Most people in MLM have read Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”.

While reading Chapter 7 {Organized Planning—The Chrystallization of Desire into Action} recently, the section on the Self Analysis Questionnaire grabbed my attention.

Hill advises that these 28 questions should be an annual end-of-year self-analysis.

We need to do this BEFORE making our New Year’s Resolutions. (I actually prefer New Year’s Goals.)

The purpose of this Questionnaire is to uncover a decrease in our faults, shortcomings, or weaknesses, and an increase in our virtues, assets, and strengths.

This will give us an honest evaluation of where we need to start with our Goals for 2010.

Below I have listed Hill’s
SELF-ANALYSIS QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PERSONAL INVENTORY.

1. Have I attained the goal which I established as my objective for this year?

2. Have I delivered service of the best possible QUALITY of which I was capable, or could I have improved any part of this service?

3. Have I delivered service in the greatest possible QUANTITY of which I was capable?

4. Has the spirit of my conduct been harmonious, and cooperative at all times?

5. Have I permitted the habit of PROCRASTINATION to decrease my efficiency, and if so, to what extent?

6. Have I improved my PERSONALITY, and if so, in what ways?

7. Have I been PERSISTENT in following my plans through to completion?

8. Have I reached DECISIONS PROMPTLY AND DEFINITELY on all occasions?

9. Have I permitted any one or more of the six basic fears to decrease my efficiency?

10. Have I been either “over-cautious” or “undercautious”?

11. Has my relationship with my associates in work been pleasant, or unpleasant? If unpleasant, has the fault been partly or wholly mine?

12. Have I dissipated any of my energy through lack of CONCENTRATION of effort?

13. Have I been open minded and tolerant in connection with all subjects?

14. In what way have I improved my ability to render service?

15. Have I been intemperate in any of my Habits?

16. Have I expressed, either openly or secretly, any form of EGOTISM?

17. Has my conduct toward my associates been such that it has induced them to respect me?

18. Have my opinions and DECISIONS been based upon guesswork, or accuracy of analysis and THOUGHT?

19. Have I followed the habit of budgeting my time, my expenses, and my income, and have I been conservative in these budgets?

20. How much time have I devoted to UNPROFITABLE effort which I might have used to better advantage?

21. How may I RE-BUDGET my time, and change my habits so I will be more efficient during the coming year?

22. Have I been guilty of any conduct which was not approved by my conscience?

23. In what ways have I rendered MORE SERVICE AND BETTER SERVICE than I was paid to render?

24. Have I been unfair to anyone, and if so, in what way?

25. If I had been the purchaser of my own services for the year, would I be satisfied with my purchase?

26. Am I in the right vocation, and if not, why?

27. Has the purchaser of my services been satisfied with the service I have rendered, and if not, why not?

28. What is my present rating on the fundamental principles of success?

With Tomorrow being the LAST day of 2009, NOW is the BEST time to complete the questionnaire.  This will prove to be one of the predictors for your business success in 2010. 

Remember to share your answers with your mentor.

Enjoy the end of this year and this decade!

Next step is to work on your goals 2010!

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen

What a fabulous way to start the New Year off!

Have you started thinking about your Goals for 2010 and thought about including writing some ezine articles?

If so, this is your opportunity to jump right in and get as much practice and exposure as you can.

Ezine articles is kicking off their 3rd 100 Articles in 100 Days Marathon. 

Each article must be at least 400 words, written under the same author name, and accepted for publication.

Remember, Ezine articles must be ORIGINAL  works!

It starts at 12:01 AM CST-USA Friday, January 1st and ends at 11:59 PM CST-USA Saturday, April 10th.

Are you up for the challenge?

I sure am!  Join me in the greatest marketing race of the year!  Put your pledge in writing at the Ezine Articles Blog.

See You There!

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

With the new year, it is coming time to start setting goals for 2010.

For many people, writing goals can be a confusing and frustrating process.

I find that most of the confusion and frustration comes from not understanding how to break down a goal into realistic, manageable steps.

Linda Locke of MLMWoman published a fantastic article in her recent newsletter giving her spin on Goals.

I hope this helps some of you to better understand Goals.

“When we set our goals, it is natural to aim for the summit.
We look for the highest point that we can imagine.

That’s wonderful – all achievers have a clear vision of their ultimate target – but it is only a part of the goal-setting process.

A true goal, one that has any chance of being realized, comes in two parts:

1. The top of the stairs

2. The next step.

Imagine a person with arthritis looking up at a flight of stairs.
The task is immense. The flight of stairs may as well be a mountain.

