Success and Gratitude

November 30, 2008

Thanksgiving weekend

Dear friends,

On this most perfect holiday, let me say thank you to all team members whose participation has made such a difference in this organization.

There is no “I” in team. We all help each other. I hope that you found many opportunities to give thanks and be grateful.

Here are some guidelines for being on the right side of the wealth equation at this most interesting time. Network marketing organizations tend to thrive during a recession. More people than ever before consider business ownership when the security in their job seems to vanish.

To your success.

Rosie Spiegel

Daily Tips for Succeeding

It is November, 2008 and we are seeing history be made. By writing your own ticket, you can be among those who look back on this time with gratitude for having made excellent choices for you, your family and those who come to work with you. Getting into the winners circle at this time will be among the most important things you will ever have done, perhaps among your greatest accomplishments.

1. Keep yourself educated. Find something to read or learn every day. There is no better time than right now to make sure you stay in the leading edge. Being an expert in your field will dramatically increase your chance at success and financial reward. Brian Tracy says that when you train yourself to be among the best in your field, success is all but guaranteed.
2. Stay on your edge in terms of the kind of material you feed your brain. Garbage-in-garbage-out. Or, conversely, a steady diet that promotes optimism and hope will support your on going efforts to produce results monetarily. Read, watch and listen to positive, encouraging, uplifting material.
3. More than ever, discipline yourself to focus on where you are going and what you are in the process of creating. Be clear. Hold fast to the images of what you are creating and visit those images throughout the day.
4. Study those whose success you want to emulate. Pay attention to those who are really making it. Take on the habits of people whose results inspire you. Work like you mean it. Take yourself seriously as you chart your course throughout these days, weeks and months as you build for financial reward.
5. Get very clear that abundance is attainable with USANA. Every day remind yourself of how people continue to succeed, reaping financial rewards. Know that these rewards can land on you too. Expect that these rewards land on you. Watch the videos on the Media Center of successful people.
6. Be an emissary of affluence and financial security during these most remarkable times. Do what it takes to be effective in relaying to others the viability of this business model. Double, triple, quadruple your effectiveness and determination in communicating this to others. Be a beacon for those wanting an opportunity like this. Be a messenger.
7. Visit your vision and your Why daily. Know what you want, what you are willing to do to get there, who is joining you on the journey, and what you are willing to do to assure yourself of the results you and your team deserve. Point yourself forward. Look ahead. Be unshakable in your determination to forge ahead knowing you are on the right path.
8. Make excuses to pay a little extra attention to your business than you might normally. You can help more people with an extra hour here and there. Simple disciplines repeated over time produce massive results. Never underestimate the power of an extra call here, an extra follow up there.
9. Prospect up. Given how the value of this business has increased exponentially over the last couple of months, it stands to reason that people with a more sophisticated eye to a good investment will be interested.
10. There is no better cure for negative emotions than to be proactive. Put yourself in control of your financial fortune. Build wealth and security for your family. Visualize and take action. Know that when you are clear where you are going, your “attraction factor” goes up significantly.

Ways We Sabatoge Our Energy Every Day

It is truly amazing how quickly we can dissipate our energy! It takes a lot of discipline and commitment to keep our body running at top condition, when we are working around the clock and maintaining our home and family. But, we only have one body, and if we do not take care of it, where will we live?

Now 56, I have focused the past several years on making sure I take care of my body every day. I started doing this because cancer runs in my family. On my father’s side, every one of his siblings and all my cousins are suffering from some type of cancer, discovered by the time they turned 40. I refuse to let that happen to me! Seven years ago I suffered from allergies, migraines, restless leg syndrome, chronic constipation, sleepless nights, bad skin and was 24 lbs overweight. I had very little energy and was fast becoming a “couch-potato”. My body had gone from a svelte size 8 to a pudgy size 12 and I could not see how to reverse the trend. Then, I learned about nutrition and how important it is in maintaining our energy and health. I applied what I learned and today I am a size 8 again and have unlimited energy!

Every day you can take steps to maintain your energy, and achieve optimal health in the process. Here are some things to be careful about:

- Caffeine: Caffeine is an artificial stimulant which can disturb your sleep cycle and also acts as a diuretic, depleting the body of its necessary moisture and lubrication. Try to drink only two cups a day, and always before 1 p.m. The best sources of caffeine are from green and white teas, which have the highest level of antioxidants. Keep your caffeine consumption at no more than 100 mg a day. Ask me for a free sheet on the caffeine counts in many beverages.

- High-Glycemic, Processed Sugar and Starch-y Foods: These foods give you a quick boost of energy but then crash you down and you just crave more. You end up eating too much of the bad foods and missing out on important energy-sustaining nutrients in healthier foods. You can even create a problem and become diabetic by eating too many of these foods on a daily basis, over several years. What are these foods? Potatoes, rice, pasta, white bread, cake, cookies, processed cereals. Good sugars are found in fruit and are called fructose. Fructose metabolizes more slowly than sucrose and glucose, and does not spike your blood sugar. A safe form of sugar is Stevia, which has no calories but is a natural sugar and safe for the body. Ask me for a list of the glycemic index counts for different foods, and a great cookbook on Low-Glycemic Cooking.

