Getting up early to work out, cold calling leads, keeping those New Year's resolutions - all is more likely to happen if you have someone to do it with.

2000 years ago, Jesus instructed his disciples to "go two by two" when spreading His Word. The Buddha, 500 years earlier, encouraged "Noble Friendships in the Holy life" to reinforce individual resolve to stick with it.

And now, research shows something even more intriguing: seems just the anticipation of help makes the load seem lighter than it actually is.

In one study, subjects were asked to estimate the weight of transparent boxes filled with different quantities of potatoes...

"If the subject believed that another participant was going to help lift the box, her weight estimates were actually lower than if she thought she would have to hoist it by herself."

Alone makes a challenge seem harder that it really is...

"A hill appears steeper to a heavily laden hiker."

"knowing help is on the way makes the [same] load seem lighter." - N. Sebanz, Scientific American Mind (Dec. 2006, subscription)

Moral. If you are having a hard time getting started or sticking with doing the hard stuff for your business, make plans to get a buddy to do it with you. Merely anticipating a buddy will add to your resolve and reserves. Imagine when the buddy arrives!

They're likely very eagerly awaiting you, too.

P.S. Cross-company buddies (A Mia Bella Candles rep teamed up with an Herbalife rep for example) have worked wonders for people in my classes, hundreds of whom have called leads together. Reduces upline-downline stress too. We're setting up cross-company buddy teams now on Network Marketing Central for any member who wants a 'safe' buddy to do networking things with. (safe: someone who won't hit you up to join their business.)