But the first step isn’t so bad. Grip the handrail and haul – not too difficult, not too painful.

The second step is just as easy as the first one – and so on all the way up.

Pretty soon, the top is reached, but it wasn’t a mountain climbed – it was twelve simple steps.

Every goal that you set should stretch you beyond where you are right now. It should be something that is beyond your current abilities to reach IN ONE STEP.

But right underneath where you’ve written down that huge objective, you must also write down the first step that you will take on that journey.

It is like pulling on a rope. To begin with you can’t clearly see what is tied on to the other end. You know it’s there, because the rope is heavy, but all you can see is a shadowy outline.

With each pull on the rope the outline becomes more and more distinct until it is right there in front of you. All you have to do then is reach out and grab it.

So don’t forget when you write down your goals – they come in pairs: the big leap and the little step. And in many ways, the little step is the more important.

I love the imagery Linda uses.  This is exactly the way we need to look at our goals.  As a series of small steps on a journey to reach the big prize.

My GOAL is to consistently make $10,000 a month in my MLM business from residual income.

My first step has to be smaller.  Something I can realistically BELIEVE that I will accomplish.

It might be a smaller financial goal of making $500 or $1000 a month.

Each step will be another manageable amount of money until I reach my main goal of $10K a month.

If you are having some difficulty writing your goals, give me a call or send me an email and I am glad to help you.

Believe in Your Success, I Do!
Karen

“People always tell their goals.

Fine. You need goals.

But your WHY is a big, big, big reason that will keep you going.

Where’s your fire? What do you LOVE? What do you HATE? What is really important to you? What do you really want? What situation in life do you want to get out of so it never, ever, EVER happens again?

It’s not goals. It’s not money, either.

Your real WHY is never money.

It’s about who YOU really are.

Your driving factor must be WAY more than money.

It’s something you want…or something you want to get away from. Better yet, BOTH. If your “WHY” is a 70% and you come up against an obstacle that’s a 72%, you’re gone. You’ll drop out, disappear.

But when your WHY is a 99.9%, then you’re here to stay and be successful.

Why are you on this planet? In one form or another, you’re here to change lives. Touch lives, and help people. What were you meant to do?”

This is the beginning of Michael Dlouhy’s explanation on the importance of you having a strong WHY the ebook, Success In 10 Steps. The entire section can be found on pages 23-29 in the free ebook. (Follow the link in the sidebar to the right.)

Most people in Network Marketing want to know every tip and trick to being successful in their business. Understanding fully about your WHY is one of the most important steps anyone can take.

One of the most common misunderstandings is confusing the difference between a WHY and a GOAL. Think of a WHY as a PURPOSE.

Think of the question: ‘Why Do You Go To Work?’

Your GOAL is to make money.

Your WHY, or your PURPOSE is to pay your bills or provide for your family.

GOALS give you the way to achieve your PURPOSE, or your WHY.

When working on writing out your WHY, you will find it takes time to refine it. At first, it is very common to write down money related GOALS.

As you work through this stage, ask yourself this question: “What is the money going to bring me?”

I may want to make $10K a month (my GOAL), but what will that bring me (my PURPOSE)?

My PURPOSE, or my WHY is to spend more time with my family (e.g. travel)?

See the difference?

If you’d like to learn more about writing out your WHY and your GOALS, you are welcome to download the ebook to read more of what Michael teaches.

After you have finished the section between pages 23-29, email me your WHY and I will assist you in working on it.

Believe in Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

Most people often mistakenly lump Multi Level Marketing (MLM), Network Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Ponzi Schemes and Pyramid Schemes together as one big group of scams.

In reality, network marketing, MLM, and affiliate marketing are different and usually legitimate business opportunities.

Whereas Ponzi Schemes and Pyramid Schemes are illegal scams designed to make the person or people at the top rich and rip off everyone else.

In the MLM industry, a person still has to be careful in choosing an opportunity to join.

Not all businesses are designed the same and not all contracts and policy and procedure are created equally.

It is vitally important that a person understand what makes a company a strong business opportunity for the distributors. 

At Mentoring For Free, we use the Five Pillars and the $10,000 Question to measure an MLM company’s strength.

Whatever yardstick you use to evaluate your company or a company you are considering joining, you must understand what would make it a scam.

How To Identify A Scam

An Attorney General would ask these two questions:

1. Would a logical thinking person pay this much money for the product or service if there was not a business opportunity involved?
2. Does the income stop when the recruiting stops?

If the answer to the first question is “No” and/or the answer to the second question is “Yes”, then it is a scam.

