For the past 5 days I was bed ridden with a terrible cold. Although it was not very much fun to be sick, it was somewhat of a blessing.

It gave me a chance to really sit back and reflect over the past nine months in my network marketing business.

It also gave me a chance to truly sit back and see the power of network marketing first hand.

While I was sick my team grew by about 100 people and 4 people joined directly through me and I had absolutely nothing to do with it.

This, as far as I am concerned, is magic!

Remember Jim Rohn's quote?

?Everything in life that's magic is challenging, but once the challenge is understood and one set out to work on that challenge magic happens.?

I experienced the meaning of this quote first hand over the last few days while sick and bed ridden.

I'd like to share with you what my time of reflection taught me about the game of network marketing.

Network Marketing Success Is A Choice

Most people that get involved with network marketing don't see network marketing for what it truly is.

They see the testimonials of people making huge incomes quickly and they for the most part wrongly perceive network marketing as a quick fix to an immediate money problem.

I know this from experience because I see it everyday.

This perspective is completely WRONG and will set 95% of newbies up for frustration and failure purely based on their expectations.

Network marketing is not a short term solution to a short term problem; rather it's a long term plan for CREATING a life of freedom.

If most people were able to see network marketing for what it truly is then retention rates would be close to 100% and long term success per enrollee would be much higher.

Why?

People would choose to start a network marketing business for the RIGHT reason.

Let me ask you a question . . .

Who stands the greater chance of succeeding in network marketing?

The person who joins because they are in dire NEED of money NOW and expect to see a paycheck in the next 30 days regardless of their experience level or true work output.

OR

The person who joins a network marketing company who KNOWS that the journey they are about to embark on is long term and that it will likely take them six months to get a true handle for the basics and another six months to begin the long term growth process. (But dually know that in the next 3 to 5 years they will create the lifestyle to freely choose what to do with their time from then on out.)

I don't know about you . . .

but I think the second person has a much greater chance of succeeding.

I'm about to say something that is very important so please read this very closely and maybe even write it down.

There is really NO difference between the first and second person.

In fact, the first and second person I described could for all intensive purposes be the SAME exact person.

How?

Well . . . The only difference between these two people is the PERSPECTIVE that they take on the business.

IMPORTANT:

It is in the perspective that one takes that his or her success is determined.

This means that true network marketing success PRECEDES its physical manifestation and further is simply a CHOICE.

You can either choose to succeed in network marketing or you can choose a paradigm that will force failure upon you.

I'm not in this game to fail, so the choice remains simple to me.

I choose to succeed and that's all you have to do too.

But . . .

Choosing to succeed takes courage.

Once you choose to succeed you must then choose to hold to your conviction.

Can you make the choice to succeed and then see it through to completion?

Only you can answer this honestly.

So take the time to answer this question to lend perspective. . .

If I told you that the next year of your life was going to be the toughest year you've ever had in every way imaginable, but at the end of it you would be free to live the rest of your life anyway you choose, would you be willing to go through it for the reward of FREEDOM at the end of the tunnel?

Whether or not this question accurately reflects your first year in network marketing is besides the point, it's a litmus test.

Answer this honestly and you will know what FREEDOM means to you.

Is it something to strive for at all costs or is it something that would be nice to have if you could somehow luck into it?

Successful network marketers see it as a black and white situation.

FREEDOM above all else.

Here's the truth about network marketing.

It's harder than you think. It cost more money than you think. It takes more time than you think. It takes more passion than you think. It will test your convictions over and over again. It will leave you exhausted. It will frustrate you over and over again. It will actually cost you a good more of your freedom in the short term than you think. Your friends and family will most likely think you crazy for going through all this.

But . . .

If you endure you will earn a life of your choosing.

So I ask you,

Do you have what it takes?