Back in the day when I was just getting started in my network marketing business, I attended a team training at which the company’s top field income earner was speaking.
I had heard this man speak at previous events, and what he had to say was always useful.
On this particular day, he was sharing his thoughts about how to stay on track with building your business. Aside from the usual litany of tips on goal setting and mindset, he offered this piece of advice.
“How many of you have ever ‘hoped’ to earn $10,000 a month in this business?” he asked.
Just about everyone in the room raised our hands.
He surveyed the crowd and then said, “Well, I’ve got some good news and bad news for you. Which do you want first?”
Several people yelled out “The bad news!” and so that’s where he started.
“You want the bad news first? Okay then, here it is. All of you who just raised your hand can forget about EVER making anywhere close to ten grand a month in this business.”
A murmur of confusion and disappointment passed through the crowd.
Without missing a beat, he quickly continued, “Ready for the good news? Anyone who didn’t raise their hand, please stand up.”
A scattering of souls slowly got to their feet, looking nervous and uncertain about where he was going with this.
The man started clapping his hands enthusiastically. “Congratulations to everyone who is standing! Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to look at these people very closely because THESE are going to be this company’s next set of big income earners!”
Some of the folks standing cheered, while the rest of us chuckled and applauded.
“You see,” the man continued, “you can’t ‘hope’ to do anything. While ‘hope’ is terrific in times of trouble, ‘hope’ will not get you where you want to go in this business. There is no ‘hoping’ for a big paycheck and then magically, your business is generating ten thousand dollars a month.
“To win in network marketing is simple. Get out there and do the work. Ask people questions about what they want. Find people who are willing to work for their dream. You will be so busy working you won’t have time to ‘hope’ for anything… except maybe a good night’s sleep once in awhile.”
We all laughed.
“My point is very simple. Keep hope alive for what you want to get done, but go out and get done what you want to get done by doing the work. That is the best formula for making the kind of money you want to make in network marketing.”
In my notebook that day, I made a note to myself to never use the word hope in a sentence when talking about my business. I vowed I would never “hope” to win or find a great leader. Instead, I would do what he said we must do: work.
I must admit that following that advice has served me well. I have stayed focused on the work and not the hope, and while I am still working toward my long term goals, I know I won’t have to hope for a payoff down the road.
Mary Lou,
Both hope and try are words that will never support you in achieving anything in life. Just as you explained with hope, try doesn’t get you there. You are either doing or not doing, trying doesn’t fit in. Great way to make an excellent point!
Val 🙂
Val, That is exactly it. How many times do we hear others (and ourselves) utter the phrases “I will try” or “I hope”? The more conscious we become about our language, the better we can program our brains for action and success!