Big Thinker?

July 2nd, 2009

Big ThinkerWhat is a phrase or term that can be used in both praising someone and insulting someone depending on the circumstance? When spoken, most people really don’t understand what it means. They think they do, but really don’t. Sometimes it is a term used in conjunction with and has virtually the same meaning as “Think outside the box.” It is something that defines those who succeed and used to educate those who have not yet succeeded. It is a concept, that if truly understood, could propel anyone to new levels in business and life. It is something that some people are just born with and others can work to become. It is a title, a status.

No literally! It’s a title, the title of this post, “Big Thinker.” Not only is it a title for this post, but is also a title for the leaders in every industry in the world. In order to truly experience the level of success you dream about and have envisioned for yourself, you MUST become a BIG Thinker. I capitalize it for what it represents.

Are you a Big Thinker?

Let’s put it in black and white, simple to understand terms for everyone else out there like me, simple minded. It’s two words. Big + Thinker. So, in order to be a thinker, you must use your brain and produce what every person in this world is capable of producing, a thought! Not just any thought though. It’s easy to have a thought pop into your head. Every time you look at something a thought enters your head. A true thinker produces his or her own thoughts. They don’t require an outside source to spark and idea. They just come up with random, creative thoughts and they entertain those thoughts. After a while of entertaining those thoughts, BAM, they get an idea. An idea is something that can be put into action.

The definition of “Big” is: Of considerable size, number, quantity, magnitude, or extent. So a Big Thinker is thinking at a considerable size, number, quantity, magnitude or extent. In other words, normal thinking is me, Big Thinking is Andre the giant. Normal thinking is having enough money to make your bills. Big Thinking is Financial Freedom.

So here are three ways that you can determine whether or not you are a big thinker:

  1. When you see someone do something amazing, do you think that person is just amazing, or do you think to yourself, “If they can do it, I can!”
  2. Do you constantly rely on others to bail you out, help you out, give you ideas or do things for you…..or do you have others calling you for those same reasons?
  3. Do you find yourself overly excited about things that haven’t even happened yet or can you even see past the here and now, dwelling on and constantly think about your current situation.
  4. Do you view the cup as half empty or half full?
  5. Do you call your mentors to bounce around ideas you have or do you call expecting them to give it all to you, when in reality, all you get is a bunch of dead air?

So what are you? Once you have arrived at the status of being a Big Thinker, it rolls into every aspect of your business, and your life. It is a constant thing. It is a change in the way you think. You can’t just turn it off when you want, it’s you. It’s the way you operate. I believe it was Oliver Wendell Holmes that said, “The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to it’s original size.” Once a Big Thinker, always a Big Thinker!

10 Mistakes of Home Business Owners

July 1st, 2009

money home businessYes, if you are currently in a home based business, you are a business owner. You own and operate your own successful or unsuccessful business right out of your home office. For some, that home office can be where ever their feet take them, just as long as they have their phone. For others, it’s right at home in their office.

So what do business owners do? Well, they do business, and doing business means that they make money! Now, in a home business, it is just as easy to make money as it is to “not” make money. It takes the same amount of effort to succeed as it does to fail. The difference between success and failure is smaller than you think. Very small actions taken during the day, every single day, will move you closer to or farther from success.

Here are ten mistakes home business owners make that will obviously move them closer to failure:

  1. They give themselves a back door, a quit date, an ultimatum or an excuse.
  2. They treat it like a hobby instead of a business. When I think of a successful business owner, I think of someone who is his business. He is always thinking and looking for ways to increase his business. When I think of someone with a hobby, they tend to get to it when they have a little extra time. I can tell you this much, unless your home business is a priority, it will fail and produce “hobby” income.
  3. They play small. They place a little tiny ad, they market a little bit, they call a few people, they don’t think big enough. Their decisions are most likely being driven by fear, instead of ambition.
  4. Half invest themselves. In most network marketing opportunities, there are income levels. If you are not playing at the highest level you can, you are playing small. You can’t catch the BIG fish by fishing in the two foot wide aquarium.
  5. Don’t use the products. This is huge! I know in my business, I suggest to everyone I choose to mentor, to purchase the products. Purchase whatever products you would like to be paid for. Know your product! A Nike shoe salesman better have owned and used a pair of the shoes he is selling. Otherwise, he is going to look a little foolish when someone asks about the product.
  6. Inconsistency. It takes more than a few drops in a storm to soak a driveway. Instead of working their business, doing income producing activities every single day, they choose to skip it here or there. Skip your business, skip your goals!
  7. Play the blame game. It’s their mentors fault, the companies fault, the compensation plans fault or their teams fault that they haven’t had the success they came here for. Personal responsibility is a myth.
  8. Don’t follow the system. This is called “re-inventing the wheel.” In other words, thinking that their way is better. The system is in place because it works. Why re-invent something that isn’t broken.
  9. They are dishonest. You have all heard of the term, “fake it til you make it.” In my eyes, that’s a lie. Standing in front of that Mercedes and that huge home, all of which belongs to someone else, is dishonest. If it’s not yours, don’t claim that it is.
  10. Failure to mastermind. There is no other industry in the world that operates like Network Marketing. You don’t see McDonalds willing to share their marketing techniques with Burger King. Home business owners, yes that’s you, are willing to share with others the things they are doing to create success. Believe it or not, this part of the system.

