5-Point Success Plan

Notes taken during an address by Lou Holtz
Melaleuca National Convention
August 15, 2009

Step 1: Attitude

Step 2: Passion: Focus on what you have passion about, your purpose, your desire to win

Step 3: Embrace Change: How can I help people get what they want?

Step 4: Be a Dreamer - Do, love, believe, hope

Step 5: Develop & Maintain Relationships

Action Plan:

• What
• When
• Who do you need to engage to get it done
• What talents and abilities do I have
• What talents and abilities do I need to get from others
• What problems do I need to overcome
• How will others benefit
• Keep moving forward, do not revert to management or maintenance of status quo mode

Principle of Taking Action = W.I.N. (What’s important now?)
Ask yourself: “Of all the things that I have to or can do right now, what is important to do right now.” Do that thing.

Tools to Build Self Esteem:

• Do right
• Do to the best of your ability in the time allotted
• Show people you care

Develop and Live Your Core Values

Notes from Hiram Smith, Franklin Covey Institute
Melaleuca National Convention
August 14, 2009

Wisdom = Knowledge rightly applied

Three emotions that motivate activity:

• Fear (have to)
• Duty (need to)
• Love (delight to, want to) – Strive to be motivated by love

Know & Live Your Core Values

• Find out what matters to you
• Bring your life into alignment with what matters
• Spend 3-5 hours writing down your governing values
  o Personal
  o Marriage (if married)
  o Family

When there is a gap between your core value and where you are (your reality), you run at the gap. Strive to close the gap. In some cases it won’t be easy.

Who will survive adversity: an optimist, a pessimist or a realist?

• An optimist by faith ignores the brutal facts, and eventually succumbs to adversity when noting changes;
• A pessimist sees the brutal facts and quits from the beginning; or,
• A realist sees the brutal facts, but has faith to deal with them to overcome in the end. Mental toughness is crucial, pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.

Character is the ability to carry on with a plan after the emotion of the decision has passed. Do what you say you will do.

Learn to forgive. Forgiveness requires remembering the offense and deciding it doesn’t matter anymore.

Action Plan:

• Think about the teaching for 36 hours
• Teach them to someone else

Habakkuk 2:2-Write down the vision and make it plain on tablets.

O J Simpson was a 10 year old, and wanted to be just like Jim Brown—pro football player-and set a goal in his mind to break every record Jim Brown held!.

Make It Come True

In 1957 a ten-year-old boy in California set a goal. At the time Jim Brown was the greatest running back ever to play pro football and this tall, skinny boy wanted his autograph. In order to accomplish his goal, the young boy had to overcome some obstacles.

He grew up in the ghetto, where he never got enough to eat. Malnutrition took its toll, and a disease called rickets forced him to wear steel splints to support his skinny, bowed-out legs. He had no money to buy a ticket to get into the game, so he waited patiently near the locker room until the game ended and Jim Brown left the field. He politely asked Brown for his autograph. As Brown signed, the boy explained, “Mr. Brown, I have your picture on my wall. I know you hold all the records. You’re my idol.”

Brown smiled and began to leave, but the young boy wasn’t finished. He proclaimed, “Mr. Brown, one day, I’m going to break every record you hold!” Brown was impressed and asked, “What is your name, son?”

The boy replied, “Orenthal James. My friends call me OJ.”

OJ Simpson went on to break all but three of the rushing records held by Jim Brown before injuries shortened his football career.

Goal setting is the strongest force for human motivation. Set a goal and make it come true.

With Melaleuca we have goals we set, we have levels we work toward, we plan how we can get there-the road map-and what needs to be done-how many calls we need to do to get those results we need etc. Establish your ‘WHY’ and GO FOR IT!!!.

Thanks for this post goes to Sandra who shared this exerpt from Chicken Soup For The Soul-Page 151-152

Being Led By The Holy Spirit (God)

Romans 8:14-For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons (daughters) of God.

We gave some examples of The Holy Spirit leading Sandra and I to talk to different people on her bike ride yesterday and Daryl at work.

1. Denise-I felt that I needed to stop while on my bike ride and ask her if I could try sometime to get the paint off her driveway using my products. (She’s the one that cancelled my app’t last week-depressed etc.) She said , “Yes”. Then she asked if she would have to sell anything. I knew then that she was afraid of talking or selling to people. I told her she could just be a customer; she wouldn’t have to talk to anyone like me. I could see more openness to me immediately. (God clearing up obstacles.)
2. I felt I needed to ride over to the trailer court. I felt God was telling me to go up to Joann’s door and visit. I have never gone to her door and knocked-only said ‘Hi’ as I rode by. She came to the door and I found out her boyfriend couldn’t work construction Jan. or Feb.-no work. She works at heart hospital. They both smoke. They need healthy products and money. I approached on asking if they need extra money. She’ll think about it. I will ’drip’ on them more.
3. Rode by a woman’s house where I had stopped before asking what color paint their house was-I liked it and wanted to paint my house that color. This time I felt God told me to go up to her door and ask if they need extra money. She said ‘Yes’. I told her I’d come back again-they were in the middle of dinner. Her name is Tracey-young, w/family. This prospect has potential and is only a few blocks from me.
4. My enrollment this week-Darla Deslauriers-I met while on my bike stopping to compliment her on her fencing at the corner of her property. She will be an awesome customer, I know, and maybe even a business person.
5. One more example-About mid June Sandra felt God told her to stop at a certain rummage sale. The lady there knew her because she delivered mail to our house sometimes. They need more money. Her husband just emailed us back and we replied last night wanting to set an appointment.
6. Daryl felt that on this one particular break yesterday that he was supposed to go outside. There he met Amy Cudmore; he’s been trying to get a phone # for her. (During work and being on phone w/customers you can’t do that easily.) God brought her to him outside and he got her first and last name and her phone # and she said she’d be interested in seeing what he has for extra money.

Thanks to Daryl and Sandy for these examples of being led by the Spirit to talk to neighbors and co-workers!

What Can We Learn from a Garmin GPS?

Isaiah 65:24 says: “Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear.

For Father’s Day my family got me a Garmin GPS navigation system complete with a carrying case. It is really nice and provides a map, directions to programmed destinations and destinations you can type in. You can watch your progress on the map. The speaker tells you about turns ahead and then lets you know when the turn is getting near and when to make the turn.

One thing I noted is that every time we turned off course to stop at a store or something, the GPS automatically recalculated a new route to the destination. It was relentless until you got there or turned it off.

How does all this apply to our business? When we get off course, the tools and support network we have will get us back on course. But even more importantly, when we are even thinking about getting back on course, the Lord hears and will answer.

