Your Spiritual Growth | Self Development | Family Strength

Some Things You Should Know About Working From Home!

2010-12-01T15:37:00.000-05:00

It is almost hard to believe that my wife and I have been working from home now for the past 5 years full time. I gotta tell you the first year we were online was really, really easy. Of course the reason for that is because our first ever internet based business was a partnership with an already existing company. However, once we stepped away from the business everything changed!

You must learn before you can earn

Ok, so how many times have you heard that exact statement above? If you have been in the Affiliate, or Network Marketing industry for any period of time you know it is true! Another common term is "Learn as you go." This has actually been the motto that has worked the best for me.

For some reason I happen to have the "Trial and Error," personality. It always seems to take me just a little longer than others to catch on when trying to learn something new. My secret is I just never give up! Sooner or later it will make sense, and when it does, game on!

In 5 years we have been able to learn,
- Lead Generation
- Affiliate Marketing
- Building Affiliate Networks
- Social Media
- SEO & SMO
- Blogging
- Community Building
- Internet Marketing
- Network Marketing!

In case you haven't read my article, The Underground Railroad of the 21st Century, make sure you take a moment and do so. There are some Truths that I have discovered over the years that many people still haven't grasped yet. After all, The Truth Shall Set You Free, and I know a lot of people who definitely don't feel like they are free!

Where to get started

There are 3 things you must consider before getting started in any work at home or Home Based Business opportunity.

1. What are you passionate about?
- For me this one was pretty easy. I love helping people! Since I grew up a fat kid and struggled with my weight, it was easy to get excited about working in the health & wellness and weight loss industry. Isagenix has provided a vehicle where we can help people improve their health, lose weight, and make money from home. However, we also like to earn additional income through blogging! What a great way to make money! What are you good at? What sports do you like the most? Music? Whatever you love doing, blog about it! Guaranteed there are other people out there like you who will not only relate with what you blog about, they will also be interested in buying whatever you are selling through your blog!

2. What are your goals?
- Too many people think everything is a "Get Rich Quick Scheme." Problem is, they're not, and that is why people don't make any money. Did you get that? What people want are get rich quick programs. When I tell people it will take them 2-5 years to build a successful internet business from home alot of people aren't interested. They are looking for an immediate income. Well, not to say you can't make quick money online, afterall there is always eBay, however, to build a long term residual income, it is going to take time. Make sure you have realistic goals set when getting started and be willing to commit long term!

3. Are you teachable?
- Let's face it, you go to college to learn how to make a living in a high paying career. Well internet marketing, affiliate marketing, and network marketing are all careers. Like college, you are going to have to invest some time and money into your education. Now we are not talking the tens of thousands you might pay to attend college, however, there will be an investment required to properly learn how to build a business, and brand yourself as an expert online. Don't worry it isn't going to be that hard, just be willing to learn new information. By remaining teachable you will be able to learn everything you need to do to create total freedom in all areas of your life!

Conclusion

There really isn't anything better than working from home. With the crazy job market we have in today's economy, what used to be the safe way to make a living is quickly becoming the risky way. You may find this article of interest in regards to this subject, Corporation Domination. As we continue to move forward, more and more people are going to turn to home based business and the internet for their income needs. Just by reading this article you already have a head start on the masses.

Times have changed. We live in the Information Age! Though it won't be easy, starting a home based business online is by far the best option for creating wealth in the 21st century!

What experiences have you had working from home?

Blessings,
Ron

Connecting the dots...

2010-07-20T12:30:00.000-04:00

Many times my wife and I find ourselves talking about certain circumstances, or events, that took place in our lives. It is fascinating when you look at how coincidental certain situations were and how one little thing led to another, which led to another, and so on. As we looked back over the past 12 years of our lives, since being married, we were able to connect the dots with amazement.

Can you remember a time in your life when you met someone out of the blue. That meeting then led to a dinner engagement where they introduced you to their friends Chris and Susan. Chris happened to be in business for himself in your field of expertise. Without knowing it, he was currently looking to hire someone, with your credentials, and you happen to be in between jobs yourself. How coincidental, eh? Of course, this is just a short story to serve simply as an example, but I think you get the point.

Just looking back at the start of our marriage, amazing. You might chuckle to find out that when Melisa and I were married, in our little 2 bedroom apartment in Newport News, I was a pizza delivery driver. Hah hah, I know, go ahead and laugh. I had mentioned that I wanted to learn a trade, but didn’t know what, to the maintenance man at our apartment complex. He said he knew a guy hiring carpet helpers and gave me his number. That started my carpet installation career.

While I was on the job training, my boss hired another young guy, mind you I was 18 at the time, who was a year older than me. However, he was already good at installing carpet, whereas I was still a “green horn.” Anyhow, as it would turn out, 6 months later, I quit working for this company, and started my own carpet installation business, partnering with this other younger installer. That is how First Class Installations came to be. So, what if I wouldn’t have lived in those apartments. What would have happened if, we will call him Rick though that isn’t his real name, didn’t get hired while I was learning how to install carpet? Truth be told, it was his idea for us to quit and start our own business! Would things have turned out differently?

As irony, if you believe in irony, would have it, while I was in business for myself now, the same maintenance guy hooked me up with a contract in our apartment complex. I was now installing carpet in all their units, which used to be installed by my former boss. You know, my former boss whom my maintenance guy hooked me up with 10 months before that. Heh heh…. From there we met another gentleman named Marcus, who really liked us because we were young and ambitious. It was him that nailed a contract for us with a company called Contractor’s Carpet. While we were installing there, for about a year or so, there was another gentleman who worked in the field named Phil. Phil insisted I talk to a gentleman named Woodrow at Lowe’s. He set the appointment up for me and said I could do much better there, than I was currently. Long story short, Woodrow quickly had me approved to install for Lowe’s and the rest is History!!

So again I raise the question? What if I never would have met Marcus? Then, while installing for Marcus, met Phil, who in turn led me to Woodrow? How would life have been different? Perhaps even more greater than that is how we met Sean, whom we partnered with in 2005 leaving behind our carpet company and our hometown. It was a fluke, we met online in a networking business. Through that initial contact that we made, a relationship had begun developing, which eventually led to a whole new life for me and my family.

That is just a quick overview, to illustrate what I mean when talking about connecting the dots! If you look back over your life it is amazing at how one little event led to something else which led to that one thing happening which made the next thing possible where you met that one guy who told you about that one deal and that one deal led to another deal with this one guy who knew this other guy and on and on and on…….

Life is amazing! Perhaps one day I will have to write a book, however, write it backwards. Like when I am 50, write a book going backwards illustrating all the decisions and circumstances that took place in order to arrive where I currently am. You don’t always know which direction you are headed in, or how you are going to make it through the next few years, or who you are going to meet in the next day, week, or month, until that time has come to pass. However, once you have lived it, experienced it, and tasted it, you can look back, trace your steps, and wow yourself in amazement at how you got here!

Did that make sense? :-)

The best part of our life experience is just that. It is an experience! One that we are continually working on, to enjoy more and more everyday! Even when facing a challenge, looking back over your past life experiences, you can see how every time they came, and went. Though some might seem harder that others, in reality, they always come to pass.

If looking back over my life has taught me anything, it would be this. Life is easy, hard, fun, scary, exciting, adventurous, loud, quiet, annoying, fulfilling, heart breaking, unpredictable, incredible, sorrowful, happy………. You get the point! Life is an experience. It might not be fun all the time, however, we are blessed to have experienced it!

Try and connect the dots in your life. Living life to it’s fullest, one experience at a time.
Peace,
Ron

Your Self Talk is Important!

2010-07-16T22:22:00.000-04:00

I believe it is safe to assume that having a good self-esteem can assist you greatly during the course of your life experience. The posture you have when walking, talking at an interview, or prospecting a potential client does matter.

One of the most devastating ways people sabotage their success is by destroying their own self-esteem. Your self talk has huge influence over how you handle yourself. What do you talk to yourself about?

How many times have we been told how great we are, that our potential is unlimited, and there is simply nobody better for the job than we are. Just to turn around and slam ourselves, in our own mind, creating doubts and ultimately convincing ourselves that this is just not true. What you say to yourself does make a difference whether you think so or not.

As we, have been on the topic of positive versus negative thinking, there has been some intense debate. However, as a simple illustration for this article, it would be hard to imagine having great success in any venture, if you are constantly telling yourself it just isn’t possible. Take a look at sports for example. When you are playing in a tournament, do you enter into the contest thinking you are going to lose? That would be negative thinking. What is the likelihood you would win, when your expectations are that of defeat. In truth, when you enter into any tournament, your belief is that of winning. Therefore you are centered on positive thinking, expecting victory to be yours. If winning was such a negative experience, why would anyone play the game?

For years my self-esteem was terrible. Growing up obese, you can imagine the ridicule I was subjected to. That constant teasing definitely created a negative self image, and my self talk was anything but favorable. There were times I was so focused on my lack of self-esteem that I honestly wanted to die. When you believe life simply isn’t worth living, and your life truly stinks, your self talk will present reasons to validate your claim. What you say to yourself, when no one else can hear you, has major impact on who you are. Sooner or later, that image you have of yourself will shine through.

Obviously you cannot think positively all the time. Each of us will face times in our lives where it seems impossible to be positive about current circumstances we are facing. However, instead of giving up and dwelling on these depressing situations, thinking positively and seeking solutions to help overcome your challenges seems like the more logical thing to do.

“I am a big fat loser.” That is an example of negative thinking. “I am a great listener, friend, and lover.” That is a great example of positive thinking. We believe in affirming our values. Constantly reminding ourselves of the areas we are improving in and need to improve in. Give yourself praise when you make forward progress at becoming the person you were created to be. Since we are all sinners, and the evidence of negativity surrounds us in the World, we should make the decision to remain positive in our own minds.

As Winston Churchill said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” A great illustration of positive vs. negative thinking!

If only it were true that one could live their entire life only experiencing positive results, how great would that be? Of course, what might be perfect to you, is a nightmare to someone else. That which is negative to me, might not be negative to you. This is where the debates could go on forever and ever as we all have different personalities, and process information differently. However, when talking to yourself, do you speak in a way that increases your self worth, or do you down yourself constantly? Some people feed off of their own negativity. They enjoy to fuel the anger that they already feel inside and add to their misery. Perhaps the reason they do this is simply to gain attention? Who knows….

“Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right!” – Anonymous

What you say to yourself is important. Positive, Negative, Encouraging, Discouraging, Good, Bad, it is what it is…… Your self talk could be the difference between living your dreams or settling for mediocrity.

“If great is available, good isn’t good enough!” – Anonymous

In Christ,
Ron

Do what you fear

2010-07-13T14:53:00.002-04:00

Let’s talk about fear. You know, False Evidence Appearing Real! How many times do we allow fear to paralyze ourselves from doing what we know we must? In business we all want to have the big results, lifestyle, and freedom that comes from building a successful enterprise. If you are going to succeed it will require shattering your limiting beliefs, facing your fears constantly, and living outside your comfort zone.

“Do what you fear until you fear it no more.” – Anonymous

I have to constantly remind myself of that quote. When there is a task that needs to be completed, such as making a sales call, and the overwhelming feeling of not wanting to do it starts to set in, it is important you face that fear and push through it. So many times fear will create a paralysis so great that people will miss opportunity rather than push through it. It is fact that the more you face your fears, the less you will fear them.

When we first started our business, I hated making phone calls. Honestly not really sure why. I guess for many, and probably myself, it was the fear of rejection. Yet the calls never turned out the way I feared they would. Shortly after starting to make the dials, and talking with a couple of clients, what I feared became something I enjoyed to do. It is almost pathetic when looking back at how much time was lost in procrastinating, rather than just getting started. The stress and worry I put myself through was ridiculous.

For some of you reading this, I am sure you can relate. Let’s pick on, and hopefully inspire, you network marketers out there who hate making phone calls. You know what I am talking about. You have a list of people whom you need to call. Whether they are people you know, or referrals interested your opportunity, the thought of calling them makes you sick to your stomach. The time has come to make your dials and all of a sudden you realize how disorganized your desk is. “Before I start my calls, I better clean up my desk right quickly,” you think to yourself. Once your desk is clean and organized, you remember there were a few emails you needed to respond to. Then you have this genius idea. “I bet these people don’t want me to call them, I should just send them an email instead!” That feeling in your gut continues to increase, you become more and more uncomfortable. The thought of sending them an email instead of calling sounds great, however, your intuition is telling you it isn’t the right thing to do. After procrastinating and wasting all your productive time, fearing to make your calls, you realize it is now too late to make calls. “How rude it would be for me to call someone this late at night, what if they have kids who are in bed, I would wake them, and that would not be good. I better just wait and call these tomorrow instead!” The sad reality is tomorrow you will find other reasons not to make the calls as well. “I should’ve called these yesterday, it is probably too late to call them now, I will just send them an email.” And so the pattern repeats itself, until you finally give up and decide that building a business which can create financial freedom for you and your family just isn’t worth the discomfort of facing your fears. You quickly return to your old life, back into your comfort zone, and surrender your dreams to fear.

If you don’t want to do something, yet you know it is the next thing you must do in order to move your business forward, you gotta force yourself to do it anyway. Ask yourself, “what is the worse thing that could happen?” And, “what is the best thing?” Remember the reason why you are making that call, facing your fear, in the first place. Then, just do it! You will be surprised at how simple the process really is, and how quickly you move from fear to enjoyment.

In the book, “Eat that Frog,” they talk about doing the things you dread most first thing in your day. Get them out of the way as soon as possible. If you do, the rest of your day will naturally flow. If you don’t, and you choose to stress doing that dreadful task, your day will be miserable. You will quickly find that not facing your fear is more torture than facing it! Go ahead, prove me wrong! What is it that you have been putting off because of fear? Take some time right now, and face it! Crush your fear and experience the satisfaction that awaits you.

Fear is a mechanism that has been instilled in each of us for two reasons. The first is to warn you of danger. The second is an indicator which tells you what needs to be done next. So when you are filled with fear ask yourself, “is this going to harm me in anyway?” If the answer is no, then do what you fear, once you do, you will fear it no more!

To your success,
Ron

Who wants to be a Millionaire?

2010-07-12T23:12:00.000-04:00

No I am not talking about the Television Game show either! Although, if you consider how popular that show was, then the making of the video games, it would serve as evidence that most people want to be Millionaires....

More proof would be the lottery system. The chances of winning the lottery are basically, "once in a lifetime," yet millions of people play every week, hoping that they pick the lucky numbers. The irony? These same people complain and criticize about the wealthy? "You can't have what you speak against."

We have all heard the stories of people who have won the lottery. Then these same people go bankrupt 3-5 years later. Many times we believe that being a Millionaire is just about money, however, there is much more to it. There is a mindset that is required to create and/or manage wealth.

"You must first think like a Millionaire." This was one of the quotes that stood out to me when I started becoming more involved in the self development industry. When you consider those winners in the lottery who could not keep the increased wealth that they won, it was an indicator that there is a lot of truth to this statement.

How do Millionaires act? How do they think? What do they enjoy to do? So many questions started to run through my mind because I really, really do want to be a Millionaire. I think one of the main reasons this has always been a dream of mine is because of the options money provides for you in life. Not only can you live your life to its fullest without financial limitations, think about all the good that you can do for others.

There have been many times when our church has been raising money, whether for a missions trip or other charitable causes that were near and dear to our heart, where we just wanted to give them the money needed from an anonymous source. Or, what if a family member and/or close friend is sick and needs an operation

they cannot afford and doesn't have insurance, their need can still be met. There is so much good that can be done with an abundance of wealth. It makes you think about Warren Buffet when he gave $37 billion of his fortune to charities in 2006. What a blessing......

So, who wants to be a Millionaire? Are you willing to become the person necessary to handle the responsibility that comes with being wealthy. Darren Hardy from Success Magazine said, "You can only create and maintain the level of wealth that matches your personal development. Thus if you want to have more (wealth), you have to become more (valuable)."

