How to Stay Positive

We can all learn something from this little girl. Make your day a great day.

Before you get stretched out...

Before you get stretched too thin on time... put down August 14th for the ABQ, NM Business Builders Seminar.

When: August 14th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Where: Twisters on Jefferson between Osuna and Paseo del Norte (in the Journal Center Shops)

Why: To celebrate achievement and to learn how to move forward faster.

Price: $15.oo included meal and give-a-ways

It is always good to gather together as a team and feed off of the momentum of each other.

Full address at www.calendar.yahoo.com/astmonavie

Excellence over Acceptability

Making a commitment to excellence is a fundamental step on the success journey. I don't know about you, but I've never met a man or woman of success who hasn't passed the landmark of dedication to personal excellence. Believe it or not, lack of excellence has nothing to do with talent, personality, conditions, or luck. Excellence is always a choice. "Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skilled execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives." Willa A. Foster

To achieve excellence over what's merely adequate, follow these recommendations:

1. Pay attention to details: It takes a lot of little things to add up to 100 percent. Use the start right start now brochure, take the time to show your new distributors the back office. Make sure that you build a list of names and phone numbers with every new distributor.
2. Seek continual improvement: Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. Go for 100 percent sign up ratio, hold the line on Auto-ship and Initial Order with new sign ups. Always strive to launch your new distributors properly. Work to go from house to house building depth.
3. Practice self-discipline: Daily disciplines separate the excellent from the mediocre. If you want to change yourself, you must change something you do every day. Make a commitment to make 10 calls a day to prospects. Once you get in the habit it's easy and it pays! Do something everyday to move your business forward.
4. Maintain high personal standards: D. Bruce Lockerbie, "Mediocrity isn't at root a national problem nor a corporate or institutional problem; nor a departmental problem... You see, mediocrity is first, a personal trait, a personal concession to less than our best... Mediocrity always begins with me!" Don't ITS at half speed, don't just put a follow through off. Do the right things right and you will move forward to new ranks.

Your level of performance is a choice. You can settle for mediocrity, or you can strive for excellence. But know this: You can't make adequacy your goal and reach your potential.

Great Article by Dallin A Larsen

http://www.directsellingnews.com/index.php/site/entries_archive_display/get_out_from_behind_the_desk

Here's a great article by Dallin A Larsen on Leadership.

We can all use more friends...

We can all use more friends. Join our MonaVie team and don&#0... on Twitpic Click on Link for Picture...

We hope you don't find yourself stranded on the side of poor health. When you need better health it may be too late. Go for better health now while you can.

A wise man doesn't wait until he's thirsty to drill a well. Drill your "Better Health Well" and/or your "Financial Health Well" now while you are able. Don't wait until you HAVE to.

Want to meet people? Watch this...

Here's a simple way to get people to approach you... Want to make more contacts? Need to meet people? Step out and do what Scott did and you'll meet more people.

Discipline and Belief...

The longer I am in business for myself, the more I realize that it's discipline and belief that have the greatest impact on your success. In the MAP book written by Brig Hart, he says that "the amount of discipline that you are willing to apply to your life, not desire, determines your destiny."

I see now, how true that statement is. You can want something very much but if you don't discipline yourself to do the steps that are required you'll never achieve your desire. In the same way, if you don't believe in what you are doing, you'll never make the serious commitment to discipline yourself. It takes both discipline and belief.

But how do I gain belief and discipline? First, you take the time to study your business. Put your head in the game and learn all about the product and the comp plan. Make sure to research through the right resources. Go straight to your support team for motivation and to the company for product information.

Second, begin your run by starting with the simplest activities, like making calls to your warm market. Get with a mentor or buddy up with another excited distributor and begin right now to move forward. Set your path in such a way that everyday you have something scheduled that moves you forward. Make sure you don't fall into management mode. Stay in expansion mode by calling, sponsoring and doing tasting parties.

