Getting Started to Finish First

Getting started right is so important to virtually any task, trip, class, venture, project, business — yes, just about anything that you might do. Certainly, anything that you want to do well or that you want to have turn out correctly.

In NWM, it’s important to start out right and then to keep on the proper course so that you can “finish first.”

This article is going to present a few ideas about getting started and keeping started that can help you “finish first.” It will also give you some perspective on the concept of “finishing first” that should make sense to you and could make your life in NWM more enjoyable.

Keep Going / NOT Keep Going Eva Warner shared the following story in Fast Company Magazine, June 2004:

“Twenty-four tiny hands shoot into the air as Notre Dame MBA candidates Mary Camire and Tim Chase ask for volunteers for a skit based on Aesop’s fable of the tortoise and the hare.

“Once the turtle finishes ahead of the dozing bunny, Camire and Chase ask about the choices the two characters made: Could the turtle have decided not to run the race? What would have happened if he didn’t run?

“The class decides on two good alternatives for the turtle: 1) to keep going or 2) to NOT keep going.

“Now it’s time to map the good and the not-so-good consequences of those choices. What would happen if the turtle kept going? ‘He could win!’ shouts most of the class.

“What would happen if he didn’t run the race? ‘He wouldn’t get sweaty,’ pipes up one tiny student.”

Get Started / NOT Get Started You are most likely aware of the fable of the tortoise and the hare! Convert the thinking from this fable into the concept of “getting started” in the NWM business.

There are really ONLY two alternatives for a distributor: 1) to get started, or 2) to NOT get started.

What are the good and the not-so-good consequences of those choices? What would happen if one gets started? He or she could win! Could build a solid team! Could create a residual bonus check! Could get out of credit card debt! Could create lifestyle changes! Could develop retirement financial security!

What would happen if one does NOT get started? He or she wouldn’t get sweaty! Would remain in the status quo! Would not obtain dreams! Would not create a business! Would most likely have continued frustration! Would miss out on financial success! Would not have as much fun in life! Would think NWM was a scheme.

Really Getting Started For the new NWM distributor, there is most likely NOT a poster on the office wall, or kitchen wall, or bedroom wall, or whatever wall, that says, “YOU should GET STARTED!”

Not unless the distributor puts it there! {Therefore, why not put up encouraging signs?}

Here is what is so very true about getting started in NWM: 1) You have to learn to make decisions on your own! 2) You have to learn to take action on your own! 3) You have to really want it!!! AND GET STARTED!!!

The great thing about getting started with a NWM program that has a great distributor support team is that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You don’t have to wonder about what it is that you should do to get started.

Remember:

1) You have to learn to make decisions on your own! 2) You have to learn to take action on your own! 3) You have to really want it!!! AND GET STARTED!!!

With a great program, the pattern and tools have been developed and are available for anyone who REALLY wants to GET STARTED!

Doing the Right Things Sandy Hughes of Procter and Gamble said: “At some level, you have to trust [yourself] that you are going to be doing the right things.”

After doing your appropriate and thorough due diligence, you know… the discovery process of research, investigation, evaluation and analysis of the company… and you have made YOUR choice… obviously you have trusted your sponsor.

Then, you must trust the distributor support team’s training, direction, leadership, and pattern. You must trust yourself that you are going to be doing the right things… and get started.

Part of getting started is therefore a matter of TRUST!

Don’t Chase People I want to share an idea from Alfred Portale, CEO of Manhattan’s three- star Gorham Bar and Grill for 19 years. He is speaking of finding and hiring great associates {which is similar to finding and recruiting great distributors in NWM}: “I don’t chase after people. It’s very important that a person recognizes that being here is a positive experience and an important place for their career. If they don’t, they’re never going to work hard enough and learn, grow, and perform like they should.”

So, in getting started you are going to have to point people to the tools and presentations and information that helps people recognize what a great program you are offering.

Recognize the “What Can Happen” Recognize that you can have a positive financial experience with a great distributor support team in a fine NWM company.

Recognize that this is an important {a critical} requirement for your NWM career {whether it’s a part-time or full-time career}! You must have great support and a fine NWM company.

Recognize that it will take hard work. Recognize that there must be a commitment to learning and training. Recognize that personal growth will take place. Recognize that performance, thus results, is based upon proper action!

Intensity Alfred Portale also teaches: “I watch for a certain intensity! I watch how they stand. I look at their hands! It tells me about a potential A-player’s passion and respect!”

Intensity is critical!

Posture — body language, the language of the voice is critical. Passion, energy, enthusiasm, charisma… for the business! It needs to be shared with others! It forces one to get started!

Respect and thus intensity… for the program, the work, the people, the product, and for one’s self!

This reminds me of a chemistry, a talent, an attitude, a synergy… a desire to make something happen!

A Place! There is a phrase used by Portale that I want to expand upon: “an important place for their career.”

Listen to this vital information about place. It comes from “management” thinker, Douglas Smith, in an article entitled, “We Incorporated”:

“Organizations are not just places where people [belong]. They are our neighborhoods, our communities. They are where we join with other people to make a difference for ourselves and others.”

A great distributor support team and a fine NWM company are organizations! We belong! And, the more that you BELONG, the more success you can generate!

You need to feel of the support team as your “neighborhood” and you like to “hang out there.” It feels good. It’s fun. You get good energy and encouragement from the “hood.”

