On airplanes, in restaurants, in the newspaper and on television, we often hear people saying their businesses are not growing to their satisfaction or that they are not reaching their objectives. The explanations that follow consist of reasons like:

• It’s the economy 

• Our customers don’t get it

• I don’t have the right people on the team

We could go on, and so could you.

We think that these are not explanations, they are only excuses.

People (both those doing the talking, and those they are talking about) are not achieving all they can be. Their organization is not all it can be. Both have tremendous untapped potential sitting there, waiting to be recognized and tapped. Both have potential waiting to be unleashed.
Dictionary.com defines potential as “the inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being, or something possessing the capacity for growth or development.”

When we point to others and other factors as the cause to our problems (in business or any part of our life) we are missing the point. We hold many of the answers ourselves. Maybe not in this moment, but when we unleash our potential, we unleash talents, skills, perspectives and ideas that can help us solve the problems we face and (as no small side benefit) become more fulfilled in our lives. Simply stated, as caretakers of our own lives we are cheating ourselves if we don’t do everything we can to unleash our potential – that innate ability within us waiting to be developed.

As leaders in organizations, our responsibility for unleashing potential is at least as great as it is for us personally. We are responsible for results, for meeting the needs of Customers, for helping and empowering people in our organization and elsewhere, and for generally doing the good things our organizations exist to do. If we aren’t helping those around us unleash their potential, are we really doing our job?

You know the answer.

So the question isn’t, are we doing all we can to unleash the tremendous potential that exists, but how do we do that?
Think hard on that issue and jot down some notes. Next week we will discuss some answers. Let’s see how they match up.
To your success…Financial Freedom Investors

Early Key Steps To Take

In very short form, here are some of the key steps you can take to begin unleashing your potential or the potential in others. As you read these steps, think about it in both ways – both from the perspective of helping others and of helping yourself.

1. Believe. Tug McGraw, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies said throughout an improbable run to a World Series Championship, “Ya Gotta Believe!” An entire team, and an entire city did, and the team went further and accomplished more that they initially believed they could. Tug helped that team unleash their potential, because he believed, and helped others believe too. If you don’t believe your team has the ability to achieve or accomplish more, how likely are those accomplishments to occur

2. Recognize. You can believe the potential is there and you can start by doing that on faith, but then you have to recognize exactly what is there. The specific mix of potentials that I possess is different than yours. The mix is different for everyone. Recognition helps us target the ways we can stretch and gives us clues about what to do in the steps that follow.

3. Expect. There are all sorts of studies that deal with expectation and how powerful it is. Want to do just one thing to help a team you work with improve? Really expect improvement. Let the team know that you have a positive expectation, based on your belief in them and the skills they possess. Act on this belief and this expectation. Let your behavior prove your words. You will be amazed at the change you will see, almost overnight. If we know this to be true with our expectations of others, while you are at it why not raise your expectations of yourself too?

4. Plan. You need a plan. Once you see potential and have higher expectations for it, you need a plan to help unleash that potential. That plan might include study, a mentor, courses, books, new habits, changes in environment and many other things. You will be able to build your plan based on your specific situation. Use this step to help others tailor a plan for themselves too.

5. Invest. You have to invest in the plan. The plan isn’t enough. You must take action. Putting your plan into action requires investments in discipline, time and perhaps money. You can’t unleash potential without some investment.

6. Effort. Sustained effort is required. Notice I said effort, not work. If you are moving towards your unique innate potentials it won’t always be work, but it will take effort. You’ve heard it said “there is no free lunch.” It is true for your potential. Yes the potential is inside you, but it takes effort to bring it out. You might ask is it worth it? Well, what is it worth to raise your self confidence? What is it worth to raise your skills? What is it worth to meet your objectives and goals? What is it worth to feel more fulfilled in your life? What is it worth to be happier? What is it worth to have greater earning potential? Continually moving towards your potential will give you all these things. My guess is it is worth the effort.

7. Patience. Sometimes you will make fast gains, other times the advancement may seem slow. Be patient. Be persistent. You are worth the wait. Help others and be patient with them. They are worth the wait as well.

