Preparing for Greatness ~ Adopt a Rock Star Attitude

If you want to connect with people individually or in group presentations, you have to put your ego aside and develop a "Rock Star Attitude."  In other words, talent is not enough.  Sure, you can play guitar and sing, but audiences don't buy it unless you show them some love.

When you're making a presentation, showing the "love" is easy. Start by maintaining eye contact and smiling - a genuine grin, not a grimace or some plastic version.  Lighten up.  Don't focus so hard on the pitch that your face looks strained.  Bring a little levity, interject some humor and get your audience involved by asking questions and expecting answers.  Be prepared and rehearsed, so you can relax and actually enjoy the human interaction of the pitch.  Audiences will feel your authenticity.

Sales in its simplest form, connects people with what they need.  The sharper your ability to discern prospect and client needs, the greater your sales success.  But the easier you make it for your client to relate and communicate with you, the easier it will be to discern those needs in the first place.

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Preparing for Greatness ~ Competence

Winning teams have competent players.  The Law of the Chain from John C. Maxwell's book The 17 Irrefutable Laws of Teamwork states that the strength of a team is impacted by its weakest link.  And that weakest link is always going to determine the load the team is able to carry.

If you have a bad coach and bad players, you most definitely are going to have a bad team.  If you have a bad coach and good players, you'll have a fair team.  But to have a good team you need a good coach and good players.  That weak link--whether it's the coach or the players--will keep you from reaching your potential.

The weak-link player affects the team three ways:

1. Loss of Opportunity - Opportunity can never be discovered when you have a weak player on a team.  The energy expended while trying to cover for a weak player is energy that is taken away from finding opportunities.
2. Loss of Morale - Every person on the team knows who the weaker person is.  Resentment can set in because other team members know the team is being held back from what it could become because of this weak player.
3. Loss of Productivity - This is a given.  You'll never be as productive with that weaker team member as you would be if that player were not there.

It's not that the weaker player doesn't have a role on the team.  It's highly possible that your weak player is simply in a the wrong position.  Countless NBA players have been drafted as the next great point guard but for some reason they didn't get the job done.  They either had too many turnovers or were not making their teammates better by getting them the ball where they needed it.  But they flourished as soon as they were moved to a shooting or off guard position.  They weren't bad players; they were just playing out of position.


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Preparing for Greatness ~

Write a Not-To-Do-List.

There is a difference between being busy and being productive.  What are you wasting time on?  What are you doing that doesn't produce revenue?

Here's a powerful exercise.  In 15 to 30 minute increments, keep track of each of your activities during the workday.  Do this for a week.  Then annualize the total amount of time for each activity that doesn't lead to a sale or increased cash flow.  How much more would you to make per year if you did not do those activities any longer?  How much more free time would you have for family?  For health?

Put those things on your not-to-do-list and pay people to help you with the stuff that doesn't produce the sales and lifestyle success you desire.

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Preparing for Greatness ~

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER

Don't ever give up.  If you really believe in that vision, do not give up for anybody.  It's easy to listen to the naysayers, the ones listing the negatives.  Don't! Instead, write down three reasons why your idea will work and put it up where you'll see it daily.

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Preparing for Greatness

Be a Student of All You do.

You must become an expert in your field. How? Read! Ask questions of mentors and peers. Attend training. Start today by identifying areas for improvement, looking for training opportunities in your field and signing up for seminars and webcasts, reading or listening to personal-development material, seeking out people you would like to emulate and approaching those you'd like as your mentors.

Learn More, visit our Training page by clicking the tab above.

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Blake Mallen's Top Ten Reasons Networking Leaders Love the ViSalus Compe...

WARNING! The following statements represent Blake's personal opinions and in no way guarantee income or represent the views of ViSalus Sciences. If you find yourself "perturbed" by any of Blake's statements he sincerely apologizes as we kind of caught him off guard.




LIMITATION OF LIABILITY By viewing, using, or interacting in any manner with this site, including banners, advertising, or pop-ups, downloads, and as a condition of the website to allow his lawful viewing, Visitor forever waives all right to claims of damage of any and all description based on any causal factor resulting in any possible harm, no matter how heinous or extensive, whether physical or emotional, foreseeable or unforeseeable, whether personal or business in nature. Results not typical. Healthy weight loss is 1-2 lbs. per week. Results vary by amount of weight you need to lose, diet, exercise, and adherence to the program. ViSalus products are not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Note: You should not take this product if you are pregnant or lactating, or using blood thinning medication. Please consult your physician prior to use.

Just for Today . . .

Recently I started reading, Today Matters by John C. Maxwell.  If you are not familiar with John C. Maxwell you are missing out.  He is a leadership expert, speaker, author, and founder of EQUIP, a nonprofit that has trained more than 5 million leaders in 126 countries worldwide.

I thought I would share with you, a short excerpt from the book.

Everyone has the power to impact the outcome of his life.  The way to do it is to focus on today....Today is the only time you have.  It's too late for yesterday.  And you can't depend on tomorrow.

Just for Today . . .
Just for today . . . I will choose and display the right attitudes.
Just for today . . . I will determine and act on important priorities.
Just for today . . . I will know and follow healthy guidelines.
Just for today . . . I will communicate with and care for my family.
Just for today . . . I will practice and develop good thinking.
Just for today . . . I will make and keep proper commitments.
Just for today . . . I will earn and properly manage finances.
Just for today . . . I will deepen and live out my faith.
Just for today . . . I will initiate and invest in solid relationships.
Just for today . . . I will plan for an model generosity.
Just for today . . . I will embrace and practice good values.
Just for today . . . I will seek and experience improvements.

Just for today . . . I will act on these directions and practice these disciplines, and

Then one day . . . I will see the compounding results of a day lived well.

References: Today Matters - John C. Maxwell

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Weight Management

Did you know that for the first time ever the number of overweight people in the world has surpassed the number of starving ones? Global obesity is on the rise and the latest figures show that the number of overweight people worldwide will double by 2015.

The ViSalus product line offers simple, complete solutions to help with your weight loss and fitness goals. When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, we all face many of the same obstacles.

ViSalus™ offers exceptional solutions to most Dieter's three main challenges:

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3. Helping calm hunger and the stress of dieting

Best of all, the program provides a simple way to not only lose weight, but to help you keep it off too!

The Body by Vi Challenge takes the power of these products, and gives you a game plan for success.

ViSalus products give your body what it needs to lose weight. No more counting calories or trying to balance how to get the right mix of nutrients within your calorie limit. You can define HOW you use it to meet your lifestyle, even a lifestyle that's on the go.