Do you see? It takes just as much effort to not do things as it does to do things. Yes, you may miss a few of your favorite TV shows on your trip to success, but what would you rather have….an evening with House or an American Idol or a successful home business? One provides you with time freedom, financial freedom and a lifestyle of your design. The other is just a pastime.

Don’t fall short of the goal by making these simple, yet devastating mistakes. You are a business owner. Act like one!

Roger Bannisters Four Minute Mile

June 26th, 2009

Roger Bannisters four minute mileThroughout the history of the world there have been visionaries that existed, people who have been able to see beyond the knowledge of the rest of the masses. These visionaries have propelled humanity to new heights in science, technology, medicine, sports and every other industry out there. The list would go on and on. These visionaries accomplished things, knew things and discovered things that everyone else thought to be impossible, non-existent or fiction. They moved forward with their vision despite the opposition and belief of others and succeeded. And believe me when I say this, every single icon in history had to overcome intense opposition. Most people thought of their vision as foolish, crazy or risky.

Is this sounding familiar to you?

Roger Bannisters four minute mile

Have you heard of it? Everyone thought it would be medically impossible to break the four minute mile. Medical professionals believed that human lungs would burst if put under that kind of strain. They thought it impossible for a human to run a mile in under four minutes. Well, while the masses sat there in opposition, thinking of the impossible, Roger Bannister completed the impossible. He ran the mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds.

In the face of opposition and all doubt by most of the so called “professionals,” Bannister broke the laws of reason. He achieved a task that had been deemed “Unobtainable” by society and he did it against all odds.

This is just one example of a visionary that existed in his prime at that given time. He acted, and mankind from that time forward will remember his choice to act. Sure, he could have been just like everyone else, sitting there thinking about how impossible things were. That would have been easy. Instead, he trained, he worked at it and he was the first of his kind!

So back to my question, is this sounding familiar to you? Have you heard someone tell you that you were crazy, foolish or taking too large of a risk? Have you had people telling you not to do something that you had your heart set on doing? Have you had someone tell you not to start that home based business or that “thing” you wanted to start?

I sure hope so. Because if you haven’t, most likely, you are the one telling others that what they have set out to accomplish is impossible. You have a choice. You can be the one telling the visionary that he is a fool, or you can be the visionary. One way leads you to a life of fulfillment, abundance and joy. The other way, just leaves you right where you are. I can show you the door, but you yourself is the one that has to walk through it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEgHhijFnEU[/youtube]

You versus a Hero?

June 23rd, 2009

Business Opportunity BlogI’d like to do a quick comparison between you and any given hero. I would like to make a comparison between the way you handle yourself, your life, your choices and the way you think. I’m not going to compare the fact that most super heroes can throw cars and break through walls and you can’t. There are many types of heroes in the world, besides the obvious fictional heroes such as superman.

So let’s define a hero:

  • mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
  • an illustrious warrior
  • man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
  • one that shows great courage
  • the central figure in an event, period, or movement
  • an object of extreme admiration and devotion

Think about what a hero would do when facing a burning building. He doesn’t think, he just acts and he does so in a completely selfless way. Lives are at stake. He trusts his intuition and moves with haste. What does a fictitious hero do when the end of the world is at hand? He looks at himself as the only one with the power to save it. He doesn’t go to the police or other super heroes to take care of it. He takes the responsibility on himself.

Think back to the times when you might have saved your child from falling or actually saved someones life. Did you think much? Did you sit back for a moment to contemplate all the different scenarios or outcomes of the situation? You just acted, right!? Your natural abilities just kicked in and made it happen.

I am sure we can all agree that a hero is someone that succeeds. A hero is a person that is looked up to for their actions. Based on what we have just discussed, a hero is also someone who trusts his immediate “gumption!” When he gets that gut feeling, he knows it is the right thing and he acts on it before it is too late.

Now, let’s reflect a bit on our lives. How have we been acting? Have we been heroic or a little cowardly. Have we been a person of action, trusting in our gut feelings? Have we been confident in making big decisions quickly or did we sit back and contemplate? When things get grim and our lives seem to be upside down, do we turn to others and expect them to bail us out or do we take on that responsibility?

The absolute truth, everyone one of us, has the potential to become a hero. The definition above describes each one of us, if we but choose to act heroic. We were all “endowed with great strength or ability” when were were born into this world. We just have to learn to use it. A “man admired for his achievements and noble qualities” is simply a man who acts instead of contemplates. “One that shows great courage is simply someone that makes decisions quickly and then moves forward with those decisions in a massive way. Believe it or not, we are all “the central figure in an event, period, or movement” in our own lives. We are the main character, or hero, in our own action flick! Sometimes people choose to pass that role to others out of fear of the unknown. Choose to be that central figure! And believe it or not, people are looking for “an object of extreme admiration and devotion” to follow. People look for leaders, heroes in a sense, to show them what is possible in their own lives!