8. New Targets. The master violinist, Jascha Heifetz said, "There is no top. There are always further heights to reach." So it is with our potential. Each of us (and each organization) is brimming with potential. When you recognize some potential skill or talent and master it, the pool will still be full. When you have made the gains identified in your plan, go back to step one and with the great excitement of knowing that this process works, begin again.

This isn’t a topic that can be covered in one article. There are many facets to potential, both for us as individuals and for unleashing the potential in those around us. This newsletter is meant to explore these concepts, week by week, in new, exciting, and illuminating ways. We will talk about potential as a concept, but get also into details and “how-tos” on tapping all portions of the potentials that exist within us.

To Your Success…Financial Freedom Investors

 I’ve been telling people this for several years. The admonishment, for me, began even before I joined the Trump Network.  In previous a network marketing venture I found, to no one’s surprise, that people often focus on the task – such as solving a problem, much more than on the process – like finding and understanding its causes (and planning better solutions accordingly.)

Most of us in Western culture can easily focus on solving a problem or removing a barrier. After all, we know what’s wrong - just fix it!  As many of you know through your Trump Network experiences, the desire to quickly take action (Just DO Something!) often leads to incomplete solutions.  Most times, these ‘solutions’ just cause more problems, occasionally ones that are worse than the original.  Quick solutions are answers that don’t solve.

Go slow to go fast.

By taking time to focus on the process, in other words, thinking about how to solve the problem, and then using some sequence of steps that include understanding the causes of the problem often we achieve better results. The downside is that these steps may seem like they take a lot of time. In the moment of decision, that time is often seen as wasted ("Let’s just solve the problem!").

Go slow to go fast.

Several current happenings have worked recently to remind me of this saying.  I was reading a book and put it down to think about it. This is very odd behavior for me, because I’m a speed reader and can fly through books and magazines.  However, I find when I am truly enjoying something like a book, I put it down from time to time because I decided some reflection would make the book richer, more valuable and more enjoyable. Go slow to go fast.
After I had put it down and was contemplating what I had read, I picked up a soda I was drinking.  I thought it was fairly empty, but as I quickly brought it up it spilled (mostly on me!). I certainly didn’t intend to spill it, and the point is I ended up spending much more time cleaning it up because I assumed and moved too fast. Slow down to go fast. A trivial example? Perhaps. But often the greatest truths are often seen in the simplest acts. Go slow to go fast.

This phrase is also in my consciousness as I work with new options and opportunities that come through my office each day.  The temptation is strong to just roar through each new situation.  However, through my actions, I and those I’m dealing with are learning the importance of process - the importance of slowing down.  As a result we get things done more rapidly overall…and with finality – not having to keep doing them over and over again.

I urge you to think about the application of this concept to your life. I am sure you will come to the same conclusion I have - that we can often improve our results simply by slowing down and focusing on process as well as task.

When you come to this conclusion, I urge you to pick one task or problem you are working on and apply this advice. Slow down. Focusing on the process you are using to solve the problem will bring clarity and help you avoid mistakes. It may be a bit frustrating, but in the long run it will be time well spent.

To your continued success… Financial Freedom Investors

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."                            -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am blessed in my work in that I very often see people grow and develop new skills in a relatively short period of time. It is a wonderful thing to observe people grow as they discover latent talents and skills they never knew they had or thought they couldn’t develop.

The key point in every case, before people can learn any new skills or talents, is that they must be willing to change.  Each person must be willing to become learners and beginners all over again. Of late there are two particular people who I’ve been thinking a lot about - thinking about their situations and their progress. I’m not going to say who they are - some of you might know them, but I am going to talk generally about their situations and how they relate to all of us.
Both of these people have been exposed to new thoughts, ideas, skills, people, and experiences over the past several months. Both have great reputations for their work . Both have been asked to move into new roles in the recent past. These new roles are a big departure from their prior roles with Trump Network. These new roles have changed these people’s lives. Why? Because of the new experiences and ideas. But mostly, they have improved due to their response to the change.
The human mind is like a rubber band - once stretched, it never returns to its original proportions.
Once we’ve been someplace new, whether that’s through a vacation, a business trip, reading a book, doing a new task, meeting someone new, or whatever, we are never the same person again. All of us intuitively know that this is true.

