You might have some memory of Admiral James Stockdale. He was the guy who was Ross Perot’s Vice Presidential candidate in ‘the US 1992 election.

He didn’t fare so well as a VP candidate, but he was quite an impressive military man. He was former president of the Naval War College and was the highest ranking officer in the dreaded “Hanoi Hilton” in Viet Nam.

He spent eight years in Hanoi and was tortured numerous times by his captors.

Mr. Thomas Barnett relates:

“Stockdale tells the story of the optimists who never survived their time in Hanoi, simply because they clung far too much to their dreams of release and in doing so couldn’t handle the brutal realities of what it took to survive the day to day.

“So instead of dealing with the here and now realistically, they tended to cling to the hope that they’d be home by whatever the next holiday was, and when that day came and went, their spirit would be diminished by that measure.

“Over time, they died because their spirit was extinguished by reality.”

Stockdale’s explains his “paradox” this way:

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end (which you can never afford to lose) with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

Stockdale was really describing the flagrant abuse of ‘positive thinking.’

And you know what? A lot of entrepreneurs are really just too optimistic. Worse yet, the business opportunity pitchmen exploit this and sell ridiculously unrealistic plans to starry-eyed people.

What a shame.

Then people flip to the other side, which is the CNN version of the world: Everything is hopeless. All you can do is talk your doctor into putting you on prescription drugs.

Both extremes are recipes for crash and burn.

I seriously doubt anything you ever face in business will be as dreadful as the Hanoi Hilton. Still, nothing can be worse for you than to walk into battle with a plastic sword and helmet, and then get cut down with tanks and machine guns.

You wanna survive… then thrive?

Here are some wise precautions that will prepare you for adversity and ensure your success:

* Assume that vendors will be slower than they promise – and that you may have to stand on their heads to get things done (not that you should accept this if it’s going on though!)
* Assume click prices and advertising rates are going to go UP, not down
* Assume Google’s gonna slap you sooner or later, even if you’ve got the most righteous product on God’s green earth
* Assume your best source of customers could dry up with no advance notice
* Assume the buying cycle is longer than you think it is, not shorter
* Assume it’s gonna get harder to raise capital, not easier
* Assume some unforeseen problem, like a product defect, legal challenge or financial setback may pop up
* Assume your top 3 plans might not work out, so have #4 and #5 in place too

Once you’ve assumed all that and planned for it – NOW you can look forward to great success, knowing that you’ve anticipated virtually every obstacle and can make it through. Because when you put those constraints on your plan, you’ll NEED to add a magic ingredient.

This will force your creativity to add one.

One of my Roundtable Members (Roundtable is my private $12K per year mastermind group) asked me about the slippery slope of making bolder promises in his sales copy, which as they got more unrealistic, would also be more appealing and boost the response.

I said, “Well if you make unrealistic promises, you’ll just get a bunch of unrealistic customers, and that’s what you’ll be stuck with – people who dream all day and never do anything. Meanwhile the ones you really want will never believe you anyway.”

That’s always been my approach. Tell people like it is, so they understand what’s ahead of them… then work with people who are not going to die of a broken heart with the 4th of July comes and goes and they’re not out of Hanoi just yet.

The liberating thing about this is, people who are prepared for tough sledding will make it. You will revel in your victory when it does come. With the right overall strategy, victory can be almost inevitable.

Perry Marshall

P.S. Our Roundtable members gather together in October and we kick off with a custom business rebuild in September. Apply at www.perrymarshall.com/roundtable/

About the Author

Entrepreneur Magazine says: “Perry Marshall is the #1 author and world’s most-quoted consultant on Google Advertising. He has helped over 100,000 advertisers save literally billions of dollars in Adwords stupidity tax.”

