Burke Hedges Speaks

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Welcome back to the Monday Minute! Last week I started a series on
some of the biggest mistakes I see distributors making in their
business. We talked about destructive daily habits, fear and dreaming too
small.

Today I’m going to continue this series by giving you the next 3 mistakes
and also some of my tips for overcoming them…

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Mistake #4: Allowing your past experiences effect your current reality

So often, I see distributors allowing negativity and bad experiences
from the past stand in the way of their current success. They recall
a painful experience or reaction from a prospect or a bad reaction
from a family member. That rejection and disappointment hurt, so our
brains start to believe that every experience in the future is going
to be just like the past. But this is simply not true.

The past is just a lesson on how NOT to do it again- that’s all it is!

So, I’m here to tell you right now that regardless of what happened a
year ago or a week ago in your business, it does not have to happen
again as long as you learn from the past.

Mistake #5: Wrong focus

What do I mean by this? People put their focus and energy on thoughts
of rejection when approaching a prospect with their product or
opportunity, so guess what? That’s exactly what they attract!

They feel that they’re going to fail- so guess what they get? Failure!
They think that if they call someone to introduce them to their
wonderful products that they’re not going to get on your service- so
guess what happens?

That internal dialog you have- that focus- has gotten you exactly
what you’ve given your energy to.

I teach on “process” thinking vs. “outcome” thinking. I want
you think for a second about your current situation. Think
about your circumstances and where you are right now in your life.

Now, I want you to visualize yourself standing in the middle. Look
to your right and see Success. Now, look to your to left and see failure.

The thought of failure is what stops people dead in their tracks. They
want to stay away from it, so they stay exactly where they are
figuring if no one moves then nobody gets hurt. They decide not to
do anything because it’s too painful to experience that failure.

You may look at failure as being WHO you are as a person. But this
is also a lie. You are NOT a failure. Failure is only an event.
Look at Thomas Edison- he failed 10,000 times when trying to build
the light bulb. He found 10,000 ways not to do it!

Let’s go back to that mental image for a moment of you in the middle,
failure on your left and success on your right. What I want you to
do now is shift your thinking and put failure to your right- between
success and you. Put it right there in your path towards success.

Now, when you turn to your right, you can clearly see that in order
to get to success, you’ve got to go through failure. That’s the
only way to do it!

Spend time focused on the process- what is it that you need to
do to become better? Don’t simply try and make the business easier.
Everyone is trying to do that. But those people who focus on
making themselves better are the ones you see at the top.

Mistake #6: Limiting beliefs

Let me share something with you: Some of you are not 100% sold out
on this industry. Some of you are not 100% sold out on your products.
Some of you are not 100% sold out on your company. And if you’re not,
you need to be.

If your intention is to go out there and turn a profit and build a
distributorship- you better get 100% sold out on your business
because this is what your problem is when you struggle to recruit
people to join your team! They can see through what you say and
they can feel how you feel.

So if there is any doubt whatsoever in your products or business,
you will communicate that in volumes to the person you’re trying
to recruit.

Spend time working on your belief system, taking it from limited
belief to 100% belief with certainty. And with that belief will
come passion. Who in the world has ever achieved anything of
greatness without passion? They wanted something so bad that
they threw away the TV- they dedicated themselves with 100% focus,
they put the blinders on and got to work.

So many of us have lost that passion and we need to regain
that edge. It’s vital to your success.

I’ll see you next week with the final 4 mistakes. Until then,
be your best!

You know, every day I hear someone saying “Now is the ideal time to
build a direct selling business!” Heck, I say it myself on a daily
basis because it is the right time! There is no better time than now!

The current economic tsunami has created the perfect condition to
make a lot of money, to help a lot of people become successful, and
to change lives for generations to come.

But if everyone is making money BUT you, it’s not so much fun, is it?

The fact is this: You can and should be seeing a substantial
increase in your business right now. And if you’re not, it’s because
of one of two reasons. Either you’re just not working your business
enough, or you’re doing and saying the wrong things when working your
business.