May the Lord hear our prayers while we are yet talking about them and answer!

When Success Is Slow

Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6,7

When Success is Slow, What Can You Do? Adapted from Jack Canfield’s article

When we admire someone's success, or even our own, we often focus on the end result and not so much on the effort (and time) that it took to get there. This can cultivate unrealistic expectations, especially the idea that overnight success can happen through careful strategy and an execution of sound advice.

Success typically follows a series of little events and achievements that can seem to take an eternity, that include a few disappointments along the way, and that challenge everything about you to the core - your stamina, courage, integrity, and even your willingness to keep going.

If you focus on what's not working: You're likely coming from a place of aggravation as your mind wraps around all that is wrong. You may even have negative thoughts like "I'm not good enough," "It will never work," or "Something must be wrong with me." What this mentally does is engender more of these counter-productive feelings. And given what we know about the Law of Attraction, you attract what you are feeling. So negative experiences, people, and results will beget more negative experience, people, and results. There's not much success in that.

The key, then, is to focus on what IS working. To do so, I recommend two simple practices: journaling and meditation.

• Maintaining a journal (Gratitude Journal) is a great way to steer your attention to the positive and continually renew your vision for yourself.
• Start each day with reflections on what you are grateful for in your life (list them out!) and end each day with notes on what went right (again, write them down), however small.

Take Action. You may be taking the actions you are used to taking. But therein lies the problem: if you keep doing what you've already done then you'll keep getting what you've always gotten. It's a matter of practicing some new behaviors. Shake things up a bit and see if you can take new actions or modify existing ones.

Remember the Rule of 5. Every day do five specific things that take you toward your goal.

Change up the five actions regularly and be open to feedback so you know when you're off course.

Be patient. It's natural to underestimate how long a certain goal can take, especially a profound one. When I set a goal to become a millionaire the year was 1983. How long did it take? Eleven years. It took time for Chicken Soup for the Soul to hit the bestseller lists. You could say our tenure on the New York Times list was more than a decade in the making. That's a lot of patience for someone who initially wanted overnight success.
Patience is a virtue. But keep at it, and in no time, you'll be only one week, or one day away from your ultimate success. Remember... be grateful, reflect on what IS working and continue to take ACTION!

Thanks to Donna for this post!

The Driver

A driver: What is it? According to the dictionary a driver is----

1. one that drives, as the operator of a motor vehicle.
2. a tool, such as a hammer, used to impart forceful pressure.
3. a machine part that transmits motion or power to another part.
4. sports. A golf club with a wide head and a long shaft, used for long shots

How a ‘driver’ coincides or relates to Melaleuca:

You need to do some assessing of your potential customers/business builders you present to. Know that in families, a husband or wife-[It is usually one-not both normally] is usually the ‘driver’-the one who ‘gets it’!, or sees the ‘vision’-the one who has the buying power or is the decision maker in the family-the one who usually wants more and is usually more vocal or authoritative-the one who, given the chance, will ‘run with it’ or ‘get things done.

NOTE: A lot of the women we have been speaking to have been the ‘drivers because they want more for their families and they buy more. That is changing with more economy problems now, but that has been our previous experience in our area.

If you speak to the one who is NOT the driver, you will not get an enrollment at all (They hold back to have their spouse decide or give them in-put.) or down the road you will have to try to convince the other spouse about Melaleuca and usually present again to one or both of them-a second time making it not wise time management. Try to get both to a presentation at the same time. Tune in to the ‘driver’ in the family and you will get somewhere. They have power in that family.

As far as the 2. tool definition-We have been using the ax for presentations in the past. As Frank said at launch, “Now we have the chainsaw!” Use it!

One verse-2 translations

• [NKJ] Proverbs 16:26-The person who labors, labors for himself, For his hungry mouth drives him on
• [Living Bible] Proverbs 16:26-Hunger is good if it makes you work to satisfy it.

Sharing with the group:

1. Can’t push a rope.
2. LIA June issue w/Frank’s article, “You Can’t Catch a Thing Unless You keep Your line in the Water—We’ve been talking about them jumping into the boat!

Prayer with the group for couples working together as a ‘team’ to get more work done than if they tried to do it singly like horses trying to pull weight alone and can’t pull as much as 2 horses pulling together can!, praying for more results-not just a lot of activity that goes nowhere-actual enrollments with the signature on the line. Work and activity being ‘clinched’! (Example-saking cream in a jar making butter-a lot of activity shaking it, and it seems to go nowhere or that nothing is happening but suddenly it starts to thicken and become butter!!)

Thanks to Daryl for this post!

A Conversation and a Prayer

“Write something motivational this morning, “Kathi requested.

“I can’t, the well is dry, and besides, it does not seem to be doing any good” Steve responded. “Our business has shrunk over the past few months and you are responsible for nearly half of the new customers all by yourself. Those on the daily call do not seem to be able to match your results.”

“Remember the message ‘when we are weak, He is strong?” She insisted. “If you lean on Him, He will provide something for the team.”

“Oh God,” he cried. “What is preventing our friends from finding new customers? What is happening? Is there anything I can say to them that will encourage them?”

“Tell them to stop making it so hard, so structured,” The Rose of Sharon replied. “Tell them to share their business the same way they talk about their families, their favorite recipes, their hobbies, their struggles and hopes. The people I bring into your path are looking for a hope and vision in these troubled times. Tell them they can be a beacon to those people and through that I will bless their businesses. They are here in these times because of my Divine Purpose and Calling. Tell them not to be afraid for I am with them.”

“Father in heaven, Your mercy and kindness are boundless.” Steve concluded.

Saddle your dreams before you ride 'em.

"Write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." Habakkuk 2:2

After Dwight Eisenhower won the Republican nomination for president from Robert Taft in 1952, a reporter asked Taft about the disappointment that he surely must have felt in setting a goal and not reaching it. Taft admitted, "My great goal was to become President of the United States in 1953." But then he added, "Instead I became a senator from Ohio!"Ultimately, Taft's goal was to be elected to a political office and to serve his nation as a representative of the people. And in that he succeeded. If he hadn't run for an office, however, he would never have been elected to one!

That's true for the accomplishment of any real goal in life. You've got to throw your hat into the ring and start pursuing your goal --- campaign for its accomplishment the best you know how, thoroughly brief yourself on the issues that are important, define your stance and stay true to it, and maintain a positive attitude even in the face of serious opposition.

You can't cross the finish line if you never leave the starting block.

This is a message from "God's Little Devotional Book for Leaders" provided by Donna!

