Are you an Enabler or a Mentor?

I recently read an article written by Bishop Joseph Mattera http://www.josephmattera.org/. I have altered the article to make it fit our business, but I didn't alter it very much. Enjoy this and feel free to comment:

6 Traits of an Enabler:

1. You accommodate your message and approach based on the commitment level of your group rather than keeping a high standard of excellence. Your goal tends to be to keep them happy and not make them uncomfortable.


2. You do not challenge your group when they are not performing at a very high level.


3. You do not integrate your vision into your group. You should teach and repeat your vision every chance you get. And encourage everyone to buy into the vision and tell others as a part of their daily lives.


4. You continually make excuses for those in your group when they are operating outside of the vision of the group or the leader. For example, they are too busy to attend a training or take a lead roll in your team.


5. Your group feels comfortable around you because you are reinforcing their low performance. This is due to your lack of conviction/passion or because you desire and need the group to like you.


6. You sympathize (rather than empathize) with your group when they complain about leadership and/or how hard it is to stay focused on the goal at hand.

8 Traits of a Mentor:

1. Your number one goal is to point people in your group to their dreams and goals, not to you. Thus, your primary concern is supporting your group to find their purpose and then go for it.


2. You do not hold back proper counsel. You teach on things that are uncomfortable like finances, tithing, relationships, forgiveness and commitment.


3. You continually pray for your group, your leadership and the vision of your team. You teach putting the vision above their own interests.


4. You encourage them to volunteer to serve the group so they learn to use their gifts and talents.


5. You challenge and coach them regarding personal growth, reading, devotional time, and time with their families.


6. You teach them, model for them, and exhort them to walk in forgiveness and build lasting relationships with their immediate families, their team and their mentors. Not basing the relationships on a self-centered "I, me, my" existence but on putting others before themselves.


7. You are empowering them to reproduce themselves by growing their team instead of being in survival mode or seeking comfort and having their own needs met.


8. Your goal is to feed them meat not milk. Everyone is new in the beginning of the journey, but eventually leaders have to transition in to performing and leading on their own.

If you want to please all people, become an entertainer, not a leader!

Can you Be Glad?

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Be Thankful. Gratitude creates energy!

Enjoy your life. Have a little fun.

Grow closer to the Lord and your family.

Lend a hand. Helping others brings joy to your life.

Accept, Approve and Appreciate people.

Decide today to "be glad".

Tell someone today, that they are special and that you appreciate them.

by Mark Carlisle

Complaint Box

A lady arrived in heaven and was given a tour by St. Peter. During the tour the new arrival noticed a "complaint box"... Much to her surprise she asked St. Peter why there was a complaint box in heaven? Peter said that God knows human nature... and some people just are not happy unless they can complain.



Make your day a "Complaint Free Day".



by Mark Carlisle

Why Aren't We Happy?

There could be lots of reasons you aren't happy. A recent survey suggested that just 20% of American are "happy". Here are 5 Fixable causes of unhappiness. [I've been asked why I use Bible references...I use them because they work]

1. Fear / Worries: Do you worry about the economy? Are you full of fear regarding your job or business? Do you worry about your health? Your family? Your future? Well there is hope! 1 Peter 5:7 in the Bible offers the cure for these fears.
2. Failures / Disappointment: Do you have little voices in your head reminding you that you have failed in the past? Do you procrastinate tackling new projects or finishing projects? Maybe you are too focused on your past. Philippians 3:12-14 speaks of looking toward your calling.
3. Fights / Conflicts: The most important thing you can do to live a happy life is develop deep loving relationships with people close to you. To get along with people you have to learn to forgive. Luke 17:3 teaches us to forgive. No one is perfect so you might as well forgive.
4. Fatigue / Weariness: Anytime you get worn out your attitude will suffer. Get your rest. Keep yourself healthy by getting enough rest. Matthew 11:28
5. Frustration / Dissatisfaction: Sometimes we get frustrated because of unrealistic expectations. We drive to work one day and every light is green and no one is on the road. We get to work 10 minutes faster than normal. From now on we are frustrated that we can't get to work that easy every day. Maybe we are frustrated by others. Their work ethic, attitude, and overall outlook on life. So we are frustrated and dissatisfied. Remember, good things take time. And wisdom is patient. Proverbs 19:11