One of the things that sets these two people apart is that they are using these new experiences in a very thoughtful way - to consciously expand themselves and their perceptions of their futures. Both of these people’s minds have been "stretched" and they will never again be the same.  All of us have these experiences, but often don’t take full advantage of them. So, how can we take advantage of them? While there are many things you can do, let me share part of what these two people have been doing.

Take Time To Think
In order to readjust our perceptions of the world, or paradigms as they are popularly called (including our perceptions of ourselves), we must take the time to think about what is happening and what it means to us. Both of these individuals have spent and are spending much time thinking about their futures, as it relates to what they are doing and learning now.

Take Time To Investigate and Discuss
These people are making opportunities all across the country, both for themselves and hundreds of others.  They are talking to people who can help them understand these changes and their implications. They are also talking to the important people in their lives about what is changing in their lives. This is critical - if we are changing - those closest to us need to know about those thoughts, ideas, experiences, so they can understand what is going on, and changing, in our lives.

I’m not suggesting that we all need to change our perceptions of our work, our talents and ourselves. What I am suggesting is that if you are feeling the "tug" of personal change, then you should take the time to let yourself think about it, investigate it, and to discuss it with others. Listen to that gentle intuitive "tug". Pay attention to it, and learn what you can from it. However masterful we are at what we do in Trump Network, we can’t move on without learning, without risking, without taking the time.


To your continued success… Financial Freedom Investors

In recent years there has been a spate of books equating business acumen with strategies derived from famous warrior treatises. The Chinese classic “The Art of War”  tops the list with various reincarnations of Ghengis Khan and Attila the Hun following closely.  On true examination, there is much in common with martial arts and the business world.

It seems much of the corporate world constantly searches for ways to become ‘learning organizations,’ to share knowledge or to manage knowledge. A number of these concepts do have roots in martial arts. Allow me to share some observations.  

Look past the fighting and any martial art is actually a series of proven systems to help learning take place. When a person knows how things will work, it provides a comfort zone and allows an individual the chance to focus on their personal development. Two of the most beneficial systems I found in martial arts classes are usually the way they are started and completed. To begin, the group gathers and follows the instructor in warm up exercises. While the exercises aren't always the same, the system is there. The opening always includes silent meditation. While the littlest of the kids have a hard time sitting still during this, the message is clear - If we want to be focused on our learning task, our minds must be clear. When we are at work or at a learning assignment, we must prepare ourselves mentally and physically for our tasks. While the preparation itself might look quite different as say, a Tae Kwon Do, a karate or a judo class, the benefits are the same.  

Perhaps more powerful is the conclusion of each session. The group gathers again and faces the instructor who gives words of praise, encouragement and helps focus the group on future areas to work on. Everyone needs positive feedback.  

Secondly, most classes cover a wide range of ages and skill levels. Also, each day the players may change. Rarely do two classes have exactly the same participants. While most people know each other, that's not always true. All of these factors could lead to chaos and ineffectiveness. Do any of these factors begin to sound familiar to you? Is chaos what you've experienced as a result? Chaos is rarely seen at a Tae Kwon Do class. This is largely because those with more skill and experience are willing to lead and teach and help (they are eager to do so - and do without being asked or prompted). Everyone helps in whatever way they can. It is not uncommon to see a junior (under 12) with a higher belt helping an adult with a lower belt. The adult is a willing learner and the junior is an eager teacher – age difference plays no role here, in part because everyone knows what they want to achieve and what it takes to achieve it. (You can't be in the studio long before you see all the belts in order of achievement on the wall. Another similarity with the Trump Network.)
In your groups, teams and organizations there may be factors that make sharing and learning more challenging and rewarding. In the end I believe there are some critical factors we can apply - factors at work at both a Tae Kwon Do studio and the Trump Network.