Wisdom for Today

We need both blessings and difficulties, because one without the other is neither.

We hear God's voice best when we know his word most.

Thanks to Meg for this!

Dawn of a New Day

God says His mercies are new every morning. This is the first morning of the week. If there is mercy and grace for our business, they have been renewed this morning.

So what do we do with that mercy and grace? That is for each of us to understand. It is different for each of us. To the extent you have mercy and grace for business this morning, this week, pursue your business with all of your strength as unto the Lord.

All your strength may not be enough, you are thinking. Perfect! Where you are weak, the Lord is strong. That is the grace and mercy working through you. Cry out to the Lord, let Him know your weaknesses and doubts. Then do what you have grace and mercy to do. But watch out, the results may be different!

May our Creator and Savior grant us grace and mercy for our business this morning and this week!

Don't Let Your Dream Be Stolen

Meleconomics Accountability Group-Devotion by Simpsons Friday, June 5, ‘09

Reading From Chicken Soup For The Soul by Jack Canfield // Pgs. 207-208

I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youths at risk.

The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let Jack use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables, and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000 square-foot house that would sit on the 200-acre dream ranch.

He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front of the page was a large red F with a note that read, “See me after class.”

The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, “Why did I receive an F?”

The teacher said, “This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it. Then the teacher added, “If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.”

The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, “Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.

Finally after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all He stated, “You can keep the F! I’ll keep my dream!”

Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000 square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same school teacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week. When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately, you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.”

[Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.-- Jack Canfield]

Additional comments: Sandra shared on their long time dream to get a new Melaleuca car & be at least Senior Director; she shared on 8x11 drawing in kitchen of a car & steering wheel with ¼ of the way accomplished., graphs, plus their Melaleuca stats etc. in full view. Daryl shared Proverbs 16:9-A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Daryl prayed for the group & closed the call.

Today Does Not Mean Tomorow

"No today does not mean no tomorrow!!" (young Amish woman in front of me).

Lewis Rasmussen: "Why doesn’t everyone know about Melapower? Melaleuca could advertise, but instead we have chosen to have you introduce and explain our products to others, but….You are too slow. He kept smiling and motivating us by telling us……….but you are too slow."

When you and I notice momentum picking up in our area, it makes us want to move faster. It causes us to push ourselves. We pick up the pace. We need to push ourselves today. Kathi has given us a challenge to excel our businesses.

10 presentations ----- 10 days

Now is the time to build your business, like never before!! Because of the economic times Melaleuca Momentum is increasing!! It is time for Meleconomics!!

"It is not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters." Paul Bryant football coach

Thanks to Donna for this Post!

Wisdom for Today

Words to live by:

• Let your life match your lip.
• Don't doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.

Thanks to my sister Meg for these little pearls of wisdom!

Focus on Solutions

Focus on Solutions -- Do NOT Remain Absorbed in the Problem...

Which End Of The Telescope
Are You Looking Through?

Keeping problems in perspective is essential to solving them and moving on. If you incorrectly believe that a problem is all -- encompassing -- and will forever control your life -- it is, and it will.

Keep your problems in perspective. See them as very specific and merely temporary.

"The idea is to make decisions and act on them -- to decide what is important to accomplish, to decide how something can best be accomplished, to find time to work at it and to get it done." ~ Karen Kakascik

Today's Quest... Answer Honestly:

• Specifically, how can you take the biggest problem you now face and realistically limit its scope? __________________________________
• How can you take a new look at your current problem and see that it isn't going to last forever? _________________________________________
• How can you redefine a current problem by confining it only to its immediate circumstance? _________________________________________

Work Smarter ~ Not Harder Today.

Thanks to Donna for this post from Time Quotient!

$500 Challenge

A new month has started. Last month, no matter how successful or miserable, is past. What are we going to do to make this a pivotal month in our businesses? First we set the Goal for the month, next we make our Roadmap or plan what we are going to do, we then take Action, and, finally, we Measure our progress daily and weekly. Remember GRAM?

The two keys to the success are RA: Roadmap and Action. We set business hours, identify critical tasks (approaches, appointments, enrollments), and we take action. We don’t wait until tomorrow or next week. We start today.

Since our compensation plan pretty much guarantees anyone who refers 8 new customers and becomes a Director for the first time in the same month will earn $500, why not challenge our existing and new customers: “If you can put me in front of 10 qualified customers in the next 10 days, our company will pay you about $500, perhaps more. And, if one of those 10 people does the same, your commission check will be substantially more.”

May our Creator and Savior, Who promises us a future and a hope, pour blessings on our businesses this month.

When you soar like an eagle, you attract hunters

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. I Peter 5:8 NASB

When people are unreasonable, illogical, self-centered and arrogant, love them anyway.

When people insist that your goodness contains selfish ulterior motives, do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win both friends and enemies. People may become jealous of you. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, you will be both honorable and vulnerable. Some will seek to twist your words against you. Be honest and frank anyway.

If you show yourself to be a big person with great ideas, don't be surprised if you are opposed by small people with closed minds. Think big anyway.What you have spent years building, some may seek to destroy overnight. Build anyway.

Mark Twain once said, "Always do right. This will gratify most people, and astonish the rest!"

Thanks to Donna for this encouragement.

Shake the Apple Tree

The Lord has been speaking to my heart about shaking the apple tree. There will be some good ones, some bad ones, but you don’t know what they will be until you shake them down. There will be a sorting. Some will say, ‘Yes’ and some will say, ‘No’. Persist! Keep shaking [approaching people].

Matt. 6:34-Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Keep on keeping on-prospecting and calling and enrolling-then you get your business builders-one day at a time.

Thanks to Daryl for this encouragement!

Wisdom in Today’s World

The Christian Reformed Church is founded on unchangeable biblical truths. So why are they called “reformed”? Their tenets require them to “reform” to be relevant to the times. Churches that “reform” are flourishing. Those that do not, that are set in their ways, find themselves losing members.

The basic parts of our business are solid and must not change. Something, though, is different. We find ourselves in different times than just a few years or even months ago. When we use the “proven” approaches and techniques we did last year, the results are different and we are not succeeding, not growing.

We need heavenly wisdom to find new approaches for our neighbors and the strangers around us. James in his Epistle encourages us to pray for wisdom in faith and not doubt. When given wisdom, we apply it without wavering, without doubt, or we will bounce from one technique to another like a wave in the wind never perfecting or proving anything.

The approach – “How has today’s economy impacted your life?” – may kick-start our businesses.

May our Creator and Savior grant us wisdom to see, understand, and use techniques that will reach those around us in these times!