by Mark Carlisle

Ten Myths About Biblical Prosperity

There has been much written in recent years about the Christian’s role in producing wealth on the earth. The following are common misconceptions in the church regarding prosperity and wealth creation that need adjustment for us to have biblical balance & integrity, and experience transformation in our families, communities, and nations.

I. Prosperity is automatic for all Christians
Although God desires prosperity for all His children (3 John 2) nowhere in the Bible does it say that saints are automatically blessed financially because they are saved. The Book of Proverbs is replete with principles of wealth creation which deal with activating the laws of sowing and reaping, wisdom, and integrity to produce financial wealth--principles redeemed people do not necessarily practice after their conversion to Christ (read Proverbs 6:6-8; 10:4-5; Galatians 6:7; 2 Corinthians 9:6).

II. God only claims ten percent of our finances
There is a common misconception that God claims only 10% of our finances and that we can do what we want with the remaining 90% of our money. The truth of the matter is, God claims all of our money; the tithe is simply a minimum of 10% that should go directly to the ecclesial realm for the spread of the Gospel.
Luke 14:33 teaches that disciples of Christ are to relinquish ownership of 100% of their possessions because we are merely His stewards of what we own when we make Him our Lord. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1).
The Bible not only teaches us to tithe, but to get out of burdensome debt (Proverbs 22:7; debt that causes a depreciation of our wealth), to invest wisely (Matthew 25:27), to be shrewd in our business dealings (Luke 16:8), to save for our future generations (Proverbs 13:22), and to create business plans (Luke 14:28). The Bible also teaches us against co-signing for those you do not know well (Proverbs 11:15) and to deal honestly with others (Proverbs 11:1).
So you see, how we steward 100% of our money will determine how wealthy we will become, not just how we steward 10% of our money.

III. God wants us prosperous so we can be happy
God tells us clearly in Deuteronomy 8:18 that the primary purpose of wealth is so that we can finance the spread of His covenant on the earth. The deal is this: If we seek first His kingdom with our finances, then He will give us what we desire anyway (read Matthew 6:33; Psalm 37:4). Biblical prosperity has more to do with pleasing the Lord and making Him happy than obtaining wealth so we can experience personal happiness.

IV. All Christians are called to be very wealthy
Although God has called the corporate Body of Christ to leverage great wealth, not all individual Christians or even pastors can handle large amounts of money. God will only give a people that which they are able to properly manage and administrate (read Deuteronomy 7:22).
Taking it a step further, some pastors and churches could even be damaged if certain billionaires came into their churches and gave them their tithes. The tithe on a billion dollars is $100 million. How many small to mid-sized churches can properly steward that kind of wealth? Also, how many people who have won the lotto have kept their wealth, health, and family?
Jesus came to give every person an abundant life (John 10:10) but not every person has been given the same amount of talents (Matthew 25:14-15). Some have been given five talents, some two, and some one, all according to their God-given ability and assignment. Hence, not everyone in your local church is called to be a multimillionaire.

V. All pastors are called to be in business
Because Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:3) many pastors think they are called to be entrepreneurs and wheeler-dealers in the marketplace (real estate, the stock market, venture capital, etc.) and many of them have had disastrous results and lost their shirts! It is one thing for a pastor to be bi-vocational because their church cannot afford a full salary. It is another thing for a pastor to think they are called to create much wealth by starting their own business because they think Scripture makes it normative.
The context regarding Paul is this: Since he was receiving many accusations because people were trying to insinuate that he was an inferior apostle, Paul preached the Gospel without receiving an offering from the Corinthian Church to silence his critics (read 2 Corinthians 11:7-15; 1 Corinthians 9:18) even though he had the full right to make a living from the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:9-14). Also, he came to an area that was filled with clergy corruption because the temple priests in Corinth peddled religion and sex for money. So Paul did his best to distance himself from any semblance of clergy greed and vice (1 Corinthians 4:12).
In light of this, I believe that only some pastors are called to have their own lucrative business; not every pastor has the grace to multitask between marketplace and ecclesial business and be successful. Only some are hyphenated ministers with calls to both the business and ecclesial realms.

