are we getting dinner this week?” (That kind of reminded me of when he received a surprise phone call on a Sunday and went off to Saudi Arabia Monday morning during Desert Storm. The first thing I could think of was, … “who’s going to do our taxes?”)

But anyway … Yes, I still fed my family this week.

What did this challenge accomplish?

For one, it made me grow as a person. I gained more confidence when I stepped out of my comfort zone. Oh, wait a minute. Did I step out or was I pushed? =) In any case, the results remain the same. (Thanks so much for the push!! It’s very much appreciated.)

As an added benefit, my Alexa ranking dropped quite a bit this week and I gained quite a few new visitors as well.

By the way … I wrote a post a little while ago …“Why You Should Surround Yourself With Successful People.”

Well, that’s EXACTLY why. When you hang out with successful people, they lift you up to their level.  They help you stretch your limits and they will also give you that much needed push.

I couldn’t have accomplished this challenge this week without the loving support of my husband. So here’s a big hug and thank you for always believing in me even if I don’t.

Here’s one of my favorite motivational movies. I invite you to watch Even Eagles Need A Push. It is only 3 minutes long.

Yes, indeed, even eagles need a push. They need to learn to spread their wings and fly.

Challenges are nothing more than stepping stones to help you grow. Are you stepping up to the plate?

Can you relate? Has anyone ever helped you stretch your limits or even pushed you out of the nest? If so, we’d love to hear your story below.

And, as always, if you liked this post, please share it with your friends of Twitter and Facebook.

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It’s not a straight shot to the top. Just like in life itself, there are peaks and valleys, ups and downs. It takes hard work, dedication, perceverance, and yes, failure too. But as long as you fail forward, believe in yourself and never let doubt creep in, you’ll be alright.

Someone shared this quote from Michael Jordan with me…

Michael Jordan
June 21, 1991
Wins First NBA Championship

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot … and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan failed more times than he succeeded.

He averaged 30+ shots a game and only made 47% of them.

But Michael always threw the ball up.

He never doubted his abilities. Some games his averages were better than others, but he would never not play the game.

There is no difference between playing ball and network marketing.

In order to succeed you need to throw that ball. The more you throw it, the better you will get. You have to believe you can make that basket. But the only way you will, is  by throwing that ball up at it. And keep throwing it … and throwing it … and throwing it.

Practice doesn’t make perfect … it makes better.

So keep practicing. And hang out with people who inspire you. People who lift you up and who believe in you and your ability to succeed.

To Your Success!

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. May I ask you a huge favor? If you enjoyed this post would you be so kind and re-tweet and comment and share it on Facebook? Thank you ever so much!

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