The word SCAM
brings up Ponzi schemes and Pyramid Schemes.
They are similar and different.

A Ponzi Scheme usually targets more affluent people referred to as “investors”.

A Pyramid Scheme targets more of the blue collar section of society.

They are both illegal and designed to rip people off while making the guy(s) at the top rich.

Rod Cook of MLM Watch Dog wrote an excellent article about Ponzi Schemes and Pyramid Schemes.

Take the time to read it here: Pyramids and Ponzi Media Reporters.  At the end of the article is some interesting history about Carlos Ponzi.

As Rod says, “A good MLM provides goods or services that a consumer would buy if an income opportunity were not included!”

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

This is the third and final article in my series on Make Money Fast Scams.  

The first part was on Chain Letters, and the second on Pyramid and Ponzi Schemes.

Whenever financial times turn into times of financial hardship, people start panicking and looking for ways to make extra money.

They are usually looking for a quick fix to their money worries.  When people are desperate, it is easy for us to believe in a slick sales pitch that promises easy money with little or no effort on our parts.

One such pitch common today is Cash Gifting.  This is also referred to as “Mailbox Money”.    Cash Gifting programs are all over the internet.

They seem like a no work way to make a lot of money simply by giving gifts of cash to people in the organization…usually a “Gifting Club”.

To “join”, you give a “gift”, generally $500 – $3500, to a member higher up in the organization. The new member is promised that they will receive similar “gifts” once they recruit more members into the organization.

Sound like a Pyramid Scheme?
It is.

Cash gifting programs are illegal.

The Federal Trade Commission reminds you to:

* Consider that a legitimate gift has no strings attached and is not an “investment.”
* Avoid being misled into thinking a gifting club is legitimate because the ads say that members consider their payments a gift and expect nothing in return. This is an attempt to make an illegal transaction look legal.
* Be wary of success stories or testimonials of tremendous payoffs. Very few members of illegal gifting clubs or pyramid schemes ever receive any money.
* Take your time. Don’t buckle under to a high-pressure sales pitch that requires you to join immediately or risk losing out on the opportunity. Remember, solid opportunities – and solid friendships – aren’t formed through nerve-wracking tactics.”

 

Just remember, the famous P.T. Barnum quote:

“There’s a Sucker born every minute”

Be smart and educate yourself so you know the difference between a scam and a legitimate MLM business opportunity.

Believe in Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

Anyone been scammed by a Ponzi Scheme or Pyramid Scheme?

The United States Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department have finally brought some form of financial relief to people who have been scammed by Ponzi-Type Schemes.

If you or someone you know have been scammed, consult a tax accountant to see if you qualify for the tax relief.

Following is an excerpt from the IRS Site explaining how the tax relief works…

• The investor is entitled to a theft loss, which is not a capital loss.  In other words, a theft loss from a Ponzi-type investment scheme is not subject to the normal limits on losses from investments, which typically limit the loss deduction to $3,000 per year when it exceeds capital gains from investments.
• The revenue ruling clarifies that “investment” theft losses are not subject to limitations that are applicable to “personal” casualty and theft losses.  The loss is deductible as an itemized deduction, but is not subject to the 10 percent of AGI reduction or the $100 reduction that applies to many casualty and theft loss deductions.
• The theft loss is deductible in the year the fraud is discovered, except to the extent there is a claim with a reasonable prospect of recovery.  Determining the year of discovery and applying the “reasonable prospect of recovery” test to any particular theft is highly fact-intensive and can be the source of controversy. The revenue procedure accompanying this revenue ruling provides a safe-harbor approach that the IRS will accept for reporting Ponzi-type theft losses.
• The amount of the theft loss includes the investor’s unrecovered investment – including income as reported in past years. The ruling concludes that the investor generally can claim a theft loss deduction not only for the net amount invested, but also for the so-called “fictitious income” that the promoter of the scheme credited to the investor’s account and on which the investor reported as income on his or her tax returns for years prior to discovery of the theft.
  Some taxpayers have argued that they should be permitted to amend tax returns for years prior to the discovery of the theft to exclude the phantom income and receive a refund of tax in those years. The revenue ruling does not address this argument, and the safe-harbor revenue procedure is conditioned on taxpayers not amending prior year returns.
• A theft loss deduction that creates a net operating loss for the taxpayer can be carried back and forward according to the timeframes prescribed by law to generate a refund of taxes paid in other taxable years. 

This is great news for those of us in legitimate Network Marketing companies.

The government is standing up for the consumer, or distributor, and beginning to make it clear that fraud in this industry will not be tolerated. 