Leaders Lead, Even without Followers

Though none go with me, still I will follow…

Are we holding back our businesses waiting for a follower? Do we say to ourselves:

• “If only I had someone to work with me, then I would be a great success,” or,
• "As soon as so-and-so gets going, my business will really get going.”?

A leader empowers others to achieve their goals through instruction, motivation and example. Anyone who is or has been a parent has demonstrated leadership.

Jesus Christ our Savior led by instruction, motivation (including the occasional stern warning), and example. He pointed in the right direction, explained why it was right, warned us of dire consequences for other directions, said “follow me,” and then proceeded to go the right way. When the rich young ruler wanted to follow on his own terms, Jesus was not swayed. He did not wait for the rich young ruler but kept on His course. Are we not thankful Jesus did not sway from His goals?

We say to ourselves, then: “Even if no one goes with me, I pursue my goals with all my skill and ability.”

May our Creator and Savior let our leadership be made know to all.

Calendar the Major Milestones... of EVERY Goal

Ann recommends The Power of TQ website. (Also at www.thinktq.com) They have great tools to keep us focused on building goals and acting to bring those goals to realities. Pat has recommended this site before. The website is copy write protected so I can't copy it here without permission.

Today they are recommending the Time Prism. A book to help keep our lives in balance while focused on what's truly important to us. They also have an on-line calendar with daily business training tools.

Ann provides this guidance: "In order to be allowed to download the May calendar (planner), you will have to register with the site. Once you do that, on the left hand menu, select The Download Center. Once you are at that page, go to Time Management Tools, and select the Day Planner 2009 05 May and then print it out. (If you want to review it first prior to printing, then download it and review it to see if it is a format you would like to use. I think you will be impressed with the daily training!)"

Love & Believe

Matt. 22:37-39 - Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Mark 9:2-3-Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

As I pondered these two scriptures, I thought of a tape where Ed Bestoso was training in Melaleuca. He said,

1. “Why are you doing Melaleuca? You need to dream and get people dreaming too!
2. Have Heart: You must love people. He said, “ You will only get to a certain level like Senior Director if you don’t love, communicate with, and genuinely care about people (wrong motives with using people to get where you want to be).
3. Believe: Believe in other people and yourself and encourage others to keep moving on.

Thanks to Daryl for this Posting!

Having Faith in Our Times

Wars, riots, evil men doing evil things, natural disasters, famine, pestilence, business closures, bankruptcies, and home foreclosures: Jesus, our Savior, tells us these will happen. They have happened before and will again. Jesus encourages: “Fear not!” and, “I am with you even to the end of the age.”

Some say all of these events are precursors to when Jesus, our Lord, returns to rule the earth. Before Jesus returns an evil man through deceit will rule the world and cause all to receive a mark in order to buy and sell anything. Many will be persecuted and martyred. Jesus says there will be a shout and the sound of a trumpet when He returns. We haven’t heard the trumpet, so these are not the end times.

Jesus, our Teacher, warns times will become so dark no one can work. But those times are not now.

So what do we do? We still have light, freedom and faith. We must take advantage of the light and freedom and put action to our faith! Others have prospered through adversity in the past, we can as well.

May our Creator and Savior grant us faith with peace in these troubling times!

Packing More into Your Suitcase

Our days are identical suitcases--all the same size--but some people pack more into them than others.

Most people think of John Wesley as a powerful preacher, and indeed, he was. What many people do not know, however, is how prolific he was. He averaged three sermons a day for fifty-four years, preaching a total of more than 44,000 times in his life. In doing this, he traveled by horseback and carriage more than 200,000 miles--about 5,000 miles a year.

For even a very productive man, that would seem to be a full time effort. Still, John Wesley found time to write and edit. His published words include a four-volume commentary on the entire Bible, a five volume work on natural philosophy, a four-volume work on church history, and a dictionary of the English language. He also wrote histories of England and Rome, grammars on the Hebrew, Latin, Greek, French, and English languages, three works on medicine, six volumes of church music, seven volumes of sermons and controversial papers, and he edited a library of fifty volumes known as "The Christian Library."

He habitually rose at 4 a.m. and retired at 10 p.m. allowing only brief periods for meals. Yet he declared, "I have more hours of private retirement than any man in England."

Taken from God's Little Devotional Book for Leaders.I want to encourage you to take time to work on your presentation.

Listen to some of the pod casts from Zig Ziglar. Tape your voice. Listen to how you are communicating. This will take time. Will it be worth it? YES!

Thank to Donna for this contribution!

Zig Ziglar on Goal Setting

Donna found this link on You-Tube that she wanted to share. I have not viewed it, but if it is from Zig Ziglar, I know it is good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae-VJ_lauCw

In Faith, Trust

Here are a few promises associated with trust in the Lord:

• Ps. 37:4-5 – Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
• Ps. 84:12 – O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!
• Pr. 28:25 – he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.

Trust is “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.”

• First we trust God’s character, ability, strength and truth as revealed in His word.
• Second we trust God has led us to a business that is trustworthy: has upright character and ability to be used by God, has strength and is founded on true principles and products.

When our faith is supplemented with trust that the Lord wants to bless and prosper us, how can we not take action and move forward in our life, our families, our churches, our communities and our business. In fact, sitting and doing nothing prevents God from blessing and prospering us.

May our Creator and Savior bless and prosper us as we act in faith and trust.

Follow the Guide

Psalm 32:8-I will instruct you & teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

As I pondered on this verse, I got a picture of a road map and the thought-“Which way to go-what direction?

Our business gives us the road map-basic rules for success-when we do the Seven Critical Business-Building Activities that they lay out to business builders.

• Keep building your contact list
• Set appointments
• Make presentations
• Hold 48 hour follow up meetings
• Celebrate successes
• Always be involved with Fast Track
• Attend all Melaleuca meetings

When a person becomes a Christian and starts his walk with God, he needs to be shown some basic things so he will be able to grow into a mature person. Just as a Christian needs to learn basic things, we in business do too. We learn these steps as we start our businesses - the seven critical business-building activities.

Sometimes we forget to do them. Then we realize that we are not having successes or are in a ‘flat spot’ and can’t seem to move forward. It is then that we need to be reminded to go ‘back to basics’.

We all need to assess where we are at. Are we doing something wrong? Are we following these 7 critical business-building activities? Evaluating where you are at is very important so you can make the necessary steps to move forward. We keep persevering. We need to keep cheering each other on as a team.

Thanks to Daryl for this contribution!

Help Others Solve Their Problems

Seek Him above all else...