VI. Prosperity is the right of all those in Christ
It is high time we in the Body of Christ go from a “rights-centered” Gospel, which has its historical roots in the American fight for independence and Jeffersonian preaching, to a “stewardship-centered” Gospel, in which we view our gifts, calling, and resources as a responsibility to serve and bless others, not something handed to us because we have the “right” to it as a Christian.
Matthew 25 shows the great balance in this because it talks both about the command to properly invest our talents for an appreciation of assets that results in multiplication, and then illustrates that the reason for the talents is so that we can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, visit the prisoners, and be hospitable to the strangers and aliens (Matthew 25:14-46). This and other passages clearly show that the primary purpose of wealth is a matter of stewardship to serve humanity, not a matter of our “right” because we are Christians. VII. Wealth creation is the key to breaking the spirit of poverty Creating more money has never been the main key to breaking poverty. According to Genesis 1:27-28 the church must produce strong and stable marriages and biblically trained children, which is the first key to replenishing the earth, subduing our enemies, and having dominion (great influence).
True prosperity is never only about money. Wealth creation is merely one of the by-products for people who walk in their assignment with integrity, humility, focus, and diligence, all of which should be modeled at home by parents before a person reaches adulthood.

VIII. The only way to take a city is to buy it
Although amassing great wealth and real estate holdings is something that will leverage great influence (for example, Robert Moses was the main powerbroker of New York because of real estate and other assets), one size does not fit all for every community and city. Something like this is much easier to accomplish in poverty-stricken areas where the civil government and community boards want to give or sell property to local churches so the neighborhood can be redeemed. (Some churches purchase whole blocks and open up numerous businesses in impoverished or needy areas.) But in high-end areas something like this can take a church multiple generations to accomplish.
For example, my local church in New York City sits on only a quarter of an acre of land that is worth $4-5 million!
The easiest way for a local church to leverage great power, influence, and transform a community is by loving and serving their community and city. When a local church has an army of paid and unpaid volunteers who educate at-risk children, help young people excel in the arts, sports, and life skills, provide much-needed services for the poor, the fatherless, and aliens, and minister to community leaders and elected officials, then God’s favor rests on that church, which opens up more doors and buildings than money could buy! Community and business leaders will do whatever it takes to allow that church to have any facility and resource they need to further bless their community.
This was the primary method the early church used to spread the Gospel. Instead of purchasing buildings, they filled everyone else’s buildings (except the pagan temples) with loving, sacrificial Christians who risked their lives to care for the diseased, nurse abandoned babies, and bury rotting corpses left in the town garbage dumps. Truly, when the church goes after those nobody wants, God will give them those everybody wants! Taking a city does not just happen with a top-down approach of amassing wealth and speaking to power; it also involves a bottom-up approach with effective compassionate ministries.

IX. It only takes faith to release prosperity
Those of us who “named and claimed” prosperity found out the hard way that we not only have to speak faith and think positively, we also have to read books on wealth creation, work hard, and receive proper coaching from those who have already gone financially where we feel called to go. It is not just about faith and it is not just about sowing money; it is about working hard and learning how to get, how to manage what we get, how to save, how to invest money where it appreciates and multiplies the most, and how to disciple and empower others so they can also learn how to produce wealth for the kingdom.