I was checking my emails today and saw that Jim Rohn passed away on December 5th.

If you received his Newsletters or followed his teachings, you know what an insightful, inspiring man he was.

Jim offered business sense and personal wisdom to all of us in this sometimes unstable and uncertain MLM industry.

For our success, BELIEF IN OURSELVES is the #1 skill we all must possess, cultivate and practice on a daily basis.  Without BELIEF, it doesn’t matter what company you are with, what product you sell, or which Billionaire is at the head of your company.

You MUST BELIEVE in YOU and in your ability to be SUCCESSFUL.

Jim Rohn offered those pep talks to help coach us to a greater level of Belief.  Rest In Peace to a great Leader and Mentor.

Below is the most recent Jim Rohn Newsletter…

” With great sadness we share that Jim Rohn, our mentor and friend, left us December 5, 2009 for a better place.

Over the past 18 months, in his battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis, Jim assured us with a smile that all is good, that he would fight until the last breath, yet he had no fear as to what would be next. Jim’s faith was as much a part of his life as his desire to inspire and challenge us all to be the best we could be and to live our dreams.

Jim’s courage in his final months and days were a testament to his message that we should all fight the good fight. He never gave up and never gave in.

Jim Rohn touched millions of lives over the past 46 years through his seminars, books, articles and CDs. He always stayed long after an event t o shake hands, take pictures and sign autographs. He loved making a difference in people’s lives, that was his passion and inspiration. Yet he was also a private man who kept a small, loyal and caring inner circle. He was a tremendous friend to those who knew him.

Harold Dyke, long time close friend of Jim’s for over 55 years said it best, “As Jim is ending one life he is simultaneously being birthed into a new life. One that he has talked about over the years and anticipated with great joy in his last remaining days.”

Kyle Wilson, long time colleague and friend of Jim had this to say about his mentor, “Jim Rohn was a great human being. Jim had the rare ability to take any concept or idea and then frame it in such a way that the rest of us could see it more clearly. His wisdom and insights positively affected everyone he touched on some level and to so many of us it was in an extraordinary way. But even more impressive was Jim Rohn the man. He possessed style and charisma, yet was humble, kind and understated to all who knew him. I find myself every day reflecting, benefiting and passing on the wisdom and ideas that are rooted in Jim’s message and wisdom. Jim is irreplaceable on every level. I will miss him beyond words, but am comforted as I know he was, that his message and legacy will live on and positively change millions of lives over the years to come!”

Someone once said “when you are born you enter the world crying while everyone else is rejoicing and when you die hopefully you have lived such a life that everyone will be crying while you are rejoicing”. Jim Rohn lived such a life.

Jim’s family asked us to thank all of you for your concern, prayers and love toward their father and grandfather, which has been so evident during the past 18 months.

Darren Hardy, dedicated student and Jim Rohn protégé for more than 15 years, said of Jim, “He was the most influential man in my life, second only to my father. Jim cemented my philosophical foundation and nourished my mind with ideas and ambitions never before imagined. He chiseled my character seminar by seminar, tape by tape, book by book, then CD by CD, hour by hour. Jim emboldened my belief, in me and in my most daring dreams. When I fell and was bloodied, he was there with encouraging words to help me get back up. When I didn’t think I could go on, Jim convinced me I was stronger than I imagined. When I wanted a shortcut, he reminded me there aren’t any. Even when I got too caught up in trying to achieve and succeed, Jim compelled me to leave room to live, to laugh and to love.”

Stuart Johnson, business associate and long-time admirer, said, “I was first introduced to the philosophies and teachings of Jim Rohn almost 25 years ago. And he made an immediate impression on me. I was amazed by how this modest and unassuming man could communicate such an extraordinarily powerful message in simple and straightforward terms. In person, one-on-one, he was as humble and down-to-earth as he was in front of an audience of thousands. I will treasure my personal memories of Jim and know that I will forever benefit from the wisdom of this remarkable man.”

There will be a private funeral held in the coming days. Plans and details are also being arranged for a Public Memorial Service to be held in the Los Angeles area in the coming weeks. Details will be announced upon final confirmation at the Jim Rohn Tribute Site.

We know Mr. Rohn is looking down on us at this very moment with a smile saying I did it, I gave it my all, I went for it, now it’s your turn. Go for it. Make your life a life worth living well!

View a special tribute to Jim at the Jim Rohn Tribute Site produced earlier this year and debuted at the March 2009 SUCCESS Symposium. You are also encouraged to post your thoughts and remembrances of Jim on the Memorial Wall.