- Too Little Water: Not drinking enough water depletes the organs and the brain and you will feel tired, sluggish and may even develop headaches. The average person needs to drink half their weight in ounces of water a day! More if you are exercising and sweat a lot. Water also flushes the toxins from the skin and respiratory system. Not drinking enough water can make allergies worse!

- Too Little Sleep: Studies show that we need to have at least 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Without this, our body does not have enough deep sleep, which makes us tired and sluggish in the morning. Plus, the body does its repairs at night and if it does not have enough time then the cells degenerate, which leads to disease. People find that if they add minerals to their regimen, they will sleep better. Ask me what I take every night that lets me sleep straight through and wake refreshed!

- Not Enough Healthy Calories: If you are trying to lose weight, you may think you need to cut back on your food. But, if you cut back on the critical building-blocks such as protein, good fats, good sugar, carbs and fiber, you will actually send the body into starvation mode. This means your body will hoard whatever you give it and pack it onto your stomach! You need to eat balanced meals, at least 4 small ones a day. I have a great system that trains you to do this.

- Too Little Exercise: Lack of exercise creates multiple problems -- muscles deterioriate, fat accumulates, energy dissipates and you just basically feel crappy! The body is built to move, and to move every day! Make sure you get at least 45 minutes of exercise a day -- 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, which can include a brisk 30-minute walk, plus 15 minutes of strength-training with weights or pilates. Yoga is good for flexibility.

- Lack of Good Fats: We need good fats for our brain, nervous system and joints. Good fats are the Omega-3s, found in cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna, avocadoes, walnuts, flaxseed and olive oil.

- Lack of Enough Vitamins and Minerals – The old adage “you are what you eat” has never been more true than today. Our bodies are so deprived of essential nutrients that there is more incidence of allergies, asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases than in any time in history. Our food is depleted of nutrients, picked too soon and left in cold-storage. A tomato today has only 1/10^th of the vitamins and minerals as one from 50 years ago! In a recent article in More magazine, Dr. Pamela Smith, M.D. of the Crittenton Hospital in Rochester Hills, Michigan, says: “Nutrition becomes more important overall, but we can’t get enough of everything we need from food, so supplements become important in bridging the gap.”

How important are vitamins and supplements? Consider this: very few women get enough vitamin D3 today, and it is a key link to preventing breast cancer. 2000 IU of Vitamin D3 a day will cut the risk of breast cancer in half. B-complex vitamins provide energy, but it is very difficult to get the full spectrum every day. Co-Quinone enzyme is critical for energy, and is the nutrient that powers every cell, yet we cannot get it from food and our body produces much less of it once we turn 27. Putting the right group of supplements together and then taking all of them every day can be a real drain, but is critical to our long-term health, and to maintaining our energy.

By now you are probably thinking, "This is too hard!" "How am I going to do all this every day?" Well, I took the easy way out. I decided I could streamline the process and started the Energy Unlimited Team of Usana Health Sciences. We offer health products that will help you feel and look your best. I have experienced great results in terms of new energy and stamina, so much so that, at 56, I feel like I am 30 again! Plus I have lost and kept off those pesky extra 20 pounds that arrived once I turned 40.

You can take steps to keep your body as healthy as possible and have energy to burn. Make a promise to build the best body you can, and keep it strong. You will have it to live in for the rest of your life! I would love to be of service to you in helping you determine the best strategy to reach your optimal energy levels. Please contact me at: 650-400-2612; deb@energyunlimited.biz and see my web-site: www.energyunlimited.usana.com.

Be Lean! Be Clean! Be Strong!

Young and Rich

My two grown children have always had an entrepreneurial mom. They have seen nothing but a parent who has always driven her income forward by owning a business, rather than working for someone else. They both have the business ownership bug. Especially now.

At a recent meeting called "Young and Rich" a handful of seasoned entrepreneurs encouraged the younger associates and guests to consider business ownership as a viable way to financial success and security. We have chosen network marketing because we believe it is a viable way to financial freedom for the motivated entrepreneur.

Here are the key points that we covered were at the meeting:

1. When you are in business for yourself you can be more in charge of your income. Without a salaried position, you can be more in control.
2. As a business owner, you can not be fired.
3. 95% of millionaires in this country are business owners.
   
4. If you choose a business whose compensation plan includes leveraged income, such as network marketing, you can work for an income stream that flows even when you are not working, once it is set up.
5. A business that you own can finance the things that you really want to do for fun, or to make a difference for others. The income from the business that you own can fund doing the things that you most love to do.
6. Owning a business will provide you with ways to grow and self-develop. Often there are leadership opportunities that add even more value to the business.
7. Younger people can benefit from starting earlier on their path to financial stability. Imagine becoming financially independent and never having to take a regular job just to make money.
   
8. If there is work that you really love to do, but that does not provide enough money to do the things that you really want to do, the income from the business that you own can enable you to do that work for the love of it, when you don't need the money.
9. In this current economy a business that you own is true security. Although it does take some time to set it up, once your business is established, you can go through different economic climates without any loss to your income.
10. Working just for money is not a great way to live your life. When you figure out what you really want your life to be about, and you understand that there is not a better way to make a fortune than by making a difference for other people, owning a network marketing business gives life new meaning and greater value.