He is referenced across the Internet and by The Washington Post, USA Today, and the Chicago Tribune.
http://www.perrymarshall.com/10279/abuse-of-positive-thinking/

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE NOW

Comment
August 7,2010
Andrew Gallop @ 2:10 pm

Hello Perry, What a great article. I had forgot the Admiral Stockdale story. What an eyeopener, he was very wise. You put it right about promises in what you plan to give people when they join you. Show good leadership skills, but do not overload yourself. Thanks, Andrew Gallop

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henrydavidthoreau Articles and Editorials
“Build A Better Mousetrap And The World Will Beat A Path To Your Door.”
-Henry David Thoreau, 1854

Henry David Thoreau lived in a different century than you and me. Henry David Thoreau never invented any mousetraps. And the world never beat a path to his door. I think that Henry David Thoreau was smoking Crack Cocaine. That was then, Mr. Thoreau, but this is now. Selling Has Changed.

Today, if you’ve got better mousetraps, new technology, or a superior solution to any kind of business problem, you’re faced with some very tough challenges. Your customers and prospects are inundated with choices. They’re relentlessly pursued by sales people. They hide behind their computers and guard against unwanted pests with their voice mail. You send them emails but they can vaporize your message with one touch of the delete button. Your website is just one among millions.

Have you ever said this to yourself? “I’ve got the most fantastic product—people love what I have to show them, if I can only get them to listen!” The most precious commodity in business today is attention.

This website is all about one thing: Getting and Keeping the Attention of your prospects and customers. Causing them to pursue you, instead of you hunting them down. Being certain that every dollar you invest in advertising and marketing comes back to you with friends attached.

Madison Avenue can sing and dance and entertain, but they do not know how to drive new ideas into change resistant markets. We do. They fear anyone who holds their advertising accountable for results. We don’t. Effective marketing is not a collection of slick techniques that temporarily tricks people into falsely believing that your stuff is more righteous than everybody else’s. It’s effective communication of your unique message – communication that is rooted in unchanging principles.

Perry’s articles on Guerilla Marketing focus on principles, not techniques, and apply to any business, and they provide a sound introduction to the Perry Marshall Marketing System:

Guerilla Marketing

Are you looking for that second job or just a job period? Do you want to start your own business? These are questions a lot of people are asking now with the economy not doing very well. Network marketing will be for you if you are willing to put forth the effort and follow through. There are lead generation companies that will show you exactly how to get set up. This will start making money quickly, while you set up your primary network marketing business. A good network marketing lead generation company will give you a lot of affiliate programs, these will give you a constant stream of income very quickly.

People dream of financial freedom, through fortunes made in network marketing. Through hard work and dedication and the proper leadership skills, you to can reap the benefits. Only about 3% of the people who try, actually make it work, do not be discouraged you will be in that 3%! Henry Ford said “if you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right”, It is your choice.

When you find the right lead generation system you can build a funnel into your primary network marketing business. The resources available today through lead generation programs will take a lot of the challenge out of getting started. When you find the leadership that you can trust, the battle is over. Everything will progress very rapidly, as you see your dream become a reality.

Some of the lead generation solutions are as simple as Twitter, Facebook, My Space, You Tube, article marketing, adwords, magnetic sponsoring and many more. You will be taught how to use all of these to your best benefit. There is no lack of knowledge or leadership in a good program. As you learn these lead generation ideas you will become proficient in using them.

As you are searching for the right companies to work with, you need to find the right team to join, they will lead you in the right direction. You will not do this on your own, let someone help you. Learn everything that you can about them, there will be many webinars and articles on these teams for you to participate in. When you understand how they work you will know if this is for you.

A good lead generation website will be set up for you to help create your funnel to your mlm. They will teach you how network marketing works this is part of becoming successful. Be careful of information overload there is just to much information on the internet. When you find someone that you can trust let them be your guide to success. You do not have to pay them.

As you search for the right people and companies there are some of the best that do not cost a lot to get started with. There are to many experts that want to show you the way. All you have to do is keep paying them over and over and they will lead you to broke. When you find the right team, for them to make money you have to make money. The right company will help you to get home based business leads and develop your system for almost no money, you are on the right path.

Remember YOU are your most important asset, you have to become that leader that you would like to follow. Then you are on the road to successful network marketing. You can not sign up family and friends, they do not trust you. They treat you like you are a snake oil salesman. As they see your business grow then they will want to become part of your team. Do not complicate things follow the guidelines set down by your lead generating company. They will email leads with an auto-responder with a proven to work message.

Through determination and commitment of your time and money you will build a network marketing business that will surpass all of your expectations. If you truly want to become successful you are ready to get started.