Sometimes when we approach others, we get a negative reaction that causes us to hesitate with our business. I want to encourage you to be diligent and help others solve their problems.

Zig Ziglar said, "You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

"The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.

All day long he craves and craves,

but the righteous gives and does not hold back."

Prov. 21:25,26

"Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;

he who loves wine and oil will not be rich."

Prov. 21:17

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty."

Prov. 21:5

Here is a piece of advice that is worth a king's crown: To hold your head high, hold your overhead down.

Early in his career as a master salesman, Victor Kiam worked for Playtex, selling girdles and bras in Mississippi. One day, when he arrived at a small shop, he found the owner sweeping the floor. Kiam introduced himself, extended his hand , and paused. He was met with silence. Undaunted he opened his sample case and began to make his pitch. Suddenly, the store owner flew into a rage and he began sweeping Kiam out of his store. Within moments, Kiam found himseelf flat on his back, dust swirling around him. Rather than fight back, Kiam was determined to find out why this man was so upset with him. He talked with other sales reps and eventually got to the root of the problem. His predecessor had done too good a job, causing this man to become so overstocked with merchandise that too much of the man's capital was tied up in inventory. Kiam immediately arranged for one of his larger accounts to purchase the man's excess inventory at cost. Kiam not only received a very warm greeting the next time he showed up with his sample case, but he made a friend.

One of the best ways to build any relationship is to help another person solve their problem.

Taken from God's Little Devotional Book for Leaders

Our thanks go to Donna for this Post!

Building Faith by Persistence

Faith is easy with immediate results. What if success is delayed even after weeks or years of trying? Unmet expectations build doubts that deter our faith. We overcome these unmet expectations through persistence.

Behavior scientists tell the story of the walleye. A walleye placed in a fish tank will swim around the whole tank. If a glass wall is placed in the middle of the tank and food on the other side of the glass wall, the walleye will try to get the food. Of course, it will bump into the glass wall. After two or three attempts to get the food, the walleye will stop. The scientist can remove the glass wall but, sad to say, the walleye will never again try to go to the other side.

A Bible parable tells of a widow who gets what she needs from an evil judge by persistence. It encourages us to knock and the door will be opened. The Greek word we translate as “knock” really means “keep on knocking” or to be persistent.

Are we the walleye or the persistent widow?

May our Creator and Savior grant us persistence to keep going not matter what happened last time.

Are We Missing a Susan Boyle?

The inspiration for this came when I read my niece’s Blog called “Musings of a Malcontent.”

For the past week or so, the media has been making a big deal about the Scottish singer Susan Boyle. The story line talks about her less than appealing appearance but extols her amazing singing and personality. It’s almost as if it is inconceivable that amazing talent can exist in a “plain” package.

In scriptures we are warned not to make snap judgments about people based on their appearance: whether they look poor or prosperous, powerful or puny. The Lord looks upon the heart of a person rather than the outward appearance. We are encouraged to do likewise.

Are we missing any Susan Boyle’s when we make our contact lists and our approaches? Are we looking past any Susan Boyle’s when we make our presentations? It’s too bad really: too bad for the Susan Boyle we missed and too bad for us!

May our Creator and Savior give us eyes that are blind to the visible flaws while yet able to see the invisible beauty in everyone around us.

Unblocking Our Faith with Focus

I believe the main block to faith is doubt. We unblock our faith by focus.

According to Webster’s Dictionary doubt is uncertainty of belief or opinion that often interferes with decision-making (or action). Some may claim their doubt is healthy skepticism. Whether doubt or healthy skepticism, it still interferes with taking action!

Circumstances and criticisms cause doubt. What do I mean by that? According to the Bible, Peter a mere man, walked on water (an act of faith). When he started looking at the waves (circumstances) he began to have doubt and sink. Suppose we loved to give roses to people, but an influential person said they were weeds (criticism)? Would we start to have doubt, would we still be able to share roses with others?

We have circumstances and criticisms bombarding us and our business daily. To overcome doubt we focus on achieving our "why" and on our mission of helping people reach their goals. We become so focused that many around us begin to recognize (or criticize) us for our focus, or faith. We overcome by staying focused on the good and true and rejecting distracting circumstances and criticisms.

May our Creator and Savior grant us laser-like focus.

Gusto with Skill = Success

Colossians 3:23-Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

2 Timothy 2:15—Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed.

For Kathi, Ann, Pat, Donna, Daryl, Sandra

Succeeding On The Job-Adapted from The Word For You Today

Nothing contributes more to job success than skillfulness. Skilled workers excel by study, practice and hard work. Such people are always ‘in demand’. Skillfulness isn’t genetic-you don’t inherit it, you work for it. You burn the midnight oil, stretch your limits etc. Watch a skilled craftsman. Your esteem rises at their attention to details, refusal to cut corners, patience, dedication, and pride in the finished product. They inspire confidence, respect, and trust. There’s no more practical demonstration of genuine Christianity than being a skilled worker. When they speak, people listen. If you doubt that, just try sharing your faith with those who see you being dishonest, shoddy and careless.

Whatever your ‘work’, Do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. We should be ‘raising the bar’ because we’re Christ’s representatives. We should set the industry standard for excellence. Knowing that we follow Christ should give to others that we work with, the confidence that they’ll get our best.

As an extension of our Christianity, we need to represent Melaleuca in the right way too-not doing a shoddy, careless job, not cutting corners, not being dishonest or overstating something, but be individuals that know our products, our compensation plan, and can trouble shoot and zero in on people’s needs to help them. It needs to be about ‘them’ not about ‘us’. We need to continue going to training meetings, listen to business CD’s. etc. We need to do things the right way. We need to inspire people to have confidence, respect and trust in us and then they will have no trouble coming along with us and Melaleuca.

Prayer: Lord, help all of us on this fast track team to continue to study to show ourselves approved in Melaleuca so we can have the confidence we need to push forward. All of us have weak areas we need to clear up and work on to make us all more effective. Bring us the help we each need. We desire your direction and help. Thank you for the accountability in this group. You are doing a work in all of us. Give us the breakthroughs we need, Lord. Help us to be skilled in Melaleuca in all the important areas, to have productive closings, to develop interactive skills in presenting. Help us to study and learn what we need to learn,--to do our part so you can do your part. Amen.

Thanks to Sandy for this contribution!

The Jim Cathcart Story...

Dear Kathi,

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to hear Jim Cathcart speak to a corporate audience. Jim is a good friend, and a great speaker. He told the story of how listening to a radio program over 25 years ago changed his life forever, and with his permission I'd like to share it with you.
In 1972, Jim was working at the Little Rock, Arkansas, Housing Authority making $525 a month, with a new wife and baby at home, no college degree, no past successes, and not much hope for the foreseeable future.

