Thank Goodness failure IS an option! Otherwise none of us would be walking right now.  Seriously… if babies were not allowed to fail in learning how to walk, how could they ever do it? Failure MUST be an option.

I know that the saying “failure is not an option” is expressed with good intentions - to inspire people to be driven to succeed and to never give up.  And to never give up is a good thing. However, it is important that we have moments of failure along the way to our goals for several reasons.

Number one reason to fail - it INNOCULATES YOU…

If you take a look at all the very wealthy, successful entrepreneurs of the world, you will find in their stories many, many failures before they reached that “sweet spot”.  Many people, such as Donald Trump, Walt Disney (whom I mentioned in my last post), and so many other famous successful people, have had MANY bankruptcies, made many mistakes, had businesses that failed.  The extremely successful entrepreneurs usually have at least 1-2 failures in attempting to build a business in their portfolio of investments.

Now, when most of us think of bankruptcy, we think of it as the end of the world. We perceive it to be a symbol of everything crashing down, all doors closed, a BIG BLACK MARK on our credit report that will keep us from ever being trusted again.  Did you know that over 50% of bankruptcies in the United States happens to the average American because of medical bills? 

Now I’m not saying that going bankrupt is a good thing. And if we can avoid that, then of course that is the better alternative.  All’s I’m saying is that more people in America experience bankruptcy than you realize, and it is not even due to irresponsible spending.. It’s because of events that happened unexpectedly, and it is more common than you think, and people are learning how to live with it and how to move on from it. The stigma of bankruptcy is beginning to dissolve, because people are ”innoculating” themselves with the fear of it.

And that’s what happens to successful people who pursue a dream, a goal, an idea who experience failure. They face it, go through it, and then, like getting a FLU SHOT, realize they are STILL ALIVE.  They also finally see that it is NOT the end of the world. It gives them the opportunity to review their experience, learn from it, and steer them to seek new ways to rebuild, with the wisdom of what they did before to assist them to pursue again with added knowledge so that they don’t do the same thing the next time.

Having been an entrepreneur in home based business with Platinum One Destinations for the past three years, I can tell you that I have had MANY failures. And, I have also had MANY successes. I share this information with you today because I UNDERSTAND the FEAR of not wanting to fail. I understand how it feels to have a goal that didn’t happen when I wanted it to, and struggling with the frustration, anger, and the funk I got myself in and had to wiggle my way out of.  I also can tell you now though, that facing my fears has given me new confidence, brought me to new levels of wisdom and understanding, that have allowed me to get to the next level.  I couldn’t be where I am today without the failures I have experienced. And it will be the same for you in your journey of direct sales. So, GET USED TO IT!!

The difference with successful people is how they perceive FAILURE.. They choose to see it as a learning opportunity, a chance to reprioritize what is important. And most of all, they use it to assist them to do it again. They faced their fear, went through it, and got to the other side - and each time they did - it made going after their goal that much less scary.

So many people are afraid to go for their goals because they are afraid to fail - BEFORE THEY HAVE EVEN FAILED!! My suggestion is that you FAIL MORE OFTEN as it will immunize you to the fear, and the more you fail, the more confidence you will build, and the more likely you will be to succeed, as you continue to learn and apply and tweak and build more and more information and wisdom to move forward easier and faster.

THAT, my friends, is the SECRET to success. The secret is that success is just a compilation of many failures, some big, some small. And the greater you are willing to fail, the greater your success will be.

Your Partner in Prosperity,

Carol Ann Martin
Founder, Synergy Prosperity Alliance Team
Synergy Certified, Platinum Executive Leader & Instructor
Platinum One Destinations, Synergy Marketing Group
Learn more about Platinum One Destinations

 Has anyone ever asked you that annoying question? And if they did, did you think to yourself - is that all you’re willing to pay me for my thoughts?  What a silly request… I have no idea where that little idiom came from, but it is a good subject for discussion related to thoughts and money.