We have all been given gifts and talents. Should we decide to sharpen our skills, and tap into our true potential, the possibility of becoming a Millionaire, especially in our day and age, is in our favor. If you have the discipline and the willingness to make it happen, then what is stopping you?

"All that might be holding you back are your own limiting beliefs. You only need to embrace your own great potential, cultivate it and release it into the world. The marketplace will remunerate the contribution of your talents with great abundance." - D.H.

Tap your potential and we will see you at a Millionaire retreat soon!

God bless,
Ron

Negative Thinking Stinks!

2010-07-12T23:08:00.000-04:00

So how many times have we heard the expression, "You get what you think about?" Whether or not you believe there is power in your thoughts and that choosing what you focus on is important, the reality is negative thinking stinks. Not only does it affect your attitude, most of the time those people who are around you will pick up on your vibration and follow suit. One of the worse things that can happen to us is having our attitude tank because of someone who is acting, thinking, and vibrating negatively.

It is ironic, if you believe in irony, that the patterns of your daily life experience are generally in line with the way you are thinking. There is a lot of truth to, "the power of positive thinking." Now that doesn't mean just because you say aloud and affirm that everything is going to be peaches and cream, it immediately becomes so. If it were that easy there would be a lot less violence in our society these days. However, making a consistent effort to remain positive and taking on your challenges from an optimistic perspective, rather than pessimistic, tends to offer a more enjoyable outcome.

Recently I heard an interview with Montel Williams. What an amazing story! Since he was diagnosed with MS, life has obviously not been the same. At first he was very upset about his diagnosis. He even went on to say that he threw himself in front of a taxi hoping to end his life. After a while he finally came to grips with reality and decided to change the way he was thinking about his illness. His testimony impacted me because of his willingness to accept things as they were and make the decision to remain positive. One of the interesting points he raised was how we as human beings are hardwired to think and react negatively. He went on to say that this was a defense mechanism providing the following example. Why do we say, "Be careful don't walk out into the road, YOU MIGHT GET HIT BY A CAR AND KILL YOURSELF." Could we not have simply said, "Be careful don't walk out into the road!" That statement alone would be appropriate for the situation. However, we continue to add the negative reason why it is a bad thing to do. "You might get hit by a car and kill yourself." The negative outcome anchors our sense of reasoning. Since most of our thoughts are centered in negativity, it is important that we consciously decide to think positive. He concluded by saying once we understand the power of our thoughts and choose wisely what we think about, there are no boundaries to what we can achieve.

My wife and I have observed for several years how true this really is. Especially since having kids! "Be careful with that glass, SO YOU DON'T SPILL THE MILK." Or, "Watch your step, SO YOU DON'T FALL AND BREAK YOUR NECK." We quickly respond by saying, "Think Positive, Focus on what you want." The Law of Attraction says you will get what you focus on whether you want it, or not. Whether you believe it to be true, that is exactly how it works. Again, that doesn't mean you focus on a million bucks and the next thing you know you're a millionaire. Or if you are sick and focus on a cure, that instantly you are back to perfect health. However, it does mean that you should do your best to keep a positive attitude.

Here is some homework. The next time you are out and about, whether it be at the grocery store, birthday party, or even church, pay close attention to people and how they talk. Listen to their words and observe their actions. How many people smile when they walk by? It is certain that you will see a pattern.

You can even see the negative mindset we have by simply looking at the slogans on clothing, bumper stickers, and coffee mugs. We live in a World where negativity is seen as funny, and positive thinkers are seen as false prophets. Large groups of people with common visions to positively impact the World are called Cult-like, weird and unusual. We live in a time where good is looked at as evil, and evil as good. Negative thinking stinks!

Being the Optimist that I am, there are still times when negativity takes control of my thoughts. For me, it is not easy to shake them once that occurs. Today, as I write this article, was one of those days for me. However, in the end, I realize the importance of shaking that "chip on my shoulder" as quickly as possible. Experience tells me that the more negative my thinking is, the worse off I feel, the less productive I am, but most of all, my negative attitude affects the people closest to me, my family. How about you?

"If our thinking is that important, why then do we spend so much time filling our minds with garbage?" The garbage you let in leads to "stinking thinking!"

Our 3 year old never watched a movie, or seen a television show with violence, until a few months ago. My wife rented a movie from the library about a dog. This dog happened to go back in time during that of the Civil War. As you can imagine, there were guns and killing. Though it was not graphic in any sense of the word, what happened? Now everything he picks up resembles a gun. He runs around the house shooting everyone and everything, saying, "I am going to kill you." The same thought that was running through my mind when asking my wife why she rented the movie. :-) Prior to his seeing the shooting and killing, he never would have had a thought like that. However, once the negative image had been locked away in his mind, it became a thought that he acted upon. You see this all the time with our youth being influenced by Hollywood. That is another article in itself.

In closing, our thoughts are powerful. Choose your programming wisely, and work hard to think positive. They say it takes more muscles in your face to frown than it does to smile. Smile for goodness sake, you look so much better when you do!

Much love and blessings,
Ron

Yesterday is gone

2010-07-10T11:02:00.000-04:00

So you decide to make some changes in your life. These changes can range from a many variety of things. Perhaps you decided it was time for a job change, or a re-location of where you and your family are going to plant your roots and settle down. (Yeah, you probably guessed it, a personal experience here)

Interesting how when everything is going your way, the decision to make the move looks fantastic, however, should anything start to go wrong, you begin to second guess yourself. You start to think along the lines of, “we shoulda……..” However, if not making the decision to change wasn’t what you really felt like was the right choice, then you probably wouldn’t have made it. Let me give you an example.

When we lived in Virginia, we were very settled. We owned our own home with land, carpet company, all new vehicles, and were definitely comfortable. However, both my wife and I hated what we did for a living. I was never home, most of our relationships were negative, and we were ready for something new. Something challenging and life changing. A chance to do something we loved and escape the lifestyle we were not happy with.

The opportunity came about in 2005, and we acted upon it. At first this decision was definitely accepted as an excellent move on our part. The new business we partnered in was flourishing, we had more time together since the business was all internet based, and everything seemed perfect. Good bye VA and hello MI!!

Then it happened. One, stupid, unethical business decision, and everything changed. Something so small turned out to be so huge and it changed everything in a matter of moments. As things started to quickly spiral out of control, we lost our business, and now all of a sudden the decision to move wasn’t looking very good! We started thinking about what we left behind, the carpet company we had, the life we were living, no struggles or worries like any of the new challenges we were now facing. Instead of focusing on the future and looking for solutions in the present, we started to feel sorry for ourselves and began focusing on the past. The way things used to be. How we wish we never woulda…….. or we coulda…….. or we shoulda……..

Yesterday is gone! The decisions you made, when you made them, were based on the circumstances you were experiencing at that time. Like I mentioned earlier, if life was so good, why would you have been seeking change in the first place? Sometimes, OK a lot of times, in life, what you anticipate happening doesn’t always happen exactly as you planned. However, once you made the decision to change and acted on that decision, there is no going back. Accept it, and instead of focusing on yesterday, plan for tomorrow, and live for today!

See, had we never made that one stupid mistake, we would more than likely be Millionaires today. However, should we have not made that one stupid mistake, we would not have grown and become the people we are today. Though sometimes it is easier to feel sorry for yourself and regret certain decisions you might have made in the past, yesterday is gone forever, no matter what you do, that choice you made has already come to pass. Rather than dwell on your mistakes and wish you would have done things differently, learn from your mistakes, accept the fact that we are not perfect, dust yourself off, and start taking the necessary steps today to make tomorrow the way yesterday could’ve been!!

We need to stop beating ourselves up. Failure is a stepping stone for success. It isn’t a matter of, “am I going to fail,” but “will I get up and keep going when I do?”

Live for today, create for tomorrow!
Blessings,
Ron

Stays together...

2010-07-10T10:44:00.000-04:00

“A family that prays together, stays together.” No one ever could have prepared me for how difficult raising 4 kids was going to be. I have said many times, the most rewarding, yet hardest task one will ever have to experience in life, is raising up a family.

Raising kids actually reminds me a lot of building businesses. Seriously….. You invest a lot of time, money, and effort for years, not generally seeing the fruits of your labor for some time. Along the way you have some successes, as well as, setbacks. Sometimes you feel like there is progress, yet other times it seems as if you can’t do anything right. There is a saying, “you can’t please everyone, all the time!” So true in business, and in family!

It seems that the lessons your own parents were trying to teach you, as you were growing up, didn’t set in until you were older. My parents used to tell me all the time, “just wait until you have kids of your own….” It seemed that everything I did wrong, in their eyes, would make more sense to me when I seen my kids do the same things. As I chuckle when I say this, now with my kids, not only do I see what my parents seen, I find myself saying what my parents said! Can anyone relate?

There was one thing that my mom always told us kids as we were growing up. She told us that it was her wish that we would learn to love one another, and always be there for each other in times of need. My mom wanted more than anything for us to stay together as a family, even after we were grown. Something she said didn’t happen in her family, or my dads. Unfortunately she didn’t get her wish. Though I love my brother and sister very much, we do not have much of a relationship since becoming adults. All of us are on different paths, and we communicate very little.

For me, this is a goal that I have taken on from my mom and wish the same thing for my kids. Over the years I had to ask myself, “what can we do to instill this sense of love and appreciation for one another in our family?”

It wasn’t until late 2007 when we really started seeking God in our lives. Shortly after we lost our 1st internet business since moving to Michigan, we quickly realized that something needed to change. Since we always believed in God, just didn’t attend church or focus on our spiritual growth much before, we decided to do so. Our entire family took to attending church and growing in the Lord very well. Sundays became a day that we looked forward to. Church become so enjoyable that we began to seek a Sunday Night and Wednesday Night service.

As we continued to grow spiritually, and came to know Christ in our lives as Lord and Savior, everything changed. I began to realize that the love my mom wanted for her family, that she couldn’t figure out why it was missing in our lives, was Jesus. Since our family has found Christ, the difference in how each of us act toward one another is amazing. Though we all have different personalities and like different things, there is a common bond that each of us share which keeps us united. The principles taught in the Bible, especially when acted upon in your life, are truly life changing. Our experience has been nothing less than amazing.

Though my mom passed away over 3 years ago now, she would be happy to know that we have found the missing ingredient in our lives. Her wish may not have come to pass in her family while she was alive, however, she instilled that same dream in me, and I am sure it will come to pass in my family! I am also confident, since God was able to move in mine and Melisa’s life, there is still time for Him to move in my brother and sisters lives also!!

My mom planted a seed in me many years ago. Eventually that seed started to sprout and now has begun to grow. In business and family, the fruits of your labor may not always show up right away, or in the exact fashion that you may have hoped for. However, with belief, consistent effort, and persistence, in time your desired result will manifest.

I want to give a special thanks to a special woman who, through her love and example, influenced my becoming the man, husband, and father I am today.

Miss you mom!
Much love,
Ron

Keep Going...

2010-07-07T16:56:00.002-04:00

Challenges, Struggles, Stress, Financial Worries, Relationship Troubles, It's One Thing After Another..... Any of these sound familiar? One of my mentors once said, "If you are going through Hell, KEEP GOING...." Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation …” (John 16:33).

So, how about it? Do you believe that growth happens during those times of our greatest struggles and hardships? Have you ever heard of the expression, "Lesson continued until lesson learned?" Or, "That which does not kill us, strengthens us?" Or, "God only gives us what we can handle?"

In truth, life is definitely not easy!!!

However, if we analyze these statements, can we find peace during times of hardships? In essence if we are struggling, regardless as to the circumstance, is there a lesson that we are supposed to learn from the experience? Looking back on our life it is evident there is truth to this. We never appreciated an abundance of money, until we experienced the lack of it. We didn't appreciate family living close, until we moved 800 miles away and had no family nearby. Just to name a couple.... Early in our learning about Prosperity we heard our mentor say, "In order to truly experience and appreciate prosperity, you must also experience poverty."

Another saying which I remember hearing many times growing up was, "You don't appreciate what you have until it is gone." Or, "The grass isn't always greener on the other side." Again, to experience both sides of any situation seems to offer a better sense of understanding. Indeed a lesson learned...

Life is definitely a learning experience. Over the years we have learned that no matter the situation you are facing, stay strong, expect the unexpected, and most of all, have Faith, that you will overcome it. Embrace each experience as a life lesson and learn to enjoy the ride.

Everyone will experience peaks and valleys! Time does not slow down for anyone. Stay strong and keep going.....

In Christ,
Ron

"Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." Arnold Schwarzenegger

There is power in numbers part 2

2010-07-06T21:32:00.000-04:00

To continue with leverage, the next best term is compounding! "The power of compounding was said to be deemed the eighth wonder of the world - or so the story goes - by Albert Einstein."

Wikipedia defines, "Compound interest arises when interest is added to the principal, so that from that moment on, the interest that has been added also itself earns interest. This addition of interest to the principal is called compounding (for example the interest is compounded)."

So as you earn interest, then re-invest that interest, your investment begins to grow, picking up speed over time. Though this article is not about compound interest, the dynamics of building a network marketing business are similar.

When you begin your business, it is just you. Then you sponsor a couple of people on your team. Now you have two people and yourself building the business. Now those 2 new team members sponsor 2 people each. Now you have six people and yourself building the business. Just for the sake of illustration, let us go another level and say that all 6 team members sponsor 2 more people each. That would add another 12 people to the existing 6 plus you. What started off as just you, has now grown to 19 people in the business over time.

As you continue to work with your team and grow your business the amount of people joining your team will continue to compound and eventually you will hit exponential growth. Once that happens, the rest is history. Wikipedia says about Multi-Level Marketing, "exponential increases are promised to appear in each new level of a starting member's downline as each subsequent member recruits more people."

There is huge power in numbers. Leverage, Compounding, Exponential Growth = Wealth, Lifestyle, Freedom

Our business model is so powerful, with its many benefits and opportunities, it would be difficult to fathom why anyone would pass it by. Interestingly enough we have spoke with many people over the years and many have at least "tried" an MLM business. Yet they are not still actively engaged, learning, or building? The only conclusion that we were able to come up with is their lack of understanding the business model itself, and/or, missing out on the first piece of leverage that comes with the business. Like I mentioned in part 1, "You are in business for yourself but not by yourself."

Randy taught me early in my Networking career, "MLM is a learning and teaching business." Therefore when you get involved in Network Marketing, understand you must learn the business first, then teach others what you learned. Sadly some people do not learn everything about the business before they begin teaching others, and that negligence produces inadequate results, not only in their business, but that of those people who they were responsible for helping.

There is no greater industry, especially for the average person, than joining a Network Marketing business. Before you do, 1. Learn about the industry 2. Find a company that offers a product or service that you are passionate about 3. Join with someone that is actively engaged and committed to building their business 4. Commit to using your companies product or service 5. Learn, Learn, Learn 6. Teach, Teach, Teach 7. Build, Build, Build 8. Never give up

To your success!
Ron - Independent Isagenix Associates

There is power in numbers part 1...

2010-07-06T17:15:00.000-04:00

Earlier today I was watching a DVD from an issue of Success Magazine and it happened to have a clip from a talk given by Robert Kiyosaki. Rich Dad Poor Dad was the very first book I read back in 2003 which started me on my quest for building residual streams of income. There was a term that he used called "leverage." Leverage is one of the secrets of the Rich.

John D. Rockefeller was quoted as saying, "I would rather have 1% of 100 people's efforts, as opposed to 100% of my own effort." He understood the meaning of leverage. When working at a job for example you are being paid on your own effort. Whereas the owner of the business, whom you work for, is being paid on the efforts of those people he employs, in addition to, his own effort. The owner has created leverage. Can you see the benefits of creating leverage in your life?

Another quote that I love by Kiyosaki is, "The Rich build networks, while everyone else looks for work." Now there are a lot of people who have become very Wealthy as Employees working for big corporations, however, it seems a lot of the most successful people are self made Entrepreneurs.