To learn more about how you can have dramatic — success its important to learn everything you possibly can about the company before you get involved. Visit the following link and you’ll be
taken to more articles and information compiled by some industry experts including, Andrew Gallop.

A network marketing company the Numis Network markets silver and gold numismatic graded MS70 silver and gold collectible coins. The company founded by Ian Cordell, Christopher Kent, and Jake Kevorkian, along with super salesman Mike Mezack. Combined give over 60 years experience in the network marketing business. Numis Network was designed with the coin enthusiast and collector in mind. There are a number of money making opportunities with this network.

When you consider leadership in a company these are some of the best leaders with proven track records. Then you look at the team leadership through out the entire company it is second to none. The leadership skills shown by these men and women are outstanding. There are people from all walks of life that have come together to form a better way of life.

Having followed the numismatic market for many years, you will find these coins are sold at near wholesale prices. These MS70 grade coins are probably the best assets on the market today. Once graded and certified by ANACS or one of the other grading companies it is set forever. When a silver or gold coin is graded it becomes a certified numismatic coin and is not considered bullion. These coins are only produced by national or international mints that certify the content as “fine” silver or gold.

Being the only networking company that sells collectible coins, Numis Network is in a unique position for anyone looking for a home based business. This may be the network marketing opportunity you have been waiting for. There are only about 10,000 members at this time being a new company it is the right time to get in. This being one of the oldest assets know to man, this is just a new concept to market it.

There are so many network marketing companies out there today it can be hard to choose between them. That is where Numis is outstanding in that it is the only network marketing company that sells numismatic coins. If you stay in Numis Network 5 years you will have at least 60 1oz. Silver coins. Most people choose to order more than one a month because of the value.

If you do not think that you have a warm market there are good training programs that are available at a reasonable price. My Lead System Pro being one of the best, that links up to Numis Network with an aweber auto-responder. This all ties together with lead generating systems, such as magnetic sponsoring by Mike Dillard and adwords with Perry Marshall, to create your own warm market with the internet.

Once you are in Numis Network and My Lead System Pro you will find them to be a complete package, not like most network information that leads you on and on. The leadership skills practiced by these experts is marvelous. Truly dedicated leaders to include Ray Higdon, Cedrick Harris, David Wood, Norbert Orlewicz, Brian Fanale and Andrew Gallop. These are just a few of the many who will guide you through the entire process of setting up and running your new business. You can be set up and in operation in a couple of days.

My Lead System Pro not only teaches you how to market it gives you 16 affiliate programs so you can start receiving a multiple stream of income within a couple of weeks. This will help pay your bills until everything gets in full swing. As you generate leads in My Lead system Pro, they will be funneled through your system into Numis Network. MLSP will give you 26 follow up messages that are automated into your auto-responder and will send automaticly. You can also customize your own emails, articles and videos to blast to your leads. This will start branding you to your leads.
If you are ready to go to work and make some real money join our team and we will lead you down the road to prosperity. These mlm systems and these leaders will show you a life that you only dreamed of. If you are ready to execute your goals we are here to help you.

To learn more about how you can have dramatic — success its important to learn everything you possibly can about the company before you get involved. Visit the following link and you’ll be
taken to more articles and information compiled by some industry experts including, Andrew Gallop.