For more information, please contact the person who shared this post with you. Or call or write:
Rosie Spiegel, Founder Manifesting Vision International
rosie@manifestingvision.com
650-573-7177

Freedom Isn't Fancy

For those of us who love to live outside of the box (because we know all the good stuff is there) the idea of a home based business that holds the promise of rewarding us with financial freedom is practically intoxicating. This may explain why so many people start this business. There are many theories why people do not stick it out to get what they came here for. I am going to suggest what might be a new spin on this. Let's call it "over shooting."
Freedom is not fancy. It means having a relaxed day that might include some of your favorite things to do. You might spend an extra hour after breakfast reading. You might not have to hurry home from the gym. You may have a friend drop something off and you end up sitting in your back yard sipping iced tea for an hour.

Freedom may be less about acquiring more things than we thought before we achieved it. What if freedom just meant waking up relaxed and happy. What if it meant feeling at peace with an unhurried lifestyle that allows plenty of rest.

My definition of freedom has changed over the 9 years I have been building this business. It has become refined. When it stopped being something I wanted to put my hands on -- like another thing to have -- and more about experiencing a delicious kind of security -- it appeared that more of this non-thing continued to appear in my life.

Freedom isn't fancy. Maybe if we stop looking for it in the wrong places, finding it will seem a whole lot easier.

As Abraham says, our lives are as good as we allow them to be. Make room in your life for authentic abundance, and freedom might just slip in the back door when you aren't out in front searching for it.

Be Lean, Be Clean, Be Strong

Recently I was attending a body-building competition as a vendor. As an independent distributor with USANA Health Sciences, naturally I had the Usana products displayed, along with several books by doctors who believe in and use nutritional medicine in their practice. I offered samples of the shakes and bars, part of our weight management line. Of all the vendors there, I was one of the few not catering specifically to the nutritional practices of the body-builder which are geared specifically toward creating bulk. However, I found that there was a great deal of interest among these men and women, and their audience. Why? Because they all had a need to train as much as possible, stay healthy, and find a safe way to do it. It is fairly common knowledge that some of the muscle building products that body-builders take have some undesirable side-effects.


Among the competitors were chiropractors, dancers, lawyers, policemen, stay-at-home moms, car salesman, fitness trainers, estheticians, students, construction workers and more. They all wanted better health. Many were worried about the future of their bodies after they quit competing. The constant dieting and training is very tough on them physically and what happens when it is over is a big unknown. Together we explored how the USANA products might meet their on-going health concerns and needs. The trick is that since they can't train forever, how not to plunge downhill when they are no longer able to compete.


There were audience members who were not in the best of shape and who were interested in losing weight, keeping it off safely and having more energy. All were impressed by the quality and taste of our bars and shakes. They learned that many professional athletes use the USANA products, and that USANA is ranked in the Top 4 of the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements from Nutrisearch Foundation, which ranks over 1500 supplements sold in Canada and the United States.


The lifestyle of the body-builder is amazing – training and dieting rigorously for several months a year, then “pigging-out” right after a competition, because their bodies feel so deprived. Before a competition, they have to take every bit of fat off, and then train to build their muscles to unnatural proportions so they can be seen when holding a pose. The poses must be held for long periods of time, and often the athletes are in excrutiang pain. One 30-year-old said that he is “never pain-free.”


Body-builders eat huge amounts of protein, which may be good for muscle development but can produce other negative side-effects such as compromised kidney function. They know this, and are always looking for ways to mitigate the impact of the constant cycle of dieting and bulking-up and the chronic pain that is an occupational hazard.


Athletes and the general population are able to use the USANA products as an all natural way to help them

• train longer and harder
• gain relief from pain
• restore strength more quickly

Body-builders believe in vitamins and supplements, and many do not know that many products are not what they are advertised to be. Most supplements are manufactured to food grade standards. The USANA products are manufactured to pharmaceutical grade standards, so professional athletes can trust that they are being guaranteed that what is on the label is in the bottle. They can be lean, clean and strong, particularly without the side-effects from other products that they may be taking.


Those of us who distribute the USANA products love sharing these benefits with professional athletes because the demands on their bodies are so great. USANA: nutritionals you can trust. There really is a USANA difference. What that difference means to you living in your body is something that can be explored one on one. Whether it is lean, clean and strong, or other health goals you may have, you deserve to be at the top of your health game, whether you are competing or not.


Deb Dutcher
Founder, Energy Unlimited Group
650-400-2612
deb@energyunlimited.biz
Manifesting Vision International

Whose Thoughts Are They Anyway?

"Thoughts are things." This is not an original thought, nor an original thing for that matter. This particular belief comes from the viewpoint that what we think we manifest. When we named our networking organization Manifesting Vision International about 5 years ago, I did not see as clearly then as I do now what we are about: combining visualizing and positive thinking with massive action to create that which we are most passionate about.

With that in mind I discovered something while falling asleep last night. The realization I am about to share with you caused me to sit bolt upright in my bed for the power of this discovery.

It is pretty common knowledge that we are influenced by the books we read, the seminars we, attend, the people we hang out with, and the thoughts we think. Positive self-talk comes with the territory for people who aspire to live a life of greatness.

