Crush Your Competition

"You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy."
~Arthur Ashe

Are you ready to grow your business like an Olympian? Over the past week, Shani Davis has done for speed skating what Arthur Ashe did for tennis--won gold medals in a sport not traditionally performed by blacks. Apolo Anton Ohno has done for the winter Olympics what Michael Phelps did for the summer games--won record Olympic medals. And Team USA beat Team Canada for the first time in 25 years.

Champions don't just happen. These people endure hours of grueling training every day to ensure peak performance during competition. They push past injuries, surgeries, illnesses. When they fall down, they don't stay there. They get back up, and then they get back in the game.

Here are a few ways you can incorporate Olympic-style training in your business:

Overcome Self-Limiting Beliefs. Self-limiting beliefs are those things you believe about yourself and your business: My business is too small. I'll never make a profit. People won't buy from me because I'm a minority.

Your business is limited only by your beliefs. A change in your thinking can turn the tides in your favor.

Train Hard. Have you read any good business books lately? How about attending a business class? Olympic competitors train for hours every day. You should do the same for your business. Attend seminars, webinars, and teleseminars regularly. Read books to stay motivated and informed. Take classes to stay sharp and up on the latest trends in your business.

Spy on your competitors. No matter how good a team is, they don't sleep on their competition. And neither should you. You have to study your competitors, so that you'll know how to position yourself. Championship sports teams watch videos of their competitors. Before you run out and hire a private investigator to tape the goings-on of the business next door, there is a site that allows you to LEGALLY tap into your competitors online marketing strategy. Compete.com allows you to see traffic and engagement metrics for any website and analyze competitors keywords for search word strategies.

Hire a coach. Everyone has areas that they can improve upon. A coach can help you see your blind spots. They can provide objective feedback, and keep you accountable by providing progress reports.

Are you ready to crush your competition?

Make Money Monday: MLM As A Profitable Income Stream

What should you look for in an effective Multilevel Marketing “MLM” program? What are the warning signs to look for that will tell you that a MLM program is not on the up and up? This and other issues relating to MLM or referral marketing programs are discussed and explored in the Millionaire Journey’s recent interview with MLMers Larry Cheatham and Raymond Abernathy.

Larry has been involved in the MLM industry for 20 years and operates a successful real estate holdings company in Texas called Xavier Business Group. Raymond has been a MLMer for approximately 10 years and is an accomplished businessman, educator and speaker. He is with among one of the most successful leadership development corporations in the world and is always in constant demand across the United States and abroad to teach on leadership, personal business development and network marketing as a financial option for the 21st century

Larry and Raymond are personal friends, Partners In Success, and fans of the Millionaire Journey and came to this interview with a wealth of knowledge about MLM and wanted to discuss it as an income stream because they believe that despite the sometimes misunderstood history of the industry, it is primed for an explosion.

In this interview, you will learn:


*What to look for in a MLM program (How about How to Spot a Legitimate MLM Program)

*Why you should consider MLM as a component of your wealth strategy

*The top myths surrounding MLM

*How to write your own paycheck through MLM vs. the traditional business route

*Why most people are going about wealth creation backwards

*The 6 things Millionaire J. Paul Getty teaches are needed for success

*Who shouldn’t be involved in MLM

and so much more!!!

Check out the interview HERE


To learn more about Larry and Raymond and their team click HERE

Also stay tuned for our announcement this week on the Millionaire Journey's Partners In Success Program and how Lisa and Kim can partner with you to help you achiever your goals.

Feedback Friday: Why Do People Fear Accountability?

Yesterday I was talking to Kim, my accountability partner on this Millionaire Journey, and I asked why she thinks so many people have a problem with accountability? And when you look at it, society as a whole wants to do their own thing, whether it's in business, marriage, or family. And as adults, we feel like that's our right! But, it's this selfish or fearful attitude that may be preventing you from going to the next level.

Our theme this month is FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real), and we've really been focused on accountability this week. On Tuesday I told you how to find an accountability partner, and the feedback we received was tremendous. We've gotten email and video responses from people who told us why they don't need someone to hold them accountable because they know how to motivate themselves, as well as those folks who are afraid of a little tough love or being called on the rug when they say they're going to do something and don't.

Our Feedback Friday question is: Why are people afraid of being held accountable?