Today I’m going to help you with the second reason…so let’s get started!

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Mistake #1: Destructive habits

I can predict with 100% certainty if you’re going to be successful
or not based on your daily habits. Losing is a habit and so is winning.
Your daily habits will dictate what your outcome is. If your business
is struggling, I believe that in order to turn things around, you’ve got
to gain better habits.

What time do you get up in the morning? Are you working your business
every day? How many prospecting phone calls do you make daily? How
many plans do you show? How much time each day do you waste surfing
the internet or watching TV? Are you investing in continuing education
by reading and studying about the industry? Do you take care of your
health? Are you striving to become a person of excellence- someone
you would want to follow- or are you just trying to skate by in life
doing the minimum amount possible?

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You can always tell the destiny of an individual by the quality of
the habits they incorporate into their life. If you’re not getting
the results you desire in your business, the first place you need to
get real with yourself on is your daily habits. By changing your
habits, you can change your life.
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Mistake #2: Fear

We all know that fear means “False Evidence Appearing Real”. Most fear
is all in your mind- it’s not even real. I’ve seen fear stop people
dead in their tracks. It may stop you from making your phone calls.
It may stop you from approaching people about the business and will
totally debilitate you.

I believe that you cannot have fear without courage. Every person
who is frozen in fear, if they look deep inside, has the courage
of a lion.

Do you remember when you first rode a bike and your parents helped
you to get going until you had a little momentum? Then, when they
let go it was crash and burn- you scraped yourself up. You probably
had fear when you got back up on that bike again, but you did it
anyway didn’t you?

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It’s the same in this business. The best way to conquer fear is
through proper preparation and ACTION.
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If you’re too afraid to pick up the phone and call, then summon up
that courage inside you and dial the numbers anyway.

If you’ve had a bad experience showing the plan and you fear doing
it again, then properly prepare by getting the training you need on
presenting and try it again. Don’t allow fear to stop you from
fulfilling your dream.

Mistake #3: Dreaming too small

The problem with having small dreams is that you may actually
achieve them! You may think you’ve “arrived”, but them you
sit around wondering, “Hey, why am I stuck?” Well, you
reached your goals!

Take a pencil and paper, if you would, and draw a small box. Inside
the box I want you to draw a stickman and write the word “Limited”
above his head. Now, outside the box, I want you to write the word
“Limitless”.

Nothing worthwhile has ever been accomplished without a dream. Can
you imagine for a moment that you own a bank and one day a gentleman
walks into your bank and says, “I’d like to borrow a few million
dollars”. You say “Okay, what would you like to borrow the money
for?” And the gentleman says to you, “I want to build a theme park
and the mascot is going to be a giant mouse.”

What would your reaction be?

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Having a big dream is a big part of achieving big goals. God made you
to be extraordinary, not limited. He made you to be limitless. So
sometimes we have to think bigger than our living rooms- we must
think bigger than we are right now.
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Complacency reminds me of a dead fish headed downstream. So if you
want to achieve the million dollar paychecks available in this
business, then you’ve got to think like those million dollar income
earners. And you can do it; there is no doubt about it. But
you’ve got to get yourself out of that box.

What’s the key to getting outside of the box? First, you must
know you’re inside the box. Did you know that if you put a baby
shark in a fish tank that the shark will only grow as big as the
fish tank will allow it to grow? The biggest problem we have is
the 6 inches between our ears- that’s our fish tank.

We must think bigger dreams for our lives. When you think bigger,
your boundaries will expand more and more.

Join me again next week for more BIG mistakes!

Thanks for joining me again this week for another edition of the
Monday Minute. I truly believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you
are in the best industry in the world and there couldn’t be a better
time in history to be engaged and involved in our business. It’s
my honor and privilege to be in your space.