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Napoleon Hill and the Science of Success Philosophy

Also known as the law of Creation or Law of Success - Napoleon Hill (October 25, 1883–November 8, 1970), author of Think and Grow Rich, shares his philosophy of success imparted to him by Andrew Carnegie, businessman, industrialist and philanthropist (November 25, 1835 – August 11, 1919), over a period of 20 years. Now that is true perseverance as Elizabeth Towne would surely agree! Here is the video and transcript.

Napoleon Hill Transcript Part I

My search lead me to the study of the spiritual forces with which all of us are blessed. And it was in this field that I came upon a clue which has enabled me to help millions of people to find their earthly destinies.

I want to describe my discovery in the simplest terms possible, because it will reveal to you why it is true that whatever the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve, regardless of how many times you have failed in the past or how lofty your aims and hopes may be.

I got my first fleeting glimpse of the profound law which provided the means by which we may choose our own purpose in life and obtain it while I was being coached by Andrew Carnegie during the organization of the Science of Success Philosophy. I had just finished telling Mr. Carnegie that I feared that he had chosen the wrong person to give the world the first practical philosophy of personal success, because of my youth, my lack of education, and my lack of finances.

Well, at this point Mr. Carnegie delivered a lecture that I shall never forget because it changed my entire life and paved my way for my helping to change the lives of millions of people, some of them not yet born.

Napoleon Hill Transcript Part II

"Let me call your attention to a great power which is under your control," said Mr. Carnegie, "the power which is greater than poverty, greater than the lack of education, greater than all of your fears and superstitions combined. It is the power to take possession of your own mind and direct it toward whatever end you may desire.

"This profound power," Mr. Carnegie continued, "is the gift of the Creator, and it must of been considered the greatest of all of his gifts to man, because it is the only thing over which man has the complete and unchallengeable right of control and direction."

"When you speak of your poverty and your lack of education," Mr. Carnegie explained, "you are simply directing your mind power to attract these undesirable circumstances. Because it is true that whatever your mind feeds upon, your mind attracts to you.

"Now you see why it is important that you recognize that all success begins with definiteness of purpose, with a clear picture in your mind of precisely what you want from life."

Napoleon Hill Transcript Part III

Then, Mr. Carnegie continued his speech with a description of a great universal truth which made such an impact upon my mind that I began then and there to give myself a new outlook on life and I set up for myself a goal so far above my previous achievements, that it shocked my friends and relatives when they heard about it.

"Everyone," said Mr. Carnegie, "comes to the earth plane blessed with the privilege of controlling his mind power and directing it towards whatever ends he may choose. But," he continued, "everyone brings over with him at birth the equivalent of two sealed envelopes, one of which is clearly labeled: The Riches you may enjoy if you take possession of your own mind and direct it to ends of your own choice. And the other is labeled: The Penalties you must pay if you neglect to take possession your mind and direct it."

"And now, let me reveal to you," said Mr. Carnegie, "the contents of those two sealed envelopes. In the one labeled Riches is this list of blessings:

• 1 - Sound health.
• 2 - Peace of mind.
• 3 - A labor of love of your own choice.
• 4 - Freedom from fear and worry.
• 5 - A positive mental attitude.
• 6 - Material riches of your own choice and quantity."

"In the sealed envelope labeled Penalties," Mr. Carnegie continued, "is this list of the prices one must pay for neglecting to take possession of one's own mind:

• 1 - Ill health.
• 2 - Fear and worry.
• 3 - Indecision and doubt.
• 4 - Frustration and discouragement through out life.
• 5 - Poverty and want.
• 6 - And a whole flock of evils consisting of envy, greed, jealousy, anger, hatred and superstition."

Napoleon Hill Transcript Part IV

Now, my mission in life is to help you and everyone who needs my help to open up and use the contents of the sealed envelope labeled Riches. And the starting point from which you must take off if you wish to write your own ticket from here on out, for the remainder of your life, I will describe for you in these simple instructions:

• 1 - Procure a neat pocket-size notebook.
  
  (Or something on the order of this one here, loose leaf affair).

And on page one write down a clear description of your major desire in life. The one circumstance, position or thing which you will be willing to accept as your idea of success. And remember before you begin writing, that your only limitations are those which you set up in your own mind or permit others to set up for you.

• And 2 - On page two of your notebook write down a clear statement of precisely what you intend to give in return for that which you desire from life. And then start right where you stand now to begin giving.
• And 3 - Memorize both of your statements, what you desire and what you intend to give in return for it. And repeat them at least a dozen times daily.

And always end your statements with this expression of gratitude for the blessing

with which you were gifted at birth:

"I ask not, oh divine providence, for more riches, but for more wisdom with which to accept and use wisely the riches I received at birth in the form of the power to control and direct my mind to whatever ends I desire."

If you are not too successful or self-satisfied to accept and express this profound prayer; if you accept it and express it in the same spirit of humble sincerity in which I pass it on to you, then you and the better world will reveal itself to you. A world in which you will see reflected the circumstances and the things which you yourself have created.

Napoleon Hill Transcript Part V

And now, let me close this, our first visit, with my favorite expression of gratitude:

"Oh divine providence, I ask not for more riches, but more wisdom with which to make wiser use of the riches you gave me at birth consisting in the power to control and direct my own mind to whatever ends I desire."

Take to heart Napoleon Hill's words. Read them daily by bookmarking this page or adding it to your favorites.

There is no substitute for persistence.

-Napoleon Hill

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My Daily "Prayer"

All success begins with definiteness of purpose, with a clear picture in my mind of precisely what I want from life.

I will act now.  I will act now.  I will act now.  Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, every day, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing; and the action, which follows, becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids.  With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success.  I will act now.

I will repeat these words again and again and again.  I will walk where failures fear to walk.  I will work when failures seek rest.  I will act now for now is all I have.

Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy.  I am not lazy.  Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed.  I am not a failure.  I will act now.  Success will not wait.  If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever.  This is the time.  This is the place.  I am the person and it is true that whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve, regardless of how many times I have failed in the past or how lofty my aims and hopes may be . . . I WILL ACT NOW.

Riches are this list of blessings:

1.     Sound health.

2.     Peace of mind.

3.     A labor of love of my choice.

4.     A positive attitude.

5.     Material riches of my own choice and quality

Penalties are this list of prices I must pay for neglecting to take possession of my own mind:

1.     Ill health.

2.     Fear and worry.

3.     Indecision and doubt.

4.     Frustration and discouragement through out life.

5.     And a whole flock of evils consisting of envy, greed, jealousy, anger, hatred, and superstition.

And now, let me close with my favorite expression of gratitude:

"Oh divine providence, I ask not for more riches, but more wisdom with which to make wiser use of the riches you gave me at birth, consisting in the power to control and direct my own mind to whatever ends I desire."