Jim fondly closed his programs with the following sentiments: “I go with you in all the experience that we’ve had. But I promise you this as we leave here: I will not leave you behind. I’ll take you with me in my thoughts and in my heart.”
This email was sent by:
Jim Rohn International
200 Swisher Road
Lake Dallas, TX 75065 USA”

******************************

In parting, I hope all of you will take on a greater sense of the importance in building BELIEF and CONFIDENCE in yourselves.

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

This is the second of a three part series in making money fast scams.  The first post was on Chain Letters.

When money is tight and we have bills to catch up on or there are nicer things we would like to buy, we often search for easy and quick ways to make some extra cash.

The internet, and sometimes people we know, offer a multitude of opportunities for making money with “no experience necessary”.

Some of those opportunities are legitimate, while some are scams intended to part you with your money.

Pyramid Schemes and Ponzi Schemes
Seductive Offers of a High Rate of Return in a Short Time Span

The term “Pyramid Scheme” has a long standing reputation of being a scam.

The problem is that most people don’t know how to tell if an opportunity is a pyramid scheme or a genuine business opportunity, so many people get sucked in.

Pyramid Schemes and Ponzi Schemes are both similar and both illegal.

Both make extravagant claims for huge earnings in a short timeframe.
They both rely heavily on recruiting new affiliates.

A Pyramid Scheme has a product to sell, but relies on the members within the organization to buy the products. This is often a huge monthly quota my mentor, Hugh, calls “filling your garage.”

There are also no retail sales to the general public.

A Ponzi Scheme only recruits new members. There are no products or services offered. There are no commissions paid for recruiting new members.

The promotor just collects the sign up fee and pays it to the upline.

“Both pyramid and Ponzi schemes are illegal because they inevitably must fall apart.
No program can recruit new members forever.
Every pyramid or Ponzi scheme collapses because it cannot expand beyond the size of the earth’s population.
When the scheme collapses, most investors find themselves at the bottom, unable to recoup their losses.”
(http://www.ftc.gov/speeches/other/dvimf16.shtm)

Legitimate Network Marketing, or Multilevel Marketing, businesses should not be confused with Pyramid or Ponzi Schemes.

A genuine MLM business offers a product or service and generates retail sales to the general public.

Believe in Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

Financial times are tough and you need extra income NOW!

This is an ages old dilemma.

Money is tight in your household budget, your paychecks just aren’t enough, unexpected expenses keep popping up, and you just gotta have that new gadget or gizmo that’s been on your mind for just about forever.

Whatever the financial problem you are facing, you need money soon.

There are a lot of Make Money Fast and Get Rich Quick schemes that come before us every day.

Most promise thousands of dollars in returns in a matter of days or a few weeks.

Unfortunately, many of these offers prey on a person’s desperation in their financial situation and on an individual’s greed.

Most are scams and are designed to part you with your money and have no intention what-so-ever of providing you with the riches promised.

Chain Letters

Via Snail mail or email

At some time in our lives, we have all received a chain letter in the mail.

They typically contain a list of names of people you may or may not know. You are instructed to send something to the person on the top of the list, remove their name and place your’s at the bottom of the list.

You then are to make a certain amount of copies and mail them to a specified number of people.

Many times I have received and participated in recipe or dish towel exchanges. These types of chain letters are just for fun and exchange something of very low value. I’ve usually only received back 2 or 3 responses.

Chain letters that ask you to send money, however, are a scam AND are illegal. Even if the amount you are asked to send is just $1 or $5.

According to the USPS, chain letters are

 “illegal if they request money or other items of value and promise a substantial return to the participants. Chain letters are a form of gambling, and sending them through the mail (or delivering them in person or by computer, but mailing money to participate) violates Title 18, United States Code, Section 1302, the Postal Lottery Statute.”

 I received one that claimed to have gotten my name and address from a mailing list of people who were “opportunity seekers”.

It claimed potential earnings in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and had been seen on Oprah.

All I had to do was send $1 to the person on the top of the list.

The mathematical chances explaining how one would receive their money was believably explained.

However, it’s faulty reasoning.

A lot of people who participate in these chain letters are well-intentioned folks looking to make some much needed extra money.

Unfortunately, they are not aware that they are involved in a scam and are breaking the law.

They could easily be reported to the authorities and face federal charges.

Many scammers are turning to the internet with these schemes.

Although the enforcement on the internet is not as stringent, they are still offering the same dirty deal.

Often payment is arranged through a PayPal account to avoid using the postal system.

Do yourself a favor and stay clear of these kinds of “opportunities”.