X. Prosperity only relates to our present
Most preaching today regarding prosperity only has an “I,” “me,” “my” emphasis which is a one-generation approach. God revealed Himself not only as the God of Abraham, but also the God of Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 3:6) because He has called us to plan for at least three generations in everything we do. I pray that the days will come to an end when the preaching is only on individualistic topics like “How you can write your own ticket with God” or “How you can receive your miracle”! Those of us maturing in the faith message and prosperity realize that God has called us to corporately think in terms of our present and future the same way He does (Exodus 20:5-6; 1 Chronicles 16:15). We realize that God will transfer the wealth of the wicked only to those righteous who leave an inheritance for their grandchildren (Proverbs 13:22).
After all, most of the money today is in “old” money, not “new” money (with the exception of Bill Gates and some others who have blazed the technological trail in this present information age), which means that wealth was accumulated over the course of multiple generations and kept in families (think of the Rockefellers for example). This is one reason why the Fifth Commandment (Ephesians 6:3) tells us that if we honor our father and mother it will go well for us and we will live long on the earth.
Those who only think in terms of their present life are no better than economist John Maynard Keynes, who influenced the present American economic strategy with debt financing. He and those like him were not thinking of future generations but only about indulging their lust for the temporal present. May God deliver the church from such a mindset! By Joseph Mattera

Happiness

Your happiness has more to do with what is going on inside you than what is going on around you.

So You Think You Had a Bad Day...

I captured this from my office. It looks in to our front court yard. This Roadrunner has caught a frog or toad. It's already dead by the time this happened. But the next time you think you have had a rough day, remember this...

Short Cuts Don't Work...

The Bible is very clear on work and laziness. Here are a few verses that speak to this.

• The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway. Proverbs 15:18-20

• The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.Proverbs 13:3-5

• A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.Proverbs 20:3-5

• The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the streets!"Proverbs 22:12-14

• The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.Proverbs 26:15-17

I know work is hard... I know work is not fun... [boy do I know that] But it looks to me like, everywhere you turn leads to work and striving. Some types of work never pay very good or create residual income. So if the Bible says being lazy doesn't pay, then why not just come to grips with the fact that we all have to work. Work is good. And hard work pays.

Here's what the Bible says about work:

• He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.Proverbs 12:10-12.

• All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.Proverbs 14:22-24.

• Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.Proverbs 24:26-28.

Don't be lazy and enjoy the fruit of you work.

6 Myths of Success

Here are 6 common success myths:

1. We believe success is impossible, so we criticize it. Because we want to believe that life should be easy, we assume anything that's difficult must be impossible. Then, when success eludes us we're tempted to throw in the towel and say, "Who wants success anyway?" And if success is achieved by anyone we consider less worthy than ourselves, we really get "steamed." Have you given up on success thinking it's impossible?

2 We believe success is mystical, so we search for it. The problem is, we want the rewards without paying the price. You don't win an Olympic medal with a few weeks of intense training. Every great thing has been built in exactly the same way; bit by bit, step by step, little by little. Do you think success is a mystery?

3. We believe success comes by chance, so we hope for it. We say, "She just happened to be in the right place at the right time." Wrong! If you are really serious about success, here is a great rule to follow. "The 57 Rules of Success. Rule One: Deliver the goods. Rule Two: The other 56 don't matter." Are you thinking that you are just unlucky?

4. We believe success is the result of opportunity, so we wait for it. Many people who work hard but don't seem to get anywhere, believe that the only thing they need is "a break." Their motto is, "if only." If only my boss would cut me some slack... if only our church was in a better area of town... if only I'd married someone different. Sound familiar? People who do nothing more than wait for opportunity, are neither able to see it or seize it when it comes. Are you waiting for success?

5. We think success comes from having leverage, so we work for it. This idea is reinforced by the words of people like industrialist Andrew Carnegie: "Success is the power with which to acquire whatever one demands of life." So we take that a step further, assuming all successful people have taken advantage of others to get to where they are. So we begin to look for ways to manipulate people too. We believe they can force our way to success,but it doesn't work. Are you thinking that successful people manipulate other people?