                           ~ Napoleon Hill

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THE PYRAMID THING - Sneak Preview

The Pyramid Thing is a Documentary Reality Series that will show the TRUTH behind the Network Marketing Industry.  The Pyramid Thing is centered around several top producing distributors from the company Visalus Sciences®.

Multi Star Ambassador, Nick Sarnicola, can be viewed from stage citing how he was approached by a Producer who wanted to document an inside feel for the business model of network marketing without the “hype” or “fluff”.

This is a very exciting project!  When I first heard about it, I thought, "this is going to be huge".  There are documentary series all over cable television including segments on Pawn Brokers, cake designing, hair salons, "Bad Girls", and "Real Housewives".

A reality series on multi level marketing will most certainly be an eye opener for the public.  As MLM is more and more widely accepted by mainstream America as a legitimate business, and with a deep recession possibly lurking through 2011 and beyond, it is likely that people will change their mindset and search habits from "what is network marketing" to "which network marketing company should I join".

With the launch of The Pyramid Thing less than 10-days away, the excitement is building!

You will laugh, and you will cry but best of all you will be inspired by the transformations in this series.

"I want to Join the Challenge!"

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"I want to Earn an Income!"

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Personal Marketing: Your Platform to Productivity Part II

In Part I of Personal Marketing: Your Platform to Productivity we learned the importance and basic philosophy of a Personal Marketing plan.  In short, we laid the foundation. 

In Part II we will discuss the structure and strategies for personal marketing success.  We will add the necessary layers to not only create your plan but execute it successfully.  We will also introduce you to G.N.O.M.E.S. Sales & Marketing, a foundation for business planning and creating lasting success.

Target Top Performers

A very important and often neglected aspect of personal marketing planning is defining your high-leverage prospects.  These are top prospects, who refer good business regularly.  They are the hardest prospects to reach and that is the very reason a personal marketing plan needs to be taken seriously.

High-leverage clients do not have to time to talk with people who walk through the revolving door.  They are professionals and are more likely to meet with a person behind a professionally-executed marketing plan.

Focus your marketing on 25-50 high leverage prospects and through the continous awarness-development of you, they will, over time, want to meet with you.

Finally, think of a personal marketing plan as a vehicle that creates value for your potential client before it generates direct business for you.  Once the value has been transferred, you will get more business than through traditional means.  You will be in the enviable position of having the First right of refusal of their ongoing business.

Once you complete the analysis described above, you can begin to formulate the overall strategy, the elements of which are:

• Target high leverage prospects
• Maximize high pay-off activities
• Build awareness of yourself, your institution, and your products, in that order.
• Distinguish yourself, your institution, and your products from the competition.
• Use specific communications tools to build, maintain, and reiforce personal selling relationships.

The strategy you develop will determine the specific tactics you will use to market yourself; brochures, letters, presentations and so forth.

The are two final elements of the Personal Marketing program: implementation (a time line for carrying out the tasks referred to above), and evaluation (a means for assessing the effectivness of the program and its elements to allow midcourse correction, if needed).

Now, your plan is complete, you have identified; where you are, where you want to go, the competition, and the marketplace.  What's next? 

G.N.O.M.E.S. Sales & Marketing 

G.N.O.M.E.S. Sales & Marketing is a basic foundation for creating and implementing a successful business plan.  Your Personal Marketing plan has identified where you are, and where you want to go.  Now you must create a clear path on how you are going to get there.

G.N.O.M.E.S. Sales & Marketing will help you set goals and achieve what you set out to do.

G.N.O.M.E.S.
G.oals N.eeds O.bjectives M.ethods E.valuation S.uccess

Goals
What are goals?  What role do goals play in my success.  How to set goals.  What to do with goals.

Needs

What are my client's needs?  How do I address those needs with my products and services?

Objectives

How to convert my long-term goals into short-term objectives that guide my daily activity.  How to perform daily activities that lead to achieving my goals.

Methods

What do I do everyday that will help me reach my goals?  Where do I do it, with whom, and why?

Evaluation

The contstant process of keeping on track.  What records do I need to keep?  When?  Why is it necessary to keep track of my success?

Success

When do I reach out for expanded or reduced goals?  How do I maintain continued success?

"You need a plan to build a house.  To build a life, its even more important to have a plan or goal."
                                       ~ Zig Zigler

G.N.O.M.E.S. will give you the basic structure to not only build a business plan, but implement it.  Using proven strategies, G.N.O.M.E.S. will help you become better organized, effectively manage your time, overcome call reluctance, and set attaibable goals that you can work towards with dedication and passion.

A complete overview of G.N.O.M.E.S. Sales & Marketing is available on our Training Page which can be accessed by clicking the Trainining tab on the main toolbar or by clicking [Here].

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By viewing, using, or interacting in any manner with this site, including banners, advertising, or pop-ups, downloads, and as a condition of the website to allow his lawful viewing, Visitor forever waives all right to claims of damage of any and all description based on any causal factor resulting in any possible harm, no matter how heinous or extensive, whether physical or emotional, foreseeable or unforeseeable, whether personal or business in nature.

Making Your Resolutions a Reality

With the dawn of each New Year, you set new goals for yourself.  If you are like most Americans, by February, your resolve is waning, and by May you don't even remember your resolutions.

According to surveys, only 8 percent of Americans successfully achieve their New Year's resolutions.  An astounding 45 percent fail by January!  Why can't people keep to their resolve?  Those who fail are often guilty of trying to achieve too much too soon.  People wishing to stick to their resolutions should work in small step-by-step stages and seek the help of friends and family.

This Year can be Different!

The starting point of being successful at ANYTHING in life, including resolutions, is your expectations.  Whether or not you expect to accomplish something will decisively impact whether or not you do.  Expectations cause two things to happen.  First, they stimulate actions that are consistent with the expectation.  Outcomes are then produced which are consistent with those actions.  And second, expectations inspire a particular quality of conversations.  The surrounding environment (friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances, etc.) begin to respond to those conversations, and that environment takes action and produces outcomes that are consistent with those conversations.

For example, if you are confident that you can replace the leaky faucet in the bathroom, even though you've never done it before, your attitude will be positive and your actions will have a quality about them that produces results. You're likely to stick with those actions long enough, and learn what you need to learn, to get those results. You will find people who can help you and you will learn from them. If you stick with it, your environment will come to know you as someone who can figure things out, or at least, someone who can fix faucets. The next time a faucet leaks, or a door squeaks, you'll be inclined to build on your previous triumph and take a crack at something new.

