The average tenure of a network marketer is less than 90 days, with most people deciding to quit network marketing before they even really get started. I was presented with teachable moment this morning that I would like to share with you.
Today I was doing some administrative work when my wife and 12 year old son appeared in the room. My son was in tears declaring that he could not mow the lawn because it was “too hard.” Now my son has not had any difficult mowing the lawn previously, but it has rained quite a bit in the last few days and it is summer in Texas, so he had just determined in his mind that he could not do it.
Now let me fill in some blanks for you. My son had already mowed half of the yard, but he had done it in this manner. He would mow about 5 minutes and then come in to take a break for another 10 minutes. Then he simply determined that he could not mow anymore, it was just too hard. I may not be the most sympathetic dad in the world. I told him that he needed to figure out how to complete the task. He insisted that he was trying and I countered that if he was trying he would be outside with the lawnmower, not in my room crying. I told him that he needed to draw on his creativity and figure out a way to overcome his obstacles. Needless to say, the yard is now mowed.
So what does this have to do with your network marketing business? Too many network marketers are like my son with the lawn. They approach their business with more of a hobby mentality and not a gut level commitment. They have not made the decision deep within to push through, no matter how challenging the business is, until they reach their goals. Like my son, many network marketers would tearfully say “I’m trying.” In reality their efforts have been more along these lines. They sent out postcards or emails to 100 friends when they entered the business and only a handful gave them the time of day and in the end it was a sympathetic family member who may have joined the business. So they went online and they began to post their website link all over Facebook and yet their results were dismal. So now they have determined that network marketing is impossible and have made the decision to quit.
Unfortunately, this describes nearly 97% of the people who enter network marketing. Whether it was ignorance or idealism that brought them into the business, somewhere along they way they missed the point that this is a business. As with any business, a network marketing business requires gut level commitment and raw determination. When obstacles are faced there are only 3 choices: Go over, go around or go through. Turning back is never an option and quitting is never a consideration.
So now I want to give you the same kind of tough love I gave my son. You joined your network marketing business, because you wanted to provide a better future for your family. You didn’t want to be bound by the limitations of being an employee. You wanted the freedom to go and do things that are only dreams for most people. You wanted to help others who were less fortunate by giving them a helping hand. These were your reasons “why.” Until you decide there is no turning back from the pursuit of these goals and aspirations, you might as well quit the network marketing business, because you are not convinced of the sheer importance of obtaining those goals.
In the end it is your commitment to your reasons why that keeps you from saying “I quit” to the business of network marketing.
