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[Donnie Norton Contribution Level: 3]

I ask this question because I have been around the MLM industry for 30 years, in many different companies and my biggest check was $1.76. I cannot blame my lack of success on anything or anyone but myself. I have always believed in the industry but have a hard time with the focus, determination and drive needed for success. Maybe I am not really cut out for this type of industry. Anyone else ever felt like this?

[willie robertson Contribution Level: 4]

Hello Donnie,

I think if we be truthful, many of us here have been at the point of quiting at sometime or another, probably more than once.

I got turned on to wanting to be an entrepreneur at age 19/20, after attending an Amway breakfast meeting. That was in 1980.

Since, I have tried numerous ventures, anything from chain letters to painting home address numbers on the curb.

What has kept me going in all this biz opportunity-ism is i have made money in many ventures that I have tried.

My down fall is, up till no lack of focus long enough to really bear fruit in any one thing.

I too have quit many times, mostly just so I could regroup.

BECAUSE, when I think about the alternative, (working for someone else for another 40+ years and beyond,) I get re-invigorated to give this MLM/IM/Biz Opp thing another try.

You've got to count the cost and plan your work and work your plan, success will ultimately find you.

[Janelle Wright Contribution Level: 2]

I was intrigued by both your responses...

Many of us struggle when we are first introduced to Network Marketing because we haven't yet developed the mindset/skill set for success. However, if you stick with it and find a mentor who has achieved the success that you want to achieve then you can model them.

It is SO necessary to invest in yourself by doing the personal development and mastering the skills of networking to become a professional marketer...If you do what you have always done, you will get what you've always got! That is why many people jump from company to company thinking that will some how make them successful. The latest 'hot' new product or revolutionary comp plan is not the answer. The answer lies within YOU.

If you change your thinking, quitting is not an option.

"Ants never quit. If they're going somewhere and you stop them or block their path, they'll
look for another way. Up, down, all around. How long will they keep looking? Till they find
another way. See, that's good philosophy." ~ Jim Rohn

[Joyce Penner Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 8]

You've gotten some good advice here Donnie.

When should you quit? Never.

Find the team who has the tools that work and then do what you do naturally - talk to people, point them to your MLM tools, step back, let the tools do the qualifying, sorting, separating and selling and then connect with more people. Rinse and repeat. It's as easy as that.

That you can do, Donnie. You have such a good, caring heart, couple that with the right team and you will never ever think about quitting again.
Joyce

[Donnie Norton Contribution Level: 3]

Thanks for all the good advice. I really do not want to quit as I love the people in this industry. I may not have made any money but I believe I have become a better person just from trying. You are right Joyce, I do have a good caring heart, I would never have become a Nurse without it. I truly enjoy helping others when I can but the bottom line for me is I want to retire. I am tired of working my freaking butt off for the last 40 years. I have heard it said many times that I have to put other people first to become successful but I'm not totally convinced of this. The concept is great but will it truly bring me in money? In all honesty I am not in this industry to make you money, I am in it to make me money. It may sound selfish but it is the truth so thanks y'all and may the force be with you.

[ganesh rao Company: Empower Network, LLC Contribution Level: 1]

Hi Donni,

You must have heard this expression, "If you think you can or if you think you can't, either way you are right."
MLM or network marketing is no difference. Here, in this instance, you are thinking , "I can't" and you are absolutely right because until and unless you take thinking out of your mind, nothing positives will come your way.
But MLM is the best industry for people with limited abilities like many of us.
This is the only industry which can give extra ordinary success to ordinary people.
If you cannot make it here where can you make it? And every endevour requires focus, hardwork, bull headedness.
Success is not easy and SHOULD NOT be easy also.
If you cannot have focus, determination and drive, that means you are not enjoying MLM or network marketing. And there is nothing wrong in it.
Like you said, some people are cut out for it and others are not. You may be the latter one.
But if you love this industry, then find the right company with right products where you are proud of the concept from every angle.
My guess is you haven't selected the right company.
Find the right one and you will get your focus back. You will work hard, because you don't feel like what you are doing is work, it becomes fun and you cannot take your mind of it.