On the other hand, if you don't think you can fix the faucet because you don't how, or you think it's not worth it to try, then your attitude, thinking and enthusiasm will be much more limited. Your actions will be half-hearted and you probably won't stick with it for very long even if you do start. People won't take you seriously, and may even decline to support or participate in your efforts. In the end, you'll produce a result that reflects all of these factors. In this case, you won't fix the faucet and you will be less likely to attempt similar projects in the future. Substitute the example of "fixing the faucet" with "losing weight", saving money", "writing a book", "falling in love"... well, you get the picture. The nature of expectations is that they determine what action we will take and the quality of that action. The expectation itself will be a dominant force in determining the outcome

And that's what makes New Year's Resolutions so vexing for most of us. Regardless of what we say we want, or how badly we want it, or how sincere or determined we are, the "reality" for each of us is that we expect to do the same things we've always done, with the hopeful chance of some improvement. The trick to busting out of this Resolutions cycle is to find a way to think outside your expectations, because if you don't do that, no amount of strategizing or goal-setting is going to make much difference. It isn't an overnight process, but there are some steps you can take that can get you headed in the right direction.

8 Ways to Make Your Resolutions a Reality

• Write it down. You've heard it before, but the truth is writing down your goals forces you to get clear about what you want.  Use a pen and paper (you can transfer it to your computer later).  That simple physical act helps cement the desire in our brain.
• Find a replacement. In The Compound Effect, Darren Hardy explains one way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a good one.  What can you choose to add to your life that will fill the void left by eliminating a bad habit?  For example, replace TV time with family time, candy with fresh fruit, talk radio with inspiring audios.
• Tell someone.  Talking about your goal-even if it seems huge and impossible-allows others to encourage and help you by providing resources and information you may need.
• Take baby steps every day.  Even small steps taken toward your goal consistently will move you in the right direction.  Once you experience a few small wins, taking bigger steps becomes easier.
• Take some BIG steps.  Don't take all year to do what you can accomplish in a day.  Once you've written down your list of goals for the year, figure out which goals could be accomplished this month-or even today.
• Decide and act.  Mental hurdles may keep you from making decisions and taking action.  Get over it!  Make a list of all the reasons you want to accomplish your stated goals.  Refer to that list when indecision or inaction threatens to take control.
• Team up.  Even if you  don't share the same gaol, having an "accountability partner" or "success buddy" can keep you accountable.  Meet weekly (in person or by phone) to check in on and encourage each other.
• Celebrate your successes.  Every time you reach a milestone, acknowledge your accomplishments in a positive way.  For example, if you drop a dress size, buy a new outfit.  If you pick up a new client, have dinner with a mentor.  Celebrating your success will keep you focused on the larger goal.

Rise Above The Fear

It's impossible to achieve greatness or fulfillment without embracing fear.  While failure, ridicule or even physical danger may lie beyond the confines of comfort, reaching for new heights requires risk.  The choice then, is this: Subsist in mediocrity or push past fear and become the person you were meant to be.  In order for us to change, we MUST change our unconscious conditioning that controls 96-98% of our perceptions and behaviors.  You change that powerhouse, and then the physical change will follow.

"The key to change . . . is to let go of fear."
~ Rosanne Cash 

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References:
Starting Points for Achievers - SUCCESS Magazine, January 2011

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The Power of Positive Influence: To Sell is to Serve

People don't want to be sold. While they generally love to buy, they DO NOT want to be sold. Consultative selling uses the power of positive influence rather than persuasion. Provide your clients with solutions to their needs and help them make an educated decision based on the information you have provided.

Persuasive selling may occassionally provide a customer however, long-term success requires one to develop clients.

 CUSTOMERS shop at "Brand X" one day and "Brand Z" the next, depending on who has the best sale.

CLIENTS are for life, they come back to you time and time again based on the service you provide not the product you "sell".

Success is where preparation meets opportunity.
                                                - Zig Zigler

THINK of ways you can represent your products and services as solutions to your client’s problems, not as products they may or may not need.

SELL YOUR ABILITY to help your client solve their problems and not your ability to provide the client with products and services he can obtain from many other sources.

AVOID SELLING PRICE. If all you sell is price then you need the “BEST” price every day and you will have customers not clients.

You want to get your prospective clients to sell themselves on using your opporutnity, product, or services as a tool with which to accomplish their goals.

Remember:

To Sell is to Serve . . . Telling is not Selling!

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By viewing, using, or interacting in any manner with this site, including banners, advertising, or pop-ups, downloads, and as a condition of the website to allow his lawful viewing, Visitor forever waives all right to claims of damage of any and all description based on any causal factor resulting in any possible harm, no matter how heinous or extensive, whether physical or emotional, foreseeable or unforeseeable, whether personal or business in nature.

To all my Business Affiliates, Sponsors, Friends, Family, & any one else who wishes to share in our SUCCESS! 2011 HERE WE COME!

First, I want to send a personal Thank You to each and every one of you!

Without you, my valued clients, friends, family, sponsors, business affiliates, and most important, my wife [read] Team Members, I would not accomplish the things that I do!

I sincerely appreciate your business and support.  While life is certainly not without challenges . . . we are still here and continue to move forward.

“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the World as much as adversity has.”
~ Bill Graham

I trust all of you have established your goals for 2011?

I know I have, and let me tell you, they are lofty, lofty, yet attainable, and very precise.
Make no mistake, I am more driven and excited for the New Year than I have ever been!

If you have not established goals, don't know how to establish goals (a plan of action) or don’t believe in business planning, we need to talk . . . and soon!

Ask your self this question, “What does success mean to me?”  Answer the question with honesty and conviction.  Then establish your goals based on your answer, how are you going to achieve “success”?

The only way to achieve your dreams is to establish goals, commit to them in writing, and work with dedication and passion until they are achieved.

Those of us that are successful do all the things those that aren’t think are a waste of time; we are not afraid of failure, we welcome it, we learn from it, and strive to never make the same mistake twice.

Remember, there is no such thing as “failure”, only opportunity to learn.

2011 marks the beginning of a new adventure, an incredible journey towards success and the best year I (we) have ever had.

Motivation comes and goes like the weather, inspiration lasts a lifetime.  Find your inspiration, establish your goals, and when the Bell Rings let’s be ready to take on the World!

In closing, remember, I am here to support you in any way that I can.

I am your business partner, friend, family member, accountability partner, shoulder to cry on . . . only through Team Work can we overcome adversity and realize our dreams!!

The ladder of success is never crowded at the top.
I know where I am going and exactly how I am going to get there, I am inviting you along for the ride.  You can either jump on board and hang on for the ride or you can continue to "hope" you hit those lucky numbers . . . don’t get left behind!