First, have solid systems - make sure they work and are easy to use (in other words, stick to the plan). Second, have clear beginning and ending processes. Give and welcome feedback. Third, build a community where people care enough to help those around them. Fourth, set clear goals for success and make a difference. Fifth, create (and be) a willing teacher. And finally, create (and be) a willing learner.
There is more that could be said - in fact I could write a lot more than I have - but these critical factors can make the organization you work in and with be more effective and profitable.

To your continued success…
Trump Network – Financial Freedom Investors

Most of us have been to the circus.  Perhaps you have even imagined that your Trump Network organization resembles one.  That being the case just imagine yourself on the circus high wire, walking confidently, focused and successful. Now step back and look at the bigger picture. In order to have that confidence and success, what one item is truly necessary besides skill and experience? That’s right…a net! None of us can work without a net. Like the person on a high wire, the bigger and better the net, the more successful and confident you’ll be. How is your Net - working?
You may be saying, I don’t have a need for a big network.  Well, I think you’re wrong! Even outside of Financial Freedom Investors and the Trump Network consider these facts:
    
    • 70% of jobs are filled through a network.
    • Networking can save time and energy in getting things done.
    • Networking is a way for us to help other people reach their goals.
    • Networking is a way for us to reach our own goals more quickly.

We’ve all experienced it or seen it happen. Someone calls us, or offers us something, just at the very moment we need it.  Often, we may be confused as to how this person knew about the need, or how they even knew who we were. The answer is usually a network. Somewhere along the way, you did something to help someone, and in sowing that seed, you were able to reap a benefit back, even if you don’t realize where the benefit came from.  How do we nurture and grow our network, so that we can reap later? Here are some thoughts, followed by some specific ideas.

Truly effective networking is a process of mutual benefit. If you focus your attention on how you can help the other person, you’ll be heading the right direction. Remember that the key is your intent. If your intent is to serve and help the others in your network, then you will be amazed when something returns…with interest!

Here are two things you can do this week (today!) to build and strengthen your network.

•Say thank you! More specifically, make a note to send three thank you notes this week. Send them for small or large things. Send one even if it’s way overdue. Hand write them! Put it on your calendar. Do it every week.  Thank people even if it seems they haven’t done anything.  Thank them for ‘just being there and for being a friend.’

•When talking to others, ask yourself "How can I help?" Is there a person you can recommend, a resource they might find useful, a book you know of? Is there any way you can think of to help? Asking yourself this question will make you a powerful networker.

Practicing these suggestions and developing this mindset will strengthen and grow your network, not just in the Trump Network, but in life.  
Is that important?    Only if you’d like more confidence and success.

To your continued success…

 It is always nice to hear back from the reps in the field.  When one writes a weekly newsletter piece like this and fires it off into the ether of the Internet, there is always a peculiar emptiness.  It’s as if one’s effort has been launched into some Black Hole or is lost in space.  Therefore, it has been especially rewarding to receive some excellent comments and encouragement from so many people who are both enjoying and benefiting from this newsletter and the weekly commentary.  Thank you one and all for your heartening words.

In that vein, reflecting on last week’s item, someone said to me this week that “success isn't everything.”  That caught me a bit off guard, but in reflection, I think I know what they really meant. I believe they actually were trying to say that money wasn't everything and I certainly agree with that. However, I do believe that success IS everything.

In looking at our team, there are a number of reasons to strive for success. First you need to succeed to survive. Even in gambling, you have to win 53% of your wagers just to break even. We must take the tools and skills we have and learn how to use them to seize and create opportunities. But then secondly, we must move beyond merely sustaining ourselves and push to flourish in every part of our lives.  Sometime, take a moment to ask a wise and older person "If you could do better should you?"  I think almost everyone you ask would answer the question in the positive. If you could improve your health, education, experience, financial state, relationships, spirituality…shouldn't you do that?  The answer is a resounding “YES!”