Remember, the three principles of success; Long Term Vision, Delayed Gratification and Harnessing the Power of Duplication. You may not become disciplined in one day or one week... it takes a long term approach. Discipline and Belief both take some sacrifice, but it's worth it when you have someone duplicate your efforts. No matter what you do, true success comes when you believe in what you are doing and you discipline yourself to stay the course.

When You Get Kicked in the Rear, You Know You’re Out in Front

From John C Maxwell

Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Criticism is something you can avoid easily—by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” Obviously, that isn't an option for anyone who wants to be successful as a leader.

Good leaders are active, and their actions often put them out front. That often draws criticism. When spectators watch a race, where do they focus their attention? On the front-runners! People watch their every action—and often criticize.

Since criticism is a part of leadership, you need to learn how to handle it constructively. The following has helped me to deal with criticism, so I pass it on to you.

Know yourself.

Do you really know yourself? Are you aware of your weaknesses as well as your strengths? Where do you fall short as a person and leader? Not sure what your weaknesses are? Ask five trustworthy people close to you. They’ll be able to tell you where you come up short.

Know the criticism – and the critics.

When you receive criticism, how do you tell if it’s constructive or destructive? (Some say constructive criticism is when I criticize you, but destructive criticism is when you criticize me!) Here are the questions I ask to get to determine what kind of criticism it is:

Who criticized me? Adverse criticism from a wise person is more to be desired than the enthusiastic approval of a fool. The source often matters.
How was it given? I try to discern whether the person was being judgmental or whether he gave me the benefit of the doubt and spoke with kindness.
Why was it given? Was it given out of a personal hurt or for my benefit? Hurting people hurt people; they lash out or criticize to try to make themselves feel better, not to help the other person.
Stay open to change.

Let’s assume you now know yourself pretty well. You can tell when a criticism is way off-base; maybe it’s directed more at your position than at you. And you know when a criticism is 100% legitimate because it’s about a weakness that you've already discovered.

But what about the gray areas? The criticisms that might hold a grain of truth? A good leader stays open to improvement by:

Not being defensive,
Looking for the helpful grain of truth,
Making the necessary changes, and
Taking the high road.
Accept yourself.

Jonas Salk, developer of the Salk polio vaccine, had many critics in spite of his incredible contribution to medicine. Of criticism, he observed, “First people will tell you that you are wrong. Then they will tell you that you are right, but what you’re doing really isn't important. Finally, they will admit that you are right and that what you are doing is very important; but after all, they knew it all the time.”

How do leaders who are out front handle this kind of fickle response from others?

The Serenity Prayer, made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs, gives direction in this area:

God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

If you have endeavored to know yourself, and have worked hard to change yourself, then what more can you do?

Forget yourself.

The final step in the process of effectively handling criticism is to stop focusing on yourself. Secure people forget about themselves so they can focus on others. By doing this, they can face nearly any kind of criticism—and even serve the critic.

I try to live out a sentiment expressed by Parkenham Beatty, who advised, “By your own soul learn to live. And if men thwart you, take no heed. If men hate you, have no care: Sing your song, dream your dream, hope your hope and pray your prayer.”

As leaders, we must always be serious about our responsibilities, but it isn't healthy for us to take ourselves too seriously. A Chinese proverb says, “Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves. They shall never cease to be entertained.”

By John C Maxwell

Unemployment Map

Copy and paste this animated map of the USA regarding unemployment.

A wise man drills a well before he's thirsty.

http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html

Tomorrow...

He was born to be all a mortal could be-
Tomorrow
None should be stronger or braver than he-
Tomorrow
A friend who was troubled and weary, he knew,
Who'd be glad of a lift- and needed it too,
On him he would call to see what he could do-
Tomorrow
Each morning he'd stack up the letters he'd write-
Tomorrow
And he thought of the friends he'd fill with delight-
Tomorrow
It was too bad indeed he was busy today
And hadn't a moment to stop on his way
More time I'll give to the others he'd say-
Tomorrow
The greatest of workers this man would have been-
Tomorrow
And the world would have known him had he ever seen-
Tomorrow
But the fact is, he died and faded from view
And all that was left here when living was through
Was a mountain of things he intended to do-
Tomorrow

by Edgar Guest

The 21st Century Business by Robert Kiyosaki.