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The Numis Network was formed as a network marketing business to offer a selection of Silver and Gold numismatic coins to the general public. All coins are graded and certified by one of the three major coin grading companies. Numis Network was founded in August 2009, by three gentleman that collectively have 60 years in network marketing. These are collectable coins being sold at wholesale prices.
The internet has created a unique way to network market world wide. At this time Numis Network is only in the United States and some of Canada. Anyone with a computer can go in business and start creating a warm market. Social networking , article marketing, adwords and attraction marketing are some of the ways.
Numis Network is the only network marketing company that sells silver and gold coins. The numismatic industry is selling over 100 billion dollars in annual sales worldwide. 10 billion of this being in the United States alone. Many of us are just starting to understand how reasonable and exciting it is to collect these coins. This being a wide open market as more people become open to collecting silver and gold coins and make money while doing it.
As the world turmoil gets worse, the economic crisis that the government is handling very poorly, as there is little trust left. The massive corporate bailouts, the loss of retirement, unemployment, states going broke and inflation increasing at a high rate. Anyone having a little money will be glad to get there hands on some real assets. Silver and gold being the two best assets on earth. Many people are coming to this new industry to take advantage of the low cost to get started in there own business. There is no better time than now to get started and grow with this new company. There are more people finding out that job security does not happen anymore.
More and more people are scratching there head thinking “what am I going to do”? A home based business can be the way to go. If you are committed to pulling yourself up above the crowd then this is for you. We have a team of committed professionals that will teach you just what to do. The best programs and business that you could want. The leadership skills are second to none!
This is Numis Network the only network marketing company that sells silver and gold collectible coins near wholesale. Through the monthly auto-ship you receive one silver collectible coin every month. How hard could it be to make money selling money, silver and gold collectible coins? There are only a little over 8,000 people in the Numis program a this time. Being in its “infancy” now is the time to get in, expansion is happening very fast, with new leaders coming on every day.
This being a true asset and not a consumable product makes it a unique business as a network marketer. This will last forever as well as be inflation proof and some coins increase greatly in value.
The compensation plan used by Numis Network, is one of the best plans in the network marketing industry. If you sign up 2 people the first month and 1 every month after your autoship will be free! It is best to sign up as many people as you can but you can keep it simple. You have three websites one for training new members. One for just selling new coins to people who do not want to sign up. One to keep track of all of your business.
Numis Network has, Mike Mezack, the SUPER salesman for the Numismatic Coin industry. Mike is just one example of the quality of people you will be dealing with. The team leaders are all doing webinars all through the week. Doing town hall meetings all over the country. Continuous mastermind groups on skype and in your back office. One on one telephone conversations, almost information overload.
Numis Network is very reasonable to get into and then being virtually free, from then on it does not take long to start making money. The leadership skills shown by all of the teams and the support is unreal. The training alone is worth the costs of joining.

To learn more about how you can have dramatic — success its important to learn everything you possibly can about the company before you get involved. Visit the following link and you’ll be taken to more articles and information compiled by some industry experts including, Andrew Gallop.

Numis- Network Andrew Gallop

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If you are chasing leads? How would you like to conquer the internet and have your leads chasing you?
MLSP is the near perfect system for you. My Lead System Pro was built by Brian Fanale, Norbert Orlewicz and Todd Schlomer. These three men got together to build this incredible system, which is near perfect if you are going to do network marketing and working from home. The leadership skills practiced by this team is some of the best.

This network marketing system starts you off so that in just a few days you will start making money. It is very reasonable with a good money back policy. The training is so complete and easy to follow. You will establish up to 16 affiliate sites, this gives you a monthly income. It is not a lot of money but it will help pay expenses. Because as you build your team with lead generation it will become a substantial income.

It will not take long to run out of your warm market in your local area. You can not sign up family and friends. You will have to create your own warm market. This is what the MLSP training will teach you.
They will teach you how to market yourself, you are selling YOU! You do not chase people you invite people to join your team. Let them know that you are a person of substance then you will get sign ups. As your leadership skills increase people will search you out and want to join your team.

You will be one of the 3% of the successful people in network marketing. You will conquer the internet by attracting leads. Lead generation will create a funnel that will push your targeted leads to your primary network marketing business. This is a streamline system to educate and help you into the marketing process.

You have to become a leader, become part of a mastermind group and be part of a team. The MLSP training is extensive on this concept. There are free webinars all through the week with successful experts teaching there leadership skills and some one on one training. There are a number of trainers, so you learn different ways of getting leads. You use the best method for you, to drive traffic through your funnel.

MLSP is a network marketing, lead generation, attraction marketing system, all in one with many features. They continue to develop top marketers that is exploding the growth of the system and the income of each individual.

As you learn magnetic sponsoring by Mike Dillard, you will learn how important it is to brand yourself.

If you want to do adwords by Perry Marshall, he is the best.

These are just a couple of the affiliate programs that are in the system. The programs are all coordinated together for you this makes life simple.

