I am always walking the tight-rope between my inherent, too-sunny-for-some optimism and the sometimes brutal realism I create for myself as I go along. Good thing this year’s study and practice is all about “Leadership.” I have discovered fairly recently I shine as a Manager…not so much as a Leader… I have all the markers to be a good one, and by the way, what exactly does a Leadership role look like for me?

I’ve asked myself lately, “Self, why are you shy to share your stuff now?” I certainly wasn’t in the past, I was always “out there” with my words…a pioneer of the grassroots network online, an innovator in virtual community technology and etiquette…you are happiest out here on the leading edge of thought and vision and all it provokes…what’s changed?

The answer was not long in coming back and it was a revelation: Remember, 10 or 12 years ago, most of your world was not online yet…the internet was a foreign animal to most and a wonderful new-world escape from the usual and mundane. All those you know and love are now showing up, technology has now caught up to your dream – thanks to Facebook, they’re finally here!

Gulp…no wonder, and dammit, I’m still letting what others think trip me up and hold me back from contributing what I worked so hard for to give!! Some old programming is indeed insidious and persistent. I am back, not giving a rip anymore, the rubber’s meetin’ the road for many and it’s time to share like I’ve never shared before!

This past holiday season I celebrated my 5th year out here in the world of business on my own.

It has taken me about 24 months to accomplish what it took me 24 years to do on the traditional employment path.

Since leaving “Ma Bell” after 24 years of faithful and loyal service, I have looked back only to remember and appreciate all those that I knew and loved and to revel in the glory of just how much I have accomplished in such a short time out of my “corporate nest”.

I am now living the dream I knew how to dream back in 2004. I am enjoying the manifestation of the intentions I launched from my asking for “more and better”. This future – now – looks a little different than I pictured and yet it “feels” better than I could have imagined, more perfect than I could have made it with my mind’s eye. I have confidence and assurance that my future is always brighter than I’m able to paint it – and yet, paint it I must!

It seems I need an entirely new dream for the next 5 to 10 though, the trips ‘round the sun are going to go by no matter what I put my focus to, and I’ve been on this plateau I’m on for too long. In the busy-ness of my early-retired life I had failed to notice I had “arrived”, which equates to a lack of appreciation on my part. I have experienced first-hand that partying on the plateaus too long on the journey upward leads to inertia and left long enough – ultimately to attrition.

The intentions I launched as I was heading out the door of corporate employment in December of 2004 were realized some months ago. My intention for now – 5 years from back then – was to enjoy a similar home environment, income and security as I was accustomed to within my corporate experience – without the bosses, daunting tasks and family-time cramping schedule. I wanted more fun and freedom, time to create and reflect, more choices – work or play? Both? OK. I wanted more possibilities…passive, residual income. I wanted to be an excellent Network Marketer. It became a drive and my chosen profession years before I left my place of employment.

Today my MXI Corp US$ cheques arrive every two weeks, like clockwork, on the same day they had from Bell Canada since the 1980’s. I have created a valuable business asset the bank and our government really, really like and encourage me to grow and nurture. I have more friends, guides, perks and security than I could have imagined for myself 5 years ago – even the corporately sponsored car is on its way.

This household has been on the government program few yet understand the power of for almost 15 years now.

This week I will celebrate my 3rd anniversary as an MXI Corporation Executive Associate, trying to imagine 24 years with this corporate entity. I am at the company’s Silver level, about to go to Gold on my way to the current top level “Ambassador”. I am already an “MXI Ambassador” in my mind and actions. Capturing the honorable MXI Ambassador flag is just a matter of a little compressed time, a handful of life-loving people, a few more favourable circumstances oh, and bullet proof belief in my vision and the absolute power at my command.

This is not my first affiliation, having only minute success with many other vehicles before this, to have “failed forward” this far is to call myself a professional and render myself very useful to many that are now asking for more and better for themselves – asking louder and with a little more urgency than ever before.

I have begun the climb up the corporate ladder once again, this time, I like what I see at the top, I actually want to go there!