Personally, when my wife and I decided to embark on our journey, the biggest hurdle we had to overcome was our ignorance. That is, we simply didn't know what we didn't know. The thought of investing money and taking risks was a very scary scenario. Both our parents worked jobs, and still to this day, do. Yet there was something in our lives that we just knew was missing. We wanted more in life than just working a 9-5 job. If you could choose to be Rich, who wouldn't?

When we were introduced to Network Marketing, the business model made sense. Only because we learned about leverage prior to looking at the industry. The first time we seen Randy Gage draw circles on a whiteboard and explain how to build a network we were hooked. Then we heard these most comforting words, "You are in business for yourself but not by yourself."

If you join the right company, there will be a team of people that you will be working with. This is very important. As with anything new, it takes time to learn and get good at the business. This is the first part of creating leverage in your business. I know for us in the beginning, we leveraged the time, experience, and knowledge that our sponsor had while we were learning. In this business, like many others, you learn as you go.

Now, as the business has grown, the shoe is on the other foot. While I still work with my sponsor, and might I add Alicia is awesome, it is my responsibility to mentor and train the people who are getting started on our team. For every new team member that begins to build their business, we are creating more and more leverage. As you can imagine, the more leverage you create, the faster your business grows.

First, it is your own effort and that of your sponsor to help get you going. Then you have 4 people in your team, 10, 25, 75, 105, 225, and so on.... I am here to tell you, there is power in numbers. Think about it this way, at your job, what if you were paid for your efforts, and also received a 6% bonus of everyone's paycheck who works with you? How cool would that be? Would you be interested in helping those other people at work make more money? Would you be interested in helping the business grow, as now you have more of an incentive than just getting paid for your own efforts? Of course you would..

A networking business is built in that same way. As you start building your business, you will get paid based on your own efforts. However, as your team starts to grow and other people in your business are now making money, you start to earn a % of their income as well. The more money they make, the more money you make. Can you see why Network Marketing is so powerful. When it is done right, and people understand how the business works, everyone works together and wins together.

Now, this leads me to my next point, "The power of compounding..." Check out part 2 of this article!

In Christ,
Ron Curtis, Jr.
Independent Isagenix Associates

Are you disciplined enough...

2010-07-03T09:34:00.000-04:00

So you think it might be time to start your own business, eh? Thinking about entering into the world of the Entrepreneur? Are you disciplined enough?

There is much required of you when making the leap of Faith to do so. More than just money to invest, time to invest, books to read, cds to listen to, meetings and seminars to attend. Oh yes, much more than that will be required of you if you are going to succeed in your own business.

Ever since we were young we have been trained up to obey orders in our life. As a young child it was your parents who instructed you on what was right and wrong. Then we enter our school years and our teachers began to instruct us. Finally we enter our adulthood and for 95% of us our boss continues the pattern.

What time you wake up in the morning, where you live, what you drive, when you take your vacations and so on are generally determined by your job. I chuckle when I think back to high school and see the similarities of working a job vs. attending school. The evidence that we are trained up and programmed to perform certain responsibilities each day are too similar.

Mon-Fri you attend school from 7amET - 3pmET, amazing, 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. The typical expression for a full time job is working Mon-Fri from 9amET - 5pmET, 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. In school you were told when you were to switch classes. At work you are told when you can take a cigarette break. At school you had a set time for lunch. At work, you do too!! At school you needed permission from your teacher, or the principal, to take time off from school for whatever reason. At work you have to request time off from your boss. We can go on, but I think you get the point.

As an Entrepreneur there is no one that is going to stand over you and tell you when and where you need to be everyday. What projects need to be completed? How many hours per day you are going to work? How much money you will earn every week for doing so? Oh no, it is nothing like that at all. As a matter of fact, if you are not self disciplined enough to work, even when you don't want to, there is no way you will ever make it as an Entrepreneur.

So I ask the question again, "Are you disciplined enough?"

Are you willing to get out of bed everyday and work 8-10 hours, or more if required, without having to report to anyone? Are you willing to work hard without much compensation at the start of your business venture? Are you willing to invest time and money into getting your company up and running? Can you handle the criticism and negative feedback of your peers and family while you start to pursue your dream of becoming financially free? Will you commit to your business plan, making necessary changes as you go, and persevere long enough for your business to establish itself successfully in the marketplace? Will you consistently do what it takes, long enough, without needing to be told what to do next?

When you are your own boss, you must hold yourself accountable. If you don't get up in the morning and go to work, work won't get done. It may seem like an easy thing to do, however, it is an even easier thing not to do!

I have been an Entrepreneur since 1999, and let me tell you, it has not been easy. There have been plenty of times when I chose to play with my kids instead of make phone calls that needed to be made for our business. Slept in late and missed important phone calls and/or appointments. Procrastinated getting work done and wasted entire days doing nothing. The list goes on, however, there is one thing that I did do right......

I kept moving forward. Over the years my wife and I both have learned how to utilize our time efficiently. How to be great stewards with money, not to focus on how much you make but how much you keep. Proven the theory that written goals are much more effective than not writing them down. Waking up in the morning when you don't want to is necessary, and also staying up late, in order to build a successful business. That delaying your gratification for just a little while can lead to much better decisions long term. We realized that we are not perfect, only Jesus can make claim to that, yet were determined, committed, and willing to persevere long enough, until we were able to get it right!

How long will it take? Only God knows, each of us are different. For us it has taken nearly 12 years, however, the results were worth the investment!

So, how about it? Are you disciplined enough? We believe in you! Make the decision to get started, and do it today.....

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Your strongest relationships...

2010-07-02T15:46:00.000-04:00

This article has been inspired by our Isagenix family. It is true that some of our strongest relationships have come to be known because of our business. Just like that of your immediate family and church family, in the networking world you also have your business family.

There is a strong set of emotions that are developed with each person/family that joins your team. For anyone who has never experienced success in network marketing, you cannot understand, however, for those that have, you know exactly what I mean.

I was talking with one of our newest teammates the other night from Alaska. I had told her that she has yet to meet some of her best friends. As she continues to grow her business, she will develop relationships with people from all over the globe. People whose lives she will impact both healthwise and financially......

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE...

The weakest link...

2010-07-01T10:44:00.000-04:00

Saturday afternoon we spent time with Josh and Karly Knapp, and family, in Kalamazoo. Our two families are quickly becoming very good friends! Around 6pm or so we decided to visit Apple Knockers in Vicksburg for an ice cream. Yummy....! Afterwards we walked to the local park so our kids could run out some energy before we ended our visit and returned back to Allegan.

While at the park, my oldest son Talen, was on the swing. One of my favorite things to do is twist my kids up in the swings and let them fly! So I did, and he had a blast. This of course led to the other kids, Tyrus and Alexis, wanting to do the same. Once they had finished, I asked Talen if he wanted to go again, this time we would twist him to the maximum and see how fast we could get him zinging!! Talen was all for it! He sat on the swing and I began to twist. Higher and higher and higher, to the point where he barely had anywhere to hold on and there was no more chain to twist. He was literally higher in the air than I am tall. As I released him, giving him a bit of an extra push to start the spinning out quickly, he was off, and I mean he was flying. As we watched him spin, round and round and round, about halfway through the ride, one of the links snapped, and Talen quickly found himself lying on his back laughing and also wondering what had happened. As for the rest of us, we were laughing and in shock that this happened. Nobody was hurt and the experience was very much enjoyable.

After this had happened, while we went back to our vehicles to head home, I told Josh that somehow I was going to turn this event into an article. I mentioned to him that there must be a lesson we can learn so that the article will have value to those who are reading it. With some thought, we came up with, "The weakest link."

So here is the lesson. As we learned from this experience, Talen, Tyrus and Alexis, all spun on the swing. However, when Talen went the second time, something happened. Just one of the links snapped, and the chain was broken. Can anyone say teamwork? Think about each link on the swing as a member of a team. When each link is working in unison with each other, everything works properly. However, should even just one link break, the whole team feels the effect. It only takes one sour grape to ruin the bunch.

Teamwork is extremely important for just about anything you do in life. At your job, there is a team of people who are each responsible for a particular task.

Many times you will hear of situations or circumstances where someone on the team is not performing their job to the best of their ability. When that happens other people have to pick up the slack. This can cause animosity amongst the team and create major issues in the overall productivity.

Yet there are other circumstances where the team members not only perform their job with high levels of productivity, they also go over and beyond their call of duty. Thus creating a team which is strong and capable of handling any task sent their way. There is power in working together as a team.

As another example, think about a family. First of all there is the mom and dad. Before becoming a couple, each was their own individual. Once getting involved in a relationship, they then became a team of two. It does require work to make a relationship last, and it will require effort and sacrifice on both parties to make it happen. Then enters children. Now the team just became larger. Each member of the family has its role to play in the team, especially as the family/team continues to grow. In our family we are known as, Team Curtis Family. Melisa and I have four children. When all six of us are working together as a team, life can be pretty good. However, should even one of us, adults or children, not play our role, things can get crazy, FAST!!

Dads are expected to work and take care of the financial aspects of the relationship, while also devoting his time to the family. Moms are always busy taking care of the house, raising the children, supporting dad, just to list a few. (Women/Moms are amazing!!) Then the older kids are needed to help with chores around the home, in addition to their studies, and also assisting with their younger siblings. The younger children also play a huge role on the team.

It is their job to keep their older brothers and sisters in line. They have to lead by example, constantly reminding their older siblings to stop fighting, wash the dishes, and do their homework. Heh heh, and you think I am joking!! (Well, kinda, but if you have younger children you know what I mean!)

My point is, regardless as to the exact circumstances, or situation, when you work as a team, productivity is at its peak potential. Six hands working on the same project will always outperform one, in theory anyhow! There is power in numbers.

So remember, the next time you are working on a project at work, cleaning the kitchen after dinner, or twisting on the swings at the park, it only takes one weak link to break the chain. Work as a team, grow as a team, and win as a team!

Blessed to be a Blessing,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

It pays to be patient!

2010-06-30T10:51:00.000-04:00

So what exactly does it mean by delaying your gratification anyhow? Patience is not something we are born with, though some personality types are pretty laid back and seem to have more of it than others!

Over the years it has been my observation that when we take our time and think over any decision we make, the outcome is generally better than if we act on impulse. Naturally, as humans, when we want something, we hate to have to wait for it. We want it now!! This type of emotion can really get us into major trouble. There is a 4 letter word that comes to mind when talking about this subject. Anyone care to guess what it is?

D-E-B-T, debt!! Since we live in an instant gratification world, if you can't afford it, charge it. Watched any television lately? Have you seen the ads for new vehicles by chance? Do you notice their marketing plan is to influence you to go finance a new car? The majority of America drives around in vehicles that they couldn't afford. There is nothing financially smart about leasing or financing a vehicle. However, most people when they go to buy a new car only care about one thing, getting the new car! As long as they can afford the monthly payment, they don't care about the interest and payments for the next 5 years. (How many people get that car, then within 12 months, are already wanting a new one?)

Take that scenario above and think about what happens next. You take your car in, after only owning it and making payments on it for 12 months, and try to trade it in. Your car, which you financed $26,000, is now only worth $14,000 for the trade-in and you still owe $23,000 on your loan. Uh-oh, that is negative equity, and that is definitely not good. How many people then try to roll over that negative equity into an upgrade, using some of the available rebates, and finance the new car, which was sticker priced at $35,000, yet your loan is for $39,000? Ahhhhh, you got the new car you wanted, more debt, more negative equity, and a higher monthly payment. :-(

Lets look at this situation from a different perspective. Lets say you wanted this nice car, which brand new would cost you $26,000. Though you could put 20% down, and finance the rest, you decided to delay your gratification. Instead for the next 12 months you continued to drive your existing car, which you owned outright, and set aside money each month in your budget to save for a new car. Now you decide it is time to get the car. Instead of looking for one that was brand new, you find the make and model of the car you want, which happens to be a year old now and has 11,000 miles on it. Because you delayed your gratification, and saved money for the past 12 months, you make an offer of $14,000 cash, and they take it! So, what happened?

Because you waited 12 months and saved your money, you were still able to buy the car you wanted, however, it was a year older with 11,000 miles on it, but you saved $12,000 plus interest. This is just one example of delayed gratification.

Now without thinking on the lines of debt, let's talk about the harder form of delayed gratification. That would be not buying something, though you have the money and can afford it. One of my mentors once said, "If you think spending money is hard when you don't have any, having money and not spending it is even harder." Can you fathom that? If you have the money, why wouldn't you buy what you want?

And the survey says? That is the reason you have a lot of money. Heh heh, think about it. The people who learn to delay their gratification, make smart investments with their money, and put off buying pleasurables until they really can afford it, avoid the trap that most of us fall into. Instead of getting what they want through acquiring debt, they save and invest, then pay cash for what they want. You will quickly realize, the more money you have, that cash is simply a tool. Once you are able to purchase anything you want, the things you want change.

Delaying your gratification is tough. We live in a world where everyone judges you based on your status in the community. It is sad how we live our lives, more concerned about what other people think of us, as opposed to living below our means and making smart decisions for ourselves. We make impulsive decisions that cost us big dividends in the long run just to "show off" our success. Before you make any major decisions in your life, in any area of your life not just financial, set a new 24 hour rule for yourself. Never buy on impulse, always think it through overnight. Ask yourself; Do we need it? Is it worth it? Can we afford it? Why do we want it? Is it a good investment? What is our return on investment?

You will be surprised at how thinking a decision through, being patient, can save you from making some really big mistakes. We are not perfect, and have learned by making plenty of mistakes ourselves. Though delaying our gratification is not always fun, in the end, it has always paid off!

Blessings,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Are you a dream stealer or dream encourager?

2010-06-30T10:49:00.000-04:00

Have you ever had a dream? Of course you did, and probably still do! Have you ever stepped out of your comfort zone and made the decision to pursue it? If so, then this article will hit home.

One of the first books I recommend anyone starting out on a new business venture to read is "The Dream Giver," by Bruce Wilkinson. If you do not currently have this book in your library, make a point to visit Amazon.com today and purchase it.

Making the decision to change your life is very uncomfortable. It will require growth and leaving behind the familiar. This perhaps is the main reason why so few people chase after their dreams. After all if you are making a decent living, and are comfortable, why would you want to take a risk of leaving that, even if the new destination would provide a more fulfilling life experience, one that you have always dreamed of having?

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE...

The invisible realm...

2010-06-29T12:21:00.000-04:00

In a previous article I had talked about being consistent when building an internet business even though there might not be measurable results at the start. Regardless as to what results might be, or might not be, visible, never underestimate what is happening in the invisible realm...

There is a saying that says, "what you do today will affect tomorrow," or "the results you have in life today are a reflection of the decisions you made in the past." This illustrates the point that something is happening whether you realize it or not.

We did get involved in a couple of business opportunities, while on our journey to find the best home business for us, where we learned the truth of the invisible realm the hard way. Let me explain!

When we started building our very first internet business, we began putting advertisement out all over the net. Our friends and family were quickly aware that we were building a business, as they seen our advertising and products when they came to our home. There were cds, dvds, newspapers, brochures, etc. that we began sending out to people who shown an interest in our opportunity. Everything we did always had our name, phone number, email address, and website on it.

For about 6 months we were consistently at it. My wife and I were just sure with all this effort we would certainly have 100's of people chasing us down and becoming customers. Though we did see some results, not much, we started to get burnt out. We didn't understand why this was happening? What were we doing wrong? Slowly our efforts began to decrease and we were starting to get discouraged.

Interestingly enough after we had all but stopped all of our advertising efforts, it seemed business started getting busy. We were receiving emails and phone calls in regards to our business. There were orders being made on our website and we had no idea where they were coming from. When we spoke with some of the people who were responding they were telling us how they found one of our cds at a friends house. Or how they inquired about our products months ago but were not able to get started at that time and now they are ready. One guy even said that my brother told them about our business and gave him a dvd! We were reaping what we sowed!!