I have 3 goals with these weekly newsletters. The first goal is I
want to be 100% transparent with you. I want to leave it all on the
table, not “sugar coat” things, and tell you exactly how it is.

My 2nd goal is to give you a lot of knowledge so you feel like your
investment of time was well worth it. I want to give you the recipe
for success in this industry.

And my 3rd goal is to constantly encourage you to educate yourself
about this fantastic industry. I want you to always be thinking,
“What’s next? What can I do next to elevate my level of success
with my company and products?”

Over the next few weeks I’m going to be sharing with you what I
believe are some of the MOST debilitating mistakes distributors make.
You might be making many of them right now- and I plan to show you
what you can do about it.

But before we start, I’d like to get a little “personal” with you
this week and share some of my own story and experience in this
industry…

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You know, I got started in the Direct Selling Industry over 20 years
ago. Like many of you, I was looking for a business opportunity. I
was 25 years old and was working in the cellular phone industry at
that time. And I was proud to say that I had earned $1 million that
year…however, it cost me $1.2 million to earn it! I was $200,000 in
the hole!

One day, a man came into my store off the street. He purchased 2
cellular phones from me, and on his application for credit I noticed
that he was making over $10,000 per month. Well, because I was so
broke, I was looking for an opportunity. So I asked him what he
did for a living and he said he was involved in the direct selling
industry. He started to explain his business to me, and the first
question that came out of my mouth was “This is a pyramid, isn’t it?”

And do you know what this gentleman told me? He said, “Burke, pyramids
are in Egypt- go sit on one.” He put me in my place right away!

But my point is this- it was a stranger who introduced me to the industry.
It wasn’t a family member, a colleague, and I didn’t answer an ad- It
was simply a stranger off the street.

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My father always said, “If you want to be successful, do as successful
people do.” So after I got involved in the industry, I made it a point
to learn from many of the top income earners in my company. I learned
what it takes to build a successful business.
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Success leaves clues. I didn’t have a clue how to build a direct sales
business, so I sought out the successful people in the industry and
started doing what they did. In my first year, I built an organization
that produced over $10 million in product sales.

I borrowed the money to get involved in my first opportunity. Remember,
I was $200,000 dollars in debt! If you’ve ever heard me speak on stage,
you’ve heard the joke where I say that American Express called and said
“Mr. Hedges, will you please leave home without it?!” It’s a funny
joke- but it’s also the truth.

I was so broke when I got involved in this industry, my mother used
to help me buy groceries for my family. Now, those were very difficult
times for me.

I know many of you reading this may not be experiencing the depths
of the difficulties that I had at that time, but some of you know
exactly what I’m talking about. But IN SPITE of all my difficulties -
I borrowed the money to get involved in the business. And I went to work.

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of things in this industry that I didn’t
like at all. Number one, I didn’t like it when people would call my
business a pyramid. That was offensive to me and I got to a point
where I just couldn’t stand for it anymore. So, I wrote a book
called “Who stole the American Dream”.

I decided instead of getting defensive and try to tell all my
prospects why my industry was good, I’d take a different stance
and say, “Hey, before you point the finger at MY industry, why
don’t you take a look at your own!”

At the time that book was first published, 20 years ago, people
were losing jobs and the economy was very shaky- sound familiar?
We sold 1.3 million copies that first year. It was a great honor
for me and my colleagues. We delivered that message at a time in
history when it was needed, and I was humbled that so many people
were able to use it to build their business.

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Here we are, 20 years later, and there is once again a great need for
that message in our industry. Watching what’s going on with the
economy has absolutely brought me to my knees. I’m sick to my stomach
watching the slaughter that’s going on in people’s lives and also in
their businesses.
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I can’t think of a better time in history to be building a
distributorship. Look at the economy out there- it’s gone from bad
to worse, hasn’t it? People are stuck and absolutely afraid watching
the economy tank. This is THE time to introduce people to your
products and business opportunity.

But the question is, how do you go about introducing your business
and products? Are you struggling?

