Giving Before You Get

Sorry for the slow updates - I've been busting my butt trying to make some things happen. Remember, this site is about a guy making the move from employee to self-employed, not about a guy who already did. There are tons of things I want to cover, but something that was a sticking point for me to understand (and something I'm still understanding,) is the concept of giving before you get. In theory it sounds great. In practice, it can be a little more difficult to begin.

We often taught by the world to "get yours" and that you can only count on yourself. Trusting other people, or being generous in a forthright manner are very strange concepts to many people. Maybe that's why so much of the world is screwed up! How can people come together to accomplish anything when the subset thought process is, "well regardless of what happens here, I'm going to get mine." I'm sorry, but I'm not finding success happening in any way where I try and get mine before giving, or more correctly put, serving someone else.

Attempting to get without giving is like saying, "as soon as this fireplace provides me with heat, I'll throw some logs in." Or, "As soon as this business venture starts producing, I'll really invest in it. " The concept of making sure you're taken care of sounds almost right when you think it to yourself, but put into that context, it all of a sudden doesn't make sense. Considering that innate laws tend to be true in all things, I'm working harder to give first in every area of my life.

I used to be somewhat of a menacing driver. I grew up driving in the big city and could ride a closing lane to the very last moment, cut you off, flip the bird while still singing to whatever useless song was playing in my car, and then not let anyone else in. Since trying to give first, I've definitely been more relenting in letting people get in front of me, but you know what? My ingress into merging traffic seems to be a lot less stressful and a lot simpler as well.

You can call it sowing and reaping; you can call it positive energy flow; you can call it creating good karma - it's all the same thing. It's attempting to serve or give first, not with the selfish thought that you will then be owed a favor, but with the selfless belief that maybe someone will be eager to serve you. I have worked on being willing to give time I don't think I have to help out new guys I'm working with. I have worked on continuing to invest in my business, even when the return wasn't quite there, as well as investing in the people I'm trying to help, even though many of them have disappeared.

Whether it's tithing at your church or just being willing to hold the door open for people, giving before you get is a sure-fire way to get the prosperity you seek.

Travelling For Education

This past Saturday I had an exciting opportunity: one of the leaders on our business team from the East Coast was travelling to the Midwest to speak. One of the things I love about my business is that there is a mentorship system in place that is very well put together. There is no guesswork, there is no "maybe, possibly." It's a very assured and successful system. I've been taught since day one to chase thought process over chasing money and it seemed like an obvious idea. I felt that one thing I understood very well from the beginning is that if you get around successful people, you'll learn how to have their success. I also understand that the little keys that move you forward are not always obvious. It's very possible that in a two hour teaching session, there may be one piece of information that moves you forward, but it moves you light years forward. The same thing sometimes happens in a 5 minute conversation with a hot shot, or a big dog on your way to the car also. That's why the concept of attending everything I can for my business just made sense. Even when it isn't comfortable. Of course, getting a bunch of new guys to understand that doesn't always play well, but that's part of the growth process.

So we were looking at a 10 hour round trip for probably 3 hours and change worth of information. However, if you understand my previous statments in regard to the time not equaling the value as much as the content, you'll understand that this was no big deal. It's another feather in my cap, another badge of honor. And the people we were going to speak are always entertaining, engaging and motivational, so the value is there. The road trip alone gave me an opportunity to further bond with some of my guys; to find out a little more about who they are and to let them know who I am and who they're in business with. Relationships are the most important part to any business, but especially one built on individual networking. I love seeing "rough around the edges" guys open up a little bit and really say what's on their heart, because they feel it's okay to share. I was a guy like that at one point.

Back to the seminar. The place we were in sat over 2500 people and nearly ever seat was full. Later I would hear that just five years ago they couldn't have filled that room with 25 people. I think that's good business growth, I don't care what kind of business it is. The current local success stories got to speak, and one of my mentors was one of them. The recurring theme, not from their lips, but from their persona, is that they are just regular people that were willing to do a little extra. It feels good, because I'm doing the extra right now and things are happening.

My wife and my sister arrived shortly after the event started. They rode in with a couple of ladies who had some circumstances slowing their start time. I'm so excited about working with more couples because my wife is such a willing servant. She could have jumped in the car with me, as could my sister, but they had an opportunity to hang back and travel with some newer people on the team.

I think the biggest point of the night was just learning to overcome. Overcoming mediocrity. Learning to deal with things like, your friends, that don't have anything you want, trying to talk you out of doing what you feel is best in your life. Learning who to listen to. Having faith in your own talents and abilities and then maximizing your potential. There was a guy there who was a police officer. He's been in business for a little while but he hasn't succeeded to the highest statuses in the business, but he still had a $92,000 bonus last month. If that guy can do it, why can't anyone.