6. We believe success comes from connections, so we strive to make them. People who believe in connections think they "would have made it," if only they'd been born into the right family or met the right person. But those beliefs are misplaced. Knowing good people has its rewards. But connections alone won't improve your life if you're off track. For followers of Christ, success comes by seeking God's will and following His plan for you life! Are you wishing you knew the "right" people?

I know for me, I have suffered from all of these myths at one time or another. It's time to set these beliefs aside and move forward bit by bit, step by step, and little by little. [This article was taken from the book Connect with God, by Jentezen Franklin]

If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It

Are you dreaming big enough? Are you actually thinking of possibilities? What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? Would you dream bigger? Would you look at things in a different way? Would you consider attempting things that you never would have attempted before?

What is possible? What are you capable of? Why not go for it? Why not dream bigger dreams and go for the Gold? Some of you have dreams that are wasting away... Some of you have "the way" to achieve you dreams and goals. Think about what your life could be like if you just went for it and never gave up. Know your way and expand it daily. Mark Carlisle

8 Lessons About Success From Moms

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms around the world. And especially my mom, Charlene and my wife, Jill. As I thought about Mother's Day, I couldn't help but think about how much motherhood mirrors success. Here are 8 Lessons for life from moms:

1. Kids don't come without pain: The thought of having a child is so intriguing and fun. Thinking about naming your child, playing with your kids, and watching them grow up is fun and exciting. But actually having a child is painful and scary. The morning sickness, the "uncomfortableness", the labor pains and of course the actual birth. All of these remind me that most good things come after the pain of doing what it takes to have the good thing.

2. Being a mom requires a huge commitment: Being a parent is a huge life long commitment. Being a mother is a more intense commitment. Yet, it's a pleasure to commit to your children and go through all of the trials, the growing and the achievements of life. There is no guarantee of success even though that is what you desperately want for your children. This commitment mirrors all parts of life and you have to commit without guarantee of success.

3. Being a mom is not convenient: Every mom knows that the whole process of parenting is inconvenient. Late nights, all nights, no sleep, unplanned doctor appointments, school events, sports events, need I go on? You don't become a parent for the convenience like you buy a microwave oven. And you don't strive to success for the convenience...

4. Moms work overtime everyday: When you are a mom, you don't get luxury of time off. You are always on duty or on watch. But again, you don't become a parent so you can work less days. In fact, you end up wanting days off work to spend time with your children...(which is work in and of itself). Being willing to work and do whatever it takes is part of all success.

5. Moms are selfless: Young kids are takers not givers. They receive better than they serve. Now I realize that they love you back and light up when they see you, but they are also very self centered. Mom's can't be selfish. They are always giving, serving and putting their own interests in second place and even third, fourth and fifth place. When I meet people who have fear of rejection, it's usually due to selfishness not selflessness. Moms remind me to be selfless.

6. Moms know that their children are fragile: Young kids are fragile, needy and helpless. They have to be taken care of, looked after, and nurtured. When you're a mom you have to be able to identify problems and potential problems as well as solve problems. This is a 24/7 job because the mom is responsible for her child's well fair. People's dreams are just as fragile so the dreams have to be cared for and nurtured. It's a 24/7 job to keep your dream safe.

7. Kids trust their mom: All children are born with two fears. Loud noises and falling. All other fears are learned through experience. Parents have the responsibility to teach their children what to fear and what not to fear. Moms carry most of this responsibility because their children trust them completely. That trust is built over time and is very strong. And if you can't trust your mom who can you trust? To be successful, you need to be trustworthy.

8. The work of a mom is worth it: Even though having children is painful, requires commitment, and is not convenient, it's worth it. Even though parenting requires working over-time, sacrificing your own interests and hours spent building trust, it's worth it. And even though knowing your child is fragile, helpless and there is no guarantee of success, parenting is still desired and pursued by any means by most. To be successful you have to do all of things that mothers naturally do, including the painful stuff.

Happy Mother's Day mom and Jill. And thank you for the lessons on success. @ copyright 2010 Mark Carlisle

Just Start...