As you can imagine we were pretty doggone excited, so we decided to start back our advertising, sending the cds, dvds, newspapers, brochures, etc. in order to keep the momentum going. You probably guessed it, since we did stop our advertising for a few months, eventually the flurry of activity we had died off and we were back to working hard with little results again. Even though we knew what happened last time, we just plain gave up. A few months after we quit the business we found another opportunity. Now here is the kicker, we had people who started calling us about the other company we used to be in. Again, the seeds we sowed were starting to sprout, though it was too late. There was even one lady who we spoke with more than a year prior who was finally ready to get involved, and we were no longer with the company anymore. :-(

So here is my point! You have to realize that everything you do will have a consequence. Sometimes it will be an immediate return, however, in most cases there will be a period of time that goes by before your result is manifested.

This is another reason why it is very, very important that you decide what business you want to get involved with. Make sure it is something you are passionate about and are willing to commit long term, NO MATTER WHAT! Looking back on it, if my wife and I would have never left that initial opportunity.....?

Ah well, the best learning opportunities generally come when you make mistakes. So here we are today, we understand that there is an invisible realm, that everything we do today will affect tomorrow. There are times when it doesn't look like our business is growing, and other times when it is exploding. The important ingredient is to remain consistent. Your efforts will pay big dividends once you understand how this works. It is kinda like the "law of Karma." You know, "what goes around comes around." If you plant good seeds, then you will reap a good harvest!

Learn to use the invisible realm to your advantage. Believe in what you are doing, set a plan of action which consists of daily, consistent activities, and execute your plan with Faith knowing that your desired end result is within reach and will come to pass.

Many people will get started, sadly, only a few will finish what they start! As Winston Churchill said, "Never, Never, Never Give up!"

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

The more you get to know them...

2010-06-28T12:58:00.000-04:00

We have all met people we don't know for a first time. Generally most people are consciously aware that making a first good impression is important. However, what I have found to be of more value is the authenticity of a persons character the more you get to know them....

This is very obvious with children. Have one of your children's friends come over to stay the night and you will more than likely see their best side. It is easy, and requires very little effort, to act in a way, that you want people to think, is how you are for short periods of time. However, keep these kids at your home for more than a night and usually by the 2nd day you start to see their true colors.

Too many times we are fooled by the impression we make of someone when we first meet. This is also why it is important that we don't give too much trust to someone that we do not really know. Take for example young couples who start dating. Many young people make the mistake of thinking they are in love way too early in a relationship. If you want to know whether or not the person you are having feelings for is your "night in shining armor", the best thing you can do is get to know them better, and this will take some time.

In the business world it is extremely important that you are who you say you are. Whether you are at work, at home, at church, at the mall, or anywhere else for that matter, you need to be you. Don't be two faced! There is nothing worse than meeting someone, just to find out later they were not the person you thought they were. Character does matter!

Character is what you do, who you are, when no one else is looking. If you act one way when engaged with others, however, act completely different when no one else is around, then you have a Character flaw. Sooner or later people will see the real you.

It is just like the boy who always lies. He will tell his friend one story, his teacher another, and yet his parents a completely different story than he told the first two. Think about how difficult it is to not only remember your lies, but who you told what to? Would it not be easier to just tell the Truth, ALL THE TIME?

Though first impressions are important, lets make sure we are not trying to fool people into thinking we are something that we are not. Take pride in your Character, live your life with Integrity, and cherish your relationships!

Have a blessed day!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Waking up to new customers....

2010-06-27T14:17:00.000-04:00

One of the coolest advantages to building an internet business is waking up to new customers. I remember when I first got involved with Isagenix, it seemed as if I was working very hard with little results. My sponsor, whom I greatly appreciate, kept telling me about how it took her several months before she finally started to see the fruits of her labor online. She kept telling me to be consistent, plant seeds, and before you know it things will start to happen for you.

I think this is a very important lesson for anyone that is thinking about, or is currently, building an internet business. It is the law of Sowing and Reaping. If you sow good seeds, you reap a good harvest. Though it never happens overnight, the results are worth the investment.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE - CLICK HERE

Living a life of gratitude...

2010-06-26T09:31:00.000-04:00

Everyday is a new experience. Some mornings as we awake the sun is shining, birds are chirping, there is a nice cool breeze blowing through the trees..... Yet there are other mornings, like that of today, when you are literally woke up by the sounds of crashing thunder, the sky is lit up with lightning, and the rain is pouring down. Power surges throughout the house. What incredible power God can display! Nature is truly remarkable...

Each morning, regardless as to the circumstances with the weather, employment, financial challenges, relationship issues, and so on, it is important that we see the good of our situation. To learn to appreciate the blessings that we currently have and get to experience. The fact that we are alive and have the incredible ability to grow, change, love, care, prosper, see, taste, touch, and live life! To have a roof over our head, food on the table, clothes to wear, car(s) to drive, and much, much more!

To live a life of gratitude is to spend time noticing that which you do have. Those in your life that you do love and they love you. All the opportunity and material pleasures that each of us have been blessed with. It is consciously making the decision to love life and embrace change. Every morning we are given another gift! How do you choose to use your gifts?

Many people seem to get caught up on the negative events, or circumstances, of their life experience instead of focusing on all the good. It is easier to see the negativity in our lives, as opposed to the positive. I challenge you today to unplug your mind from any negative, focus on the positive side of life. Not everything in life will be perfect. You won't always be able to keep a positive attitude. There are times on our journey when we will be confused and have a lack of understanding why certain events are occurring. However, all this will come to pass, and in the process you must be grateful for the person each adversity has molded you to become.

When you come to a place of understanding that we are constantly growing, that challenges and struggles are part of everyone's life, then you can learn to embrace these situations. You can learn to live a life of gratitude, giving praise for every blessing, big or small. Nobody said life was going to be easy, however, it sure is one heck of an experience. There is no better movie, than that of the one you are currently filming, everyday of your life.

We are a blessed people! Give God some praise this morning. Thank Him for all your blessings and start to live your life with more gratitude today!

"Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change!"

You are awesome!
In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Article writing is a learned skill...

2010-06-25T19:06:00.000-04:00

In 2005 I shut down my very successful carpet company in Virginia very suddenly. Many people thought I lost my mind. If you knew that I was letting go a half million dollar per year business and partnering with a complete stranger in an industry I knew nothing about, you'd probably agree with my critics!

I remember once we made the move getting a brand new HP laptop computer that was way more advanced than any PC I ever owner prior to that. Even more, with my carpet company I never used a computer. I was very old fashioned, did everything by hand, and still have the filing cabinets full of paperwork to prove it!

My partner on the other hand was a College Graduate for computer technology. This dude is a freaking whiz on the computer. I remember the first time I went to his house and he was working online. He was fast when it came to typing, and his ability to type good quality articles was amazing. He told me, "my fingers type what I think, simple as that!" What an awesome skill. Me, on the other hand, I remember him asking me to copy and paste something and I didn't even know how to do that. :-)

There was a time when I really thought there was no way I could ever write articles. It took forever just to draft a basic email, so the thought of typing sales copy, or articles, for any internet based business seemed highly unlikely. Besides, how would I know what to type about anyhow? I just wasn't creative enough to make it happen.

Interestingly enough, over the years a few things started to happen. We had many failed business ventures, and our share of good ones too. On our journey I have been fortunate enough to mentor with some great thinkers and top income earners in our industry, read hundreds of self development books, listened to countless hours of audio albums, watched many hours of online videos relative to our business and so on. It is amazing the amount of information that you can feed your mind, and when needed, you can log in to your own personal database, subconscious mind, and pull out the necessary files that have been stored throughout your life experience.

Take that ability, which we all have, and 5 years of typing on the computer consistently everyday, and now my fingers type what I think. It is actually very cool! The only thing that I need now is a little inspiration about what to type, then I just sit down behind the computer and allow my thoughts and fingers to do the rest of the work. Mind you, in order to type good articles, it is helpful to consistently continue to add new content to your mind daily.

Qondio has offered a great platform for me to also continue to sharpen my skills. Though I realize I am not the best Blogger or Article writer out there in my niche currently, I am determined to get better. As time goes by it is inevitable that my article writing will take off and all the time, effort, and sacrifice will be worth it!

So if you are just starting out online, or have been marketing for some time, have heard about article writing and think you just can't do it? Think again! Here are a few tips to get you started.

First of all, like many authors talk about when writing a best selling novel, they type everyday. Even when they have no idea what to write about! They simply sit down at their desk and begin to write. After just a little while of doing so, words begin to fill the paper, then your creative mind goes to work.

Second, start off easy. Write about your life experiences, your children, spouse or significant other. Re-live some of the childhood memories you had growing up that helped mold you into the person you are today. How did you get started in your business, job, or current niche? What are your dreams, passions, desires, and goals that you have set forth for you to accomplish on your journey? Blog about your favorite Sports teams, etc.

Finally, just begin, and begin today! There is no greater loss than that of time. Time is the only thing that money cannot buy you back, GUARANTEED!

I am going to begin writing more articles in regards to our home business. Part of what I will do is study videos and literature, while taking notes, then type an article on what I learned. You would be surprised at how easy and effective this is at educating your audience on your product or service.

Take a look at what you are currently doing. How can you use the information that you have learned in a way to teach and educate others. If you offer value to the marketplace, it is guaranteed that you will have an audience that will read your articles. Besides, after a little while of doing it, article writing becomes fun and quite addicting. Give it a try, stick with it, and you won't be sorry! After all article writing is a learned skill, and to get really good at anything, it is going to take time and practice!

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

You gotta love what you do...

2010-06-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

When I was growing up my dad always told me, "Ronald, when you do what you love for a living, it isn't work!"

For the longest time I never grasped the true meaning of what he was trying to teach me. As a matter of fact when I first started my adult life I thought making a lot of money at work was all that matters. Though it didn't take long to realize, even when you are making a lot of money, if you don't like what you are doing for a living eventually the money won't keep you motivated. (My wife and I owned a Carpet Installation Company called First Class Installations in Virginia)

It was 2003 when I first decided to see what the internet could offer me in order to find a way to replace my high consumption lifestyle doing a job I hated, with something that I loved!

You may not be surprised to find out that this really was no easy task. With the internet there is opportunity after opportunity. It can be very overwhelming once you start searching for different ways to make money. For me, it was even more difficult, because I honestly had no clue what I would love to do for a living.

Seriously, since I grew up overweight..... READ THE FULL ARTICLE - CLICK HERE

Modern Day Spamming Technology...

2010-06-24T15:01:00.000-04:00

Will it ever end? Of course Spam will not, I am referring to the ignorance of those people who fall for the latest and greatest technological spamming techniques that present themselves in the marketplace.

Anyone else sick and tired of the automated, "make $400/day with our system," calls yet? We thought Social Media spam was annoying, well, this takes the cake. My question again, why are people falling for all this crap?

As we were walking back from the lake this afternoon I had received a call on my Isagenix business line. With some ads on Craigslist, and websites all over the net, it is quite easy to harvest my number. There is nothing more annoying than one of those automated lines promoting the easiest, most cost effective way to have prospects calling me all the time. If their system is so great, then why are they trying to sell me on it? Use the system to build the largest, most profitable business ever and stop wasting time trying to find the next idiot to buy into your idea. (They are making $400/day on the people who actually believe them and buy it!)

OK, so I am a bit irritated with all of this. I apologize in advance, however, it is quite obvious that a large majority of people online are still uneducated. Here is a quick lesson for anyone reading this, are you ready?

In order to build a business and create an income, YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK! There is no lie greater than, "our system will build your business for you." Just plug and play, set and forget, kick back and sip your martini while we do all the work for you is plain NONSENSE!!!!

"Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth."

The only way Spammers will ever cease to exist, this will probably never happen, is for people to stop falling for their tricks. Blackhat marketers are all over the latest and greatest ways to trick average people into giving them money. If people would lose their instant gratification, get rich quick mentality, then the effectiveness of these tactics would cease to exist!

If we were not hard wired with a get rich quick mentality, explain why Lottery sales are still up, even in this down economy? I have used this quote several times, and I will use it again here, "Empty your purse to fill your mind and your mind will fill your purse." Benjamin Franklin understood that the key ingredient for success was education. Spammers are making a ton of money because they are taking advantage of those who are not properly educated.

A quick tip, when you do receive one of those annoying calls, be sure and press 9, as it is supposed to take you off their mailing list. If you sincerely want to make $400/day working from home on the internet, be prepared to have to learn, work hard, sacrifice, and commit for some time in order to make it happen!

You can do it!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

P.S. Think about it this way. How long have you been employed? Are you making $400/day yet? How hard do you currently work for what you are making? Now ask yourself if one of these miracle systems sounds realistic? Common Sense could save you a lot of Cent$!!!

Technology Slavery...

2010-06-23T19:29:00.000-04:00

This Fathers Day Sunday we spent the entire day in fellowship with our great church family from Cornerstone Pentecostal Church. We had a blast! There was a pig roast, Sumo Fighting, Bouncers for the kids, horseshoes, volleyball tournament, and basketball.

There was also one other noticeable trend, and that was the "texting war" that was happening throughout. I couldn't help but tease Gabe Knapp who was glued to his cellphone while we were getting ready to start playing basketball. Even after the games concluded he ran and grabbed his phone, went out into the hallway, and started texting some more. Gabe has some game when it comes to basketball, and it also seems he has become part of the "Technology Slavery," that is sweeping our Nation. (He was also the inspiration for me to type this article!)

There are countless advantages to technology these days. Instant communication, mobile internet access, unlimited ring tones and apps to keep you entertained for days, and much more..... However, there is also a downside to this new way of life. Have you ever received a phone call, seen the caller ID and decided you were not in the mood to talk at that particular moment? Then when you check the voicemail the message started off like this, "Hey Ron, where you at dude, I know you have your cellphone on you, YOU ALWAYS DO, you trying to avoid me or something? What's up, call me back dude!"

Somehow we now live in a time where if you don't answer your cellphone, or instantly return a text message, something is immediately perceived as wrong. It is almost as if through all the conveniences that a cellphone brings to the table, it also makes you a slave to answer and respond, regardless as to what you are currently doing. It creates unnecessary animosity amongst friends and family whom call and you do not answer. As if not answering the phone is sending a signal that you do not care about them, or they are not important.

How many times have you seen someone in church, at a birthday party, in the hospital, etc. jump and run when their phone rings? Have you ever been in conversation with someone face to face, just to have their phone ring, and regardless as to the importance of your conversation, they must take the call?

What about going on vacation? I thought a vacation was where you unplugged from your "normal activities" of life and enjoy some time relaxing and getting away? During the day of Technology Slavery, that isn't the case anymore, is it? You may decide to leave your computer at home, but you still bring your Blackberry with you, texting, checking emails, and taking calls even while you are on vacation?

Cellphones have created a 24/7 on call mentality for most people. I am sure some of you reading this will also relate to hearing your phone go off at night while you are sleeping, and awakening, then jumping out of bed to see who is calling you, or texting, at 3o'clock in the morning. Many have children who also have cellphones, not sure what that is about, and during dinner the kids are texting their friends instead of conversing as a family while you eat your meal. How many times have you sat down to eat dinner, the phone rings, and watch all your kids, or even you, jump out of your seat to answer it. Could the person calling not have just left a message and you call them back after dinner?

When out and about start to observe people and what they are doing. The only thing more common these days then smoking is texting or talking on cellphones. Take a look around and tell me we are not living in a time and age where Technology Slavery is evident more now than ever.

Ladies and Gentleman, I myself have 2 cellphones. Yes I generally have them on me. One is for our Isagenix business, and the other our Carpet Installation Service. However, there are 2 main functions on my cellphones that I utilize often. The first is caller ID and the second is voicemail. If I am currently tied up, whether that be at church or conversing with someone in person, these 2 features on my phone work wonders. I still believe that when a person calls, if it was important, they will leave a message and I will CALL THEM BACK!