Imagine that you spend your day with, God forbid, derelicts who choose to complain about everything. Worse, imagine that this circle of friends devalued education, spirituality and financial abundance. Is it obvious that after some time either you would bring them up to your level, or you might find your positive thinking reduced by their attitudes? Whether it is family, friends, or co-workers, other peoples thoughts are floating around freely. Are any landing on you?

Now imagine that your circle of friends includes bright, forward-thinking individuals who aspire to leadership, optimal health, making a difference, leaving the planet a better place, and being fit, healthy and happy. Needless to say, this second group would be operating from a different set of beliefs than the previous one.

I was already familiar with the concept of hanging out with positive people. What hit me the other night was how subtle this influence is, indeed how insidious.

I know a woman who is dealing with some major financial set-backs. She is struggling with a perception of lack and limitation in her life. The other day she was lamenting about seeing shortage all around her. Not "enough-ness." I was falling asleep and was replaying in my mind some of what she had told me. My training has taught me to be sensitive to vibrations. Positive thoughts create different vibrations and feelings than do negative ones. When I heard and felt myself replay her words in my head, it was suddenly obvious that my mind would not distinguish between those thoughts being hers, or in this case mine. I "caught" her thoughts.

It was remarkable to me to realize that my entire being could entertain someone else's thoughts and have them reverberate in my being as if they were my own original thoughts. I then realized how important it is to witness other people if they are struggling against opportunities for real abundance in their lives, or whatever the topic may be. (This could be thoughts around any significant topics we dwell on.) I use "witnessing" as opposed to inadvertently identifying with.

The purpose of this essay is not particularly to promote meditation, but in light of the realization that we do not want to find ourselves thinking other people's thoughts to our own detriment, any system that supports the quieting of our minds might be useful.

Whose thoughts are you thinking? If they belong to someone who is in the process of creating a reality that may be different than the one to which you aspire, it may be time to re-choose your own thoughts. You may not have to change your friends, necessarily. Just make sure that the thoughts you think support the things that you want. And if you do think someone else's thoughts, be certain that those thought are aligned with your desires.

Rosie Spiegel
Founder, Manifesting Vision International
How can we serve you?

Law of Attraction: A Short Course

Thankfully, many capable and seasoned authors, trainers, motivators and teachers have come before me relaying the power of the Law of Attraction. I salute those from whom I have learned. Indeed, as one who has practiced this Law since the day it was taught to me, in this essay I am merely paying it forward. For those of you who would like to learn more on this glorious topic I refer you to the work of Esther and Jerry Hicks, whose books, CD's and seminaars have been life-changing for me.

In this short space, an example that has been most profound for me will be described. The technology behind this example is not original. I borrow from many. What is unique is my experience of applying these principles. This is true for anyone who practices this law.

Let's call this "future mapping." What I love to refer to as living in the realm of possibilities. It goes like this. If we focus on that which we want to be different, we are energizing more of that in the place where reality presents itself. Do you believe that thoughts are things? That what you think most about is what comes about? The more you think about that which is your intention to create based on your desires, the more energy you give to that becoming reality.

There are several levels of this thought/manifestation:

• What is on your mind in the form of thinking.
• The feelings associated with these thoughts.
• Beliefs you reinforce by repetition.
• Images you create.

Practice aligning those images/thoughts/feelings/beliefs that you most energize during the day with your deepest desires. Not only will you feel fabulous when you have aligned yourself with that which you want to change, you have (what I love to call) stepped into the possibilities as if they already exist. This conditioning is further enhanced by releasing any resistance to those possibilities, thus allowing the manifestation of them to become more likely, more attainable.

In this exciting business I am in, I have learned to recognize those individuals who say they want change but will probably never do anything to allow it. How do I recognize them? They are so focused on how bad their current situation is that even though they say they want something better, in truth they are way too attached to their current reality to allow something new in to their lives. They cannot haul their focus, their energy, their thoughts or their words from their current reality. They can not point themselves in a different direction. Then there are those who are currently in an unfortunate or undesirable situation. But their energy and words are inclined toward what they are open to creating... something new, different, and more in alignment with their desires. It is beautiful, it feels great, and it is exciting to meet individuals who can do this.

Watch your thoughts. Listen to what you talk about. Listen to yourself. You are somewhere between reinforcing your present reality and allowing the world around you to conspire to support you in achieving all that you desire. The choice is yours. Make it like your life depended on it.

Rosie Spiegel
Founder Manifesting Vision International
rosie@manifestingvision.com
How can we serve you?

How We Experience Money

Dear friends,
A member of my organization came over the other day. We had a really interesting conversation about how we make money in network marketing. After 9 years in this business my residual income was comparable to her salary at the job she just left behind. She was not impressed with the "mere" low-6-figure income I was making after all this time. I explained to her that my lifestyle was a dream, not because I was a top earner with my company, USANA Health Sciences, but because I experienced freedom. Let's call it a cool one-hundred-thousand dollars per year. When that income has to be worked for day in and day out, with a few weeks of vacation per year, it is one number. When it comes in automatically, it is a very different number. It reminds me of a question that was asked on a math test when I was in 4th grade. "Is an hour in the dentist chair longer, shorter or the same as an hour playing your favorite game?" According to the teacher, my answer, "longer", was wrong.

