Houston, We Have a Problem

For network marketers, the challenge is getting past the pull of our own personal gravity; doubts, insecurity, self limiting beliefs, lack of support, skeptics, and a host of other forces that may at first seem insurmountable.

Instead, you need to have a new relationship to your “stuff.” You need to learn how to watch it recede into the distance as you forge ahead toward the critical point where you're no longer influenced by it.

1. Meditate: All the current research proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that a daily process of mental focus will increase your energy, your optimism, your wisdom, and the clarity of your thinking. By taking time from your busy day to “do nothing,” you're making a statement to the Universe that says I know that I'm more than my thoughts and feelings, and it's worth my time to tap into the wisdom available to me in no other way. While it may be initially uncomfortable to the busy person to sit and simply witness thoughts and feelings, it will quickly begin to give you that new relationship with your mental content which allows you to move past it. There's insight waiting for you in that quiet place. As Yeats said, “Life is full of wonderful things patiently waiting for our senses to become sharper.”

2. Practice: Keep repeating the basic skill sets of your business until you can do them with your eyes closed and your mind on something else. Not that you should ever do anything with your mind on something else, but having that kind of mastery, what Maslow called unconscious competence, will give you the confidence you need to move bravely forward despite the challenges you encounter. Malcolm Gladwell, in The Outliers, says that that kind of mastery comes from literally ten thousand repetitions of an activity. So, resolve to put in your time and not judge your capabilities until you've done the work. Colin Wilson says mechanical excellence is the prerequisite for genius.

3. Reframe: Recognize that every obstacle is an opportunity to grow and transform. One of the greatest gifts of being a network marketer is the recognition that you're not just trying to sell a product or service, but you're putting yourself into a “wisdom mill.” The very act of facing your inner demons and outer obstacles does something to you which very few other things could; it makes you into a better person who has more to offer the world and the magnetism to effect change all around you. What could be better than that... and what obstacle is worth giving up when the possibilities are so remarkable once you overcome it?

4. Self-hypnotize: There are lots of techniques for trying to change your thoughts and behaviors, from mere willpower to affirmations. Most of the techniques require repetition, since changing the habits of your mind is about carving out new nerve pathways; creating new mental patterns. The problem with most methods is that they speak to the conscious mind, which is much less powerful than the subconscious. So, for example, if you want to quit smoking, just repeating that you want to stop does very little. Most of us have tried that to no avail. But, when you can put yourself into a trance state and then repeat the new behaviors or thoughts, the conscious resistance is gone, and the changes can happen. Creating a personal transformation script and listening to it when you're in a receptive state is helpful, and having one created for you by a skilled practitioner is even more so.

5. Set an intention: Keep reminding yourself why you're doing what you're doing and how it relates to your personal mission. A great way to do this is as a daily writing exercise. Write down your core values and then pick out one or two. Start to write about how those values show up in your life. How your actions embody those values. How you're committed to being the kind of person who expresses those values. Five minutes a day of connecting with your sense of purpose and your integrity as someone who lives your values will decrease your stress and increase your energy. Clear top of mind awareness of how you're living your intention is one of the most powerful things you can do.