The Skill That Changed Everything

There are many skills to be honed that will benefit us as network marketers. And there is one skill... though it will take a lifetime to master... that will change everything. It is an art that requires discipline yet if you take the time to develop it, it will provide the people in your life with a rare gift.. It's the art of LISTENING! As you develop the skill of listening at a deeper level you will see your relationships improve along with an amazing increase in your enrollments and sales.

I'm not talking about your current habit of listening. I'm talking about the art of listening with the intention of hearing, really hearing what another person is saying. In other words, not only hearing their words, also hearing what they are intending to say... and even hearing what they are purposely holding back. Even more... hearing what the other person is FEELING!

As a network marketer meeting a new person, you are likely to enter into a conversation with an agenda. I can tell you from my own experience that your business will shift in very positive ways when you're able to drop the agenda and instead make a commitment to give the other person the validation, acknowledgment and esteem they are seeking.

Here's something important to realize...

www.TheNetworkMarketingMagazine.com 1 It does not matter what you're talking about! The truth is we each come to a conversation with a deep need to “be heard”.

Consider this... if each person unconsciously stays too attached to this need, a stalemate occurs. Neither person is truly heard; neither is validated.

Honing the skill of listening requires a willingness from you. A willingness to set aside your agenda and let the conversation be all about the other person. Oh, not every conversation. Just the ones where you want others to walk away feeling better than they did before they had a conversation with you. Believe it or not... they will also be feeling better about you, too.

So here are a few things to keep in mind for helping hone your listening skills.

Listen to the music, not just the words Our body is an amazing communication tool designed to help us translate a multitude of signals... not just the words heard through our ears and filtered through our mind; a mind full of opinions and beliefs. Other parts of our bodies are actually designed for far superior listening. Our body can FEEL impressions of whether things said are authentic or contrived, true or false. Using the whole body is hearing what is said, what is intended to be said, what is not said, and what is felt.

Here are a couple of things that you'll need in order to take advantage of this amazing tool:

Intentional Listening You must have a clear, deliberate intention to listen with your whole body. In order to do this you'll want to quiet your chattering mind and listen from a clean slate. Wipe away your thoughts about what you want from the conversation other than to completely and fully be there listening to the other person.

Identify the ways you fail at listening Each of us has developed at least one habit of listening that gets in the way of true listening. If you see what you're actually doing when you're in

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conversation instead of actually listening, you can change the outcome of the conversation for the better.

Here are a few of the things that may be going on in your mind that are keeping you from really hearing the other person.

You're comparing what the person just said to other things you've heard before. You're derailing the conversation by changing the subject before the other person is complete with their thought. You're daydreaming rather than paying attention. You're filtering their words and offering editorial comments about what they are sharing with you. You're plotting and rehearsing what interesting thing you're going to say next, causing you to miss the information the other has just shared with you.

And of course... the list goes on.

The good news is that when you commit to setting aside your agenda and truly opening the space to deeply listen to another, you will FEEL questions that want to be asked... that need to be asked.

They may be questions asking for clarification or simply questions to further the conversation itself. Either way, by releasing your agenda and those habitual blocks to your listening, you'll find yourself prompted to ask questions. I encourage you to ask those questions... even if you think they may be too bold or intrusive. If you're truly prompted from a space of listening with love, the question is begging to be asked and the person you're questioning is likely to surprise you with their delight at being asked.

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Don't underestimate the power and love that comes from honoring another with the gift of listening. Honing this skills changes everything because applying this level of listening in any relationship... business or personal... will expand your horizons tenfold. People are craving a listening ear. To be listened to deeply and authentically is validation.

When you become a great listener you will have people wanting to be in your presence because they find you interesting... and they feel better about themselves when they are with you.

So... how are you going to listen today?

And how do YOU want to be listened to?

With love, --Mary K ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* Light EXPECT MIRACLES!

The best thing about network marketing for me is that it asks... even encourages... me to seek out people who are willing to explore and share their dreams and vision. It gives me reason to invite people to share— from their heart— early in our relationship. I love this because sharing dreams and clarifying www.TheNetworkMarketingMagazine.com 4

vision puts us together in an energy that feels so good— so alive. It opens us up to take inspired action, which consistently results in greater and greater levels of success. What a joy sharing this kind of ride with others! — Mary K.

"What I admire most about Mary K. is that she literally and figuratively incarnates one of my most treasured quotes: Dag Hammerskjöld's "To all that has been— Thanks. To all that will be— Yes!" She speaks about the joy of sharing this 'ride' with others. Mary K. IS the joy— to know and to work with." — JMF In addition to editing the articles for TheNetworkMarketingMagazine.com, one of the projects Mary K is involved in is contributing to raising vibrations in partnership with TheMagicHappens.com, a magazine setting the tone for thriving in today's chaos and inviting people to embrace Financial Freedom with a Home Business!

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