You need to feel of the support team as your “community.” You go there for training! You go there for support! You go there for guidance! You go there for motivation! You go there to contribute as well as to receive!

And thus belonging, you make a difference for yourself and for others! You are totally focused on making a financial difference in the lives of those who join with us… and you get started!!! And, fortunately for your success, you remain started.

From Place to Purpose Douglas Smith writes: “A few decades ago, our lives were centered in places. We had the most in common with our village or city neighbors, with the people geographically closest to us. Place formed our connections to the social groups that mattered most: our tribes, churches, jobs, and schools. The defining politics — and the defining values — were those rooted in physical communities.”

“Today, place has lost relevance for most of us in a connected, global world. We reside in places, of course, but that’s basically a lifestyle choice. It is in markets, organizations, and networks, and among family and friends that you spend your time, pursue your most pressing purposes, and find meaning in your life.”

Smith sees a shift in community from place to purpose! Relate this to NWM: Place is still important! We believe in building a NWM team in our “local” market! Our local place and that includes warm market, expanded circle of influence, as well as, new or cold market people. Place is still a factor.

But because of the “connected, global world,” place is much more expanded and more efficient, and still very, very effective.

Place is all across the country. It’s all across the globe. It’s your personalized, replicated company’s website. It’s the support team’s conference call environment. Place is your wealth-building Internet support system. It’s support team’s training, but it’s not just one place.

Clearly Defined Purpose Purpose comes into consideration too! And the support team has a unified purpose. That’s what keeps us involved in the support team and NWM company place. That’s also what gets us started.

It’s purpose! The distributor must have a clearly defined purpose!

You know… a dream, a desire, an objective, a goal! It must be a driving force, white-hot desire! Intense!!! Creates passion! {There’s that intensity again!} Revolutionize Your Skills In the article, “The Brand YOU Survival Kit,” Tom Peters states:

“You need to revolutionize your portfolio of skills… this is a minimum survival necessity…”

You have a portfolio of skills when you come into NWM. As you get started, you must learn to transfer the power of the skills over to the NWM business. Even if you have been in NWM, you must transfer the power of your skill, your knowledge, your experience over to the strategy and the proven principles of your “now” support team and fine NWM Company.

So, in getting started, distributors must tap into the place — you know the community of the support team — to keep up the intensity, the passion and the drive to do the business and accomplish the purpose. This is how you can sponsor and retain many, many more distributors in the business. As they get started, they must really get into the feeling of belonging!

Love and Getting Good Peters continues: “Competence in many skills is important, but it’s not enough.

The act is finding the stuff you love and getting so [darn] good at it that you become an indispensable human being.”

Did you hear that? So “darn good” that you become an “indispensable networker.” You’ve got to love this business. You’ve got to love your product. You’ve got to love your NWM Company. You’ve got to love other people! You’ve got to love your support team! You’ve got to love the place… and the purpose!

You can LOVE this “stuff.” It makes sense! You are using a proven set of principles. Your product must be outstanding… it’s great when it’s unique. Your compensation plan must be fair, thus profitable for part-time distributors.

You must LOVE these things and become so “darn good” that you become an “indispensable” networker.

That takes tapping into the community. To conference calls! To the website training. It takes the experience of talking to people… lots and lots of people.

Prospecting. Presenting. Building trust. Following-up with people. Sponsoring people. Visiting. Teaching. Listening. Training.

Making sure that YOUR team taps into the community. That what it means to get started… so you can “finish first.”

A Comment About “Finish First” The concept of “finish first” is compelling. It’s very interesting. It sounds great! It is great! I have finished first in several things in my life. I loved it. I was blessed to “finish first” in a NWM company for seven years in a row. Yes, first as the number one money earner.

However, in so many things, there is only one “first.” For your experience in NWM, I suggest that you set objectives that allow you to live your dreams. Call this your “finish first” goal.

Fortunately, you don’t have to literally finish first in NWM to make a lot of money and be very, very successful.

And that is the beauty of NWM. Many, many hard working people can “finish first.” Don’t be so driven that you are not content with the great lifestyle, with the time flexibility, with the quality of life, with the time freedom that truly getting started in NWM provides. At a certain point, enough is enough. And getting started in NWM allows you the great luxury of a quality of life you are unable to attain in any other way.

Get started and keep started so you can “finish first” in the wonderful business of NWM.

David A. Nelson has been a full-time network marketing professional for some 20 years. He has a successful track record as a distributor and trainer. He has a total commitment to network marketing and the viability of network marketing as a home-based business enterprise for great numbers of people, and not just a select few. He has a book published called: Create Your Fortune in Network Marketing: A Part-Time Distributor’s Guide to Financial Success.

Prior to network marketing, he was a Sales Manager for Procter & Gamble and a District Sales Manager for Johnson Baby Products Company. In addition, he owned and operated the David Nelson Securities Schools of Denver and Dallas. He trained sales and management professionals to pass the National Association of Securities Dealers license qualification examinations.

David graduated number one in his class with an MBA from Brigham Young University after earning a Bachelor of Science in Economics. He lives with his wife, Nanette, in Centennial, Colorado. To get more details about “Posturing for Profits,” feel free to contact him at dnelson@denveronline.net or 303-694-4151.