To this day I think an hour in the dentist chair is longer than an hour playing my favorite game, but this evaluation depends on what criteria you are using.

It took me 9 years to build up this passive income. If this amount enables me to feel free and happy then one could say it is a king's ransom. For my colleague, this amount was unimpressive, but then she had never had it delivered to her in the form in which it was delivered to me.

I am now officially working on my second hundred thousand. I can't say for sure how long it will take. If history repeats itself, than the answer will probably be longer than I expected, or longer than I had hoped. But what does this matter if I feel as if I have already gotten the golden ring? Unlike my friend, this income is mine to keep. What a gorgeous concept that is. Along the way to creating the second hundred thousand, I will make friends, grow like a weed, make a difference, practice patience and tolerance, and be rewarded for holding fast to a dream.

I made the same amount of money, approximately, in my previous career. But like the hour in the dentist chair versus the hour playing, it was not the same as the same amount my business generates now.

Rosie Spiegel, founder Manifesting Vision International
rosie@manifestingvision.com
http://manifestingvison.com

What's So Comfortable about the Comfort Zone?

In many circles that support business and personal development, the comfort zone is a frequent topic of discussion. People are often encouraged to go outside of their comfort zone. Familiar examples of this include picking up the phone to make a call to a prospect, and declaring bold goals for one’s lifestyle and income. On the other side of the coin, people often state what they are willing and not willing to do based on their comfort. And in response to this, the individual who has set these limits according to her comfort level is often treated as a handicapped person. “Well, if you are uncomfortable, of course you can’t do it.”
What is so comfortable about remaining comfortable? Oftentimes that so-called comfort is attached to even harsher realities that are decidedly uncomfortable. The state of comfort may really be a state of familiarity. Confusing the two is like putting the breaks on when it comes to grabbing hold of opportunities that can improve someone’s life. Perhaps “comfort” can be re-identified as merely what someone is used to.

True story: there is a man who makes a 90 minute commute twice a day. This leaves him with a scant 10 minutes with his young daughter before it is her bedtime. She literally stays awake just to say good night to her dad. Weekends allow not much more than recovering from the inevitable exhaustion after a long work week. This man accepts this reality because the job market is tight. The rationale is that even though this nightmarish schedule produces a whopping $50,000 per year and there is hardly a moment of quality time with the family and money is always tight… well, at least he has a job.

Let’s call this guy Sam. Sam is very unhappy with his situation. Who wouldn’t be? Sam is living with dire limitations in the arenas of time and money, two precious commodities that support quality of life for Sam and his family. When Sam is presented with the option of working from home, having a real shot at changing his situation, all his defenses go up. Of course, he has no time, no money and doing something different would be (you guessed it…) outside of his comfort zone.

Perhaps you have heard the story of the boy on the porch with his dog and his grandpa. The boy sees the dog whimpering and asks his grandpa why the dog is making those noises. The grandpa replies that the dog is lying on a board with nails sticking out of it. The little boy thinks for a moment, and then asks his grandpa why the dog does not get off the board? His grandpa replies, “It hurts enough to make him whine, but not enough to make him get up and move away.”

If you are a business builder in this wonderful industry of network marketing, perhaps along the way, someone was bold enough to invite you to see beyond what you were used to. Perhaps this meant introducing you to something grand: possibilities that were attainable to those who could think beyond what was familiar. Comfort zones are our coffins. God forbid we should end up where we are comfortable. All the good stuff is slightly beyond our reach. The growth that comes from stepping into what is unfamiliar opens the door to getting what seemed unattainable. For those of us who love what we do – and we network marketers are an impassioned bunch – regarding the proverbial comfort zone, our attitude is “Get me outta here!” We have learned to stare down temporary inconveniences and discomfort along the way to living life as we choose. Unlike the dog on the porch, we don’t wait until things are excruciating to implement change.

Rosie Spiegel, Founder Manifesting Vision International

http://www.manifestingvision.com

rosie@manifestingvision.com

If Not Pushing, Then What?

Rosie Spiegel

Publish PostCopyright ©2008 Rosie Spiegel

If you are considering getting involved in network marketing and you are stuck on the concern about not wanting to put pressure on people to join your organization, here is some simple advice: okay, don’t push people. Do something else. That “something else” is the subject of this essay.

For those who understand that networking is a function of serving others, there is no fear of pushing people. You can be assured that for those who are most successful in this industry, the prospecting process is fun, it feels good, and at the end of the day, doing it well causes one to feel terrific about one’s self. We never think about not pushing. It doesn’t come up when the agenda is to serve others. It would be like thinking, “I don’t want to beat my kids today.” We are focused on other things.

Recently at a corporate sponsored event, Tim Sales in his inimitably intelligent manner, spoke about how and where some of the shadowy sides of network marketing became embedded in people’s thoughts. He described some old, aggressive behaviors of unseasoned non-professionals in the business. Unfortunately, people still think of this just as they think of MSG in Chinese restaurants, even though few restaurants still use it anymore. It’s old news, and many people have not flipped on the channel to see what is true in present time. Granted, as in any profession, there are people whose business ethics are not those that you would choose to emulate. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Make sure that you learn how to make friends, build bridges, be genuine, and leave a wake behind you of people who are really glad that they spoke with you. All of these are at the heart of networking.