In all of the studies, movies, and research about the science of wealth, success, and creating it, there is one very common theme. This theme was explicitly discussed in the famous book “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill, written back in the 1920’s during the Great Depression. Napolean interviewed the wealthiest people in the world (about 500 of them I think) to find out what made them different than the rest of the country’s population that was experiencing one of the most difficult financial times in history.

He discovered that all successful people had a consciousness installed within their brain - conscious and unconscious - about wealth and success. These people were immersed in the thought or idea or expression of wealth or success - whether they were either born into it surrounding them, or, created this experience through conditioning their mind to think those thoughts intentionally. These people had an unshakeable knowing that they would achieve the goals they set out to achieve, or had a level of confidence in their existing prosperity that the “thought” of being poor just never entered their consciousness.

Now, if you were or are one of those lucky people to be born into a family that is already surrounded by wealth, then, your work is easy. The consciousness, the thoughts that are installed into your developing brain as a child were placed there naturally. 

We also hear frequently the expression that “The Rich Keep Getting Richer” and “The Poor Keep Getting Poorer”.  That makes sense, when we understand that when you are surrounded by the thoughts of others, which translates to actions and results around wealth, you will produce more of that. So if you are surrounded in poverty, most likely you have very little chance to move out of that condition unless you’re able to feed your brain constantly with different ideas and thoughts. Likewise, if you are surrounded by wealth, live that lifestyle, you are less likely to go backwards and become poor, unless you are a complete idiot, make alot of mistakes in your life, or attempt to pursue wealth through greed and self interest, or you invested heavily in the stockmarket!!! (Tee Hee)

We know that there are only less than 500 individuals in this country who hold the most wealth (meaning assets, equity, investments, etc.).  The rest of us, unfortunately, were not born into wealth, nor have we been surrounded by it. And sadly, when someone offers to hand us a penny for our thoughts, we may believe that a penny is all our little thoughts are worth. And that is why most people will continue to stay at their current level of wealth, because they do not attach enough value to their thoughts, or understand the power of them. 

Let’s take a look at the value of a thought shall we? Let’s take a look at Walt Disney. Walt was a struggling artist. At the time he created Mickey Mouse, he was very young, living in a tenament apartment, having attempted several business ventures that ended in bankruptcy. He was known to draw and sketch whatever was around him since childhood, and it was around this time in his life that one day he thought, hmmm.. I might as well draw the rats that surround me, since they are the only subjects to draw at the moment.  And so was born Mickey, and Minney..

“Who would of thought” (another interesting saying) that Walt’s little idea, thought, in the midst of poverty, bankruptcy, and little hope, would be born one of the biggest entertainment empires in the world. That Walt Disney World would become a symbol of believing in dreams and miracles, and magic. That because of that one thought that one day that one man had, the entire world has been inspired to dream, and children and families have been delighted by the continued legacy of his ”thought” that day. Not to mention that his little idea certainly has generated ALOT of WEALTH in the world.

Now, I don’t know if Walt Disney was selling his sketches of Mickey and Minney back then. And I don’t know exactly how Walt Disney World came to be.  However, I bet at that time Walt sold his sketches for very little money, if it meant he could eat that day.

How many of you would right now accept a penny for your “little” thoughts or ideas? How many of you have an inspired idea, a thought, a desire, that you don’t act on because you can’t project out to see the value it may have for you, someone you love, or the world - right at this very moment?

If you are one of these people - the good news is - you are not alone. And, it’s not your fault. Your mind is simply the collection of data and experiences since childhood and it is operating on old programs about money.  You can, at this very moment, learn to install “new programs”, and create the consciousness of wealth and abundance simply by beginning to focus on new ideas and thoughts that immerse you in it. And, you don’t have to physically “have” the money and wealth to generate it. Only the idea, or the thought, with attached positive emotion around it, is necessary.

