The reason I chose "booby trap" is because the subjects I'm going to explain to you can in fact catch you off guard and be a hazard if you're not knowledgeable about their existence.

There are three phases that one goes through as they advance (if they do) in their MLM business - each can be a booby trap to the individual.

Introverting

The first phase is what I call Introverting. Introverting is defined as: to direct your mind inward and examine or dwell on personal thoughts, feelings, and motives. (Encarta Dictionary)

So how can we use this definition in an MLM business? Normally introversion occurs in the very beginning of one's career in network marketing. The indicators of someone introverting are when one is greatly concerned with what he or she LOOKS or SOUNDS like to others. When they're studying or practicing scripts they're so focused on the actual words that they don't communicate the meaning or concept to the prospect. What they say sounds stupid - like they're scared or uncomfortable. Their voice shakes and they sound very unsure of themselves - which communicates, "I don't believe in what I'm doing" to the prospect.

See they're not focused on the prospect - they're focused on SAYING the right thing. Therefore the concept of what they're saying doesn't REACH the prospect.

So if you're a new person and you are constantly thinking about what other people think about you - you must get past it. Here's how to get past it:

1) Drill - which means repeat something over and over, what you're going to say BEFORE you get in front of a live person.

2) Focus all your attention on the prospect.

3) Get into such a high activity that you don't have time to focus on your fears.

When you confront what you fear enough times, you fear it no more. As you CONTINUE to do this, you will start focusing on DOING IT instead of worrying whether you CAN do it or not. Then something bizarre will happen. You'll sponsor someone in your MLM business. And on that day you'll realize you really CAN do it.

MLM distributors who do not get out of introversion end up trapped by it and either quit or don't succeed. They are also the ones who say, "The M.L.M business just isn't for me." Or they will claim the WHOLE industry doesn't work.

Every time I see or hear this I think, "Wow, should I send my bonus check back to the company - EVERY MONTH - because somebody says the industry doesn't work?" Of course it works. But the first barrier you have to get past is what other people think of you.

Okay, so for this discussion, pretend that you actually get past yourself (introversion) and into activity. You start bringing people into your MLM business and you feel wonderful. You get real confident and it almost seems effortless to bring people into the business.

The people that are still in introversion are almost mesmerized by your abilities and want to know your "MLM success secret." When they hear the secret they're shocked that it's the same old stuff. There is no secret. The primary difference is one is out-of-introversion and DOING IT and the other is still worried about what people might think and are "TRYING" to do it right.

Doing It All

The next trap I've called DOING IT ALL. The success of being able to sponsor people into your MLM business eventually becomes a booby trap as well - and it is very well concealed. The person has sponsored several people and has been praised so much by his or her peers for the ability to sponsor people that they identify themselves as "the person who can sponsor a lot of people." Meaning their identity gets stuck to that one activity.

I've seen people sponsor 30, 50, 100 people and just keep on doing it. Waiting for someone to be as effective as they are. Occasionally one might sponsor someone who has gotten past introversion in another field, but normally not. The symptoms of DOING IT ALL are statements like:

- "None of my people are doing anything!"

- "How do I motivate my downline?"

- "I keep sponsoring duds."

If this is you - you've watched very valuable, very capable people fall through the cracks. You're adding people as fast as they're dropping off the other end.

You are delusional to think you're going to find someone who will get past introversion without your help! Stop it. You're doing the industry a disservice because it generates a higher failure rate in the MLM industry. You're doing yourself a disservice because it can be very disheartening to sponsor all these people thinking you're going to be making a ton of money on them only to see them quit within a month or two.

You must train the people you sponsor. If you're unwilling to make a leader out of the person you're sponsoring - don't sponsor them! It takes great patience to train people in network marketing. You have to sit through the pain of listening to them present - WARNING - don't do this on an empty stomach. You want so badly to save them - you can't...if you ever want to make a lot of money in MLM. Doing it for them only handicaps them. You cannot do it for them - you must train, train, train, and when you think they will never get it - you train some more.

They will get it when YOU get enough patience. By the way, don't stop your training until you see that your distributors can properly train THEIR distributors. If you don't do this step your MLM business will not move past the 3rd level. You won't build a Christmas tree (better than saying pyramid :)...you'll build a diamond. All your volume will be up in your first 2-3 levels.

Velvet Rut

The final trap is what I call the VELVET RUT. You're making 3-7 thousand dollars a month and the thought of going back to recruiting again is daunting. The reason I call it the velvet rut is because you're making just enough money to keep you in the game - so it's kind of comfortable, but because you're not making the money you've dreamed of it's still a rut - therefore a trap. Go back to work and sponsor 3 or 4 more and build them into leaders. GET YOUR DREAM.