At the end of the day remember this, "Hope is not a strategy, you cannot hope to be successful.  You either are or you are not . . . the choice is yours and yours alone.  Only you, have the power to make tomorrow a better day."

“It is literally true that you can succeed the best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”
~ Napoleon Hill

 If you don’t know where you are going, how are you going to get there?

Differentiation . . . Steps to Setting Yourself Apart from the Competition

So, why should I do business with you?

This is the most important question to have a passionate answer to. You must have the answer to this question memorized and the answer must come natural, passionate, and showing a high degree of customer service commitment to your clients. It could mean the difference for a CPA, Financial Planner, Realtor, Borrower and other clients on whether they do business with you or not.

How are you different?

When a borrower calls you and is shopping interest rate for a new loan, how are you different from the other calls that they made to other lenders? When you’re prospecting and following up on leads, how are you different from the sea of loan originators out there in the marketplace? Seeking out new ways to separate your self from the competition is the first step. Seek and you will find.

The differences I’m talking about don’t have to be huge differences. Many times they are very small differences that cause someone to do business with you verses someone else. Or they might do business with someone else and not you. Let’s look at some strategies for you to use immediately.

1. Knowledge is power. You must know your loan programs like you know the palm of your hand. You must know how each program fits with the many different borrowers on the market today. Get knowledgeable. Read all the underwriting guidelines of the mortgage loan programs that you’re offering and invest in tools that help you present your knowledge.

2. Write out scripts or obtain scripts from top producers. It’s both what you say and how you say it that will influence your clients one way or the other.

3. Be ready with tools that most average loan officers are not using. “The Mortgage Coach” for example, has specific reports that you can generate while the borrower is on the phone with you. They offer a report for refinances, purchases, PMI analysis and a past client report to name a few. For example, if you can show a client who is rate-shopping how the different loan programs and points paid can make a huge difference in their equity and future costs, you will be viewed as a “trusted advisor” by showing them customized information that the competition isn’t. You can e-mail these to the borrower while you have them on the phone. This will “WOW” them.

4. When you’re marketing yourself to Realtors, builders, financial planners and CPA’s differentiate yourself by consistently sending them information that will help them grow their businesses. For example, when you have successes in your business through books you’ve read, seminars you’ve attended, tough loans you’ve closed, or the like, share this information with potential referral based clients. If you find a book that helps you in your business, send several copies to Realtors and other clients that you think will benefit from reading it. This has an obligation effect and 8 times out of 10, you’ll get a call from them.

5. If you’re using specialized reports such as what “The Mortgage Coach” offers, share this with your referral clients. Realtors and others want to know how you run your business. If you go the extra mile for your borrowers, let the Realtors and CPA’s now how much you care about educating and informing your borrowers so that they can make informed decisions on the biggest investment of their lives. By doing this, you separate yourself from the competition again because most “loan officers” are NOT doing this.

More ways to differentiate you from the competition are:

6. Start your own leads group.

7. Host an event for local real estate professionals.

8. Join a committee for Realtors, CPA’s and financial planners.

9. Teach a class or conduct a seminar.

10. Don’t just send a newsletter that they probably won’t read. Send your past clients information on their personal mortgage loan. (See Rate Watch Report at http://www.mortgagecoach.com/).

11. Keep records so that you can follow up with people who don’t qualify now, but will in the future.

12. Create a high touch campaign with past clients and be creative on what you send them.

13. Prepare a cd or video with information on the mortgage process, pre-qualification, mortgage options, documentation, etc. Make sure all the real estate offices, builder’s, CPA’s and others have your tapes ready to give out.

14. Ask for referral letters from your borrowers, Realtors, and builders. Start a notebook to show potential new clients proof that you do a great job.

15. Set up a hot-line or blog for question and answers for pre-qualifying and other loan questions. If you do set up a hot-line or blog, make sure that you promote it well to let people know it’s available.

16. Develop a website. This is a must. This is an inexpensive way to let many people know who you are and what you do. (http://www.blogger.com/ is a great way to create an attractive FREE website and it's extremely easy) Viral networking is also an easy, cost-effective way to reach a large audience i.e. Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Using Twitter's advanced search function is a great way to generate potential referral sources and leads.

17. Write out names of everyone you know. Most people know at least 250 people. Those 250 people know 250 people each. That’s 62,500 people that you are connected with right now. I promise you that out of all those people, you will find new mortgage loans as well as new sources for more referrals.

In summary, have the belief that there are a thousand ways to grow your business. Find
what works for you and then implement it. Commit and make it happen. Fate, destiny or luck: whatever you call it, hard work; the right strategy, the right tools, consistent desire and implementation must come first. They say the hardest workers are the luckiest. No matter what some speakers and trainers tell you, becoming a top performer comes with many challenges and if it was easy everybody would be doing it. Just being smart and having a “cutting edge” strategy is not enough. While it is great to have cutting edge strategies, the key is to work on and perfect those strategies until you get the results you are looking for.

Original article written by Mike Baker.
Blog published by Jesse Lopez, expert Sales and Marketing Professional and Owner of Performance Outdoor Nutrition.  Visit http://www.performanceoutdoornutrition.com/

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Scripts for Success

By now I'm sure you are keenly aware that the marketplace is changing rapidly. Rates are volatile, markets are tumultuous, refinance volume is up and purchase volume down. The mortgage marketplace will soon go through another transformation and while it is bound to happen, a lot of loan officers will not be prepared for what will eventually be our reality.

This shake up will generally affect those loan officers who did not prepare properly by focusing on their core businesses. By getting sidetracked with the ease of refinances, their business markets will shift and their momentum will no longer be strong enough to carry them. They will worry and are feel a lot of stress in trying to rebuild. At the same time however, loan officers who kept their focus on the core business will continue to thrive. Their business will remain up, their momentum high and in fact if you were to tell them that the market changed, they would agree but, so have their systems and strategies. As a result, many of them will continue to have record months.

I was talking with one of my clients recently, a high producing branch manager whose personal volume last year exceeded $50 million in closings. He kept his refinances below 30% of his total production and over 80% of those were refinances for past customers. He stayed focused on building, strengthening, and expanding relationships with his key business sources. As a result, his third quarter in 2010 is projected to be very strong closing over $10 million. I have interviewed several clients this year and while they all admit the business is a little easier, they also have done a good job preparing so that they can still succeed in a big way.

So what's all this have to do with Scripts for Success?

EVERYTHING! Preparation is the name of the game.

There is tremendous power in scripting. I suggest that you not sound scripted but rather, by designing scripts that deal with key issues and perfecting them, you will be fluid using them when those situations arise. Let us focus our efforts on the one element of the sales process that seems to concern most loan officers and that is how to effectively manage objections.