That is what success is really all about. It is not just a destination that is set for everybody to try and achieve. It is like Zig Ziglar, the master salesman said: "Improve in every area of your life so you can say with satisfaction at the end of the day, week, month and year  -- 'I have made excellent progress, for myself, for my family, for my business, my career and my health.'" That is the kind of success everybody recognizes.  It is something we should all strive for.  And once we achieve it, everything in life comes into a richness and fullness.

So yes, in my opinion it is good to succeed!
Looking to your success…

Trump Network – Financial Freedom Investors

One of history’s great leaders, Winston Churchill, once said, "The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end there it is." Now I'll give you the Financial Freedom Investors Team simplified version. "You might as well start with the truth, because you are most surely going to end with it."

The words that I believe, the words that I think, the words that I feel; these may or may not be true. However, the words I experience and have experienced are true. Where you are today is the sum total of every experience you have had in your life. And at every crossroads you have had the opportunity to say "yes" or "no". Whatever good happened to you, you ought to take credit. And whatever blame fell upon you, you get to take the credit for that too. Because you could have said "yes" or said "no". Wherever you are now, that is just fine, simply because you are here. You’ve made it this far, and that’s great!  If everything hadn't happened exactly the way it did in your life, you would not be here. You might not have even survived.

It is a shame that we often wait for something outside us to cause us to do what we ought to do ourselves. Why did I wait for someone to force me to do what I should have been doing? We should all be truly excited about the rest of our lives because every day brings new opportunity and we have the ability to choose it, to say “yes” to it, and take up the challenge.  Again I'll remind you. Whether you like it or not, when you look in the mirror: that is your problem and that is your solution.  You make it happen…both to you and for you.  

 So, before you are tempted to give up or get discouraged, remember all success is based on long term commitment, faith, discipline, attitude and a few stepping stones along the way. You might not like the stone you are on right now, but it's sure to be one of the stones that lead to great opportunities in the future.

And that, my friends, is the truth.

To your Success…
Financial Freedom Investors – Part of the Trump Network

Here is a very valuable suggestion that you may not have thought about: Thank people BEFORE they do something for you.

Many people insist on waiting for someone to do something for them before they take a similar action for the benefit of the other person. That’s typical and reactive.  But, what if you tried being pro-active? Ask yourself  "Wouldn't doing something for another person first increase the chances of that goodwill being returned?"

Absolutely. In fact that's one of those unwritten laws of life that successful people understand and embrace. One of the most effective ways of working with this law is what I call a "Thank You In Advance." It may be the best insurance policy you can buy, and it doesn't cost even one cent to purchase.

Thank people before they do something for you.

"I really appreciate your taking the time to..." This is great insurance that they'll make the time to do whatever you want done. I learned some time ago while listening to a tape by the great motivator Jim Rohn, that a tip to a waitperson used to be paid "before" the meal was even served. The word "tip", t - i - p, actually meant, "to insure promptness." Well, some might call it extortion, depending upon how you look at it, but I prefer to think of it as insurance.

An example of a proper time to thank someone is "before" they start on the assignment, task or whatever.  I might say something like, "Thank you Mary - I know you're going to do your typically excellent job."  Perhaps, when talking to a prospect on the telephone, "before" you launch into your reason for calling. "Mr. Smith, thank you for taking a quick moment to speak with me about the Trump Network - I realize you're very busy."  Or, think about the mechanic who's about to work on your car: "Billy-Bob, thank you in advance for fixing this thing. You know, I really do depend on you to keep this car working right!"

Will thanking a person in advance ever not work? Certainly, because people are people and not everyone will be responsive the first time. The fact is, though, it works much more often than not, and over time you'll find this to be both a very pleasant and very effective way of working with others.

One very important point: Thanking in advance must be done with sincerity. Otherwise, it'll come off as manipulative or overbearing. Just reflect for a moment about what you're most grateful for with this person, then go with that feeling, and say a sincere "thank you" ... in advance.