So, if you don’t push, what do you do? How about becoming the best listener on the face of the earth? How about being so inspired to learn how to help people get what they want that nothing will stop you on this path? Your being bold when it comes to helping people makes the world a better place. If someone looks at you cross-eyed, do you shelf your mission, or continue to explore possibilities, if you knew that your product or service could improve someone’s life? (The products marketed by my company produced a life-changing response in my body with regard to a serious health issue. I thank my friend daily for not giving up on me. He never pushed me, but he was clear in his willingness to not quit on me even though I was resistant.)

Perhaps what is behind the fear of pushing people is just plain fear. It’s the old comfort zone demon, which encourages us to play it safe instead of playing it big. Turn pushing inside out and what you find is love, service, and a passion to help other people. Those of us who are successful are out on the limb where the fruit is. We have stared down mis-perceptions in order to play this game to win. In this industry winning is measured by how many people’s lives have improved because of your ability to see clearly what this is (serving others) and what this is not (pushing.) If you knew how good this felt, you would not be able to wait to join us on this field and have your life be about making a difference for others.

Rosie Spiegel, founder of Manifesting Vision International

rosie@manifestingvision.com

650-573-7177

Network Marketing: The Bottom Line

Are you a student of your industry, or your job? Do you aspire to be the best you can be at what you do? The reason I ask is that as a student of the industry I am in (network marketing, direct sales), I have learned so much from the experts in this field. I am referring in particular to the fundamental core issues that are part of someone's success in this business. Over the last 8-plus years that I have been with the same company, USANA Health Sciences, I have studied this success track, both so I could nail it in my own business, as well as teach it to others in my organization so they could profit.

Let's call this the Bottom Line in network marketing. What you really have to do to succeed, what this industry is and what it is not. Like the leaders who have come before me, allow me to throw some bread crumbs in the forest for you so you can find your way. Perhaps even to experience success for yourself.

The first thing that comes to mind is the necessity to think differently. Our team motto in Manifesting Vision International is "work for wealth, not wages." I remember the first time I understood that my business building efforts were for creating freedom for myself and not for a pay check, a big light bulb went off in my head. I have called this having our cage rattled, or downloading a new operating system. This comes from learning to rethink money and time, and to participate in a wealth distribution system that is completely different from a job that is attached to a pay check or a salary. My experience is that this shift in beliefs and attitudes occurs over time, not over night. Which leads us to the second item...

In network marketing, the one who learns and grows the most wins. He or she who is the most willing to do things differently will be among the top earners. Because of the rigorous training we have access to (seminars, books, CD's, DVD's, web-based courses) there is ample opportunity to adopt new behaviors that produce new results. This includes how you think.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” (author unknown)

People in network marketing must love to help other people. There is an old, rather famous quote by Zig Ziglar: "You can have anything you want if you help enough people get what they want." In direct sales we are so enthusiastic about wanting to make a difference in someone else's life, that this has its very own reward. The fact that we are rewarded financially for helping other people is sometimes incidental. If you don't genuinely love people, this business would not work for you.

In network marketing, the bigger your dream the more you will be motivated to succeed. Success is voluntary and is invariably linked to how you want your life to change. I made an astonishing discovery a couple of years ago in my business: in the very beginning, it is perfectly legitimate to come to this business because there is something that you want or need, and you have come to believe that this business model will help you achieve that. As you begin to taste the sweetness of success something magical happens: your business building efforts become more about helping other people. This has been called "paying it forward" and it feels fantastic. It is as worth holding out for (meaning not quitting until it is a reality) as is the money to which this is inextricably connected.

Okay, so we love to help people, we are committed to learning and growing, and we have a big dream. We think differently and we are committed to achieving more and producing more. As professional network marketers we are continuously seeking ways to get outside of any box that restrains us and we love that this is business not as usual.

Is this business for everyone? Absolutely not! But if you feel aligned with any of these bottom line concepts, you might want to check out a way of doing business that has been like cracking the code for those of us who want to live life on our own terms.

My daughter recently asked me to teach her how to have a money tree in her back yard. I am so in love with this business and believe so much in its ability to produce dramatic change (for those who stay the course and do the work) that I would be thrilled if either of my grown children got involved. I love this because of what we stand for: that we live in a realm of potentially limitless possibility.

Do you know what your very best life looks like? If nothing changes, are you headed toward that life? Do you need to recalibrate? Let us know if we can help. We are Manifesting Vision International. How can we serve you?

Rosie Spiegel
rosie@manifestingvision.com
650-573-7177
800-938-0942

Are You on Top of Your Health Game?

A friend of mine, who we will call Nancy, recently told me that her biggest fear is becoming a physically dependent person, like her mother, with a whole host of health issues. Nancy's mother depends on a whole team of care-givers, doctors, and family members just to get through the day. Nancy added that she already sees herself heading down this road. Her husband is dead set against Nancy doing anything at all outside of what her doctor recommends. Nancy told me that she is beginning to realize that this reliance on medical care is costing her, but that she does not know any alternatives.

Interestingly, a few years ago, Nancy's hip began to deteriorate rapidly and she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. In spite of this painful and threatening condition, her husband forbade her to take a particular brand of potent antioxidants in spite of the favorable response others experienced for relief from this degenerative and debilitating disease. Now, three years later, Nancy is facing a hip replacement.

I will share one more illustration before I address what I think these issues really point to. We, meaning the health coaches I work with, were giving a lecture this week. One woman in the audience typified the kind of person who I will describe as carrying "health baggage." She described taking her over-weight, stressed out, achy, tired, low-energy body to a doctor because she wanted to feel better. Her doctor prescribed a small handful of prescription medicine and sent her on her way. Later she found out from the nurse in the doctor's office that she has diabetes! The doctor never told her, and, worse, never discussed with her how her lifestyle choices had led her to this predicament.

I have a huge amount of compassion for the Nancy's of the world, and for people like this poor soul who is clueless about taking charge of her health. When individuals are unaware of their options, their fate is compromised by the perception of a lack of options. May I presume that if you are reading this blog that you have at least a modicum of an appreciation for the vast array of resources that are available to the average person who wants to do something about their health?

After watching Nancy dig herself more and more into her predicament, and after noticing how resistant she was to learning about alternatives to promote wellness, I came up with the term "health baggage", or unfinished business, in the health arena. Like the woman at our lecture, Nancy is educated and professional. She is a professor in sociology at a local university. She is also resourceful insofar as being able to enjoy a very comfortable lifestyle with her nay-sayer husband. What could possibly be between Nancy and her living a life in which she is on top of her health game the way she is on top of other aspects of her life, such as her finances, her travels with her husband, decorating their home, writing books and articles... a number of high achievements for which she can take credit. Why is this so-called "health piece" so neglected? Why are Nancy and our guest at the lecture so beleaguered by poor health and the erroneous assumption that there is nothing they can do about it?

I call this unfinished business because it is impossible for someone to be living anything close to their absolute best life when the threat of degenerative disease looms overhead, particularly when the individual feels hopeless and without resources. An even more profound question to ask is: why would an otherwise educated and resourceful person create this reality when they seem to be in charge of many other important aspects in their lives?

I have some ideas on this topic. People get busy and distracted. They "forgot" to make their health important. They get overwhelmed and sweep the whole thing under the rug. They habituate to continually put taking care of themselves at the bottom of their "to do" list to the point where it never happens. They begin to feel out of control and are threatened by how daunting it all has become. It became too much to deal with, and they began to turn a blind eye to their own mortality. They resigned themselves as this is the way it is. Is this a recipe for a life of freedom and feeling in control of one's destiny. Sadly, no. And from my vantage point as a health concierge, this is an all-too-common scenario. Working with individuals like this is like watching a life being un-lived.

There is a better way; there are alternatives.

I would like to suggest two viable recourses for individuals who are out of sync with their health. Education and behavior modification. Dr. Ray Strand, a noted physician with an emphasis in nutritional science, has become a world leader in the field of complimentary medicine with an emphasis in patient education. With about 7 books on the topic, anyone with the intention to take back their health will find a plethora of information, books, CD's DVD's and on line essays on a wide variety of topics. Had the woman we met at our lecture known of the pre-clinical signs of diabetes, she could have headed this condition off at the pass and saved herself a lot of grief. Whether it is for weight loss to promote relief from metabolic syndrome (a pre-cursor to diabetes), or how to provide the body with a broad range of antioxidants and minerals to boost the immune system, Dr. Strand's information is ideal for any individual who wants to be in control. (I love to call this "being on top of one's health game."

The second recommendation is to be truthful about habits that do or do not promote wellness. These individuals with the "health baggage" I referred to, typically are in denial about what they do (or don't do), what they eat (or don't eat), how often they do (or do not) exercise, how much stress they tolerate, etc. Imagine someone who is overweight, has joints swollen with arthritis, and can barely walk up the stairs without wheezing and gasping for breath. By honestly accessing the lifestyle issues that may have led to this predicament, someone like this can easily grasp some minor changes that, when practiced diligently over time, would produce dramatic results. Occasionally someone has an overnight epiphany, and suddenly chooses to devote his or her entire life to producing wellness. What is more likely, is the ability to make a few new choices, perhaps adding one or two consistently over the next weeks, months and years, until this person can wake up, actively participating in a pro-health lifestyle, and enjoying the relief from all that drama that was attached to their previous mind-set and belief system.

Health conditions to not appear over night, and they do not disappear over night. Imagine turning your boat 10 degrees in the water. Nothing major, just 10 degrees. The result of 10 degrees of change, over time, can produce a whole new life of quality health, freedom, wellness and joy. It is the freedom I keep wanting you to think about. The relief.

Let me add that there are no panaceas in health care and no guarantees. But when it comes to improving your health, and actively participating in a life of choosing wellness, the value to you is inestimable. Some slight improvements in your nutrition, some slight reductions in your stress, a little bit more exercise, and some high quality supplements can make a huge difference. Are you worth it? I know you are. When you wake up to the power and joy that come from feeling in charge of this most significant area of your life, you will not want to go back. A life un-lived is nothing compared to how it feels to be steering yourself to a pro-health lifestyle. Get hooked on feeling better. Get hooked on the mood elevation that comes from improving your nutrition. Find a coach, someone who will shed light on this journey for you. Make friends with people who want a pro-health lifestyle with you. Go for the rewards of how incredibly good this all feels. You will never look back.