In my sales training courses, I spend a large amount of time on why we get objections. I teach loan officers to understand the dynamics of the sales call so that they might better understand the source of objections and then develop a strategy to deal with them. Objections become, for so many loan officers, stumbling blocks when in fact they should be stepping stones. However, one of the major reasons loan officers don't get excited about responding to or dealing with objections is that they don't have a system which includes questions and response scripts which gives them certainty. Consequently, objections brought up by potential Realtors, buyers and prospects, can destroy sales momentum and in fact destroy relationship opportunities.

When I began my career, I was fortunate to have a mentor who said to me that there are going to be several points in the sales and influence process where you will get objections. When those arise, you must know what to say if you want to convert that situation into something positive.

My goal is to teach sales professionals a process that helps them break down resistance and build acceptance with their prospects. Objections will surface, but so often a lot of them can be eliminated if the sales professional changes his focus from making the sale to making a client. By shifting and increasing the elements of time that are spent in true, in-depth information gathering, a salesperson can reduce the probability of receiving objections. While this does not suggest that objections will go away, it does imply that many of them are merely unanswered questions or needs that with proper interviewing and presentation techniques would be reduced.

Why don't salespeople spend enough time in the interviewing or information-gathering stage?

It is because most of them are thinking of making the sale rather than making a lifetime client. If you can think long-term as you are working with prospects you will be likely to reduce the conflict that arises when you don't effectively meet their needs(objections).

Since objections are part of the marketplace, it is of paramount importance that you have a system in place that allows you to effectively manage them. The loan officers who don't will end up working hard-losing loans and customers that could ultimately be profitable, long-term accounts.

Here are some how to's:

• To turn objections into positive action we must let our prospects know that we share their concerns before offering additional information. Most loan officers offer information before understanding the motivation for the objection.
• To get prospects to take action, we must first get them to feel good about the action.
• Managing objections is made easier if you try to understand the objection before you try to solve it.
• The primary reason your prospect objects is you have not yet created enough value, or they fear making a wrong decision. Focus on those two issues and you can master any objection.
• The fastest way to stay in control when an objection surfaces is to ask a question. It is important to note that the objection stated is never the real objection. The real objection can only be found by going beyond the stated objection to the core issue. For example, a customer who says your rates are too high is not objecting to your specific rates but rather, suggesting that they are uncomfortable with the payment. You can now focus on that issue by creating a different "Financing Package" that gets them the kind of payment they feel comfortable with.

One question you might want to experiment with that can help you get to the real objection would be, "Tell me what it is about (state objection) that makes you feel uncomfortable moving forward with a decision?" You have to get comfortable with this question but once you do, it-can really uncover the core objection. Then you must solve the objection. This is where scripting becomes very beneficial and where the difference between success and failure usually occurs.

What I want to encourage you to do is develop a log or journal of every objection you get in this business. Then you should develop 1 or 2 scripts for each one, memorize them by recording them and listening to them over and over again or by role-playing them with a peer, over and over again. Perfect practice make perfect.

It would be a shame to go down the path of attempting to influence someone to do business with you and because of your inability to successfully manage an objection, lose the sale. Go one step beyond where most stop, master objections and you will master sales. Enjoy the process!

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The Mindset of Top Performers

As you read this article you will find a direct reference to the mortgage industry and being a loan originator.  Please do not let this discourage you from continuing.  The article references the mortgage industry simply because it gives me something to relate to, being my field of study.  It gives tangible substance to the philosophies and ideologies discussed.  The core value remains, simply replace loan originator with "You" and or your field of study.

Running a great mortgage company is filled with many challenges. Sure, we love the good times…when loans are falling from the sky and the business seems to run itself as far as bringing in production. But keeping things running profitably through the tough times is a function of solid management, good decision-making and implementing great tools for improvement.

In my 10 years in and around the mortgage business, I've concluded that the main difference between the average loan officer and the superstars is the mindset. How they view the business, their attitudes and beliefs of what's possible is the difference. My deduction comes down to the most important sale you'll ever make. The most important sale you'll ever make is not to a particular customer that you'll pursue, but the sale called "you"! The ability to persuade yourself that what you have is much more valuable than anything you'd ask back from the customer is the single most important element in your long-term sales success! In addition, you must have the ability to persuade yourself to make the calls that are necessary when you don't feel like it, to ask one more time after five or six "no's", to generate the levels of enthusiasm is what sets the champions apart from those who have average lives. Anyone doing over $50,000,000 per year has this mindset!

How is it that two salespeople can be put side by side, and while one clearly has greater natural resources, better training, the one with less training, less resources, less contacts, out-produces him/her two to one?

The difference in the quality of your sales career is not based on whom you know, or even on your training, believe it or not. It's based upon how much desire and intensity you have to utilize all of your power as a person of influence. After all, selling is not that difficult. If you just talk to enough people, and you're sincere and you care enough, without any of the skills you're going to make sales. Everything people do, they do for a reason, their reason. Have you heard of the difference between influence and persuasion? When you persuade someone, you're really getting that person to do it for your own reasons, while when you influence someone you're really getting that person to do it for their reasons and the difference it's going to make for them. Persuading is you convincing someone, while influencing is your assistance in helping them convince themselves. Persuading is telling them...selling them, while influencing is sharing and caring...showing and growing. There is a difference.

The purpose of this article is to help you to discover and cultivate some compelling reasons that would drive you forward to utilize more of your ability and skill. I also want to enroll you in being a student of influence and mastering the art of influence. It's much better to influence than to persuade in utilizing your power to succeed. Remember, success in life is twenty percent "how to", and eighty percent "why to" succeed. If you have a deep understanding of who you want to become internally "why to", then taking the actions, making the decisions and developing great habits will generate support for you externally "how to." Positive changes and developments internally will support tremendous results externally.

Personal achievement begins at the core of a person. It's that core that will define habits, patterns, decisions, attitudes, actions, beliefs, standards, strategies and so on. Billions of dollars are spent each year on people attending seminars, yet many people don't follow through and take the necessary actions and make the needed changes to reach their goals and dreams.

I believe the reason for this is that most people need to work on themselves first before they attempt any specific challenge. Listening to all the tapes, attending the seminars, reading all the books is a great start. But it doesn't guarantee success. What guarantees success is the ability to act! The ability to take action on the things you learn.

I started making some quantum leap changes when I began working on myself first. I was spending too much time and effort dreaming and not enough time focusing on my own habits and patterns in my own life. When I realized this, I began making immediate changes internally. For example; if you knew that you could handle any fear that came your way, how would that change your life? If you knew that you could get yourself to take any action necessary to reach any outcome, what would you do? More importantly, what if you could get yourself to take action when things aren't going so well? What would that be worth?