I am not against texting, and I love the advancements in technology, however, to be on call 24/7 is not for me. Many times people have said, "You are hard to get a hold of," yet the reality is, that is not true. It is only valid when comparing me to someone who has fallen into Technology Slavery....

Here is a test to determine whether or not you are on call 24/7. What is the one thing you could never leave home without? If it is your cellphone, then you might just be a slave to technology. We will pray for all of you! :-)

Be free, be blessed,
Ron

P.S. Gabe did say he doesn't usually text all the time, except in this instance, it was the only way he could communicate with this particular young lady! Perhaps he is not a slave to his cellphone, however, I would like to give him a special thanks! If it weren't for him this weekend, this article might not have been possible. :-)

Modern day language and professionalism?

2010-06-19T09:36:00.000-04:00

Am I just old fashioned? It seems the modern day language contains profanity as the main adjective regardless as to the situation or circumstances when engaged in conversation.

Being a contractor there was a time, before finding Christ in my life, that this form of language was acceptable to a certain degree. However, even during the days of my "potty mouth" there was a time and a place where it was just plain unacceptable.

Just going in for a simple oil change these days at the majority of mechanic shops you have to keep your windows up to protect your children from hearing these obscenities. I can recall one particular instance when we needed to get our oil changed and our usual mechanic was booked for that day. So, instead of waiting, we stopped at a new shop which had just recently opened. I felt like we were in the middle of a Rated R Infomercial. The mechanic meant well, I am sure, however, every word that came out of his mouth was preceded with a 4 letter adjective. My wife and I were both very thankful that our kids were sleeping in the back of the van during this occasion. Interestingly enough once he looked in our van and seen the kids he did acknowledge that his language was unacceptable and apologized. Needless to say we have not returned to his shop since.

This is not just a random occurrence either. Everywhere you go people use profanity as acceptable language. As a matter of fact, recently I had a young lady request I measure a carpet job for her. We set a time to meet and when I arrived she was not there. On our third attempt to connect with her via the phone, she answered and once I reminded her of our appointment she said, "Holy S??!, I forgot." Now I am not being judgemental, however, it just seems that there should be a certain level of professionalism and courtesy, especially when dealing, or meeting, with people you don't know.

Again, that might just be it though, since it is "acceptable" language in today's culture, nobody sees anything wrong with it. Personally, I beg to differ.

That raises my second point about Professionalism. Is it too much to ask that when a contractor, or anyone in the service field, is meeting with, or working with, a customer that they display a level of professionalism. Like I mentioned earlier, when I used these same adjectives fluently when engaged with friends, or not around children, never would you catch me talking in that manner with potential clients.

Perhaps I am a 30yr. old, behind the times, husband and father of 4, whom still believes in moral values and good ethics. Or, perhaps we live in a day and age where illustrating good character and integrity just don't seem all that important anymore?

Either way, how about we have a little consideration for those of us who don't appreciate the use of profanity in conversation.

In closing I am reminded of a family that was interested in our Networking Business. We went to their home and shared with them the opportunity and products.

While we were there one of their children came into the room. He was a young white male, probably 14 or 15, and told us he was going to be a professional rapper. I asked him to rap for me, so he did, you can imagine the language he used. Once he finished his little rap I then proceeded to ask him if he could rap for me without using any profanity. Interestingly enough he said, "I can't rap without swearing, it wouldn't sound right."

It seems many people these days can't talk without swearing, after all it wouldn't sound right?

Blessings,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

It was the thought that counts...

2010-06-18T11:40:00.000-04:00

So yesterday morning I get a phone call in regards to a possible carpet job. The gentleman tells me he was buying carpet from the Home Depot, however, they would not be able to install it until the 1st of July. His dilemma is that he needs it done by this upcoming Monday!

No problem, I asked him when would be the soonest he could get the carpet on the job. He told me he could get it there by the next morning and I agreed to install it for him. "Wow, that was fast!" was his response. :-)

So after we confirmed the job he mentioned to me that he had already put down the tack strips. The job was in his basement, which meant concrete, and if you know anything about installing carpet, the tack strips, on concrete, is a real pain to tack down. If the strips are not done properly it will mess up the entire installation process. (Anyone see where this is going yet?)

My son and I arrived at 9amET this morning, as scheduled. Once we met with the homeowner we were shown the room where the carpet was to be installed.

Immediately I started to check the tack strips. At first glance I was pretty impressed. The homeowners were installing the carpet over existing VCT tiles and the tack strips were holding pretty good, however.......

There were 2 immediate issues. The first was that the gap in between the strip and the baseboard was close to an inch. Normally it should be about 1/4 - 1/2 inch or just enough so you can fit your fingertip between the strip and baseboard. This wouldn't have been too big a deal if the baseboards were raised, however, they were not!

Now the second issue is one I haven't run into before. Seriously, close to 12 years of installing carpet and I never seen this done before. The tack strips, 75% of them, were facing the wrong direction. Each piece of carpet tack strip is pre-nailed and also has little tacks which grasp the carpet in order to properly stretch the carpet. Though the homeowner thought he was doing us a favor by putting down the tack strips himself, in the end, it made this install much more difficult.

Hey, it was the thought that counts!

So we had to put down a second piece of strip with the tacks facing the right direction in order to properly stretch the carpet. Unfortunately we were not able to pop up what he had already installed to correct the gap difference between the strip and baseboard because the VCT tile flooring they were installing over was starting to bust up. In other words, if we would have tried to pop up the strip, we would have had to pop all the tiles, and then liquid nail the strip to the concrete, which the homeowner did not want to do!

To accommodate for the gap between the strip and baseboard we simply tucked extra carpet to give it a nice tight fit, then went back after we stretched, re-inforced some areas by stapling the carpet to the tack strip, then trimmed the excess carpet to give it a pretty tuck around the baseboards. Talk about time consuming........!

Once the job was completed, the homeowner was very pleased, apologized for their mistake, and acknowledged they know better for next time! :-)

So here is the lesson for today. There are 2 lessons actually!!

The first lesson is when installing tack strips, for all you DIY's out there, be sure that you have the tacks on the strip facing toward the baseboards. Most tack strips have an arrow on them which tells you the direction to face the tack strip toward the baseboard. These strips did and when I showed that to the homeowner they said, "Oh that is what those meant. I thought there might have been a certain way they needed to be installed." All you can do is laugh with them! Also remember that the strips should be about a 1/4 - 1/2 inch away from the baseboards. A good rule of thumb is to use your fingertip as a spacer. With raised baseboards the distance is not as important, however, when the baseboards are on the floor, you will want to be sure and keep them closer so the carpet can be tucked securely between the strip and the baseboard giving it a nice tight finish.

The second lesson is patience. Once we realized the job was going to take twice as long to complete because of a simple error made on the part of the homeowner, we did not get upset or impatient. No corners were cut, we did what we had to do and made the best of the situation, without making the homeowner feel bad about their mistake. Sometimes the easy jobs aren't always so easy!!

In the end, it was another satisfied customer, and that is what makes what we do worth it.

Have a blessed day!
Ron First Class Installations

Man do I love Customer Service...

2010-06-18T11:33:00.000-04:00

Yeah that is right, I said it, I love Customer Service. There is nothing more fulfilling in business to be able to meet the needs of your clients with 100% efficiency!

We use Craigslist a lot to find carpet installs and repairs. You can imagine what it is like to be a homeowner who is looking to save a few bucks by hiring their own Contractor to do some work in their home instead of paying the high prices at a store. Sometimes you never know what you are going to get!

With this understanding we know that it is up to us in order to assist the client in feeling good about their decision. This process starts from the ads we post. One thing I notice about many ads that people post is they don't put their basic charges for their service. With my personality type I prefer to find the information I am looking for without having to make a phone call. We feel it is important to be transparent, therefore, our charges are listed in the ad. We also make references available upon request!

From the ad comes the phone call. Once people have read the ad and feel confident they have found the right Contractor, how you talk on the phone has a lot to do with closing the sale. It pays to be courteous, polite, and knowledgeable. Instead of trying to sell your new client, it is best you ask several questions about their project. Once the client realizes you are genuine and know your trade, it is almost guaranteed you will get the job, assuming they are serious about getting the job done.

The next step and probably most important, is your arrival on the job. I believe your first impression is the most important. When you walk up to the door, always extend your hand and introduce yourself, and any of the help you have brought with you. The people who come with me on any jobs will also extend their hand for a friendly introduction. Since the client doesn't know us, it is important that you make them feel comfortable with having you in their home.

Personally I love to chat with my clients while I begin working. The key here is to develop a relationship. Word of mouth advertising is awesome and it is free. It is important for your client to get to know you, and just plain good business ethics.

Whatever the job, give your best effort. Pay close attention to detail. If there is a problem, do not hesitate to go to your client and show them, then explain to them what it is and what needs to be done. Treat them as you would want someone to treat you. It is always my goal to leave someone's home looking much better than it did before I arrived.

Once the job has been completed, work area cleaned up, go and get your client and let them know the job has been finished. I will not accept payment for a job until my clients have had a chance to inspect the work that we have completed and they are completely satisfied. Once that has been done you can present your bill and watch in amazement as your client gladly pays you for your services. This is a great time to present your business card, and more often than not, the client will begin asking you about other projects they need done and whether or not you would be able to do them. Almost always, 97% of the time, they will shake your hand as you are leaving and say, "If I know anyone who needs carpet I will definitely recommend you!!"

Customer Service is the key to success in every business.

In Christ,
Ron - First Class Installations

You gotta do it the right way...

2010-06-17T16:43:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was an awesome day for my wife and I. We are so thankful for all the wonderful people that God has blessed us with in our life. For this article I want to discuss something that happened while Melisa and I were doing a carpet re-stretch in Zeeland, MI.

Now you might think that I am going to talk about the importance of installing carpet, or working your job, that you gotta do it right. Well, kinda, but not exactly! Though we did an excellent job and over-exceeded expectations, as we are known to do, the real reason for this article has to do with what happened after the job was finished!

Our client's wife had made some chicken enchiladas for dinner and, though she had to leave, her husband served my wife and I a plate to show their gratitude. While he was preparing our plates I had asked him if his wife worked outside the home. His response was, not at the moment, as they had just recently adopted a beautiful little boy from Ethiopia and they are not supposed to leave him for at least the first year. He then went on to say that it would be nice/helpful if they had another income coming into their home.

So, our carpet company, First Class Installations, is not our primary business. Where we are most passionate is in the Network Marketing industry. This is where I want to talk about doing it right! You see we don't believe in chasing after people, selling people, hyping up our opportunity, or anything like that. As a matter of fact the reason we are in Networking to start with has nothing to do with selling. Pay close attention, you gotta do it the right way...

First of all, should you decide that you want to start a Network Marketing business, it is absolutely imperative that you find a company that has a unique product which you would gladly pay for every month, WHETHER YOU MADE ANY MONEY OR NOT! The reason to join an MLM company should not be to make a lot of money, though that quite likely will happen should you do it right. Many people have said, "The product doesn't matter," we beg to differ. Anytime you are focused on money, instead of servicing the customer in the marketplace, you are setting yourself up for failure.

What makes MLM powerful is the word of mouth. But why would you tell someone about a product or service that you are not excited about? In addition to that, Networking is a career, if you are going to spend the next 20-30 years of your life in this profession, why would you be involved with a company that you are not passionate about their products or services?

Second, we do not believe in sharing the business with everyone we meet. Many people have this perception that when you join the business you try and sell your opportunity to everyone you know, including friends and family. Nope, this is where step 1 becomes important. Let me give you an illustration using our business.

We are involved with a company that specializes in Nutritional Cleansing and Weight Loss. When Melisa and I first got started we were both skeptical, AS EVERYONE ALWAYS IS, however after doing some research we wanted to try it and see what happens. Both of us lost 12lbs and several inches. It was obvious the products worked, our results were visible! So here is what happened. People at church and others around us said to us, "Wow you guys look great, you've lost weight, what are you doing?"

Did you catch that? Did you see what just happened? We didn't have to sell anyone anything. Our results with the products attracted interests from the people we know. Now that they opened the door we can share the product and/or business with them. My response was, "Thanks! We started using a Nutritional Cleansing system called Isagenix, we are very pleased with our results. Both Melisa and I have lost 12lbs. If you're interested I can give you some information about it."

The only exception to this rule is if you know someone that would benefit from your product or service. If that is the case you could contact them like this, "Hi Ron, Melisa and I tried a cleansing program and lost 12lbs, I know you are looking for ways to lose weight and thought you might like some information." If their response is positive and they say yes, then go and share with them your products. This can also work for the business opportunity. "Hey Ron, remember we were talking the other day about making some extra money? I might have found it, lets get together." This approach will only work if you know there is a need someone you know has and your business has the potential to accommodate it. Remember it is THEIR NEED, NOT YOURS!

Now back to the carpet job, When my client mentioned it would be nice if there was another income coming into the home, that was an open door. I said to him, "Not to sound like I am pitching you a business opportunity, however, have you ever considered Networking?" Once I asked that question he told us the horror stories he had experienced from friends of his who tried to sell him on a couple of different MLM opportunities. The approach that they took was wrong and because of it he has a negative impression of the industry. YOU GOTTA DO IT THE RIGHT WAY....

Now I could have tried to sell him on why those approaches were wrong, and hyped my opportunity, however that wouldn't have done me any good. I listened, understood where he was coming from, then explained to him the 2 steps previously mentioned above. Not once did I try to sell him on our business. Another key point to remember here is, "If they are not looking, don't try to convince them." Though he did say it would be nice for them to have another income, and with MLM you can work part time from home, that doesn't mean keep talking about your business. There is a need, however, he is not "looking" for what we have to accommodate. Make sense?

Will anything come out of it? Who knows, but it doesn't matter. We had a great talk, enjoyed our meal together, shook hands and went home.

The last thing he said was, "You have great workmanship and really take pride in your work, I am very pleased and will refer you to anyone I know who needs carpet." In the end we developed a new relationship!

That is how you get word of mouth advertising, and, that is Networking at its finest.

If you want to succeed in any business venture, especially Network Marketing, always remember, you gotta do it the right way!

God bless you,
Ron

Not what you might think...

2010-06-15T13:49:00.000-04:00

I have been reading, with great delight, a book called, "The Millionaire Next Door." It is fascinating the information this book contains.

When you think of the affluent, what is it about their lifestyle that stands out most?

Is it their high consumption of possessions? In other words, do you think that Millionaires live in big fancy houses, drive luxury cars, wear expensive suits and Rolex watches?

If you watch television or any Hollywood production film these days, you probably think that rich people live an extravagant lifestyle.

Interestingly enough, ask anyone, that is not affluent, what they would do if they were given $10 million dollars. The majority would immediately start listing off material possessions they would buy.

"I would buy a new house, no, 2 or 3. Of course I would get rid of my piece of crap Honda and buy a couple of Ferrari's. For sure I would tell my dead beat boss where he could go! Buy new clothes, shoes, big screen tvs, oh yeah nothing but the best! Probably give some money to my family, especially my mom and dad........" These are some of the typical answers you might hear.

Well, guess what? That is not at all the way the majority of Millionaires think, nor live. The "bling bling" lifestyle you might imagine is a trap that most Americans fall into. They believe that being rich means having nice things. The more you have, the bigger your house, the nicer the cars illustrates success.

That image couldn't be further from the truth.

The "bling bling" lifestyle can be better summarized as the "keeping up with Joneses" lifestyle. It is the high income middle classers, who have been programmed to believe, that is success. "I am a lawyer, I must live in a nice home and drive expensive cars in order to give off the image that I am good at what I do."

Now I am not picking on any particular class or profession, however, this book has really opened my eyes. When I was 21, I also had that "keeping up with the joneses" lifestyle. I thought the new cars, nice clothes, flashy jewelry was a genuine sign of success. You know what, that is how everyone, who made less money than I did, also thought.