Here's a great video on why Network Marketing is a great business model!

Why Are Parents So Unhappy? And Who Would Settle for Happiness, Anyway?

Good Morning All!! This is, in fact, Jill . . . . This article gripped me and gave me tremendous insight to what I have observed going on in families for years. As parents, we are called to shape our children in God's image, helping them to be productive and well gripped citizens, who understand their purpose in life and give value to others around them daily. I have posted bits and pieces of the Albert Mohler's website article below. To read it in it's entirety, which I hope you do, go to http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/07/08/why-are-parents-so-unhappy-and-who-would-settle-for-happiness-anyway/. Enjoy the following:

"Why Are Parents So Unhappy? And Who Would Settle for Happiness, Anyway?
Christians must see children as gifts from God, not as projects, understanding family life as a crucible for holiness, not an experiment in happiness."

For those interested in the fate of our culture, New York Magazine is an indispensable barometer. This single magazine, perhaps more than any other periodical, offers feature articles that catch the cultural conversation. Granted, that cultural conversation is largely Manhattan-centric and geared to the highly educated and economically secure classes. But, since those are the very people who tend to direct the cultural conversation, what interests them will almost surely soon interest the rest of the nation.

This week, the issue is children and happiness. Not the happiness of children, but the debate over whether having children makes for parental happiness. Looking first to the sociological and psychological data, the picture looks bleak. According to the current scholarly consensus, parents are more likely to be depressed than non-parents, and parents report themselves as less happy as well.

In her article, “All Joy and No Fun: Why Parents Hate Parenting,” writer Jennifer Senior wonders aloud why parents seem to be less happy than non-parents, but simultaneously claim that parenthood is such a great thing. What is the disconnect?

Here is a summary: The “scholarly consensus” is that children and parental happiness just do not go together. According to the data, parents are less happy than non-parents, parents of infants and toddlers are especially not happy, single parents are less happy than married parents, and mothers are less happy than fathers. Except, that is, when it comes to single fathers, who are the most unhappy of all.

In the most important section of her article, Jennifer Senior tellingly suggests that what might have changed is the way we view children and parenthood. In her words, “the possibility that parents don’t much enjoy parenting because the experience of raising children has fundamentally changed.” This is where her article becomes especially important.

She writes:

Before urbanization, children were viewed as economic assets to their parents. If you had a farm, they toiled alongside you to maintain its upkeep; if you had a family business, the kids helped mind the store. But all of this dramatically changed with the moral and technological revolutions of modernity. As we gained in prosperity, childhood came increasingly to be viewed as a protected, privileged time, and once college degrees became essential to getting ahead, children became not only a great expense but subjects to be sculpted, stimulated, instructed, groomed. (The Princeton sociologist Viviana Zelizer describes this transformation of a child’s value in five ruthless words: “Economically worthless but emotionally priceless.”) Kids, in short, went from being our staffs to being our bosses.

What Jennifer Senior actually chronicles in her essay is the fact that parents now see children as projects to be developed. These children — especially those in middle and upper-middle class families — are constantly en route to one practice or another, subjected to class after class, and pushed into the level of academic and social success that their parents think absolutely necessary for success in life. These parents feel guilty if they allow a single opportunity for organized play or a learning activity to pass.

Yes, parenthood has changed. Many parents do see their children as described by Senior — as “subjects to be sculpted, stimulated, instructed, groomed.” Parental authority is replaced by constant power struggles, lest the children be psychologically warped by a parent who stands in authority. Discipline is replaced by never-ending negotiation. The peace of the home is replaced by constant activity and frenetic energy. The earliest years of a child’s life are increasingly filled with organized activity and institutional settings.