As my long-time mentor Jim Rohn R.I.P. used to say,

“The problem isn’t that there’s not enough room at the top,
the problem is getting through the crowd at the bottom.”

This time there’s a few of my friends gathered at the top waiting for us to arrive and the crowd at the bottom is mobilizing upward…the next stretch is going to be an absolute blast, we’ll continue the party on the way up!

This is my goal for this year:
(Hand doodled while reflecting on my plan.)

Translation:
I will help 6 families create an extra $50,000 this year.

As a result I will get what I want and they will all get more than they ever dared to dream of before!
This is the invitation and the promise.

This is the year where I get to show a bunch of good people a great time with a whole new game plan! We pretty much know that an extra $500 to $1500 a month will prevent most from going into bankruptcy and allows them to “get caught up” on some things.

I want the same “thriving” I enjoy, for those I know and love, and I’m fairly certain they are asking for the same. There is a vast difference between thriving and surviving, one leads to growth and abundance, the other to attrition and lack of choices, thriving is way more fun and is simply a decision “to be and do” it.

There is both great misunderstanding and great curiosity about “what we networkers do”. I have not accomplished what I have alone – everyone is doing a little bit to create a lot for All involved. I have never retailed a product in this particular opportunity – a salesperson I claim not to be, and for the first time, I have access to a solid and capable team backing me, holding their vision of greatness for me, and eagerly waiting to work for and with whoever wants to come out to play with us.

My company alone in one year is sharing out in excess of $40 Million of their profits as referral commissions to “their loyal consumers” representing ½ of all they take in, funds that otherwise would have gone to the big guys like Walmart. At the time of this writing there’s a small handful of people sharing in this one profit pot – some are taking portions in the Millions, we can still count them and fit them in 1 small room.

I call it “winning the lottery slowly”, the pot’s there for all and every ticket’s a winner, it is the current day’s low to no risk, “sure thing”!

I am certain by my observing and listening to others that many “think” they know what Network Marketing is all about, they “think” they know what they would have to do in “something like that”.

I ask them what it is they think they have to do? Ya’ know they really aren’t sure after thinking about it. Have they asked for explanation or understanding of “what it takes”? “Well no, not really.” Do you want to understand? Hmmm…great question…

I ask them to look around and see if they can identify someone in their life that is having success with this life-saving business model, let alone doing it well and truly serving others with real results. As a profession it is like anything else, a small percentage of all of those “running around doing it” are doing what’s supposed to be done – and how.

Network Marketing is different more than difficult, it is unlike any other business model on the planet, it is highly respected and so are the leaders and masters within it, they make great change using it as a vehicle for leverage to create abundance for the masses. I personally have never done something as serving or more fun.

It is a people business first, it asks that we show up ready for fun and to give of ourselves, be open to new ways of seeing and understanding things, be teachable, coach-able and give ourselves permission to screw up along the way…sounds a lot like life itself eh?

I’ve been committed to this concept of Consumer’s Networking for almost 15 years, I’ve held out for the “Perfect Storm” of desire, leadership, technology and finally “mastery”.

Network Marketing isn’t new – it’s been around since the mid 1950s, and the vehicle I work with is certainly newly evolved and unique within this sector – “The Perfect Combination”. The internet has married this concept of grassroots marketing and has caused much of its positive change, the winds are heavily in our favour at this time…they say this is the year where many more of us will “get it”.

We are fairly certain the old ways of doing things ’round this planet isn’t working for all of us, new options are needed to replace the old paradigms.

It all comes back to identifying what we really want, from the heart, and holding ourselves worthy to declare why we want it…usually it requires opening up to something new and excitingly unfamiliar, something refreshingly different.

What do you really, really want? What is your “NLG” – Next Level of Greatness?

If we could show you a way to get it over the next 12 to 24 months by adding some fun and well-being into your mix, are you open to having a conversation about that?

Will you be one of the 6 to step up this year so that this time next year you can say,

“2010 was the year EVERYTHING changed for the better.”

Join Us!