Month: August 2008

The Dream of Business Ownership – The Affirmation Spot for Saturday August 30, 2008

Today’s Affirmation:

“My income is rising day by day, month by month, year by year.” (audio version)

 

[Note: I am not affiliated with any of the companies discussed in this article. The links provided are to the respective companies’ corporate websites.]

From skin care to baskets to cleaning products to products made from rare tropical fruits; there has never been so many ways to own your own business.

Multilevel Marketing (MLM) – sometimes referred to as network marketing – has its friends and foes. While it is always advisable to make sure you are working with a reputable company selling reputable products, many people are quite successful in MLM. Other people consider MLMs to be a “scam” or a “pyramid scheme”.

They point out that a few people at the top make a lot of money on the backs of the large number of people at the bottom. That’s an interesting argument in light of the fact it is also true of most corporations. What MLMs offer, for people willing to work, is a chance to become one of those top people. As with most endeavors, achievement comes down to the five ingredients of success.

The big benefit offered by legitimate MLMs is the dream of owning your own business. Many people sit in a cube or stand at the assembly line all day wishing they were the boss and that they had more control over their own financial destiny. They dream of owning their own business.

MLMs offer the opportunity to own a business for a much smaller investment than buying a McDonald’s franchise and much less training than becoming a real estate agent. However, anyone getting into a MLM opportunity and thinking its a way to “get rich quick” is probably in for a shock.

There have been instances when people have actually accomplished that, but most people have to work at it and smartly market their business to succeed.

I came across a very interesting website that documents Internet buzz around MLM companies and ranks them according to search engine inquiries. The site is called MLM Rankings. The site offers monthly rankings and categories such as fastest moving.

This month’s top ten include mostly companies you hear a lot about.

  1. Avon, Inc. – for the first time in memory, Avon has been running national television commercials lately. It seems to be paying off in their Internet buzz.
  2. Tupperware – direct marketing company famous for its airtight plastic containers. Tupperware celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007. Few American homes are without some Tupperware.
  3. Kirby – the vacuum cleaning company.
  4. Herbalife International – direct-marketing nutrition and weight management company based in California.
  5. Longaberger – the company is based in Ohio and is famous for its handcrafted baskets.
  6. Mary Kay Cosmetics – most people know the story of Mary Kay Ash. She founded Mary Kay and opened the door for women around the world to pursue their dream of business ownership.
  7. Amway/Quixtar – perhaps the most famous of all direct marketing companies, Amway was founded in 1959. The company is well-known for its cleaning products. Recently, Amway began running national television ads featuring the voice of John Tesh. 
  8. PartyLite Gifts, Inc. – direct marketer of premium candles and candle accessories.
  9. Pampered Chef – direct seller of premium kitchen tools. 
  10. Arbonne International – direct marketer of fine skin care products.
This month’s top gainers in the MLM Rankings were:
  • Tahitian Noni International – the company produces and sells products based on the Noni berry. Founded in 1996, last year sales exceeded $500 million globally.
  • Discovery Toys – manufactures and distributes high-quality developmental and educational toys.

MLMs are not for everyone. However, these days the wide variety of companies allows many people the freedom to pursue their dream of business ownership while they do something they enjoy.

Stay inspired!

Ray

www.theaffirmationspot.com offers downloadable mp3 affirmations for nearly every area of life – sports, sales, wealth and prosperity, health and fitness, personal growth – to name just a few. Our library is growing all the time. Remember your fifth affirmation on each order is always free.


Beyond “Happy Thoughts” – The Affirmation Spot for Friday August 29, 2008

Today’s thought is:

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.”
~ Benjamin Disraeli

Many people equate positive thinking with naivete. Thinking “happy thoughts”, they point out, in the face of tragedy or difficulty is unrealistic.

There seems to be a defensiveness in that line of thinking. It renders as, “If I let my guard down enough to think ‘happy thoughts’ when things are tough, I’m going to get hurt. So, I’m going to steel myself against that possibility by thinking negative (um, realistic) thoughts.”

I can’t think of a better time to think “happy thoughts” than in the face of struggle. The challenge is whether or not you can. It’s not so easy to face down injustice, sadness, depression, and hatred with a sense of peace and a wise smile. It takes incredible strength and fortitude to do that and we, this blogger included, often fail miserably.

Negativity (um, realism) is like a powerful gravity well sucking us into its depths. We become caught up in negativity (um, realism) and we find ourselves getting more negative (um, realistic) by the moment. A “happy thought” is a very good thing at that moment. it changes the perspective. After all, the overwhelming majority of stresses we feel in our lives are rooted in our thinking. Maybe, just maybe, changing your thoughts changes the situation.