To your Success…
Financial Freedom Investors – Part of the Trump Network

Occasionally, the Internet, network marketing and eCommerce reminds one of being in some Wild West movie.  With Financial Freedom Investors and the Trump Network we truly are on the frontier here.  And just like living on the edge of the wilderness, the rules and demands are quite different from the mainstream.   For example, most everyone you hear in other network marketing firms talk money and only money.  And that is undoubtedly true of others in the Trump Network. 

However, if you talk to us here at Financial Freedom Investors you will often hear that the Capital in your business matters, but it isn't the only thing that matters. Truly, money buys a lot but it isn't the money that buys you your future; it's your skills and abilities that purchase your future. Even if you have some money but lack skills, you can still be very poor.  The same holds true about money without courage.  In every case, you will find yourself broke.  Conversely, developing faith, hope, truth and courage are qualities we all truly need.  Success and wealth…in the form of opportunity, friends, blessings and yes, money, will certainly follow when you have achieved those virtues.

Truly, money isn’t primary. In your organization and in your life, what matters most is your determination and your willingness to try. If you have even just a bare minimum of money teamed with some real ambition, Financial Freedom Investors can show you how to be successful and your tale will become one of the classic testimonies of this company. Just like the prospectors during the Old West Gold Rush, bravery and desire can go much further than simply throwing existing money at something.

Now, if you lack ambition and courage, we can't inspire that.  Having money is not going to cure it either.  But if, like the pioneers and prospectors of old, you have or can develop raw courage and ambition, then you’ve got what it takes.  The wonderful part of Financial Freedom Investors is that, although the Trump Network products are terrific, the way you make your fortune is in understanding the value of your own story; your own tale of daring and persistence. You create your own legend; your own destiny.

Remember, your greatest asset is you.  Simply sharing your own excitement, belief about the product and the possibilities it holds for others will win the day. Keep at it, with aspiration, a positive outlook and guts.  People will eventually say yes.  Once the clients start to say yes, the money will start to come.  And so, as you stand on the frontier of wellness technology and even after you have mined and staked your claim to success, never let money keep you from remembering your achievement was firmly established by your own true ambition, faith and courage.

Looking to your future…

Financial Freedom Investors

It is often said you should love what you do, but that's not necessarily true. What is true about any situation is that you should love the opportunity. The opportunity to build life, to construct a future, to enjoy health, to develop success and to amass a fortune. Knocking on someone's door or calling them may not be something you love to do, but you love the opportunity of what might be behind that door or beyond that call.  

For example, a guy says, "I'm cleaning toilets!  Am I supposed to love cleaning toilets?" The answer is, "No, you don't have to love cleaning toilets, but if it is your first entry onto the ladder of success, you say, 'I'm glad somebody gave me the opportunity to clean toilets and I'm going to do it so well that I won't be here long.'"

You can always be inspired by having found something new.  Even though you are making mistakes in the beginning and even though it may be a little distasteful taking on some new discipline that you haven't learned before, you can do it!   You don't have to love it, you just have to learn to appreciate America, appreciate opportunity and appreciate the person who brought you the good news; the one that found you.

Appreciate the person who believed in you before you believed in yourself, appreciate the person who said, "Hey, if I can do it, you can do it."  The one that gives you that opportunity, no matter how bad it seems, is someone to be appreciated.

If you will embrace the disciplines associated with the new opportunity you will soon find that your self-confidence starts to grow.  Soon you rise from being a skeptic to being a believer. And when you go out person to person, talking to people, you will eventually find it to be the most thrilling prospect in the world. If you consider every person you meet to be an opportunity, what would that amount to?  Unlimited potential!! Maybe even a friend for life. The next person could be an open door to retiring. The next person could be a colleague for years to come. It’s exciting and life enhancing, even though in the beginning, when we are just getting started, we don't always see how big it is.

So, before you are ever tempted to give up or get discouraged, remember that all success is based on long term commitment, faith, discipline, attitude and a few other stepping stones along the way. You might not like the stone you stepped on right now, but it's sure to be one of the stones that will lead to great opportunities in the future.

Looking to your future…

Financial Freedom Investors