Regards,
Ganesh Rao
CONTENT REMOVED by Better Networker Support

[Joyce Penner Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 8]

Thanks for all the good advice. I really do not want to quit as I love the people in this industry. I may not have made any money but I believe I have become a better person just from trying. You are right Joyce, I do have a good caring heart, I would never have become a Nurse without it. I truly enjoy helping others when I can but the bottom line for me is I want to retire. I am tired of working my freaking butt off for the last 40 years. I have heard it said many times that I have to put other people first to become successful but I'm not totally convinced of this. The concept is great but will it truly bring me in money? In all honesty I am not in this industry to make you money, I am in it to make me money. It may sound selfish but it is the truth so thanks y'all and may the force be with you.

Hi Donnie. Ganesh is right. If you think you can't - you can't. If you think you can - you can.

I think it's crucial to get people into a profit situation quickly in your network marketing business or just like you they get tired and discouraged. I know a part of the path you've walked and it is discouraging and the tendency is to get synical. To believe nothing anyone else tells you.

There is an answer Donnie, you just have to reach out for it.
Joyce

[Mario Sanders Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 6]

When I first started out, I got into whatever interested me at the time. I first contracted with a manufactorer to make a product for me. That ran awhile until I found someone else could do it cheaper and better. My interest fell off. When I got into phone services everybody was selling phone services. Phone services were dropped just as fast as finding a new one on the market.
When I wanted to do research on a health issue, I found a product. I did not know how to promote and shortly left it for lack of interest and training.
The next product I did my research for myself and something I wanted to do to help my doctor help me to be healthy and well again. Finding my 'why' was the best thing that I could have ever done. It keeps me going and on track.
The thing is to never quit and always keep your mind on your goals.

[Dave Kotecki Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 5]

Thanks for all the good advice. I really do not want to quit as I love the people in this industry. I may not have made any money but I believe I have become a better person just from trying. You are right Joyce, I do have a good caring heart, I would never have become a Nurse without it. I truly enjoy helping others when I can but the bottom line for me is I want to retire. I am tired of working my freaking butt off for the last 40 years. I have heard it said many times that I have to put other people first to become successful but I'm not totally convinced of this. The concept is great but will it truly bring me in money? In all honesty I am not in this industry to make you money, I am in it to make me money. It may sound selfish but it is the truth so thanks y'all and may the force be with you.

You've gotten lots of what people would call
good advice in these posts, Donnie.

After experiencing my own struggle with
making no progress for 4 years and spending
lots of money but not making much of it back,
I feel that the advice you have been given here
might not be the best for you in some ways.

Don't get me wrong. Depending on the
circumstances everything that's been offered
here would certainly do a person lots of good.
I feel that your situation is a bit different than
one in which the above advice would help you
create the change you're looking for.

As Jefferey Combs might say, I believe you need
to "Get Out Of Your Own Way."

You seem to be in the place where all of the
traditional advice falls apart. You certainly have
the heart. You've definitely shown persistence. You
obviously care about people based on your chosen
profession and the energy you put into it every day.

So what's wrong?
Why aren't you succeeding?
Why don't you do what you know you must do to succeed?
Why do you jump to it whenever something needs to be
done when you're on duty as a nurse, but find yourself
procrastinating whenever it's time to do something for
your business?
Why will you put such effort and heart into serving others
as a nurse, but you find it difficult to do the same thing
when it's working toward financial freedom as an entrepreneur?

The thing that's holding you back is hidden from you.
That's why you can't address it.
It will be hidden from most other people as well,
because they don't know what to look for.

Your inability to make progress is almost certainly
caused by beliefs you have about yourself, money and
success that are buried in your subconscious mind.

Whenever these things exist, people find themselves
doing things that they know they shouldn't and not
doing things that they know they should.

It doesn't matter what your conscious mindset is.
No amount of positive thinking will help.
Your why is meaningless.
Persistence in these conditions will only bring more
pain.

Until whatever it is has been addressed and released,
it will be impossible for you to succeed.

Once you've addressed the challenge and let it go,
the speed of your progress will astound you.

But you probably can't do it alone.
At least not with any speed or confidence.

You need a coach.
A good one.
Someone who's been doing it a long time, has
helped lots of people and has been proven to
help people with challenges like yours overcome
them and succeed.

I can say all of this with conviction because I've
recently had major breakthroughs of my own.