“Happy thoughts” are beneficial, but only a beginning. Empowered thinking is the ultimate goal. Empowered thinking changes the dynamic from throwing “happy thoughts” against a stressful world to actually feeling strong enough to act for change.

Three elements of Empowered Thinking

  1. Thought aspect – you have to think positively. Belief and commitment are important in any endeavor. Positive thinking is imperative to maximize those attributes. Positive thinking is the basis for empowered thinking, but empowered thinking is more than just positive thinking. It incorporates two more elements.
  2. Knowledge aspect – you have to be informed. In achievement pursuits, know what you are trying to achieve and be informed on what is going to be involved in succeeding. Knowing that ahead of time can help you prepare mentally for it. When empowering your thinking to critically evaluate information (such as in politics) you need to know as many of the facts as possible. Positive thinking and a lack of information do not allow you to take powerful action.
  3. Action aspect – empowered thinking is more than just thinking and knowing. Empowered thinking includes action. If you have incorporated the first two elements, your actions can be motivated and informed.

While “happy thoughts” may provide you a kind of protective shield; empowered thoughts help you break out of your shell and move forward towards a better you, a better life, and a better world.

Stay inspired!

Ray

www.theaffirmationspot.com offers downloadable mp3 affirmations for nearly every area of life – sports, sales, wealth and prosperity, health and fitness, personal growth – to name just a few. Our library is growing all the time.


101 Ways to Use Affirmations – The Affirmation Spot for Tuesday August 26, 2008

Today’s Affirmation:

“Whatever goal or dream I choose to pursue, I find success.”

Affirmations are such an underutilized tool in our society. Many people have mistakenly associated them with just a few areas of life – self-development, recovery, or sales. The fact is they are a simple and effective tool for improving nearly any area of your life where you want to improve or acheive.

Affirmations are the thought part of the equation. They must be supported by action. Remember, a mind practicing empowered thinking is much more apt to take the actions that make dreams so.

Here are 101 ways to use affirmations to get you started.

  1. Empower your thinking
  2. Empower action in your life
  3. Improve your golf swing
  4. Develop your confidence
  5. Advance your career
  6. Exceed your quota
  7. Experience more peace
  8. Win more games
  9. Become a better public speaker
  10. Become a better student
  11. Build your self-esteem
  12. Successfully battle addictions
  13. Live more happily
  14. Focus on your goals
  15. Achieve your goals
  16. Become a better musician
  17. Become a better shortstop
  18. Become a better gymnast
  19. Deepen your faith
  20. Stay motivated in the face of difficulty
  21. Improve  creativity
  22. Give yourself some credit
  23. Attract a better job
  24. Become a better quarterback
  25. Become a better dancer
  26. Become a better free throw shooter
  27. Enhance your trust in yourself
  28. Enhance your trust in the Universe
  29. Enhance your trust in God
  30. Achieve more
  31. Strengthen your commitment to your relationships
  32. Improve your tennis serve
  33. Commit to and achieve weight loss
  34. Commit to an exercise program
  35. Improve your cooking
  36. Become a faster swimmer
  37. Write your best
  38. Challenge yourself
  39. Gain inspiration for your painting
  40. Build a more successful business
  41. Increase your sales
  42. Help you appreciate life
  43. Develop new skills
  44. Become a better skier
  45. Become a hockey player
  46. Become a more successful author
  47. Help you pursue your dreams of a singing career
  48. Deal with stress
  49. Handle adversity
  50. Become a better engineer
  51. Connect to your audience
  52. Pursue your acting dreams
  53. Be the best coach
  54. Start over
  55. Try something new
  56. Experience more love
  57. Feel more joy
  58. Find encouragement
  59. Encourage growth
  60. Become a better engineer
  61. Take charge of your dreams
  62. Become a better pitcher
  63. Improve your putting
  64. Envision a better life
  65. Stay organized
  66. Get more done
  67. Become a better preacher
  68. Write your great novel
  69. Paint your great painting
  70. Develop a sense of purpose
  71. Develop more wisdom
  72. Become a better volleyball player
  73. Become a better architect
  74. Age gracefully
  75. Enjoy life
  76. Become a better poet
  77. Assume leadership confidently
  78. Be your best
  79. Change direction in life
  80. Calm down
  81. Become a better lawyer
  82. See the beauty in life
  83. Become a better teacher
  84. Appreciate nature
  85. Remind you that you have choices
  86. Get control of your finances
  87. Become a better salesperson
  88. Make more time for you
  89. Succeed more often
  90. Become a stronger person
  91. Become a better manager
  92. Inspire others
  93. Make a difference
  94. Become a better right fielder
  95. Improve your gardening
  96. Make time for leisure
  97. Achieve relaxation
  98. Become a better police officer
  99. Attract business opportunities
  100. Make peace with money
  101. Fine-tune practically any skill

 

Stay inspired!