Because I had 3 new vehicles, new work trucks, nice property, DEBT UP TO MY EYEBALLS, I appeared to be successful. "You can't hide money'" they would say.

What if the average self made Millionaire drove around in a pick-up truck, lived in an average middle class neighborhood, and owned a small plumbing business? What if he didn't have any "bling bling" and would never spend more than $100 on a pair of shoes, or $399 for a suit?

The truth is, most Millionaires are not what you might think they are. Accumulating wealth is not what you might think it is. Have you ever learned the difference of "Realized" versus, "Unrealized" income? How can someone making $84,000/yr have a net worth 10 times more than someone who earns $330,000/yr?

Think on that for a while, more in another post.

Be blessed!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

P.S. "Empty your purse to fill your mind, and your mind will fill your purse." - Benjamin Franklin

Time to take action...

2010-06-11T18:13:00.000-04:00

When it comes to building a business, asking for a promotion at work, raising your kids with the right principles, becoming a better Spouse, and so on, you must take action!

Taking action is the only way to achieve a goal. However, once you have set the goal, it seems there are many distractions which will try to prevent you from accomplishing your desired result.

One of the biggest distractions will come from your own thoughts. You will be surprised at how you begin to doubt your ability to follow through and reach your desired goal. Keep in mind this is common, and for that reason, it is imperative that you take immediate action.

In the Entrepreneur world this is the exact reason why Spiritual and Personal Growth is of huge value. It is in the early stages of your new goal that you are most vulnerable, therefore you want to be sure you only share your goals with people of like thinking. One of the many mistakes made by people soon after they decide to make improvements in their life is to share their new ideas and/or goals with people they know, such as friends and family. Unfortunately, this is not always the best idea. Statistics show that those closest to you tend to shoot down your newly found ambition. They try to "protect you" from "getting your hopes up." Any negative criticism at the start of your new venture will massively influence your own "second guessing" of your goals.

Your thoughts are your biggest adversary, or they can be your biggest asset. You must decide which of these two you prefer. It is said that, "what goes in is what comes out." Therefore, should you decide that your thoughts are going to assist in reaching your goals, you must continue to feed your mind, through reading and mentoring, information that will fuel your ambition. Reading from books such as, "the Bible," "Rich Dad Poor Dad," "The Cashflow Quadrant," "The Magic of Thinking Big," "Think and Grow Rich," "Personality Plus," "The Five Love Languages," "The Richest Man in Babylon," as an example, can increase your confidence in achieving your goals.

Orrin Woodward said, "You must develop a soft heart and tough skin." If you are going to achieve your goals, it is imperative that you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that your goal is worthy and no matter what you will persevere until the desired result has come to pass.

When you choose to live an unaverage life, be prepared to face criticism and rejection. Be sure to surround yourself with a supporting cast who help feed your ambition. Consciously protect your thoughts by reading good books, listening to audios of people who have succeeded already in your chosen field, and attending live events to associate with like minded people. Most importantly, TAKE ACTION!

You are blessed and highly favored by an Almighty God!
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Ready to start living your dreams?

2010-06-08T19:24:00.000-04:00

So when is it time to start living your dreams? Are you, like many, living a "settle for" lifestyle, or have you decided that since we only get one chance at this life, you are giving it everything you got?

Einstein said, "We are all born geniuses and programmed to be idiots." Man, how sad is that?

Everyone of us come into this life experience with the ability to live and create an incredible life experience. Yet, many of us choose to buy into the fact that in order to live an abundant lifestyle we have to somehow be lucky, or born rich.

In the book, "The Millionaire Next Door," it says that 80% of the Millionaires in America are 1st generation Millionaires. In other words, they were not born Wealthy.

If that is the case, then who, or what, is stopping you from achieving your dreams? Why in the world would you work a job you hate? Live in a home too small? Drive a car that is not dependable? Associate with people who are not good for you? Drink beverages that confuse your thinking? Put drugs in your body that cause long term, even life threatening, circumstances? Use words that are offensive?

Should you actually realize how powerful your thoughts are, how incredible your potential is, how realistic your dreams are, and how possible it is for you to achieve greatness in your life, you would be unstoppable!

Life is a gift from God, stop taking it lightly and start living to the best of your ability.

With everything in life, you should give it your best. "Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn" - Robert Kiyosaki

You are not getting any younger! Time is flying at what seems to be lightning speed, there has never been a better time than RIGHT NOW for you to realize there is more to life than just getting by. Though I understand everyone's circumstances and current reality varies, and many of you will justify why it just isn't possible, I am here to tell you, God makes no mistakes, and you, yes YOU, can achieve great things. Your dreams can become a reality!

No one said, and will not say, that it is, or was, going to be easy!! There is a price that will have to be paid. However, in the end, the results are worth the investment!

Stand strong this day! No matter what you have been told, no matter what you tell yourself, no matter the impossibility of your current circumstances, always remember, "With God all things are possible!"

Your dreams are so worth it! Go for it, after all, you only have one chance! Make the most of it.......

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Why would we Cleanse?

2010-06-07T08:51:00.000-04:00

You know when it comes to losing weight, the last thing I thought of was cleansing. As a matter of fact, anytime I heard the word cleanse it made me think about sitting on the toilet for hours, if you know what I mean.

When we started to learn more about full body cleansing, we quickly realized, we were wrong.

Once we decided to give cleansing a try, being very skeptical at first, both of us decided we were going to give it a fair evaluation and follow the programs regiment to the "T!"

Read the full article.... Click Here

Conference Call with Pastor Dwaine Chapdelaine

2010-06-04T20:47:00.000-04:00

Dwaine Chapdelaine, Youth Pastor from Cornerstone Pentecostal Church was the guest speaker last Wednesday on The Unaverage Average. If you missed it, listen to it now online! Simply visit, http://www.theunaverageaverage.com/

Thanks again Dwaine, powerful message well received!
In Christ,
Ron

Freedom isn't free...

2010-06-04T17:12:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhhhh, many went back to work this great Tuesday after spending time over the weekend celebrating Memorial Day!

This weekend offered all of us the ability to really think about how blessed we are to be FREE. To give thanks for all those who have served in our Military and fought for our Freedoms. Many have given their lives and they deserve to be remembered since we are the beneficiaries of their service.

We live in some difficult times, our Freedoms are being stripped from us almost daily, it seems. What a shame it would be to forget the price that has been paid for our Freedom.

In addition to the great fellowship, all day volleyball tournaments on Sunday, new friendships, great food, and time relaxing with the family, Memorial Day really hit home when you seen the Red, White, and Blue flags flying high in the sky.

Tears were rolling down our cheeks as you seen the soldiers saluting the flag. Goosebumps up and down our arms and legs when you heard the National Anthem playing in the background. A sense of appreciation and gratitude for what we have that is so easily forgotten and taken for granted in today's culture.

Ladies and Gentleman, Freedom isn't Free!

God bless our Soldiers, God bless America, God bless you...

In Christ,
Ron - TheUnaverageAverage

Isagenix 9 Day Cleanse and Fat Burning System...

2010-06-01T18:04:00.000-04:00

Melisa and I first tried Isagenix in 2007. After reviewing all the information available on the website provided by the company, we were intrigued and decided to give it a go.

Let me tell you, the results were just as good as advertised. Melisa and I both lost 12lbs once we had completed the 11 day plan. The rest of the story is history!

Our new blog, CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS, is intended to inform you about Nutritional Cleansing, Weight Loss, and the Health & Wellness Industry.

In Christ,
Ron

"Slow your roll..."

2010-05-26T11:08:00.000-04:00

Has anyone noticed that everyone is in a rush these days. Whatever happen to being patient?

I remember my dad saying, when I was growing up and someone passed us in the car, "In a hurry to get nowhere buddy?" He made this statement because as the person in the vehicle flew by us, we would catch back up to him at the next red light.

Now that I am an adult, it is apparent that patience is not something that we humans have instinctively. I am convinced that patience is a skill which can be attained by anyone, should they decide they want it. It requires constant effort to develop!

My wife prays daily for patience, since she home schools our 2 oldest and takes care of our 2 toddlers everyday also. 4 kids and a husband (me), 5th kid, makes for a great reason to learn, develop, and appreciate patience!!

Today, as an example, we were at the Speedway Gas Station after we completed installing some carpet for one of our clients. While we were in line, there were 2 cashiers, each with 4-5 people waiting in each line, you could see people were getting very impatient.

Several people were complaining, saying they need to open another register. Some were getting anxious and started pacing back and forth while they were waiting in line. Their body language and facial expressions said it all.

I whispered in my wife's ear while all this was going on, "Everyone just needs to be patient, what is the rush anyhow?" It is such a shame that we are sooooooo busy all the time. Sometimes you just need to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!!!

So what is your take on this subject? Do you have patience yourself? Or, would you have been one of those folks in line literally getting angry because you had to wait your turn?

It is pretty amazing how people can go to an amusement park and wait in line to ride the newest roller coaster for 1.5 hours. Or they will camp outside Ticketmaster to purchase concert tickets. Not to mention when there is a release of a new video game system....... Yet when it comes to driving, or paying for gas, 5 minutes is unacceptable to have to wait. (If you don't want to wait in line, PAY AT THE PUMP. Heh heh)

It is convenient to mention a new Beverage called Drank for this article. The slogan on the can says, "Slow your roll..." Perhaps that would be some good advice for us to take. After all, it is my observation that careless, and unnecessary mistakes, tend to occur more frequently when you find yourself in a hurry and impatient!

Take some time and "slow your roll..." Look around at your surroundings, observe people's body language, and be prepared for some interesting entertainment.

When you are patient, you tend to notice things that you might have missed when always in a hurry.

Life is way to short, and time really does fly by. Work on developing and improving your patience. Then, just like the rollercoaster, enjoy the ride!

God bless,
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

Don't wait, time is ticking...

2010-05-24T19:59:00.000-04:00

Ok, so this is just as much a reminder for me as it for you reading this right now.

Tick, tock, tick, tock, do you hear that? Every second that goes by, tick, tock! How many seconds do we have left in our lives anyhow?

That is the question of all questions, and the reality, no one knows the answer. I raise this question, are we doing everything we are capable of while we are still here? Or, have we somehow become passive and taken life a bit for granted?

Honestly I think all of us have moments in our lives when we could do more, yet there are other times when we are in the zone and really going at it!

Which scenario are you currently experiencing?

Let's talk about being in the zone, that is where I prefer to spend most of my time anyhow. Have you ever played a basketball game and just knew you were unstoppable. It seemed as if every time you touched the ball it was guaranteed you would make the shot. That my friends is being in the zone!

I don't know about you, however, there is no better feeling than knowing you give your best at everything you do. At the end of the day when you lay your head on your pillow, exhausted, knowing that you met all your responsibilities head on, that is a feeling you cannot replace.

Think about it this way. If you were to leave this planet tomorrow, did you give it everything you had while you were here? Would your family be taken care of, or would life as they know it completely fall apart? (Yes they will miss you, that is not what I am asking here)

Would you be remembered or quickly forgotten after your funeral?

Tick, tock, tick, tock, time keeps on ticking. Life is way too short, let us choose not to take it for granted and maximize what time we do have left right now!

If you are reading this, then I thank you for spending the last couple of minutes with me. Now, I challenge you to start living your life on purpose!

In Christ,
Ron

P.S. That thing you have been wanting to do but keep putting it off until tomorrow? You know what I am talking about, tomorrow never comes does it? Make the decision to do it NOW! You can thank me later.... :-)

This article was originally published on Qondio.

Having something to fall back on...

2010-05-23T08:25:00.000-04:00

Wow, the advice my Grandfather gave me over 13 years ago has been priceless.

For the most part I always looked up to my Grandfather as the most successful person in my family. Next to him would have been my Uncle Leo, his son. I remember when I was 17 years old and was going to become a daddy, speaking with my Grandfather.

At that time I was still in school, though I wasn't attending like I should have been, and delivering pizzas for Domino's Pizza at night. He said to me, "Ron you are not going to be able to take care of a family delivering pizzas the rest of your life. You need to learn a trade and start your own business working for yourself. That way you always have something to fall back on."

I never could have imagined the impact those few sentences would have on my life. By the age of 19 I had learned a trade, carpet installation, and started my first company, First Class Installations, and was on my way. Though it was extremely difficult to get things started, eventually the business started to thrive.

In 2005, I left the Carpet Installation industry to become part of the Home Business Industry. That is another article in itself.

Now here is where the advice paid off! In 2007 we found ourselves in Michigan, struggling, as our Internet business was still not where we needed it to be. Not knowing what to do I remembered the advice I received that day from my Grandfather. "Learn a trade so you always have something to fall back on."

So it was! Carpet installation became the fill in as our internet business grew. What a blessing this has been for our family. I will always be thankful for that little bit of wisdom Grandpa shared with me that day 13 years ago.

Fast forwarding time, Carpet for us today has become a hobby, and a great way to earn some extra spending money. Even with the economy struggling, there is more than enough work for experienced tradesmen.

So let me ask you this question, what is your Plan B? What could you fall back on if you ever needed to?

Everyday, when I meet and talk with people, the economy seems to be on their mind. The assurance of having a job and being able to support their family is not as strong as it once was. Most of these same people when asked if there was something they could fall back on, answer "NO."

I now find myself sharing that same advice I learned over 13 years ago with others. Being over prepared in the event of an emergency is always better than not being prepared at all. What are your gifts and talents? What trade could you learn in order to have a back-up plan in the event these tough economic times take hold of you?

"Learn a trade so you always have something to fall back on." Sound advice that has made all the difference in the world for me and my family and now, we are "Paying it forward!"

May God bless you abundantly in all that you do!
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

It pays to be honest...

2010-05-22T21:55:00.000-04:00

It seems that in today's day and age honesty is a hard trait to come by. Whether you flat out lie, or just stretch the truth a little, dishonesty can, and will, break you in every situation.

The Bible says, "Your sins will find you out."

It seems that being honest is the easier choice anyhow, so why do so many people decide not to be? I mean trying to remember all the lies and trying to keep your story straight is tough business.

Yesterday we received a call on our home business line from a woman who was interested in purchasing some of our health & wellness products. She had ordered before, not through us, and preferred not to place the order online. So she found our website and gave us a call.

While we were talking about what she wanted to order, I not only answered her questions, but also asked several questions myself in an effort to customize her wants and best meet her needs.

Once she was ready to place her order she asked me how she could know for sure that I was who I said I was. This was a very legitimate concern, especially considering we live in a very untrustworthy society these days. After all she doesn't know who we are at all, she simply found our website and called us.

Here is where honesty becomes so important. I addressed her concern by acknowledging that I understood why she would be cautious at giving me her credit card information for processing her order. So here is how I handled the situation.

The first thing I did was ask for her email address. Once she gave that to me I sent her an email with the preview of her order. This way she could see that her order is being placed directly through the company, and not me. The second thing I did was send her to my blog so she could see who I am, and learn a bit more about who it was that she was speaking with.

After she seen my willingness to address her concern, and the knowledge I had of the products while answering all of her questions, she had a sense of Trust and proceeded with finalizing her order.

Now, here is where honesty really pays! Now that we have established Trust, I was able to ask her about several other products I felt she might be interested in based on our conversation. Some of the products she had heard of and wasn't interested in purchasing at this time. However, there was an add-on product that she had not tried and wanted to add them to her order. In sales this would be called an up sell, however, I believe this was made possible because of the honesty and integrity that was established during our conversation.

We finalized her order, processed her payment, then immediately sent her the confirmation email with order number and receipt.

Not only did we meet her needs, we also established the start of a great relationship. Because of our honesty in helping her feel secure about making her purchase, she not only received what she was looking for, now she also has a trusted distributor that she can contact with confidence to fulfill her future needs.

Being honest isn't always easy to do, and unlike this situation, it is not always going to benefit you when doing so. However, in the end, you can sleep easy at night knowing that you did the right thing.