For 4 years I didn't make much progress.
I bought the courses.
I attended the trainings.
I flew all over the country going to events.
I switched companies several times.
I tried everything.

About 5 months ago I started a coaching program with
Joe Syverson and Optimus Mentoring. Since then I've
made more progress than I did in the previous 4 years.
I believe this program saved my life.
I was going crazy doing anything I could think of to
make progress.

Once Joe helped me find what it was and handle it,
I felt like I was able to finally set down the huge weight
I'd been carrying around.

And I was finally able to quit procrastinating and get
busy working on my business.
I started making sales.
I'm making progress every day.
Once again, I believe that my success is assured.
Optimism has returned to replace depression.

My advice to you is find a coach.
You already know how I feel about Joe Syverson.
Jefferey Combs comes highly recommended by
almost everyone I know.

Coaches who are capable of helping you overcome
challenges like these don't come cheap.
But they're worth it.

Don't even consider the cost unless it would
bankrupt you.
Take the money out of whatever savings you
have.
Use a credit card.
Borrow from your family.
Do whatever you have to do to get a coach.

You can't afford NOT to do this.

You'll not only improve your business, but it
carries over into all areas of your life.

You deserve to receive all of the benefits that
coaching will bring you.
You deserve to be successful.
You deserve to be rich.
And all of the people that will be the recipients
of your love and generosity deserve for you to
be able to help them.

That's the best advice I can give you, straight
from the heart.

Find a coach today.

[David Harris Contribution Level: 1]

Donnie,

I feel your pain. I struggled with the same issues you face today. I couldn’t make enough money to cover my autoship. I followed this guru and that guru. I bought program after program all design to make me a success. But…

I too loved the camaraderie, people of like minds all pulling in the same direction. We were all told to hold on, stay the course, stick with it because you never know if the next conversation will be the one to change your life. There was strength and sympathy amongst the miserable.

I too always wanted to have a business of my own, something I controlled. I wanted to wake up when I was done sleeping, take a vacation 4 times a year, have residual income so I’d never have to work again.

My dream is real, my why rock solid strong, the business is a fabulously empowering business model - How could it be that it wasn’t working for me? How could that be?

Donnie, I believe that everyone is placed here on the planet for a reason. Some call it your destiny. Each of us has a gift within us that only we can share with the world. Some may say the very same words as you but only certain people can hear them from you. Maybe this wasn't my calling.

I was tired of knocking my head against the wall. It hurt. My drive for the business was gone. From a business stand point my balance sheet was bleeding red ink. I didn’t have a business of my own, I was a glorified commissioned salesman selling someone else’s products with a promise. I looked at the people who had become successful and realized that was not my personality. I was never going to lead a company sponsored call, develop a kickass, life-of-its-own downline or get on stage to receive any kind of award. It just wasn’t to be for me.

I did the only thing logical. I left the industry.

But here’s the key secret - I didn’t beat myself up for or considered myself to be a loser or a quitter. I didn’t listen to that garbage because it’s not the full story. Today I am building a business in my own voice. I have the training of the past 25 years that I am putting to excellent use in a business I truly own, control and love. I’ve allowed my passions to surface and guide me; my passions and not the passions of another.

There are too many people who suffer in this industry and just can’t let go. It’s the psychology of the paradox all neatly wrapped up in MLM. For all the personal development we’ve gotten how do people stay in a place that frustrates, causes one to doubt and question themselves, creates uncertainty and disappointment. Life is not about that. Life is about developing your own voice with the gifts and talents you’ve been given for the destiny you are meant to fill.

Truly, either get into network marketing 100%, heck, get into anything 100%, and don’t look back… or get out.

Donnie, thank you for being courageous and authentic enough to say what was on your mind in a public forum. It takes balls! Hats off to you!

What you, or the multitude of others silently feeling the same thing, intend to do I wish all of you success, fulfillment and peace of mind. If you, or the others, remain on the sharp fence of uncertainty then do this - send me a private message so we can talk and you can get the rest of the story. It’s a vitally important, life-altering conversation. I can truly help get you off the fence and be sure you keep your sanity. Regardless of the way you jump, I can promise you this - there is relief in making that choice.

In Clarity and Success,

David