Your mind doesn’t know the difference between “reality” and just “images”. That’s why you react to a suspenseful movie physically sometimes by jumping or biting your nails. The brain processes what is fed to it, and the body reacts - whether it is an image, or the “real thing”.

We are at a very exciting time in our history - once again. And if you haven’t read the book “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill, I suggest you pick up a copy of it, to understand what Napolean Hill discovered at a very similar time in our history almost 100 years ago.

In any situation, we have free will to choose what we will “think”. We can participate in the current financial economic crisis by fueling the anger, the despair, the thoughts of lack and loss. OR, we can choose to use the power of our own minds to generate wealth for ourselves. Platinum One Destinations is one such vehicle that I personally recommend.

It all starts with you, and how and what you choose to focus your attention to in this moment. I suggest that you participate on solutions. That you “think” prosperous thoughts. These thoughts will lead to ideas, words, and actions, that will steer you to new avenues that can and will generate the kind of life you desire.

If Walt Disney could look at a RAT and generate billions of wealth with a simple thought, than I know that you too, have thoughts that are worth much more than a “penny”. And NOW is the time to act on them.

Your Partner in Prosperity,

Carol Ann Martin
Founder, Synergy Prosperity Alliance
Certified Platinum Executive Leader & Instructor
Synergy Marketing Group & Platinum One Destinations
Learn more about Platinum One Destinations

The latest events on Wall Street and Capitol Hill have been some of the most embarrasing, abhorent, rediculous in the world’s history. I have gone through the gamut of emotions regarding these events, as I’m sure you have too.  If you read my last post you will know how I feel about what is occuring, and how I feel about how our elected leaders of this country are responding to it - and it’s not a favorable opinion.

However, I have been searching my soul for the opportunity, the blessing, the lessons from all of this. And I’m happy to say that I’ve found some good in it all.  I’ve gotten myself back again centered in what I know to be truth - and that is that in every situation, there is a purpose. 

And I now can say that I see many key lessons and opportunities to share and educate and inform more people about the value and meaning of having one’s own business, and why now we finally have a way to shed the light on the real “scam” that American people are unknowingly participating in.  The events on Wall Street, which I have no control of, are actually helping people, either by choice or no choice, to finally understand how badly they HAVE BEEN scammed, and how EVEN AFTER THE BAILOUT, THEY ARE CONTINUING TO BE.. And that means only good for those of us in direct sales, network marketing, and home based business, because now we can compare our model of compensation, like the one in Platinum One Destinations,  to the reality of corporate america compensation plans and the distribution of income in this country - and FINALLY BECOME THE BETTER OPTION LOGICALLY TO THE AVERAGE PERSON!!

Now before I continue with a summary of key lessons we can take away from these events as it relates to direct sales, let’s just NAIL this into the ground with the latest news from AIG, the insurance company that received $82 BILLION of the $700 BILLION (almost 10% of the total package) less than a week ago..

Here’s what AIG did THIS WEEK in return for receiving $82 billion dollars of taxpayer’s money (based on investigations conducted by Henry Waxman, who is leading a House Committee investigation:

• AIG held a week-long retreat for its executives at the luxury St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach, Calif., with a total tab of $440,000 ($200,000 for rooms, $150,000 for meals and $23,000 for the spa. )
• Joseph Cassano, the executive in charge of the company’s financial products division, received more than $280 million over the last eight years. AND, even this week, he is STILL receiving a $1 million-a-month retainer.
• AIG lost over $5 billion in the last quarter of 2007 due its risky financial products division. In March 2008, the company gave CEO Martin Sullivan a cash bonus of over $5 million. And, the board also approved a new compensation contract for Sullivan that gave him a golden parachute of $15 million.

So folks??? Can you SEE IT?? Can you SEE THE ILLEGAL PYRAMID SCHEME that we are ALL UNKNOWINGLY participating in??? The more I see with my own eyes how blatant these events continue to unfold, the more I beginning to rejoice..  It is as if corporate america is BEGGING to say PLEASE SAVE US… But it is not the financial bail out that they need. It is a restructuring of our government, regulations, fair & equitable compensation to all stakeholders in a corporate environment, and leadership. 

