The other day, while I was doing a business plan call with a new member, the subject of statistics came up – or more specifically, the dim statistics of the network marketing industry, which has it that something like 97% of distributors spend more on their businesses than what they make.
It’s not the first time I’ve heard this objection – and I bet you are familiar with it, too.
So…should that be a concern to you as a network marketer? Should you worry about statistics?
You may completely disagree with what I’m going to say next – in fact, it may even offend you – but nevertheless, here’s my take on this topic:
If 97% of people "fail" in network marketing, it’s because 97% of the people who join don’t have what it takes.
The majority of people are not cut out to be entrepreneurs. They don’t have the willpower, the stamina, the work ethics, or the self discipline.
During a moment’s excitement, fueled by an irrational belief in easy riches, they purchase their start-up pack and sign the dotted line.
Only to find that being an entrepreneur is no walk in the park. At least not for some time.
97% of people belong to that category that don’t finish what they set out to do, that give up far too easily, and when they fail, they blame someone or something else.
And this of course is nothing new.
It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden where Adam, when confronted by God, pointed at Eve and said to his Maker, "It was the woman you gave me". While Eve then replied by pointing to the snake, "The snake deceived me!".
It’s human nature, and we all suffer from it: we all suffer from the "excuse" symptom.
Yes, we can overcome it, but that takes deliberate work…not to mention awareness; awareness of our problem. Which, of course, most people don’t have.
Ask the newbie who’s just started building his team of distributors…talk to top earners in the industry with organizations of thousands…and they’ll all
tell you the same: New reps always come and go.
In fact, the bigger your team gets, the more you will experience this. And it has nothing to do with the strength of the leadership or the quality of the products, the potential of the compensation plan or the value of the marketing training…or a lack thereof.
It’s a "people problem". People will be people, always and everywhere.
As for statistics, they of course describe what’s "average"…that’s what statistics do.
But "average" numbers and “average” results are for "average" people. So why would you worry about the statistics if you know you aren’t “average”?
If you have decided that you belong to that small group that is prepared to make the necessary sacrifices, and who is going to work their business with an attitude of service rather than entitlement, taking full responsibility for their own success, never ever giving up…then you can know with certainty that you will in fact achieve the results of the 3 percenters. Not those of the 97%.
It’s a given. Success is a given when you approach it this way.
Which is why statistics don’t mean squat. Not to you personally. You simply need to decide which group you belong to, then take action on what you say you believe.
Where you are today is determined by the decisions you have made up unto this point in your life. Likewise, where you’ll find yourself in five years is going to be determined by the decisions you make today.
Because actions are determined by decisions.
It’s that simple.
Successfully,
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Tags: Mindset, network marketing success, personal development, success in mlm, success in network marketing
This entry was posted on Thursday, March 25th, 2010 at 1:47 pm and is filed under Leadership, Mindset. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.