Ray

5 Positive Things You Won’t See at the Democratic Convention

Quote from George Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796

“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.”

Freedom demands empowered and informed thinking. Following is a list of five positive things you could, but will not see at this week’s Democratic National Convention. While the balloons are falling for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, much more is really going on.

I’m not picking on the Democrats. We will the same missed opportunity for positive change at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis in a couple of weeks.

  1. Democracy – there has been a lot of talk of a last-minute Hillary coup at the convention. I’m not saying that would be a good or a bad thing. I’m just saying it’s not going to happen.
  2. Pro-Peace Speeches – wasn’t one of Mr. Obama’s original appeals his opposition to the war? Now he seems to be doing a bait and switch on the war. Afghanistan is a good war and Iraq is a bad war. There will be no questioning of whether or not the U.S. should cease pursuing war around the world.
  3. A Call to Undo Domestic Spying – Mr. Obama could pledge to undo the abusive expansion of the internal spy apparatus, but he will not. He put crazy talk like that to rest with his vote on FISA reauthorization.
  4. Freedom of Speech – the practice of setting up free speech zones far from cameras and politicians continues. The premise here is you can have your First Amendment as long as it is where no one can hear you. It seems vaguely reminiscent of what the Chinese did at the Olympics for protestors.
  5. Lower Taxes – you’re not going to see calls to lower taxes on ordinary Americans dealing with high fuel prices, high food prices, and high healthcare costs.

I bring up these things not to be negative, but to point out that we have a lot of room for positive change in the American political system. We have slowly drifted from our core values of freedom and there is no place like the political party conventions to be reminded of it.

In a couple of months, we will see the power of the two major parties again. They will deny third, fourth, and fifth parties (parties that may receive hundreds of thousands to millions of votes in November) from standing on the same stage and engaging Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain in open debate. Open debate and discussion, isn’t that what freedom is all about? Why are they so against it?

Maybe this year more people will want an answer to that question.

Ultimately, I’m optimistic. I believe the American people are becoming aware of what they have lost and are going to demand it back soon.

As this empowered thinking and tide of wisdom grows, I can only wonder if the Democrat and Republican parties will adapt to a more open system or become historical relics.

Stay inspired!
Ray

Enjoying Life on the Way to Your Dreams

Today’s Thought:

“Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed.”

~ Corita Kent

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about pursuing goals and dreams. It’s a critical part of life and a significant part of what I believe we are here to do.

However, there’s a possible casualty in our undying drive towards those goals and dreams. That casualty is NOW. We can become so determined to reach some future finish line that NOW becomes nothing more than an expendable commodity to be consumed in that pursuit.

We begin to think that we can sacrifice NOW in the pursuit of this gigantic future we are planning. To some extent, we do have to use NOW as a stepping stone towards our desired accomplishments. If we don’t align our thinking and actions with our goals and dreams in the NOW, we will never achieve them.

We just need to be careful not to discount NOW. NOW is a beautiful place in its own right and, as many wise people have pointed out, it’s all we truly have.

The prolific and award-winning American author Ursula K. LeGuin once said, “It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”

The journey is NOW. That’s all the “fly over country” you are covering on your way to your goal or dream. The problem is that NOW is more than merely “fly over country”. It’s the time you sacrifice with family. It’s the opportunities you miss to stop and smell the proverbial flowers. It’s even taking a moment to stop and enjoy the milestones you reach on your way to the big goal.

Don’t forget do enjoy NOW! Your goal or dream will be hollow when you get there, if you have sacrificed too much for it. It’s not an either/or choice. You can enjoy NOW and still be driven to summit your Everest.

For years, the late radio personality Casey Kasem ended his broadcasts with the aphorism, “Keep your feet on the ground (NOW) and keep reaching for the stars (your dreams and goals).”

It’s good advice for us all as we walk the road to our personal promise land.

Stay inspired!

Ray

Ray Davis is the founder of The Affirmation Spot. He’s been studying and practicing personal development for 30 years. He’s also studied many of the world’s spiritual traditions and mythologies.

Find more TAS motivational content.

Website | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter