Changing Perspectives

A few months ago, before the economy started to collapse, we all had a pretty optimistic view of life and our work.  Most of us felt like things were going pretty well.  And then we all learned that the bottom had dropped out of the sub-prime mortgage world, gas prices started to rise and we were regularly hearing our favorite pundits uttering the “r” word.  And suddenly our sunny perspective changed.

Life really is about perspective.  And there really are a lot of people out there who want you to have their limited perspective so that you can be as down as they are.  The truth is that keeping things in the proper perspective will help you stay on top of life’s challenges.

The fact that we are experiencing challenges in the financial industry cannot be ignored.  But taking stalk of the positives in your life right now, can keep you stay on top mentally and emotionally.  Even though my 401k is falling, I still have a home and I can make the payments every month.  Even though money is tight for many people, I still have clients and even though no one really knows where the bottom of the financial crisis is, I choose to focus on the things that I can control.  I can control my own costs and I can certainly control my own attitude.

So what are you challenged with today?  Maybe the news is not good, but perhaps if you sit down and take stock of what is good in your life you can just keep yourself going one more day.  There are no easy answers for some problems, but remember to make sure the problems you are worrying about are truly worth the worry.

Being able to control life’s challenges is not the key to true happiness, but being in control of your attitude and perspective will make life’s challenges less overwhelming.  Don’t allow your perspective to be shaped by news and politics, but rather take control of your thoughts and ideas and build your world the way you want it to be.

Contrary to public opinion, the sky is not falling, it is just a little cloudy right now, hang around and the sun will be out shortly!

Surround Yourself with Positive People!

I had a fabulous visit today with a friend of mine and another gentleman that we met at a networking group that I attend regularly. I was able to share with him all the things that I sell and he talked to me about his new business. It was a wonderfully exhilarating time. I was so impressed by his passion for his product and by is open-minded interest in the products of others. He may be new at what he does (he said he had only been selling his product for 28 days) but he has the first rule of networking down pat – show a genuine interest in others. He is doing well in his first 28 days, and I believe he will become even more successful in the days to come.

With the economy getting more and more frightening, the tendency for us all is to close up shop and wait for the storm to pass.  I believe that we must shy away from this because the storm will pass and if you keep doing what you have always done, you will have business in the pipeline when all the dust settles.  You will not have to ramp up your operation, you will already be moving forward.  Today’s conversation with a guy who was clearly making money in spite of the storm reinforced that thought even more to me.  I often am guilty of prejudging people’s ability to pay for my product or service, when in fact I need to let them spend their money as they see fit, and if they want to spend money on me, I need to let them.

Get out there and get around people who are excited about their business, and let that excitement rub off on you.  You will be glad you did!

Turn off the News and Keep Moving!

With all the talk of the country falling apart it is often hard stay focused on your goals and dreams.  The media and our financial gurus would all have us believe the sky is falling.  And indeed the economic outlook is dismal, especially if you are about to retire or are out of work.  But if you are a business owner, and you are still doing business, be thankful and stay focused.

When I have trouble focusing I often just turn the news off and stick to my plan for building my business.  Most of us don’t need any more discouragement, and we definitely don’t need more bad news.  It can rile you up and make you take your eye off the goal.  Keep doing what is working, keep making connections and you will weather the storm.

I am eternally positive, and I do believe that we are in tough times, and that it may well get worse before it gets better, but I also believe it will get better.  It won’t get any better if I close shop to worry, so the best course of action is to keep moving.  So let’s all just keep focused on our goals and move forward, even if its not as far as we would like.

Be the Guy They are Looking For!

The more tenuous our national economy becomes, the more important it becomes for all of us to be connecting with those we want to do business with, instead of just networking.  The harder it becomes for people to trust government and long established institutions, like banks, the more people want to do business with people they know and trust.  Whether you are a small brick-and-mortar business owner, a sole proprietor trying to get your product or service to the market place, a multi-level marketer or a sales person representing a large company, making connections should be foremost on your marketing agenda.

With America fast losing her ability to trust large organizations, the more individuals will turn to those they know and trust to build buy their products and services.  With disposable income becoming tighter and tighter, you want to be the first person people turn to when they want to buy something.

If you are not our making connections, you are missing your market.  More than ever people are looking for someone to trust.  You can be that person if you make sure you offer integrity, a good product at a fair price and service they can count on.

Whatever you are selling, if you are out there making connections, someone will find you.  If however, you are sitting in front of your computer waiting for the next financial institution to crumble or the price of gas to go up, you will lose out on a great opportunity.  Be the guy they are looking for!  Someone to trust!