Unfortunately the GREED apparently cannot, even with $700 billion dollars, HELP ITSELF, EVEN WHEN THEY KNOW THE ENTIRE WORLD IS WATCHING.  And this is good. Because people everywhere are finally waking up and seeing reality - and we can never go back from awareness.  These events can only cause a HUGE SHIFT in the consciousness of the entire planet as it relates to money and the distribution of it. And THIS IS ALL A GOOD THING..

In a dualistic world, where everything is defined by it’s opposite, or what it is not, there is a tendency to judge what we feel is the worse of the two. It is either “good or bad”, “black or white”, “love or hate”. In this situation, it is either “greed or integrity”.  And folks, when we have such a clear indicator and example of greed, it helps and compells each and every one of us to go to that idea and define for ourselves what we want - and what integrity should look like. And when we have the majority of the people on this planet participating in this activity, participating in this consciousness, we can know that in the end, even though it is going to be difficult, and messy, and painful, that integrity will become the dominant focus, and it will prevail - because what we focus on expands. It’s a natural law. And its FAILPROOF.

So here is a summary of the key lessons, points, and awareness that is GOOD for the planet with respect to the financial situation and how it relates to direct sales:

• The reality that America has been, and is now waking up to the reality that, it is entrenched in the biggest illegal pyramid scheme that can no longer be denied.  There are approximately 400 individuals in this country that maintain the most wealth. And, filtering down, there are select handful of individuals, such as CEO’s of large corporate entities, government officials, etc., that share in the majority of the rest of it.  The majority of people of this country are at the “bottom” of the income distribution pyramid, AND are being asked at this point to pay “UP” the pyramid to replace the income that has already been sucked from them, for it to hopefully “TRICKLE” BACK DOWN…  Doesn’t the idea itself of “TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS” clearly communicate a PYRAMID SCHEMATIC????
• This situation has, regardless of cause or blame or reason, shed the light on the reality of income distribution in this country, and the world. Thank-goodness for that!! IT HAD TO BE KNOWN AND UNDERSTOOD by the average American.  This now gives people the emotions, the conviction, and the NEED to turn to other sources of generating income and wealth than the way it has been done before - which was mainly by paying for an education to get a “spot” in the pyramid scheme.
• Home-based business, direct sales, and network marketing, will now become the preferred method to creating and generating personal wealth and financial freedom. Mainly because it is one of the FEW WAYS that people can get started at an affordable investment, regardless of their education, background or skills, and do this from home, using equipment they already own - such as computers, access to the internet, and phone service.
• Both Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki, world renown financial entrepreneurs and leaders/educators on generating wealth, recently wrote a book on the value of direct sales and its power to create, like no other means, an opportunity for the average person to become a millionaire. Paul Zane Pilzer, recognized economist and author of many books on wealth strategies and economic trends, predicts that the most millionaires in America over the next 10 years will come from direct sales opportunities.  This situation on Wall Street and Capitol Hill will now drive, more than ever in our history, people to seek alternative sources of generating income - and MOST PEOPLE - will choose home-based business, and direct sales.
• This situation, with the chaos and unfathomable depths of its corruption and its affects on the American and world population, is causing people to turn to their source of faith and spiritual awareness.  People are attempting now to make sense of it all, and/or to just seek peace and understanding.
• This situation will cause a renaissance in spiritual belief, and a call to action of spiritual leaders around the globe to mobilize the planet to incorporate their spiritual beliefs into their pursuit of restoration and rehabilitation.  Up until now, it has been accepted that there must be a separation between spiritual life and government/business life.  People everywhere will now have no other choice but to turn to their beliefs and faith in a higher power to restore themselves and the world to an integrated approach to life.