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I’m asking you- Do you or your distributors feel like you’ve absolutely
hit a brick wall? I’m asking you because during the last 5 years I’ve
seen more and more distributors in our industry who are struggling
something terrible- which is absolute nonsense considering the current
economy is like a gold rush for the direct selling industry…everyone
should be making big money….especially YOU!
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I get questions everyday on the “nuts & bolts” of building a
distributorship.

Questions like:

“How do I find motivated people who are ready to work?”
“How do I build the business in this tough economy when everyone says
they have no money?”

I’ve been there…I’ve gotten spit on, laughed at and told I was crazy.
I’ve done meetings where there was no one in the room, meetings where
there were 10,000 people in the room and everything in between. And
I’m not going to sit and watch competent women and men who have got
the potential but just need some help.

So, over the next few weeks I’m going to share with you the top 10
mistakes I see distributors making in the industry right now. I’ll
explain what they are, AND I’ll give you some tips to overcome them
if you find you’ve headed down the wrong path.

There is NO REASON at this time in our history why every single direct
sales distributor shouldn’t be making a lot of money. The choice is
up to you. You can watch the train go by, or you can grab on and
enjoy the ride. I’ll see you next week!

I can tell you from firsthand experience that being broke isn’t a joke.

Broke is…

>> Being able to pay only the minimum on your credit card balance
>> Renting instead of owning because you can’t afford the down payment
>> Putting off going to the movies because it’s cheaper to rent a video
>> Lying awake at night wondering how you’re going to pay the rent

Being broke means having to choose between going deeper in debt
or going without.

Every day I meet new people on my websites, at my training programs
and seminars. Some have been in the Direct Selling industry for a
long time and are very successful. Others are just getting started
because they’ve realized that their “secure” job isn’t quite as
secure as they had hoped.

But no matter where you fall in that category, one thing is certain:
Every person I meet has a strong vision for a prosperous future. And
living broke is not a part of that vision.

In 2000, I wrote a book titled “You Can’t Steal Second With Your Foot
On First” where I challenged Americans to stop taking the free enterprise
system for granted. You can find out more information about that book here:

http://burkehedges.com/products/business

And today I’m going to share some of my viewpoints on the importance of
free enterprise, why so many people are living “broke” lives, and how to
break out of that cycle. It’s an important message that I strongly
encourage you to pay attention to.

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Money is not the key to happiness. But, I do believe that the more
money you have, the easier it is to get the key made.

How has being broke affected you and your family? It can be devastating,
can’t it? Being broke means more stress, more physical illness, more
bouts of depression, more anger, more worries, and more fears.

Yes, we’re all going to have some rain in our lives. That’s part of
life, like it or not. But when you’ve got money, it’s easier to
stay dry because you can afford to patch the roof or buy a new umbrella.

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I don’t believe there is any shame in being broke. The only shame
is in staying broke and accepting it as a way of life.
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If you really truly want to break the cycle of being broke, you can…
because “broke” is a temporary situation. It’s not a death sentence
unless you act as your own judge and jury and condemn yourself.

If you’re tired of being broke and feeling sorry for yourself, and you’re
ready to TRULY get over all your excuses and embrace the opportunity
this industry offers- the opportunity right in front of you- then I’d
like to give you a wake-up call.

There is a big, BIG difference between being broke and being poor.
Sometimes it takes a whack in the head to really realize the
abundance of opportunity that surrounds us and to appreciate the
difference between simply being “broke” and being “poor”, all
you have to do is answer this question:

>>How would you feel if there were no hope of ever escaping from being broke?

Depression and misery would be your two constant companions, wouldn’t they?

When being broke is all you’ve ever known…all you’ll ever know…and all
there is…it becomes a permanent condition called poverty. Poverty is
constant, it’s suffocating and it’s permanent.

The next time you’re showing a presentation, and your prospect starts
crying about the lack of opportunity in this country today, I’d like
you to remind him/her to take a look at what millions of other people
outside America are facing. Remember the old adage, “I felt sorry for
myself because I didn’t have any shoes. Then I met a man who didn’t
have any feet.”