In business I still believe in over-exceeding people's expectations. If you focus on superior customer service and always work to meet the need of the customer/client first, in the end you will always win!

God bless,
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

The art of connection...

2010-05-21T14:24:00.000-04:00

Once I made the decision to be an Entrepreneur I knew I was going to have to interact with people.

Ever since I was a young boy I always wanted to become a Millionaire. In order for that to happen, there must be a value for value exchange in everything that you do. The better you serve others, the more your business will prosper.

One of the first books I read was, "Personality Plus" by Florence Litteaur. I knew it was imperative I learned how to connect with people, and since every person has a different set of personalities, it was important to learn about them.

Since reading that book, and several others on developing/improving people skills, it has become quite evident to me that these should be mandatory reading, not only for Entrepreneurs, but for everybody in any field.

Today, as an example, I was contacted by a gentleman from Hampton, VA. He responded to one of my ads in regards to carpet installation I posted on Craigslist. (Yes my wife and I actually enjoy installing small carpet jobs, it is a hobby of ours!)

Anyhow, his initial request was for me to look at his rental property and give him some options for replacing the carpet. My daughter and I went to the property, measured the job, then decided we were going to go price some materials in order to get him the best deal possible. (Mind you all we were asked to do was measure the job - always under promise and over deliver. Again this falls into the category of serving others, you know that value for value exchange deal we are talking about)

Long story short we went to Menards and did find him a great deal. Now here is where people skills become extremely important!

Rafael was the sales person on the floor and his people skills were terrible. Not to be tough here, but if it wasn't for my knowing what I wanted, there is no way this guy would have sold me anything. (If all sales people at Menards are like this guy, they are easily losing at least 50% of their potential sales!)

Not only were his people skills terrible, but his posture was bad, he didn't present a handshake when speaking with me about meeting my needs, nor did he show any real interest in helping me with my questions. (He was simply looking for the sale, no interest in serving the customer whatsoever)

There was even a slight problem with the amount of carpet we needed versus the amount they had in stock. Instead of Rafael making a suggestion to save the sale, I had to recommend that he contact his manager, and find us a similar carpet to make up the shortage so we can still close the sale. Once he contacted his manager, whom gave me the deal I was looking for, we did finally do business. (I handled the problem, not my potential client, just as Rafael should have handled it, NOT ME)

Throughout this entire process, I was in constant communication with the homeowner and made everything happen for him. I WAS CONNECTING AND SERVING, which, in the process, established Trust and Credibility with my client. That is a sure formula for repeat business and excellent word of mouth advertising.

In the end, the only difference between Rafael and myself was simply the ability to connect with people, and always, regardless of the perceived situation, serve people and be willing to go out of your way to offer value to them. (That, and I have probably read 100's more books than he has!)

Always remember, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Serve, serve, serve, help enough people get what they want and you will ultimately have everything you want! Spend some time on developing your people skills and watch how you will become more capable of connecting, establishing trust, and ultimately achieving your wildest dreams.

Everything in life is a value for value exchange. The more value you offer the marketplace, the more prosperity you will experience on your success journey!

In Christ,
Ron

This article was originally published on Qondio.

The "ah-ha" moment

2010-05-20T22:22:00.000-04:00

There comes a time in everyone's life, for most there will be many of these while on their journey, when you say, "Ah-ha" and you realize one of the many lessons you have been taught from life experience.

I was chatting on Facebook the other night with my niece who recently turned 15 years old. Today while I went out for my afternoon think and drive I had an "ah-ha" moment myself reflecting on our conversation.

Do you remember when you were 15 years old? Looking back on it now, can you see how the things you learned back then, knowing what you know now, might not have impacted your life at the time you learned them?

In other words, I believe one of the most valuable lessons we can teach our young people is for them to realize the advice they receive from an older mentor in their life may not sink in right away. To simply be open minded and listen carefully to the advice you are giving them. That it is ok for them not to quite get what you are teaching them right then, but there will come a time when they will have an "ah-ha" moment and the lesson will become real.

Of course there is an element of "Trust" that must be established with these young people you are mentoring. The fruit on your tree must be reputable in order for your advice to be worth taking. After all you wouldn't take advice about marriage from someone who has been divorced 8 times, would you?

There are lessons that we learn everyday, however, because we are human, most times those lessons do not become realized until we have an experience that makes them real in our own lives. What is fascinating however is that once you start having these "ah-ha" moments, you begin to listen more attentively to other people's stories/advice. There is a hunger inside of you to learn as much as you can. For each time you have an "ah-ha" moment your thinking expands and you become a new person.

"The human mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

I realized that the advice I gave my niece was extremely solid, and I am certain she listened. However, she is still just 15 and what I shared with her might very well have been a bit over her head for the moment. That is OK though because I gave her indicators to look for which support my advice. I know that once she notices any one of those indicators, she will have an "ah-ha" moment, and then she will become aware of the real lesson which she was taught. That one lesson alone will save her years of hurt and regret as she continues to grow on her life experience!!

Once you understand how these "ah-ha" moments work in your own life, you can then become more effective when mentoring with people whom come to you for your guidance, wisdom, and advice. All of us influence others, lets choose to become the person responsible enough to take on such an incredible honor.

God bless you!
Ron

This post was originally published on Qondio.

In times like these....

2010-05-20T08:44:00.000-04:00

It is times like these when your Faith can be put to the test. No one said life was going to be easy, however, it can definitely be one heck of an awesome ride!

Life is like several chapters of a book. Everyday you are writing another page in your book. What chapter are you currently writing on this phase of your journey?

Whether you are going through trials and tribulations, or you are at a peek in your life experience, your book is a continuous work in progress. We all know there is a beginning, your birth, and an end, your death, to everyone's story. What is not known is the contents which is found in between. This has also been known as "The Dash."

Now, since you know that you are writing a book, what chapters do you want to write? In other words, if you had the ability to manifest the perfect life, since you are the author after all, what does that life look like?

Would you affect the World in such a way that after your book concludes it becomes a best seller for many years to come, positively affecting and inspiring millions of lives who read it? Or, will you quickly be forgotten?

It is times like these when people just as you and me are called to positions of Leadership. We are called to be the light in a dark world. We have been given great responsibilities to spread Truth all across the world, sharing the good news with everyone everywhere! Are you up to challenge?

For some a new chapter is about to begin, others your chapter is coming to an end, and some your book will soon be complete. With this in mind, become more aware of your life experience, your purpose, your goals, and start living your life with a sense of urgency.

"Many are called but few are chosen." Your book could have a bigger impact than you might currently think. Do not underestimate the greatness that each one of you has inside of you. Tap into your potential and begin to realize your power while you continue to author your best selling book.

You will be amazed at how much you can accomplish during your dash! I look forward to reading your book and passing it on for generations to come.

In Christ,
Ron

P.S. This article was originally published on Qondio.

Does the television influence negativity and mediocrity? What? You want me to read?

2010-05-15T22:46:00.000-04:00

Here is a recent intel I published recently on Qondio

So it seems most people don't like to read? Hmmm, ever wondered why? Most people would rather watch television that read a good book. Is it because reading actually requires effort?

The television is such an amazing invention, or is it really? Seems the TV promotes laziness, obesity, immorality, violence, drinking, smoking and mediocrity, just to list a few. Why would the average American spend 5-7 hours PER DAY watching television? Have we nothing better to do?

There is nothing wrong with watching an occasional movie, or perhaps a television program, depending upon the message behind the movie. However, to spend the same amount of time watching TV that you do sleeping, or working a full time job? Are you serious?

You ever noticed how the most successful people have large offices, with mega shelves that are stocked with books? Have you ever noticed that lower income to middle class people have shelves stocked with DVDs, or video games? Could reading actually have something to do with living an abundantly blessed life and perhaps watching television creates the opposite?

Have you ever noticed how people who watch television and don't read generally use profanity all the time, drink beer, and complain about their life constantly. There is drama after drama after drama happening in their life experience? Ever notice how these same people complain about being broke all the time, yet they always have the big screen TVs, newest DVDs, and the latest Video Game systems?

In my business we see it all. From prosperous people who are actively engaged in personal growth, consciously aware of the programming they are getting everyday. To those folks who are super negative, complain about being broke, smoke cigarettes, drink beer, and use profanity every other word. These same people who when asked if they like to read look at you like you're some kind of idiot!

Perhaps some people will be offended by this article, that is not my intention, however, I would like to challenge you to stop and think for just a moment.

Look at your life, and the lives of the people you know, both family and friends. Who do you know that is on Gov't assistance, how do they live? Who do you know that is a Millionaire, how do they live? Who do you know that watches TV all the time, plays video games, etc. how do they live?

Take some time and become more aware of the lifestyle you and those around you are living. Then see if you can find a common denominator within their lives. TV or READ? (Not talking about reading the newspaper!)

Almost every time the more average, mediocre, and negative people are, they watch a lot of TV! Whereas those folks who are more successful, positive, ambitious and outgoing, limit their TV and spend more time reading from good books!

Leaders are Readers. Pick up a good book, start with the Bible, and get lost in a world of pure enjoyment. Stretch your thinking, grow your mind, and watch as your circumstances begin to change. In life you are constantly growing, you are either moving forward or backward, there is no remaining the same. Which way are you going?

Be blessed!
Ron

P.S. Perhaps reading is more difficult for a reason? "We will do today what others will not so tomorrow we can do what others cannot."

Working a job to support your business!

2010-05-08T11:09:00.001-04:00

I felt compelled to type this article today in regards to how you successfully grow a home based business, which will create a residual stream of income resulting in FREEDOM, while still working your current job. I am going to focus mainly on the Network Marketing industry in this post.

First of all, this industry is incredible, however, it can be the most frustrating venture you ever attempt if you get started with the wrong mindset. Let me explain what I mean!

Network Marketing has never been a "get rich quick" program, nor should anyone go into the industry with the expectation of creating a massive amount of income overnight. This is literally a 2-5 year financial independence business plan. There are 2 main principles in networking that create the incredible power in building wealth for the average person.

The first is Leverage, and the second is Compounding. Both of these awesome benefits of building a networking business take time to establish. Think about this statement, "A large group of people doing a few simple steps daily over a long period of time." That my friends is network marketing.

So, what is the best way to build a home business in the MLM arena? Make sure you have an existing income, aka job! Next find a company that has a product line you would gladly purchase each month whether you make money with the company or not! Thirdly, start investing some of your time learning your products, while you begin using them, to develop your product story and basic knowledge of what you will be offering others as you share your business. Finally, start investing in personal growth materials and begin your journey to becoming the person necessary to lead a large group of people. "Your business will grow as fast as you do!"

Remember, this is a business, and it will require an investment of time and money to get started. This is exactly the reason why you must have an existing stream of income to support your new business. However, the pay-off is incredible. As you start to grow and experience your companies products, then begin sharing them with others, your team will begin to develop. Every time someone decides to get involved you have just created leverage, you are now getting paid on the efforts of multiple people and not just your own effort! With consistent activity, personal growth, and perseverance your business will start to experience compounding. Once that happens, the rest is history!

The only reason people fail in MLM is because they get started incorrectly. Networking will honor those who stay committed and are loyal to one company and give their business the time necessary to develop. However, if you do not stick it out, become part of a company you truly believe in, and find yourself jumping from one company to another, you may find out quickly, that you never experience the success you always hear about.

I love what Jim Rohn says, "I work full-time on my job and part-time on my fortune."

May God bless you abundantly in all that you do!
In Christ,
Ron

Why Dream Big?

2010-05-06T21:22:00.001-04:00

So is there a reason why you should dream big? Is dreaming big an unrealistic thing to do?

Lately I have been receiving some feedback from people that dreaming big in today's economy is unrealistic? Now I feel that is a lack statement and disagree completely. As a matter of fact, I feel there has never been bigger opportunity available than ever before in my 30 short years on the Earth.

For anyone who is questioning the power of Dreaming Big, let me strongly suggest you get a copy of one of the greatest personal growth books of all-time, "The Magic of Thinking Big."

Hold fast to your dreams, refuse to give in to the criticism and resistance you will get from the World's economy, and Trust that the Lord can, and will, provide your every need as you journey to fulfill your dreams.

You are awesome! Unleash the greatness you have stored up inside of you, and realize there is nothing you cannot accomplish if you put your mind to it!

In Christ!
Ron

The Unaverage Average?

2010-04-16T12:16:00.000-04:00

One of the God given abilities we have been blessed with is "free will." This means we can decide whether or not we want to seek an average, or unaverage life. So what exactly is the Unaverage Average?

The Unaverage Average started as 3 average guys seeking to live an unaverage life. In other words, we want to live our life to the fullest, leaving behind a legacy for our children's children. In the process we want to positively impact the lives of hundreds, thousands, even 100's of thousands of people's lives in the process.

See many people are conditioned to believe that in order to live an awesome lifestyle they have to somehow be born special. In other words, only people that have natural talents, like sports players, musicians, etc. can live in amazing homes, drive sweet cars, and live abundantly blessed. Or, people have to be born into Wealth, as if that lifestyle is not available for the average person. However, that is not the case.

Besides, even those folks who have went on to be professional sports players, or famous musicians, actors/actresses, etc. had to start somewhere. Every one of us has been born with our own unique talents and gifts. We have seeds of greatness planted inside each of us. It is up to us, however, to use those talents. God makes no mistakes, and He created you and me to live an abundantly blessed life full of Joy, Peace & Love! So I ask you this, what are you doing to tap into your potential? What are you most passionate about?

The Unaverage Average was designed for those people who want more in life. They are not ok with living a "settle for" lifestyle. Regardless as to the resistance and criticism they may receive on their success journey, they are determined to persist until they have reached their full potential. (We believe you will never reach your full potential, for as you grow and reach your goals, bigger and more fulfilling goals will emerge. The point is we will live our life to it's fullest all the time, so that when we go home to Glory, we will know that we gave it everything we had while we were here!)

Simply put, what are your wildest dreams? How can you impact the World in such a way that you will be remembered even after you are gone? Do you choose to life a life of priorities or obligations, like most do? Is money going to be the determining factor for how you live, or is God's abundant blessing going to provide you all that you need and more?

The truth is God wants to bless you abundantly in all areas of your life! After all, how can you bless others if you are struggling? The blessing is there for you, you simply need to receive it! Here is some great advice, "Look at what everyone else is doing, then do the opposite." It is true, most people will follow the "herd" and settle for an Average life, as if that is the noble thing to do? Yet, only a few, brave, courageous people will strive to fulfill their greatness.

At the Unaverage Average, we invite you to join us on our journey to living an abundant lifestyle and we challenge you to do the same! "We will do today what others will not so tomorrow we can do what others cannot!"

May God bless you abundantly in all that you do, AND, may you receive His abundant blessing!

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Mark 11:24

In Christ!
Ron - www.theunaverageaverage.com

The power of your thoughts?

2010-04-05T20:18:00.000-04:00

So how much do you believe in the power of positive vs. negative thinking? Is there some actual truth behind the law of attraction? I believe there is!

Have you ever woke up on the "wrong side of the bed?" You know just starting your day with a chip on your shoulder that you just can't shake? Ever notice how one negative thing happens after another? The worse part is, it seems virtually impossible to shake the mood.

The reality is your thoughts are attracting these circumstances into your reality. The best thing to do, though not always the easiest, is to replace your negative thinking with some positive programming. Some have found that listening to their favorite song on the radio, or watching a funny movie, can help swing their mood.

Personally I find motivational CD's or personal growth books can always impact my thinking and send me into an immediate mood swing.

Almost instantly, once your negative thinking changes to more positive thoughts, the day starts to turn around.

By now we have all heard of "the Secret" and the power of visualization. It is hard to deny that the "Law of Attraction" does not exist. So just remember, if you are having "one of those days," find something that lifts your spirit and plug into that positive message to avoid your negative thinking from attracting results in your day that could have possibly been avoided.

The Unaverage Average is now LIVE!