I have found through personal experience that there are four reasons why people don't achieve what they want.

1. They're unclear on what they want in the first place.
2. They lack the belief or the ability to see themselves at their desired
    outcome and/or they don't feel like they deserve it.
3. They don't keep their commitments.
4. They don't create compelling enough reasons for following through
    when the going gets tough.

First of all, you must decide what it is you want. This involves making a decision. This involves deciding what it is that turns you on. What are you passionate about in life?

Choose from areas and things that you love. Create a plan for your goals and write them down. What is a goal anyway? A goal is a dream with a deadline. It's making a decision that there's something you're absolutely committed to have, do, be or share in your life. It must be backed up with enough reasons to make it compelling, and not just a short-term whim, want or desire. If your goal is to double your loan origination's or to be a superstar loan originator, make that decision with certainty that there is no question that you'll achieve this. There is an old saying, "Do what you love to do…then figure out a way to get paid for it."

Secondly, you must believe that you can do it. You must see yourself in the picture frame of your dreams. You must see yourself being, doing and having the goals of your self-picture. This is belief! Be careful about what you believe. Belief is powerful. It either keeps you where you are, or it magnetizes you toward your goals. Your belief about where you see yourself will make automatic adjustments in your subconscious mind, good or bad. What happens with many people is that they believe in their goals to start with, yet the first sign of trouble they say; "see, I told you I couldn't do it." We all must fight this urge to give in to short-term results. We must stick to our goals and beliefs, and not be distracted with negative results that cause us to quit. We all know that it's easier to start something than it is to finish something. It's also easier to have an idea than to implement it. Believe in yourself and your abilities to make a difference.

Thirdly, give yourself enough time to reach your dream. Most people quit because they're not willing to pay the price for their goal or dream. Decide, commit to something, and have ultimate resolve that no matter what it takes, you're going to make it happen. This is critical because otherwise you get all motivated and the motivation doesn't last. The motivation will only last if you do something that moves you toward your dream, now you are inspired and inspiration lasts a lifetime. It's also all about risk. Nobody wants to risk. Most people ask the question; what if it doesn't work? Yet the successful people, the powerful people ask a different question. They don't ask, “what if it doesn't work?” They ask; “what if it would have worked and I didn't do it?” What if it would have worked and I didn't even try because I didn't take action. What if I wake up 30 years from now with regret because I wasn't willing to pay the price? You know what they say, risk weighs ounces and regret weighs tons! The bottom line, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing bad for a couple of years. So give yourself time to reach your outcomes. Hang tough and don't let go of what you've already committed to. Make your commitments real!

Finally, and in addition to having compelling reasons to succeed, you must also create enough compelling consequences so that it's clear, you will experience deep pain if you don't follow through on the steps that are necessary to make the goal a reality. These reasons must be compelling and emotional. Written goals with a plan can create phenomenal results. Fully utilize the consequences of failure as leverage. For example; "If I don't do this, what will it cost me? What will I be giving up?" As well as the benefits of success; "If I do this and it works, what will it give me? How will that make me feel?

I would like to take you through some powerful questions that you could ask yourself. I once hired a very enthusiastic loan officer who, based on his confident manner and convincing words, I predicted would become one of my biggest producers. "I am going to earn $100,000 my first year in the business," he said. "Ambitious goals," I responded. "You have to think big." During his first month in the business, he originated over one million dollars worth of residential mortgage loans. His second month, he originated almost two million dollars worth of mortgage loans. The third month, he quit calling on Realtors and spent more time in the office getting his loans closed. The forth and fifth months came and went. He was still in the office saying that he had to make sure his loan got funded. To my surprise, the sixth month he resigned. He said that he was going to work for a bigger company. He went to the bigger company for three months and then got out of the business. This is a good example of why I am such an advocate of loan officers having some internal preparation and the cleansing necessary to begin the process of making an important career decision. Please take these questions seriously as they are designed to help you lay a solid foundation of where you will end up and how successful you will be in this business. These questions apply to everyone. Whether you're new to loan origination's or a seasoned superstar, these questions can begin a foundation for some new skill-sets that will support your business growth.

Question #1: Is it worth the sacrifice? If you have a deep-seated passionate desire, need, or reason to be a successful loan originator or a superstar loan originator, sacrificing will not feel like some form of suffering. On the other hand, once you are well into the process, you will discover a great sense of liberation.

Question #2: What are my motives? Are you financially burdened with your children's college tuition expense? Do you have dreams of building a comfortable retirement account? Do you want to improve your overall lifestyle? Don't ask these questions without also asking; What extra services can I add to show customers and clients that I am worth doing business with? How could succeeding or expanding my mortgage career help to improve the quality of my life as well as my loved ones? How will I appropriate the monies earned? How much value can I contribute to my company, my clients and customers?

Question #3: How do I confront my fears? Every time I conduct a seminar, I give my audience solutions to their fears; otherwise, the most useful skills presented to them will be meaningless because they're afraid of stuff. Maybe it's the fear of rejection, maybe it's the fear of looking bad, maybe it's fear of selling, maybe its fear of failure, and maybe it's the fear of success. Whatever it is, it must be dealt with. Fear has a tendency to stop people from ever taking an action in the first place. If you're going to be a loan officer with a six-figure income, you can't be afraid of rejection.

Question #4: How can I become more self-disciplined? If you are serious about your mortgage business, you must learn how to turn your time and energy into profit. There are many ways to do this. Keep your focus on working "on" your business and not just "in" your business. Every top producer on the planet focus’ on high pay-off tasks.

Question #5: Am I tapping the powers of my imagination? You may not have thought of your imagination as being a strong business development force, but, when you know how to channel it positively, it is. Imagination does not mean daydreaming or fantasizing. It is a tangible, creative force that can excite and arouse your passions. Imagination keeps us from despairing; it helps us see things not as they are but as they could be.
Question #6: Do I have plenty of energy to succeed? Eat better and exercise. Notice and be sensitized to your energy levels. Then make improvements where needed.

Question #7: How important is my image? Common sense rules! Practice good hygiene, show good taste, take care of yourself physically, and pray for help. Anything you can do to improve your image...do it!

By seeking the answers to these questions, you offer yourself solid building blocks to any outcome. You decide the outcome you want. You decide the results you want. Seek and meditate on the answers and welcome yourself to the beginning of your dreams. This is the most important sale you'll ever make...yourself!

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(Original article: The Mindset of Top Originators. . .by Mike Baker)

Key Ingredients to Stay Competitive

I'm here to tell you that today; you're beginning something that can truly change the quality of your business forever. In reading this article, there are two things that are required. Number 1: The desire on your part and Number 2: the commitment to follow through with all of the tasks and goals that you set for yourself. As simple or as complicated as it may seem in the moment, if you'll buy into these two requirements, you will be able to make huge strides in growing your mortgage business. If you'll do this, the things that you used to call dreams will become part of your daily reality. I'm speaking from experience. The experience I'm speaking from is not only helping other people to change but also making changes in my own life.

Why is it that you can have two different people who seem to be so radically different in their abilities? One seems to have superior ability, superior talent, superior skill, and superior education and yet at the same time they don't produce the quality of life that they want? While someone else seems to have every disadvantage and they don't have the support emotionally, they don't have the family support, they don't have the education, they don't have the background and yet they go out and they produce results way beyond what anyone could expect. The difference in the quality of our lives does not come down to our capability. What human beings are capable of is absolutely incredible, what people will do is rather different from they can do! I'd like to challenge you to start exercising your will. To start using what the motivational speaker Tony Robbins calls personal power. The ability to act (and continue to implement) is the driving force behind any and all accomplishment. The ability to take action and produce results is a power you already have. This is not something that anyone can give you. You must develop it yourself. This article will help you do that.

In sales, there is a fundamental difference between average performers and star performers. Being a sales professional, managing and coaching sales professionals for the last 10 years, I can tell you that there is a huge difference in the "mindset" of each of these individuals. Your own mindset will determine what level of success that you achieve in this very competitive business. The following, are 5 key ingredients to reaching whatever level of success you set for yourself. When I say key ingredients, I mean these are "critical musts" to not only survive, but to thrive.

Ingredient #1: You must have an open mind!

It all begins with having an open mind. Some people are afraid to be open-minded because they fear change. Maybe they're afraid of losing what they already have or perhaps they're afraid of failing. Maybe they're afraid of being stereotyped. I say move forward in spite of your fears-go for it! I believe the key is to always be open-minded, but never let go of your values. I'm referring to being open-minded enough to learn life's lessons from any and all sources, i.e., music, film, books, tapes, other people, experiences, and religion. Expand your own horizon to achieve your outcomes. Seek and you'll find. Keeping an open mind involves learning new things, investing in your business and in yourself.

By seeking top products and service providers, you'll take your business to the highest level possible. Don't just rely on your own experiences. Why…because that's not enough. I recall a conversation while standing in line at the airport, the women standing behind me was making comments about having to wait so long. We ended up talking about different things. We exchanged information about where we were from. When I asked her this question, she replied that she was heading to Arizona to live. She explained that all of the men in both California and Oregon emotionally and physically beat their spouses. I asked her why she believes this and she explained that she had been married 3 times and all of the men in her life had abused her both physically and emotionally. Two of the men were from California and one was from Oregon. This woman is basing her beliefs on her own experience and that's dangerous because it's not true and it won't get her anywhere. It doesn't matter what state she lives in, if she continues to meet men the way she has always done, she'll get the same results anywhere in the world. This is called "cognitive dissonance," which means a psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously. For example, this woman believes that all men in California and Oregon abuse their spouses. Even with overwhelming evidence to the contrary, she will still have this intense belief because of her own experience. Unless she changes her beliefs and standards, she risks getting the same result over and over again. You've probably heard the definition of insanity. Keep doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a new result.

An open mind means you are willing to learn from all sources around you. You are willing to listen, ponder and grow. This is a huge step and one that all superstar originators have embraced. I like to call this the Michael Jordon philosophy…there is always a new level you can go to. Constantly seek improvement and never be afraid to invest in it!

Ingredient # 2: Ask key questions.

Consider the following questions.

What actions can I take today to reach my goals?

What is your belief about how far you can go in your career?

What is your attitude?

Are you focusing on the process or the problems, or are you focusing on the outcome?

Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to get the job done?

Here are some questions that can help you go to that next level.

What has to happen to strengthen your beliefs?

How can you improve your view of things?

What has to happen to get you more focused on your business?

What new positive attitudes can you develop in the next 30 days that will give your business a boost?

Do you know your business?

Do you know that you can be great in it?

Do you know that how you view things has a tremendous effect on your own results?

By thinking through, and answering these questions, you'll learn a lot about yourself and about what you think you can and can't do. You can gain some insight on where you are versus where you want to be. This will give you the key to unlock your mortgage origination potential.

Ingredient #3: Character

Webster's Dictionary defines character as "our nature, the total of qualities making up individuality, moral excellence." Our character holds the keys to our beliefs, our attitudes, and ultimately our outcomes. Having a solid character involves setting and maintaining standard for every part of your life. I know that we sometimes fall short of the standards that we set for ourselves. But it is character that will help you maintain your standards and it is character that will cause you to recover when you do fail. It's important to understand this and it helps to write your standards out on a sheet of paper or keep a journal. This adds to the value you place on your character and will assist you in keeping on track.

Ingredient #4: Attitude

Attitude is your mental or moral discipline. It is a very personal thing. You hold the keys to your own attitude. The results you get in your business are in large part based on your own attitude toward everything that happens to you. This is how we view things. Zig Ziglar, the great motivational speaker, says,

"Attitude determines your altitude."

So how do you improve your attitude…start with ingredient number 1, seek improvement in your business and embrace ingredient number 5 and your attitude will improve with time and success.

Ingredient #5: Action…Be an implementer!

The ability to take action and have the health, and the work ethic required to achieve a dream is truly a blessing. All superstars have an incredible ability to act! They are experts at implementation. When things go wrong in your business, do you complain or do you think of ways to take new actions to make things right? You need to become sensitized to noticing every time you do complain. Then replace the complaining with forward thinking on how to fix the problem. The key here is not just to think. While thinking is a start, action is what makes all the difference. You must think your way into action. Think and take action. If it doesn't work, think your way into action again and again and again until it does work. And when you're thinking your way into action, do it with expectation and a powerful, positive belief that it's going to work. Belief is powerful. A great coach, and any other great leader, can get ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

The lesson here is to open your mind to a world of new beliefs that you absolutely can achieve anything that you desire. It's a matter of believing that there is always an answer to whatever life may bring. It's all about having an "I'll find a way" attitude.

Here are a few final questions to consider.

What character are you playing in your life?

What traits and patterns do you have?

What results are those patterns giving you?

Are your traits, patterns and habits supporting your goals?

I would suggest that you write these questions out and answer them. This will give you some powerful foundations to take you to the next level in whatever area you want. Now you have a recipe with the ingredients to truly have a competitive advantage.

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(Original article written by Mike Baker)