No wonder parents are less happy now. Add to this the very important insight Senior offers about the age of parenthood. As she suggests, when couples postpone parenthood for so many years, building careers and social lives and professional profiles, parenthood can seem more an interruption than a blessing.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

This book is a must read if you have been stuck and need to change something in your life. Here is the link to the book online. I highly recommend reading this book.

http://books.google.com/books?id=I0eLttyfKXAC&lpg=PP1&ots=X6pW7R07QH&dq=switch&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

Think, Learn, Create and Adapt

Your economic security does not lie in your job; it lies in your own power to produce-to think, to learn, to create, to adapt.

Retirement Stats

The Social Security Administration says that our of every 100 Americans...

* 51 have income above the poverty level, but must reduce their standard of living at retirement
* 25 die prior to age 65
* 20 have an annual income below the poverty level after age 65
* Only 4 achieve financial independence

How are you doing? It may be time to look at leveraged income opportunities like MonaVie. For more information go to http://www.brighart.com/ffsmain.aspx

Wise Words

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the
wealthy out of prosperity.

2. What one person receives without working for, another person must
work for without receiving.

3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government
does not first take from somebody else.

4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work
because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the
other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because
somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear
friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

5. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

Do You Have A Good Attitude?

Here are 7 signs that you have a good attitude:

1. Belief in Self: "Many people succeed when others do not believe in them. But rarely does a person succeed when he does not believe in himself." Herb True



2. Willingness to See the Best in Others: I've never known a positive person yet who didn't love people and try to see the good in them.



3. Ability to See Opportunity Everywhere: Plutarch wrote, "As bees extract honey from thyme, the strongest and driest of herbs, so sensible men often get advantage and profit from the most awkward circumstances."



4. Focus on Solutions: People with a positive attitude focus their time and attention on solutions, not problems.



5. Desire to Give: "Generous people are rarely mentally ill people." Karl Menninger, nothing has as much positive impact as giving to others.



6. Persistence: "Many people fail in life because they believe in the adage: If you don't succeed, try something else. But success eludes those who follow such advice...The dreams that have come true did so because people stuck to their ambitions. They refused to be discouraged. They never let disappointment get the upper hand. Challenges only spurred them on to greater effort." Don B. Owens



7. Responsibility for Their Lives: Only when you're responsible for yourself can you look at yourself honestly, assess your strengths and weaknesses, and begin to succeed.

Taken from "Your Road Map For Success." John C. Maxwell

Why Drink MV

Share this with your team so we can all make a difference in peoples lives. The positive results of drinking MV continue to pour in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o47SMl3BmRo

Drink it Feel it Share it.

Know the Rules of the Game

Have you ever played a game with someone and you didn't really know the rules? You may have thought you knew the rules and the angles and the strategy, but you didn't. And every time you play the game you get beat. Beat badly. And it's frustrating. In fact, you don't really want to play the game anymore. You may even think that it is impossible to win a game. You may think that the only way to win is to cheat or choose an easier opponent.

That really is the way our business works. To be successful in Mona Vie, you have to know the rules of the game and understand how to recognize when you are winning. Here is rule number one. Ready? It's all in your head. The battle is not in the market place, it's in your mind. Can you go share your story over and over again with people who don't believe you and try to convince you that their point of view is more accurate than yours? Can you stay enthusiastic about your opportunity while others are saying that their opportunity is better? Remember, that no matter what you do, someone will claim that their opportunity is better than yours, for some reason or another.

This game is played in your head... Can you focus on your dreams and goals while every distraction is attempting to grab your attention? Because if you can stay the course for 1 year with out looking left or right, up or down, you can put together an amazing lifestyle that will blow your mind. The rule to remember is that every time you sit down and share your story and plan with some new person, either you win and they join you or they win and you believe them when they tell you the reason they can't be a customer or join your team.

Every appointment in Mona Vie should result in a sale or a new distributor. The question is can you win the battle in your own mind... Think about it.

Results Are So Much Better Than Theory

Just watch this video about the powerful results of our product.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d5sgCBNaJk

Stay tuned for video from Tasting Parties and Trainings!