2010-04-04T00:19:00.000-04:00

4/02/2010, "The Twelve Pillars" and 4/03/2010, "The Power of Positive and Negative Thoughts." Conference Calls are now online! http://www.theunaverageaverage.com/

Trained or Educated?

2010-04-03T20:52:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone, I wanted to take a few moments and post this bulletin after spending much of my time this morning finishing a great read called, "The Coming Aristocracy" by Oliver DeMille. How important is reading this book? It really should be considered "mandatory reading."

You know as time continues to move along, at lightning speeds it seems, more and more people are finding themselves in predicaments that they never would have imagined just a few years ago. Jobs being lost, homes being foreclosed, vehicles being repo'ed, and the list goes on. What is happening in America right now?

Personally I believe America is changing, and the problem, most Americans don't want to embrace it. What do I mean?

If you go back to this previous election, the main theme that seemed to be so popular was "CHANGE" Yet, as far as I could tell, change was already happening. New Industries were emerging, we left the Industrial Age and entered into The Information Age. Average people were creating fortunes online and working from home.

There were other changes taking place also, like, factories were getting shut down, jobs were becoming more and more difficult to find, unemployment was on the rise, the economy was tanking, and much, much more. So was "Change" really what people wanted. It looked as if that was already happening.

Or, is the Truth, people didn't want change. They wanted things to go back to the way they were. They wanted their job security, factory jobs, retirement plans. New Industries, we don't want that! We want the familiar. With Change comes uncertainty and that creates Fear. You see, I believe it is that FEAR which has led people into desperate times for our Country.

It is said, "Take advantage of changing times before changing times take advantage of you!"

Times are changing, they were changing before the elections, and they have continued to change since the election. Honestly, I haven't seen any new changes, other than more Government control and less Freedom. Is that what everyone wanted?

The Lord has burdened my heart to help people realize that "Change" in inevitable. Right now what Americans need more than anything is a new education. You see our school systems are designed to "Train" you for the work force. Also known as a JOB! So if the masses only know how to work a job, and the job market is becoming more and more obsolete, what else is there? How do we take care of our families when that is all we have been "Trained" to do? Perhaps this is why so many people are turning to the Government to solve their challenges? What else can we do?

Learn, learn, learn, learn, and learn!! Have you heard of Robert Kiyosaki? Ever seen his Cashflow Quadrant? Do you know who Paul Zane Pilzer is? These guys are both best selling authors, and they are teaching people how to win during the new economy. If you want change, isn't time you made it happen? Folks if we expect the Government to solve our problems, we might as well forget about the future Freedoms of our children.

America was great because it offered Freedom! If you have been "Trained" and not "Educated" then perhaps today is the day you start your new education. Grasp a hold of the changes taking place in our Country. Don't wait until we give away all our Freedoms. If you do, we will surely be wanting "Change" The kind that you can't have. How great our Country once was, before we gave it all away! If we wait, the old saying will hold true, "You don't realize what you got, until it is gone!"

Start your education today.
In Christ,
Ron Curtis Jr

The Twelve Pillars of Success

2010-04-03T14:51:00.000-04:00

My friend and business partner, Jon, and I just finished a podcast talking about the "Twelve Pillars" of success by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener.

There is so much wisdom shared in this short, easy to read, novel, that it is a must add to everyone's library.

To summarize, the 12 Pillars are:
1 - Personal Development
2 - Health (Total Well-being)
3 - Relationships
4 - Goals
5 - Proper Use of Time (Time Management)
6 - Association
7 - Life Long Learner
8 - Everything in life is sales
9 - Income seldom exceeds personal development
10 - Communication brings Understanding
11 - Leadership
12 - Leaving a Legacy

Jim Rohn recently went home to Glory, and he will truly be missed, however, his legacy will continue. This man has been one of my mentors for the past several years, he has challenged my beliefs, improved my thinking, and helped lead me along on my success journey.

If you are looking to increase your overall quality of life, get "Twelve Pillars" and read it! If you apply the information contained in this book, be prepared for your life to change. "Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change."

Growth is not an option. You are either growing forward or growing backwards. Become a life long learner, start today!

Do, Learn, Define

2010-04-02T23:35:00.000-04:00

Do you remember, back in high school, your guidance counselor asking you, "What do you want to DO when you grow up?" You know, do you wanna be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.

How many people, when first presented that question, had no clue? I know that was me. I remember looking at the list of professions and the first thing I looked for was the yearly salary. My response was pretty easy, "I wanna be a lawyer!" The money looked awesome, but the amount of time in school and the investment for the education wasn't so appealing. (Keep in mind that didn't matter while I was still in high school!)

The reality is most people are trained to work a job. Think about the similarities between going to school and working a job. Let's see.....

School, Monday-Friday, weekends off!
Work, Monday - Friday, weekends off! (Give or take, some people might work weekends, however, the average work week is Mon-Fri or at least 5 days per week)

School, 8 hours per day plus commute to and from
Work, 8 hours per day plus commute to and from

School, Told where and when to go
Work, Told where and when to go

Ok, so we can go on and on here, but it is true, we are trained in school, especially public schools, to work jobs. Then, if we decide we want a "better paying job," we go to college and train to become a Professional Employee!

Either way, both scenarios trade time for money and their paycheck literally Defines their lifestyle. So what if we did it the opposite way?

Define your Lifestyle, Learn from someone who has what you want, Do what they did. Hmmm, that is an interesting concept.

Define - I want to be a Millionaire, Learn - Seek a mentor who is already a Millionaire, Do - Duplicate what they did! PERFECT!

I understand that not everyone wants to be a Millionaire. I also understand that many people want to be Doctor's, Lawyer's, Teacher's, etc. However, most people didn't know they had/have the choice to choose which one to follow.

Our economy is dependent on both in order to prosper. Business owners, Entrepreneurs, Millionaires supply the necessary jobs to employ the working class/employees.

If you are not happy with your results in life, perhaps you made the wrong choice? If so, the good news is, there has never been a better time than now to change!

Do, Learn, Define = Employee or Professional Employee
Define, Learn, Do = You choose, after all it is your life!

In Christ,
Ron

Put the Spammers out of business...

2010-04-02T15:13:00.000-04:00

Has anyone else experienced spamming from Craigslist, or any of the Social Networks? I am not amazed by how much time and effort these guys put in to finding ways around their security checks. However, what is amazing, is the fact that many people must still fall for these tactics. After all, why would the spammers continue to invest their time and money in doing so, if it were not profitable?

I think the most annoying spam that comes from Craigslist is after you post an ad. You know, someone will reply to an ad you placed in regards to selling an item. They will send you something like, "Are you selling this so cheap because you need money? You don't have to, here is how you can make $300/day from home." Yet people believe that nonsense? Are you serious? (Of course this is what gives the work at home industry such a bad reputation. It is not the industry, just some of the morons that claim to be part of it!)

Unfortunately we live in a day when people are always looking for quick, easy ways to make money online, and these professional spammers, also known as black hat marketers, know it!

Stop falling for these tactics. If you are looking to make money from home online, then LOOK for ways to do so. Just because someone sends you an email, responds to one of your ads on CL, or posts spam on the social networks, that isn't the way you will find what you are looking for.

We strongly support the MLM industry. You have the opportunity to change yourself, your finances, and impact the lives of those around you. Be warned, it is not easy, not everyone will succeed, however, it is real, legitimate, and when you find a company that you believe in, the possibilities are limitless. (No you will not make $300/day from home in the next 7 days, however, as you build your network, $300+/day from home can become a reality)

Don't fall for the scams, time to put them guys outta business once and for all.

Be blessed,
Ron

2010-04-02T13:53:00.001-04:00

New Blog Post! "Where are all the stay at home dads?" http://ping.fm/XSefF

Where are all the stay at home dads?

2010-04-02T13:40:00.001-04:00

I have the honor to spend my days at home with my family. What a blessing. Now don't get me wrong, it is not always peaceful, 4 kids (12,10,2,1), however, I wouldn't trade it for the World!

I have noticed while at the park though that I am usually the only dad. You will see moms with their children but no dads? Where are all the stay at home dads?

Now I am not talking about dads whom don't work, don't get the wrong idea here! Every man, including myself, must support their family. Personally I am running 2 businesses from my home. This allows me to schedule my responsibilities around my priorities.

We have never been good at trading our time for money and spending the majority of our time working a job instead of being with our family. It wasn't until 2005 that we were able to experience this lifestyle and now we get to share the same opportunity with others.

So here it is, paging all the stay at home dads, or should I say, those men who would love to quit their job and build a home based business!! You guys must understand it is kinda scary being the only man at the park with my kids. :-)

Think about it......

If you had the choice to choose between working a job and being away from your family 40+ hours per week, or building a home based business and being WITH your family ALL DAY LONG, which would you choose?

Come on dads, we need more men on the monkey bars everyday. Trust me, you wife and kids will be happy that you are there.

Be blessed,
Ron - www.AlleganHomeJobs.com

2010-04-01T23:53:00.001-04:00

Boiling the Frog in the Health Care Bog! http://ping.fm/L8qjQ

Boiling the Frog in the Health Care Bog

2010-04-01T23:51:00.000-04:00

Thanks Randy Gage for sharing this insight!

If you wonder how to enact change in an electorate and introduce an
expensive program that will end up costing the taxpayers trillions
of dollars, it couldn't be done any better than the Obama
administration did with the health care plan in the U.S. And it
offers some tangible lessons in how governments can break the laws
of prosperity and seemingly get away with it.

Now of course laws of prosperity cannot truly be broken. But when
you can resort to simply printing more money when deficits appear,
it can look that way on the surface.

The way to get any boondoggle government program like this through
is tried and tested: Pander to the entitlement mentality of the
herd promising increased benefits, cook the budget books to
minimize the apparent cost, and promise to balance the budget on
the backs of those evil, greedy rich people.

And as their election demonstrated, no one has done this better in
decades than the President Obama and his campaign team. In this
case, they took their "yes we can" and "time for a change" themes
and hung them like gaudy necklaces around the health care plan.
The basic strategy was genius, utilizing the proverbial boiling the
frog analogy that corny motivational speakers have been using for
decades.

Gradually introduce the new entitlements and hook the herd on them
like a crack dealer does with the goods. Create a disconnect
between the new goodies and the budget deficits they create. By
the time the collateral damage become apparent, the frog is already
cooked.

In this case, the administration used the audacity of hype, er,
hope, to actually suggest the plan will CUT $74 billion from the
deficit. (And if you believe that, I have some ocean front
property in Arizona to sell you.)

Now how would anyone believe this to begin with you may wonder...

Well it's what Hollywood calls "suspending disbelief." Kind of
like when Pam Ewing woke up and Bobby walked out of the shower on
Dallas and assured her those couple of years he had been dead was
just a dream.

All the herd wants to hear is that the evil insurance companies
can't cut them, the evil drugs companies will have to provide them
with free prescriptions, and those rich, golfing doctors will have
to treat them. And naturally these "rights" should be paid for by
taxing the rest of those money-grubbing rich people.

It sounds good, looks good, and even looks good on paper. And the
campaign was run about as brilliantly as president Obama's
election, allowing the administration to accomplish what scores of
other Robin Hood wannabe's over the years have failed at.

Unfortunately for the administration, they omitted to deal with one
pesky little chink in the armor...

That is the Security and Exchange Commissions rule requiring
companies to restate their earnings to reflect present value of
long-term health plan liabilities.

So last week AT&T was the first company to comply, announcing that
it will have to make a $1 billion write down because of the new
health care bill. (Companies that offer prescription drug benefits
to their retirees instead of dumping them onto Medical and other
government entitlement programs are hit hard by the new law.)

So now the administration has Commerce Secretary Gary Locke
blogging and hitting the TV circuit attacking companies that "imply
that reform will raise costs for them." He went so far as to say
on CNBC that these companies making the statements were "premature
and irresponsible."

House Democrats have even announced that they will drag these
companies into hearings in April because they conflict with
independent analysis that shows the new plan will actually "bring
down costs."

Yeah, right.

But of course these companies are simply doing what they are
required by law. So it will be interesting to see how this all
plays out.

The new health care plan is just as Vice President Biden so aptly
described it, "a big fucking deal." As in big fucking deficits.
But once you give the kiddies the crack, they're hooked.

So the real question will be how they play out this requirement
that companies restate their earnings to reflect the actual cost of
all these new goodies for the herd.

As long as they keep hyping it as those evil, greedy capitalists
trying to rip off the little guy, that should play very well in
Peoria. So the new bill should survive and be immensely
popular with the herd.

Unfortunately for them, it will actually lead to more layoffs,
downsizing and corporate bankruptcy, because while you can create
the illusion of breaking prosperity laws, you can't actually break
them.

The only free cheese is in the mousetrap.

-RG

2010-04-01T22:44:00.001-04:00

The Unaverage Average Conference Call is live! Strive to achieve your potential.

Weight Loss Coaching...

2010-04-01T10:47:00.000-04:00

Losing weight can be extremely difficult for many people. We believe the main reason so many people give up is because they have insufficient coaching.

Think about all the great Athletes for example. The reason they are able to achieve such significant results in their lives are because they have coaches who drive them to achieve their potential.

A great example of this would be Phil Jackson. Remember Michael Jordan and the dominate Chicago Bulls. Prior to Phil becoming the head coach, Jordan never won an NBA title. However, as soon as Phil stepped on the scene, the rest was history. You see Phil's coaching is what made the difference.

You can also see this illustrated when Phil went to the Lakers and did the same thing again with a different team and different players. The magic was in his coaching. Though the players had incredible talents, it took the coach to bring them out and work at their full potential.

So relate this to weight loss. Should you be overweight and trying/struggling to lose weight, what you need is a good coach. Someone that is going to lift you up, keep you motivated, and bring out your potential.

What are you waiting for? Getting in shape starts today! Make the decision it is time to change, commit to your plan, and seek out a great coach to make it happen.

In Christ,
Ron and Melisa Curtis - Nutritional Coaches
www.TeamCurtisFamily.com

2010-03-31T13:54:00.001-04:00

Anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experience.

2010-03-28T20:55:00.001-04:00

Do you have limiting beliefs that are sabotaging your success and happiness in life? Be honest with yourself, your thoughts have power!

2010-03-28T14:33:00.001-04:00

"If you wanna make a difference, get off your rear ends and go do it!" - Eric Phares

2010-03-27T21:39:00.001-04:00

"I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.." R Reagan

2010-03-26T14:13:00.001-04:00

Some great nuggets shared in an article I posted on Qondio 1/12/2010. Check it out, http://ping.fm/SoPHS

2010-03-26T12:28:00.001-04:00

"What you do, whether good or bad, will affect people. Choose to do the right things all the time!" - Evangelist Eric Ramos

2010-03-25T02:12:00.001-04:00

"Everything that has occurred in your life you have attracted into your life by your level of awareness." - Paul Martinelli

2010-03-24T21:14:00.001-04:00

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under GOD, then we will be a nation gone under." -Ronald Reagan

2010-03-23T21:38:00.001-04:00

Just got back from a Fired up special service at church. Evangelist Eric Ramos can preach bubba. Good night and God bless!

SPOT Marketing

2010-02-05T20:49:00.001-05:00

Welcome to our new Blog....

2009-10-29T15:28:00.000-04:00

Hi there, welcome to our new Blog. My wife Melisa and I have started this blog so we can add content in regards to development in all areas of your life.

Spiritual Truths, How to become a stronger Family, Improving your Health, and lastly increasing your Financial Knowledge to live a life free from Financial Burdens.

We are both students ourselves and will be as long as we are alive here on Earth. The information we have learned, are learning, and will continue to learn has truly made a huge difference in our lives and we are sure it will in yours as well.

We look forward to the relationships that will be created and the lives that will be changed through sharing this information. Make today and everyday a truly remarkable one.

In Christ,

Ron and Melisa Curtis, Jr.
Blogger@TeamCurtisFamily.com