One morning, he was sitting in his office listening to the radio, to a program called "Our Changing World" by Earl Nightingale, who was known as "the Dean of Personal Development." That day, Nightingale, in his booming voice, said something that would change Jim's life forever: "If you will spend an extra hour each day of study in your chosen field, you will be a national expert in that field in five years or less."

Jim was stunned, but the more he thought about it the more it made sense. Although he had never given a speech, he had always wanted to help people grow in areas of personal development motivation. He began his quest to put Nightingale's theory to the test by reading books and listening to tapes whenever he could. He also started exercising and joined a self-improvement study group. He persisted through weeks of temptations to quit, just by doing a little more each day to further his goal. Within six months he had learned more than he had in his few years of college, and he began to believe he could turn his goal of becoming a motivational speaker into reality. All the hard work, the discipline, and study paid off. Jim now has delivered more than 2,500 speeches worldwide and has won every major award in the speaking industry.

Just like companies have market value, so do people. In the simplest terms, your market value increases by knowing and doing more. You see, Jim really understood one of my favorite laws in life...you cannot get what you've never had unless you're willing to do what you've never done.

He understood the power of 212° commitment.

You may be thinking...What is 212° commitment?

Well, here's a law of science that could change your life...

• At 211 degrees, water is hot.
• At 212 degrees, it boils.
• And with boiling water comes steam.
• And steam can power a locomotive.
• The one extra degree makes all the difference.

And so many times in business and in life, it's that one extra degree of effort that separates the good from the great.

That's what 212°...The Extra Degree is all about. The little book that I co-authored with Sam Parker is filled with great stories, great quotes and great graphics that will bring the 212° concept to life for you personally, or for your team. There are many lessons to be learned about...212° service, 212° attitude, 212° leadership, 212° perseverance, 212°commitment, 212° kindness, 212° focus and many others.

To watch our 3 minute 212° movie or to find out how to receive a free autographed copy*, just click here.

Note: This offer expires April 21, 2009.

Live with Passion,

Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths

Faith plus Action

You have heard “faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.” You may also have heard “faith without works (or action) is dead.” Do these contradict each other? Definitely not!

Remember my weight loss story? In 2008 I was ready to lose weight. I talked about, thought about it, and had faith that I could. At the end of the year I had lots of excuses but not one pound lost. I was mired in wishful thinking which by itself produces nothing.

On the other hand, if we have action without faith, it’s futile. Others will quickly see we don’t believe in what we are doing and look elsewhere for solutions to their problems. No matter how hard we work, it will seem like we are treading water and getting no where.

So in examining our businesses, is either faith or action missing? What can we do to ignite faith or action into our businesses? First of all we pray and by the grace of God, in the days ahead I will try to share some ideas for increasing our business-related faith and activity.

May our Creator and Savior grant us faith to take action in our businesses.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra

In a race, everyone runs but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win. I Corinthians 9:24 TLBA family once moved into a new apartment and soon found themselves besieged by salesmen desiring to sign them up for everything from laundry service to life insurance.

One day, a dairyman came to the door offering his services. The woman of the house said, "No, my husband and I don't drink milk." "Be glad to deliver a quart every morning for cooking." the dairyman persisted. "That's more than I need," she replied, trying to close the door. "Well, Ma'am, how about some cream? Berries comin' in now, and..." She answered curtly. "No, we never use cream."

The dairyman walked away slowly and the woman congratulated herself on her sales resistance. The following morning, however, she answered a knock at the door only to find this same dairyman at the door, a bowl of ripe strawberries held carefully in one hand and a half pint of cream in the other. "Lady," he said, as he poured the cream over the berries and handed them to her, "I got to thinkin'. If you've never used cream on berries, you sure have missed a lot in life."

Needless to say, he delivered to her house every day thereafter!

When met with resistance, a leader will use creativity and kindness to overcome obstacles. Don't take "no" for an answer, just approach the issue from a different angle.

God is a creative God. He can give you that little "extra" every day!

A gift from Donna!

Dear Chris, Skyleur, Lewis, Kathi and Steve (Bahler),

This is a letter from Ann sharing her goals and motivations!

I attended Lewis Rasmussen's training in Bloomington last evening (Lewis, as always... it was AMAZING!). I have been distracted this week because my husband Paul's father (who is 89) had heart surgery this week, developed a blood clot and had to have emergency surgery again yesterday.

However, the morning conference calls that Kathi and Steve have had as a result of the SELC Fast Track have helped keep me focused on what I should be doing to advance my business, and the support of our team during this stressful time has been wonderful.

While reading my motivational and devotional readings this morning, I read the following, excerpted from "The Maxwell Daily Reader: 365 Days of Insight to Develop and Influence Those Around You":

Good leaders never embrace a victim mentality. They recognize that who and where they are remain their responsibility - not that of their parents, their spouses, their children, the government, their bosses or their coworkers. They face whatever life throws at them and give it their best, knowing that they will get an opportunity to lead the team only if they've proved that they can carry the ball."

There is more to today's reading, but that first paragraph stopped me in my tracks!

For the benefit of those of you who do not know my story, I was an abused child, married (the first time) at age 17 to someone who was also very abusive. I divorced, met and married my second husband within a 6 month period, and moved from Pittsburgh to St. Paul with he and his two young daughters, and we have been married now for nearly 33 years.

I was raped 21 years ago, and developed a rare blood disorder/leukemia due to the stress of that event... I truly believe that, like Lewis, Melaleuca's wonderful products are the reason I am here today!

Sometime in this past 21 years, I lost my faith in myself, and even though I have thought that I was on the right path MANY times to regaining my initiative and tenacity and ability to succeed, there was still a part of me that needed to recover. Everyone who knows me has always thought that I have the ability to be successful... everyone but me!

In fact, one time, Kathi and I picked up Laraine Agren when she came to the cities to do a training. She liked us so well that she called us her "sisters"! When she left to go home, she told me she would see me at the next SELC! When I was not there (after all, I am STILL not an Executive Director!!!), she had Kathi call me and then she asked me, "Why aren't you here? If I had YOUR abilities, I would be a CORPORATE DIRECTOR, and YOU could be, also!"

Well, the passage this morning from John Maxwell made me realize that my problem is, I have embraced a VICTIM mentality... and knowing what I need to change is POWERFUL! WOW, in fact, it is mind-boggling!!!

The reason I am writing this morning is, I am casting off this victim mentality! And even though I have said this before, as Lewis told me last night. "This IS the year you will become a Senior Director!"