MLSP has already written follow up messages that will build a relationship with your new prospects. You get fully automated emails that are proven to convert leads into team members, also it is a total customizable system for branded attraction marketing. Everything is done to perfection for you. Your auto-responder is set up to where your leads will always be only yours. This is a very good system and easy to use. It will handle all of your accounts and keep track of everything.

You add your own articles and videos to your emails to start branding yourself. To begin with it is best to leave most of the training to the experts. Until you become very comfortable and understand the complete system. Use there expertise to your best advantage, save time and make money.

There is just so much information on the internet, we get information overload. It can be so hard to decide what is the right programs. Most people have depleted there budget by the time they get to this point. The good news is that this entire program is very reasonable and can be built in steps. Commissions can be paid in just a few weeks, as few as THREE weeks! Because this network marketing, lead generation, attraction marketing system will sell itself.

When your leadership skills brings someone to MLSP and they join. They will like it so well they will want to join your primary networking marketing business as well.

To learn more about how you can have dramatic — success it’s important to learn everything you possibly can about the company before you get involved. Visit the following link and you’ll be taken to more articles and information compiled by some industry experts including, Andrew Gallop.

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I have recently been participating in some amazing webinars on network marketing with the MLSP and the Numis teams. WOW! What a show! These teams work together teaching you a straightforward generation method to get a lot of new MLM signups.

No one person earns more credit than another in this training, it is purely teamwork, leadership at its best. These leaders have amassed each a team that is as good as it gets. MLSP will teach you how to enhance the MLM of your choice. There training is generic to almost all MLM’s.

You are taught through there programs and there affiliate programs such as, magnetic sponsoring with Mike Dillard and adwords with Perry Marshall, that you have to learn to sell YOU! You alone are the key factor to your success. You have to learn to sell yourself, once this is accomplished people will want what you have. Work with leaders then you will become a leader as well.

As you talk to people you will earn there trust. It is very important to never lie to anyone. Always offer something of value to keep them interested in what you have to say. Start conversations on Facebook and Twitter offer something of value to them this is network marketing. Develop a trust through these relationships as you create conversations. You will get to know a lot of new friends and be a positive influence on there lives, as well as your own.

One of the greatest rewards that you can receive is to have someone say, there life is greatly improved because of you! When you get your life in order and gain trust of others they will want what you have. This is when you close the sale! Not only will you have a good friend, but also a good business relationship.

You do not have to completely understand the entire process, because they have trainers to do this for you. As long as you know that it is real. Do not present something until you are sure of it. You will learn the complete systems as you progress. Share your vision with your friends they will trust you more and more. When they believe in your vision they will want what you have.

This is an automated system that you set up with your MLM. Once set up the autoresponder will take over and take care of everything for you. There are complete instructions, very complete. There is also a very good support team if needed.

Create a general awareness of how you found your offer. Who showed it to you and how they presented
it to you. You can connect through YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ect..Show how this could solve there need. Find out what there pain is, then you will have a solution. Give value to the solution at no cost, free content is what works in network marketing.

As you become good at marketing you will be able to sign up people to your list. Ask them to join you and your team in your network opportunity. Being part of a team such as My Lead System Pro and Numis is a privilege, as well as very profitable. The most valuable lessons have to be paid for. There is no free lunch. The price of these systems is very low for the quality of information received. If they will not pay they will not work! Once you get them signed up lead them through the proper training. This gives you the chance to up sell them. Your affiliate commissions are a very important part of your income. You will be surprised at how fast this will add up. Affiliate commissions are a good steady income. The affiliate company loves you because you are advertising for them.

Communication is very important with your team, be a leader and build value in yourself. Encourage your team to learn as you have learned through network marketing. The opportunity is tremendous, so much for everyone to learn. Take part in conference calls, webinars, read all that you can and listen to CDs. You need to become the person that you would like to follow.

To achieve your goals you have to work hard. The MLSP system helps relieve your work load giving you the opportunity to do more. You have the opportunity to become part of a team that will change your life!

To learn more about how you can have dramatic — success, its important to learn everything you possibly can about the company before you get involved. Visit the following link and you’ll be
taken to more articles and information compiled by some industry experts including, Andrew Gallop,
David Wood, Cedrick Harris, ect.