If you are an entrepreneur who is taking action in your own life, you have many of these same qualities. Most people have these heroic qualities but are terrified to use them. They walk around in skepticism of change and a fear of success. The true key to success is to trust your first gut feeling and to follow it up with massive friggin’ action! Through your passion to succeed, your willingness to serve and your God given abilities, your results will be something to look up to. They will be of a leader! So you decide, are you a natural born hero or just a puny little human?

The Walk On

June 19th, 2009

The Walk OnDuring college did you ever think about being a walk-on in your favorite sport? Now, of course I’m speaking about the ones that didn’t have that full ride scholarship and a reserved spot on the team. However, this pertains to everyone, scholarship or not. So how about it? Did you? Did you actually try out for the team or did you just think about doing it? If you did try out, did you make the team? Did you give it your best?

This is about making things happen. It’s about creating a spot for yourself. It’s about wanting it bad enough that you’ll do just about anything to get it.

If you think about a walk-on, what comes to mind? Determination? Persistence? Vision? I can tell you this much, a walk-on is someone that makes the team out of pure will power. It is that person that knows they can hang with the big dogs, the high recruits, that already have a place on the team. This is a person with drive, with ambition and with a tremendous amount of self belief. There is no spot on the team for the walk-on. He has to create his spot on the team, work hard for it and claim it as his own. He has to earn the right to play with the big dogs and a lot of the time, is one of the better players on the team. Most if the time, the coach already has a good idea of who is going to fill the open spot on the team. So if that’s not you, you’ve got to want it more!

I’d like to give credit to Wendy Stevens for providing the idea for this post. True story, Wendy was actually a walk-on. She had a conversation with the coach one day about what she could do to make the team. The coach told her, “Play left handed!” So she did everything with her left hand. When opening the door, she would use her left hand. She brushed her teeth left handed. If you’ve never tried that, do it. It isn’t as easy as it may seem. Wendy was right handed, but she made the team. She used muscles that had never been used in that way before. She had to train these muscles to work just as good as her right hand muscles in order to get the spot on the team.

This is exactly the same thing that a new entrepreneur or new network marketer goes through. They get started in a business opportunity to create that spot on the team, to reach their goal of being a big time player. Once started in a business you quickly find out that you have never done some of the things you are now required to do. You must think differently, work differently and operate in a completely different way than before. So you work at it and work at it until it becomes natural. You are exercising your entrepreneurial muscles and the more you do, the easier the game becomes. The easier the game becomes, the better your chances are in winning that spot.

If you’re having trouble finding the way to get ahead, just keep being consistent. Consistency = exercising those muscles. By doing things that feel different than anything else you have ever done before, you will start adding new skills into your game. Once these skills are streamlined to perfection, you will gain that winners edge and claim your spot on the team as the walk-on who wanted it most!

TOMS Shoes

June 15th, 2009

I would like you to fill in the blank as you say this sentence to yourself: I am _________ by the people in this world. Just fill in the blank with the first thing that comes to your mind. Don’t try to think it through, just do it as it comes in flow. The first thought that enters your mind is the one that fills the blank.

What did you put in there? Are you disgusted by people? Are you amazed, set back, motivated, threatened, deranged? Depending on your answer, this is a great way to determine whether you are being at cause or being the cause.

Now, let’s rephrase that sentence a bit: I am _________ by those I associate with everyday. I am _________ by my family members.

What did you put in those blanks? Whether good or not, listen to the words your mind places there. Sure the word may change from time to time depending on how you allow your circumstances to effect your mindset, but ultimately, you choose the word to fill in the blank.

I once heard a phrase that went something like: If you would like to see more kindness in the world, become kind. If you would like to see more success in the world, become wildly successful. Become exactly that which you would like to see in the world. Only then will the world, in your mind, become what you would like it to become!

For me, I am “inspired” by the people in this world. I am “inspired” and “motivated” by those I associate with everyday. I am “empowered” by my family members!

Have you ever heard of TOMS Shoes? Here is an example of someone that inspires me in this world. This guy decided that he was going to start a company that made shoes and for every pair of shoes that someone buys, a pair is also given to a child in need somewhere around the world. TOMS Shoes is an example of someone deciding to be “At Cause” instead of “the cause.” He is making a difference in the world with his idea.

Do you think that it was easy for Blake Mycoskie to start this company? Do you think everyone thought it was a great idea, to start a company that gave away shoes? If you have read any of my articles or blog posts, you will know the answer. He was laughed at! People thought he was crazy and foolish. There were nay-sayers. There were people who didn’t want him to succeed because they wanted him to stay just like them, “the cause.”

Blake is part of the 3% of people that achieve their dreams. My hats off to him and the thousands of others like him who passionately follow their goals regardless of fear or opposition. I am INSPIRED by the people that surround me! You should choose to be as well! Here is a link to their site.

http://www.tomsshoes.com/

Be part of the ones that make a difference. It’s very difficult to make a significant difference in the lives of those around while sitting in your cubicle at work all day. Become an Entrepreneur. Start a business that inspires you! I have…..and I teach others, who inspire me, how to do it as well!

Enjoy the video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt3BQQ6dQaQ[/youtube]

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