Blessings to you and living life on top of your health game.
Rosie Spiegel, founder Manifesting Vision International
Health Concierge
rosie@manifestingvision.com

Create Your Own Economy

The more I speak with people -- and I speak with a lot of people -- the more I hear individuals volunteer the term "financial independence", or "financial freedom". To the point, I am not talking about my asking, "So, do you want financial freedom?" I am referring to my noticing that this phrase comes out of people's mouths more and more, on their very own. I find this fascinating, particularly at a time when the economy is rumored to being on a downturn. Somehow, people have dialed into this concept, and the "collective conscious" is alive and well. Eternal optimist and "positivist" that I am, I suggest that just by considering this concept, we, as a collective of individuals whose thoughts create our reality (and influence others by the language we speak) are inviting this concept into our realm of possibilities. Personally, I kicked around the term "financial freedom" for years, letting it roll around in my thoughts and on my tongue, before it became a reality for me. I am hopeful that others have a similarly positive experience and doing my part to ensure that.

It is fascinating to drill down a bit deeper and inquire what people mean by this most intriguing little string of words. One young man, who volunteered wanting financial freedom, told me a few weeks ago that his definition meant that he had just enough to keep on top of his bills, with a little bit left over to not have to work so hard. Sheesh, I thought. Here is a man who could use my financial coaching services. In our business we believe that a dream too big is just the right size. With no effort on my part, and through a few simple yet thought-provoking questions, this ambitious young professional man grabbed hold of a bigger definition: having an automatic stream of income that naturally exceeds the outflow of money, which is whatever it costs to live the life of one's dreams. Now playing golf all over the world and living in a beautiful home that he owned came into focus.

It has been said that your income is the average of the income of the ten people with whom you spend the most time, or your 10 best friends. So, if you want to make more money, start attracting people who have more of what you desire. According to the Law of Attraction, like attracts like in a case like this, and your community of colleagues, co-workers and friends can inspire one another to live a life of greater abundance. As recently as last night, one of my business partners told me that her #1 financial goal is to eliminate debt. I pointed out to her that with the word debt in the equation, "owing money" would still be in her consciousness. Think of it like this: What do you think would happen if you got in your car and chanted "I will not get in an accident! I will not get in an accident!" This work is so fun, for how quickly people reach for higher ground. With no effort on her part, this very capable woman enthusiastically proclaimed her goal of being able to travel with her family on their own terms.

(The full extent of this kind of goal setting/language tweaking is beyond the scope of this little essay. For now, these examples are but stepping stones to the kind of personal work that moves someone to having the lifestyle of their dreams.)

As a veteran entrepreneur -- over 35 years in business for myself -- I am thrilled to have made my fortune in direct sales, or network marketing. When you read this, if you have either groaned, closed your mind, or rolled your eyes, then you do not understand the mechanics of this business model that has the building blocks for creating what I have been talking about -- financial freedom. If your income automatically exceeds the cost of your living the life of your dreams, you can stop right here. If not, read on.

Let's clear the air. Is this a business for everyone? No! There is no business model that is a one size fits all. Does everyone succeed? Of course not. There is no industry in which everyone succeeds, even in careers that require far less professionalism and determination than direct sales. Is it a guarantee or panacea for wealth? NO!! You have to work hard for the kind of staggering returns one can make in this field.

So, now that we understand each other, imagine this: Getting paid over and over for your effort. Working with success-minded, positive-thinking women and men who are committed to their personal development because they are hooked on helping other people. An environment in which the camaraderie can be felt by individuals throughout the organization, and the desire to want the team to succeed -- to walk across the finish line together, as we say in our group -- overshados any other politics or fractioned kind of business that you might be used to. How about no ceiling on your income? This is where creating your own economy becomes feasible.

Over dinner the other night, a very bright and successful attorney friend of mine was talking about the immediate future of our local economy. He suggested that we were sliding into a recession and was speculating on the trickle down effect that this might have on various industries. Very interestingly, he mentioned that a speaker from a local and prestigious bank recently said in a speech that the economy was based a lot on how people feel. That, coming from a banker? That sure lined up with my beliefs!

I choose my own economy. Why? Because my business allows me to, and because it feels fantastic to do so. If we are being served a variety of entrees at the banquet of economies -- which I visualize and from which I make my selection -- than why would we not make such a choic? We all know that in any economic climate there are those whose lives stay neatly afloat in spite of others having chosen a different economy. I know what I choose to create. And inviting as many people as I can on to this playing field on which we continue to inspire each other and encourage each other to keep on creating their own economy, we contribute to this collective consciousness and raise the bar for many others along the way.

At Manifesting Vision International, our mission is to change lives one conversation at a time. Our motto: "work for wealth, not wages."

We are Manifesting Vision International.
How can we serve you?
Rosie Spiegel, founder MVI
rosie@manifestingvision.com