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Don’t feel sorry for yourself because you’re too broke to buy new
shoes…start looking at what’s going on outside in the world to see
how true poverty cuts people off at the ankles.
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Everywhere we look in the US, there is great opportunity to create
wealth, and the Direct Marketing industry is one of the biggest
wealth creation opportunities in existence. I want to challenge you
today to get that “fire in your belly” again and embrace YOUR opportunity!

Free Enterprise gives you the ability- not the right- to become totally
independent.

>> Free Enterprise is NOT the right to be protected from failure.
>> Free Enterprise is NOT the right to “do your own thing” without
taking responsibility for the consequences.

So many people want security…but also want the big rewards that go along
with taking calculated risks. And we can’t have it both ways, can we?
We want to have our cake and eat it too…but that’s simply not possible!

I’m challenging you today to get off the fence in life. Embrace this
time in history as YOUR opportunity to create a legacy for your future
generations to come. So many people in this world don’t have that
opportunity- the HOPE- that we have.

You have the freedom to choose your own hours, to make your own
decisions, to control your own destiny and create a future most people
can only dream about. You can’t steal second with your foot on first.
To be financially free, you must step out of your comfort zone and
take a chance on you!

Go out there and make it a great week!

Vince Lombardi said winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.

Believe me when I tell you I can predict with 100% certainty whether
you will succeed or fail in the next 12 months in this business.

How do I know this? Because…

All I have to do is look at your habits. Success leaves clues and
your habits will tell it all.

Your daily habits will decide your future. When you first look
at it, habits appear like small harmless routines. They’re
predictable and comfort us, especially during times of stress. But
not all your habits are small or harmless. In fact, when it’s all
said and done, who we are and what we become is the sum of our habits.

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You do not decide your future. You decide your habits! And your
habits decide your future!
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So, what is a habit, and how will it affect your success in this
business over the next 12 months?

A habit is a pattern of action that is automatic and difficult to break.

You can have good habits and bad habits. Constructive habits and
destructive habits. The key is to choose your habits very carefully,
because in the end, the habits you choose affect the quality of your
life. The choice is up to you.

What are your:

-Income producing habits?
-Work habits?
-People skills habits?
-Training habits?
-Skill development habits?
-Teambuilding habits?
-Communication habits?
-Parenting habits?

Are the habits you choose an asset or a liability? Are the small tasks
you’re doing everyday getting you closer to your goals or taking you
away from them?

Answer those questions honestly. And take a step today to become aware
of how your habits are affecting your life. The best way to become
aware of your habits is to sit down and take an inventory of them.
Think about which habits are helping you move forward in your
business and which ones hold you back.

Do you spend all your spare time in front of the TV or are you taking
the time to read books that will expand your mind and improve your
business building skills?

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Imagine if everyone on your team was doing EXACTLY what you’re doing
to build your business. Does that excite you, or scare you to death?
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Your productive habits are like seeds planted in your life. You’re
not going to see a harvest overnight; it takes time for that seed to
grow. But you can rest assured that the habits you have will reap a
harvest. They’ll either bring about positive results in your life
and get you closer to your dreams, or they’ll bring about misery and
pain.

By taking inventory of your habits, you’ll see what’s really important
to you. What things do you really value?

When you choose your habits, you’re really deciding what things take
priority in your life, right? When you squander your valuable time
watching 3 hours of TV instead of doing activities to build your
business, you are making the decision that watching TV is more
important than your financial future and that of your family as well.

Once you gain control of your habits, you gain control of your life.

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become words.
Be careful of your words for your words become actions.
Be careful of your actions for your actions become habits.
Be careful of your habits for your habits become your character.
Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.

Your daily habits over the next 12 months will either guarantee your
success or your failure. It’s that simple!

Have a great week & I’ll see you next Monday!