My goal is, I intend to accomplish this BY CONVENTION, even if I do not get the announcement until August! I may not walk across the stage this year (I HOPE I do and I will do everything I can to ensure I achieve SD status by June 30th so I can!)... but Chris, you WILL have the chance to call me and tell me I FINALLY achieved Senior Director!

Thanks to ALL of you for your continued faith in my abilities... I LOVE this company, and like Lewis, I love all of you!

Sincerely,.

Ann Good

"You can never go back and make a brand new start. But you CAN start from now and make a brand new ending." - Henry Ford

Meleconomic Ants?

The ant is one of God’s smallest creatures and yet God commends them as an example of industriousness. Why is that? Anyone who lives in Florida or Texas has heard of the red fire ant. While they are not creative, they are resourceful. Home owners have tried to exterminate them, but their numbers seem to be growing. Rake down their hill and they will replace it or move it, sometimes in only a few hours. They do a few things over and over: they procreate, gather food, dig dens, bite anyone who gets in their way, and move when they are threatened. They have been doing these things since they were created and will continue to do them.

What do we learn about our business from the ant? We learn that repetitive tasks are necessary. We learn that there is a right time to do things. We learn that we can prosper, even in adversity, when we do the right tasks. We learn that urgent action is our friend.

May our Creator and Savior grant us the industriousness and urgency of the ant when it comes to building and maintaining our businesses.

ON TRUST

I bless you with the ability to trust God.

Beloved ones [Ann, Pat, Donna, Kathi, Daryl, Sandy] I bless you with experiencing your Father’s faithfulness, his faithful love toward you, for your emotions to be aware, to know, to savor, to feel, to relish the love your Father expresses toward you. I bless you with experiencing the love of the Father so often that you can never doubt your Father’s love for you! I bless you with no anxiety in the present because God has spoken so richly to you in the past. I bless you with the surety of knowing he will speak again at the right time and the right place. I bless you with seeing so much of his protection that you will trust him implicitly. I bless you in the name of your Eternal Dwelling Place. Amen.

In thinking about what to say today, I felt these are the words the Lord wanted to speak to our group. Sandy.

My children, I speak to you today. I know your hearts, your hurts, your disappointments, your challenges, and, yes, even what gives you joy. For I have made you for My plans and purposes. Even though you have repeatedly failed or been prevented from accomplishing what you’ve set forth to do (your goals, your plans), I still guide your days, your weeks. My children, you are a part of a bigger plan, something you can’t see. Continue to make your plans with your business, knowing I am right there beside you helping you carry out your actions. Be patient with Me as I direct your paths for My glory. Keep pressing in. Galatians 6:9-Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Daryl ended the call time with prayer for Morris, (Paul’s father), Kathi, (who was sick), Amanda (Leukemia) and the rest of the group for other needs and encouragement.

Fast Tract Devotion-Daryl/Sandra Simpson
Friday-April 10, ‘09

What Motivates Us to Take Action?

Let’s take a minute and ask ourselves a few questions:

• What are some successes in my life that I never thought I would achieve?
• What kept me going, even when the going got tough?
• What were the motivations, specifically?
• Are these motivations in my life today?
• If not, what can I do to restore the power of motivation into my life?

Some are motivated by affirmation and praise. Others by powerful emotions like fear and love. Motivation comes from the examples of others. Positive or negative criticism can motivate some. We can understand and deliberately cultivate motivational energy into our lives.

Knowingly or unknowingly, motivational input comes from the people around us. Proverbs 25:11 talks about “words aptly spoken.” If motivational energy is missing, we give permission for someone to speak the words that are “apt to us,” whether the words are affirmation or criticism or different words for different seasons. Then we draw from those words inner motivation to meet our goals.

May our Creator and Savior use others to speak apt words into our lives so we can accomplish all He has set before us.

Formula for Success = Goal + Roadmap + Action + Measure (GRAM)

Good goal, no change, good grief!

At the beginning of 2008, I set a goal to lose weight. It was the perfect goal. I had a good why. I knew this was going to be the year. My weight loss in 2008 was … zero, nada, zilch.

Same Goal New Formula

GOAL
For 2009 I set the same goal.

ROADMAP
I made a roadmap consisting of:

• A graph showing my desired weight on any given day on the path to my goal;
• High calorie food items to avoid; and,
• Exercises to burn calories.

ACTION
I took consistent action to follow the road map.

MEASURE
I recorded and compared my weight with the daily objective.

New Formula, Different Results

After three months, I am actually ahead of my goal. The graph shows consistent weight loss. If you look closely, you can see some flat spots when I did not consistently follow the road map. All it took was a little extra effort the next week to get back on schedule. You can check it out at http://bahlerfamily6.blogspot.com/.

May our Creator and Savior grant us favor as we add just a GRAM to our businesses and daily lives.

It's All About THEM

Each week we measure and report our progress. Did we meet our milestones? If so, we are doing the right things, we celebrate and keep going!

If we did not meet our milestones, we ask ourselves:

• Did we keep our “business hours”
• Did we make approaches but got no appointments
• Did we make appointments but got no enrollments

If any of these are true, then it is time to adjust.

We need to set and keep our “open for business” hours no matter what. We do that for our employers at our regular jobs. We need to do that for our businesses. Most illnesses such as colds or flu do not prevent us from making approaches by e-mail. We can ask others to make the presentation for us.

But what if we are working and getting no new customers. We prayerfully evaluate our TECHNIQUE, our HEART, our ENTHUSIASM, and our MOTIVATION. We examine THEM. If something is missing in any of these, we humble ourselves and seek advice and wisdom.

May our Creator and Savior continually renew our business techniques, heart, enthusiasm and motivation to His glory and for the benefit of those we touch.

Million Dollar Why

When we see those who are successful in their businesses, what do we think deep down inside? Do we feel they were just lucky like lottery winners? Do we feel they knew a few key people, or thousands of people. Do we envy their amazing charm and “presence?” If we don’t have some of these gifts, does that give us an excuse to miss our goals regularly?

Maybe what they have is not a winning lottery ticket, but a ”million-dollar why.” Their “why” was so big, so compelling, they kept working even when it was not convenient or easy. When we listen to the stories of successful businesses, we quickly understand that the “why” was way more important than the skill or contacts or charisma.

In today’s economy there are lots of people with “million-dollar whys.” We just have to find them and help them see how our business can help them meet their whys.

May our Creator and Savior open our eyes to see those around us who have compelling “whys” and open our mouths to share our opportunity with clarity and conviction.