If you look at any highly successful person, you will almost always find a mentor/coach/accountability partner:

• Former supermodel and talk show host Tyra Banks has a life coach. Check out this blog Tyra wrote about how Paula White helped her when she didn't want to get out of bed.


• Oprah Winfrey calls Maya Angelou mentor-mother-sister-friend. Why would Oprah need a mentor?


• Warren Buffett was mentored by Ben Graham while at Columbia University. Buffett celebrates Graham’s book, The Intelligent Investor, as the greatest book on investing ever written. Ben Graham once owned a small insurance company named GEICO. Apparently Graham taught his student well because Warren Buffett now owns GEICO.


• Michael Jordan was a great player, having earned Rookie of the Year. But it wasn’t until he was joined with his coach and mentor, Phil Jackson, that he flourished. Under Phil Jackson’s first year as coach of the Chicago Bulls, Jordan and the Bulls were able to win their first NBA title. Michael Jordan amassed 6 NBA titles and became the most decorated NBA player ever under Phil Jackson.


• Personal trainers have fitness struggles, so they have fitness partners to help them achieve their fitness goals. (Click here to read more about personal trainers who have fitness struggles.)
  
  

(Note: you have to visit the blog to view the above video)

So, as you can see, it's not about motivation, but peak performance. If you want to soar to new heights, be accountable to someone. But, why do so many people fear soaring to new heights? Are they afraid to go to the next level? Are they content to stay where they are, even when it's an unhappy place? Or, is it that they just can't handle the truth?

Take Action Tuesday: How to Find An Accountability Partner

T.E.A.M. - Together Each Achieves More
We're five days into the new year, and you have these ideas, concerns, and questions competing for space in your head and no one to share them with. It would be nice to find someone who really cares that can help you figure out how to take next steps, put the pieces together, and hold you accountable to act on those things. But you feel like the people closest to you are more of a distraction than a help, and cause more disorder than order.

An accountability partner may be exactly what you need to achieve optimum success. But how do you find one? On our Send FEAR Packing telerally this past Sunday, I told you about some of the people that you could use to form a support group: family, friends, co-workers, or a life coach, virtual friends [from social media networks], and a Board of Advisors. After the call, we got several emails from listeners stating that they're having a problem identifying one person that they can be accountable to, not to mention the 3-5 that would serve as the board of advisors.

So, I've come up with a checklist on how you can find an accountability partner:

First, why a support group or accountability partner?

We are all held accountable in one way or another. Accountability is simply being responsible for one's actions. Accountability partners are one of the best ways to provide support and help motivate you to stay focused.

1. Write it down. Be specific about the things you'd like your partner to help you with. Is it losing weight, starting a business, doing homework, quitting smoking? This is important because you'll need to be able to exchange this information with your partner so they'll know how they will be helping you.
2. Put the word out. Tell your friends and family about your goals and that you'd like someone who could hold you accountable. Find someone who is as goal oriented as you are. That person is connected to you enough to know that if you win, they win too. You want your friend to be serious about personal growth. And be sure to find someone who will not accommodate your weakness. You don’t need someone to help you lose.
3. Join a social networking group. Whether it's The Millionaire Journey or Jenny Craig, the internet provides an endless network of people and groups with similar interests as yours. You just have to get out and connect with them. Research carefully before joining. You don't want to get caught up in a scam.
4. Find a mentor. Shorten your learning curve by learning the ropes from someone who has already done what you're doing. One of the best ways to do this is to find a mentor, and to do that, just ask. You'd be surprised how willing people are to help you when you simply open your mouth and ask for what you need.
5. Sit down and draw up a partnership. Determine when you'll meet (phone, in person, email)--at least once a week--to report to each other on your progress towards your goals. During this meeting you let each other know how you did last week and what you plan to commit to the next week. If you are dragging your feet, it is the partner's responsibility to give you a kick in the pants.

Having another person involved in your goal setting is a win-win scenario. Not only will they make a difference in your life, but you will make a difference in theirs. Find your accountability partner and watch your results soar.

See you on the Millionaire Side,
Lisa Maria Carroll

Lisa Maria Carroll and Kim Crouch are on a journey to become millionaires in 365 days. They don't want to do it alone, so they're bringing you with them. You can follow them on the Journey by joining the Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/#/pages/Millionaire-Journey/165487378056?ref=ts or the Millionaire Journey blog at http://1yearmillionaires.blogspot.com