Successful people form the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don't like to do. The bookends of success are---commitment and consistency! Without commitment you'll never start. Without consistency you'll never finish. Getting started is the hard part. That's because we have so many reasons not to start. So, here are some helpful suggestions:

1. Start With Yourself! If you want those around you to respond differently, give them a different set of attitudes and actions to respond to. 2. Start Early! There's an old saying that Noah didn't wait for his ship to come in; he built one. Hard work is just an accumulation of the easy things you didn't do when you should have. The truth is, the work doesn't seem quite so hard when you stop putting it off. 3. Start Small! Just take the first step. You can't do step two until you've done step one. Taking the first step to prioritize your life focuses you in the right direction. Don't expect to understand all that's required. 4. Start Now! What are you waiting for? Until you finish school? Get married? Have kids? Your kids leave? You retire? You die? If you wait long enough you'll have only one regret-- that you didn't start now. (Taken from the Book Connect with God by Jentezen Franklin)

The Worst Words to Say at Work or With Your Team

9 Common words and phrases that will make you sound noncommittal, undependable, and untrustworthy.

Some words and phrases are often used to buy time, avoid giving answers, and escape commitment. If you use these words and phrases yourself, take a scalpel and cut them out of your thinking, speaking, and writing.

"Try"
"Try" is a weasel word. "Well, I'll try," some people say. It's a cop-out. They're just giving you lip service, when they probably have no real intention of doing what you ask. Remember what Yoda says to Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars": "Do or do not--there is no try." Take Yoda's advice. Give it your all when you do something. And if it doesn't work, start over.Put passion into your work, and give it your best effort, so you can know that you did all you could to make it happen. So if the outcome you were expecting didn't come to fruition, it's not because you didn't do everything you could to make it happen. It just wasn't the right time for it or it wasn't meant to be.
"Whatever"
This word is a trusted favorite of people who want to dismiss you, diminish what you say, or get rid of you quickly. "Whatever," they will say as an all-purpose response to your earnest request. It's an insult and a verbal slap in the face. It's a way to respond to a person without actually responding. When you say "whatever" after another person has said his or her piece, you have essentially put up a wall between the two of you and halted any progress in communicating. It's a word to avoid.
"Maybe" and "I don't know"
People will sometimes avoid making a decision--and hide behind words and phrases like "maybe" and "I don't know." There's a difference between legitimately not knowing something and using words like these as excuses. Sometimes during a confrontation, people will claim not to know something or offer the noncommittal response "maybe," just to avoid being put on the spot. If that seems to be the case, ask, "When do you think you will know?" or "How can you find out?" Don't let the person off the hook so easily.
"I'll get back to you"
When people need to buy time or avoid revealing a project's status, they will say, "I'll get back to you," and they usually never do. If people say they will get back to you, always clarify. Ask them when they will get back to you, and make sure they specify the day and time. If they don't, then pin them down to a day and time and hold them to it. If they won't give you a day or time, tell them you'll call in a day or week and follow up. Make sure you call and get the information you need.
"If"
Projects depend on everyone doing his or her part. People who use "if" are usually playing the blame game and betting against themselves. They like to set conditions, rather than assuming a successful outcome. People who rely on conditional responses are fortifying themselves against potential failure. They will say, "If Bob finishes his part, then I can do my part." They're laying the groundwork for a "no fault" excuse and for not finishing their work.
There are always alternatives, other routes, and ways to get the job done. Excuse makers usually have the energy of a slug and the spine of a jellyfish. You don't want them on your team when you're trying to climb Mt. Everest.
"Yes, but . . ."
This is another excuse. You might give your team members suggestions or solutions, and they come back to you with "Yes, but . . ." as a response. They don't really want answers, help, or solutions. You need to call the "Yes, but . . ." people out on their avoidance tactic by saying something like "You know, Jackie, every time I offer you a suggestion you say, 'Yes, but . . . ,' which makes me think you don't really want to solve this problem. That's not going to work. If you want to play the victim, go right ahead, but I'm not going to allow you to keep this up." After a response like that, you can be assured that the next words you hear will not be "Yes, but . . ."!
"I guess . . ."
This is usually said in a weak, soft-spoken, shoulder-shrugging manner. It's another attempt to shirk responsibility--a phrase that is muttered only when people half agree with you but want to leave enough leeway to say, "Well, I didn't really know. . . . I was only guessing." If you use this phrase, cut it out of your vocabulary.
"We'll see . . ."
How many times did we hear our parents say this? We knew they were buying time, avoiding a fight or confrontation, or really saying no. It's better to be decisive and honest by saying, "I need more information. Please present your case or send me the data--both pro and con--so I can make an informed decision." That way, the interested parties will contribute to an in-depth, well-researched "verdict."

This column is an excerpt of "Surviving the Toxic Workplace" (McGraw-Hill, 2010), by Linnda Durre, a psychotherapist, business consultant, and columnist.

Five Signs You Are Loosing Belief In Your Business

I have observed many distributors over the years and have noticed a pattern of action when their belief weakens. Here are five of the most common signs and how to avoid them.

1. You give up as soon as it gets a little hard...

This business is no different than any other business in that there are ups and downs. Sometimes it's easy to stay on the front lines and other times it's tough to make progress at the speed you expect. I have even seen distributors that think they just got lucky and sponsored a good builder and it probably won't ever happen again, so they slow down or back off as soon as it gets a little hard. Solution: Remember that success in anything takes courage and action. You have to go out there and make it happen. Success isn't going to just walk up to you and say "I'm here!" Take some kind of action every day that moves you forward.

2. You stay home from Tasting Parties because of bad weather...

When you really believe you can achieve a goal, nothing will slow you down. Once any little excuse will keep you from the process of success, your belief is stumbling. What you are saying is "I want success but I am not willing to work for it." Or... "Why can't I just start at the top without having to work... all of this rejections isn't fair." Solution: The more consistent you can stay with your business the faster it moves. Starting and Stopping is the death to your business.

3. You attempt to succeed without reading, listening and consulting with a moving on upline...

I know... you don't need to read and listen to Cd's... You know what to do, you just gotta do it. This is a common belief that always seems to be held by the person who is not moving forward. This business is a TEAM business. And the success of your business will be in direct proportion to the number of books you read, the number of Cd's you listen to and the amount of accountability to put YOURSELF under. Of course, you'll have to do the work to get there, but you must have the correct mind set, heart and attitude to succeed. Solution: Read everyday. Listen to Cd's and Web Casts everyday. Get plugged in to a moving on Upline and don't let go.

4. You compare your work ethic with someone who is not hitting their goals...

When ever you look around and see others who are not moving forward so you justify your work ethic or lack there of as normal, your belief in your own goals is slowing. Remember, no one else is going to pay your bills. They pay their bills and you pay your bills. So your work ethic has to match with your goals. In order to feel good about your day, you need to work at a pace that is consistent with your goals. Solution: Look at your goals and dreams every night before you go to bed and create a To Do List that will accomplish to goals you have set. Then get up and complete the To Do List. Don't compare yourself to anyone. Just work at the pace that hits your goals.

5. You won't invest in your business...

In business there is an old saying that goes like this, "Never go to market with an empty wagon." First, if you want to build a successful MonaVie business, you must have product. And if you must have product, why not buy it at the lowest possible price. MonaVie designed the bulk order pricing so that we can get the juice at a very reasonable price and even make a retail profit when we sell it! I also see many distributors resist buying the tools they need to move their businesses forward. You don't need tons of tools, but you need enough on hand to handle the number of prospects you are going to introduce the product and the business to. It's just a matter of commitment. If you know you are going to put your heart in your business then your investment must be there also. Solution: Get a bulk order placed so you have juice, get some tools in your trunk, buy some extra tickets to the next event and move them to your team-mates AND look at your goals and dreams every night, write a To Do List that achieves your goals. Do that and you'll join us on the beaches of the world. Mark Carlisle