Bless Your Spirit

This was provided by Daryl and Sandy from the booklet : Daily Spirit Blessings (With The Blessings Of Your Father And The Names of God) By: Arthur Burk and Sylvia Gunter

God is the fount of every blessing and of the abundant life that blessing brings. The Bible was written in and to a culture that was steeped in blessing-the blessing of shalom (peace), blessing the child with his name, the patriarchal blessing to the sons, etc-the list goes on. But our culture doesn’t understand blessing as it was practiced in the Bible.

The most profound blessing we need and can receive is the Father-heart of God, his special creation of us, his kind intention toward us, his matchless love for us, his glory revealed in us. Some of Father God’s best healing work today is establishing our true identity in him with his rich blessing. The blessings of the Father are designed to tune our spirit to our Father’s heart over a 40 day period.

Why should we bless our spirits? Because God is a spirit and we are made in his image.

How To Bless Yourself :

Be intentional. Start with yourself so that you can bless others from a full cup. Pray one blessing a day several times during the day.

Begin each time of blessing for yourself by saying something like this example, “Spirit of {insert your name}, come to the front to receive God’s best for you today.”

Then pray the prayer blessing for that day found at www.thefathersbusiness.com. The soul (your mind, your will and your emotions) will be listening but these blessings are intended to build up your spirit to more easily connect with God’s Spirit and receive identity and legitimacy and direction from him.

How To Bless Others:

As you pray these prayers for others, you might begin the prayer blessings by saying, Beloved one (and put in their full name), I call your spirit to the front to hear God’s blessing for you today.” Then pray the prayer blessing for that day found at www.thefathersbusiness.com or the one you want to say for them-40 different ones to choose from.

Seeing What We Believe

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

For a long time when people are walking across the stage at the convention in recognition of their advancements, we “see” you. Many of you have been in the business for several years, others only a short time. Each year we see you crossing the stage, waving when the announcer calls your name, prancing to the music, that brief moment of panic while you wonder if your clothes are functioning properly, catching a brief glimpse of yourself on the big screen, waving and smiling again to the cheers of the crowd and to the group waiting for you at the bottom of the ramp. You are nearly blinded by the bright lights and cameras flashing as you get closer. It’s is an awesome experience.

Though none of you have actually crossed the stage yet, that does not diminish what we see. You will and it will be a great day for you and everyone in attendance. With the strength of the Creator and Savior, we press on!

Do It Now and Fear Not

Ann recommends this excerpt from “Starting Your Day Right/ Ending Your Day Right” by Joyce Meyer

The Lord said to Abram, Go… away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1

How would you feel if God told you to leave your home, your family, and everything that is familiar and comfortable and head out to who knows where?

That is the challenge Abram faced, and it frightened him. But God kept saying to him, “Fear not.” That’s the same message He gave to Joshua when He called him to lead the children of Israel to the promised land.

You want to wait until you’re not afraid before you do anything, but if you do that, you will accomplish very little for God. Abram and Joshua has to step out in faith and obedience to do what God had commanded them to do – and they had to do it afraid. They took “steps of faith” even though they had “feelings of fear.”

That’s what you will have to do to accomplish the job God wants you to do. But He’ll be with you, saying, “Fear not.”

Determine Your TQ or Time Quotient

This training is from the website: www.thinktq.com

If you go to that site, you can take a brief test, then take a more detailed 100 question test to determine your “TQ or Time Quotient” and learn a lot about time planning and time management.

Some Quotes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The greatest inspiration is often born of desperation."~ Comer Cotrell

"The biggest difference between time and space is that you can't reuse time."~ Merrick Furst

"A man/woman who does not think and plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door." ~ Confucius

"Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success." ~ Stephen A. Brennan

"You CAN succeed at whatever you do, as long as you simply take the right ACTIONS." -- E.R. Haas, CEO

"Point of view is worth 20 IQ points."~ E. R. Haas

"Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now." ~ Alan Lakein

Complete this week's Lesson In Excellence on planning. Listen to the audio track.

"Answer the Integrating Questions (IQ's) so you can improve your TQ! It may well change your life. -- E.R. Haas, CEO

Vision and Hope

This is provided by Donna N and is an exept from Steven Scott's book The Richest Man Who Ever Lived

Solomon's power source is VISION, and his fuel is HOPE. But don't be deceived by their simplicity. You'll discover that their combined power is like the power produced by splitting an atom.

Solomon's concept of VISION and HOPE is radically different from our contemporary concepts of these words. We hear the word "vision," and we picture something abstract such as a mystical experience or a dream. We hear the word "hope," and we instantly think of a wish or a desire. Our contemporary concepts of these two words fall woefully short of Solomon's concepts.

Vision is not something abstract or intangible, nor is hope a mere wish or desire. To Solomon, vision and hope are both tangible and precise. Understanding what Solomon meant when he used these two words is critical to achieving anything extraordinary with your life.

For most people, the word "vision" has little more relevance to their daily life than a modern-art painting has to choosing the highways they will follow when going on a vacation. By Solomon's definition most people either have no vision at all for what they want in life, or the vision they have is vague and abstract (to be more successful, wealthier, etc.). To Solomon, a vision was not abstract at all.

For him, gaining a true vision was more like using a highway atlas. It means having a perfectly clear picture of an ultimate destination and a detailed road map to get there. In my failed jobs after college, I never had a clear and precise vision of what I wanted to achieve. It's not surprising that they lasted less than a year or produced only minimal income. On the other hand, in my tenth job, I had a very clear vision for my first project. I created a detailed road map of my goals, and outlined the steps and tasks that I needed to complete to achieve those goals and fulfill that vision. The result? Within six months of starting the job, our sales skyrocketed from a thousand dollars a week to more than a million dollars a week.

A VISION IS A PRECISE, CLEARLY DEFINED GOAL WITH A DETAILED PLAN AND TIMETABLE FOR ACHIEVING THAT GOAL.

Have No Fear

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 KJV

Have you ever started to step out in faith and, even at the thought of it, felt fear rising up in you? It happens to everyone, but it is important to realize that the source of fear is Satan.

Satan doesn’t want you to do what God wants you to do and receive all God has for you, so he sends fear to try to torment you into being doubtful and miserable. Fear is an evil spirit that hinders progress.

But you can live without fear by building your faith on what God has said in His Word. There is great power in confessing the Word of God.

So when Satan attempts to torment you with fear, confess what the Word says – that the Lord is with you and “will not fail you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Take steps of faith even if you have to “do it afraid.”

Provided by Ann; Excerpted from “Starting Your Day Right/ Ending Your Day Right” by Joyce Meyer