This situation is causing the people of this planet to WAKE UP and to SEE WITH THEIR OWN EYES what they had not seen, or understood before.  And this can only spawn a drive for change in the American governmental and economic structure. And it can only mean that direct sales and home-based business will become the logical and easiest choice for most people.  And for that, I am extremely grateful. 

For the past three years I have seen the incredible value of the residual income model of direct sales. For the GIFT of working part-time, and creating more time and financial freedom for me to spend more time with my family and children.  Before I started in direct sales, I had been duped just like everyone else into believing that home-based business was the “scam”, that it was “too good to be true”. 

But once I got into this industry, I learned to love it, respect it, and TRULY SEE A PATH TO FREEDOM for myself and others.  NOW IS OUR TIME TO SHINE. And those of us leaders in network marketing now have an opportunity, like NEVER BEFORE IN OUR HISTORY, to make a positive contribution to MANY PEOPLE’S LIVES - without any involvement or intrusion of government or corporate means. And that, to me, is so exciting, and gratifying - to be in a position of TRUE LEADERSHIP to lead people to a REAL PATH of freedom and financial independence…

WHO’S WITH ME!! LET’S GO!!

Your Partner in Prosperity,

Carol Ann Martin
Founder, Synergy Prosperity Alliance
Synergy Certified, Platinum Executive Leader & Instructor
Synergy Marketing Group & Platinum One Destinations
Learn more about Platinum One Destinations 

 Am I the only one who sees through this mess on Wall Street and on Capitol Hill? O.K. I have to admit… I don’t normally watch television, however, I have been following the CSPAN coverage of the debates over the $700 BILLION dollar bailout bill in the House and Senate this past week. And, once again, I remind myself of why it is so important NOT to plug in to things I cannot control.

BUT - and this is a HUMONGOUS BUT…. I cannot help but respond to this situation with concern. Not because of what is reality at the moment, and not because I fail to see the need for action, but how even now, our leadership in this country does not understand that even the average person can see through this mess and what is going on here, and even with this passed bill, they are participating in the biggest failure of TRUE leadership in the history of this country.

Did you know that in the original bill passed by President Bush, it proposed to give a $700 Billion dollar blank check to his appointed Secretary of the Treasury? Did you also know that that gentleman was the former CEO of Goldman Sachs? One of the failing insitutions in this debacle that is now going to be the beneficiary of taxpayer bailout dollars?

And, has ANYONE stopped to think through what we are really doing? I mean, common… If all of these HUGE corporations are failing because of junk mortgages and paper, then why would we EVER propose that the American taxpayers buy them and expect a return? Even if we are buying them at pennies on the dollar? Hasn’t anyone heard that you get what you pay for?

And, has it occurred to anyone that the entire government, including EVERY SINGLE SENATOR AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE on Capitol Hill today, and all of the millionaire CEO’s on WallStreet who have sucked out millions of dollars in compensation over the last several years from the wheeling and dealing during the inflated housing market and frenzy of irresponsible lending, SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EASILY PREDICT THIS CRISIS?

I believe that the Wall Street executives, with the support of President’ Bush’s massive deregulation policies over the last eight years, and with his buddy Mr. Polson, former CEO of Goldman Sachs, knew EXACTLY what they were doing. That they knew EXACTLY what would happen. And they also knew EXACTLY how they were going to BAIL OUT by creating a crisis for the American people, put them in fear of losing their retirements, investments, and homes, to ENSURE that they could SUCK IT ALL BACK IN from the American people when all was said and done. 

And why would they do that?? So that the CEO’s of every single one of these huge conglomerates could have a feeding frenzy of MILLIONS of dollars in executive compensation - for as LONG AS IT WOULD LAST - AND UNTIL THE ENTIRE AMERICAN POPULATION WOULD STEP IN AND PAY FOR IT..

AND….

Do they REALLY BELIEVE that the American people are so ignorant and stupid and naive that we will just bend over and take it up the rear????  Well, that seems to be EXACTLY what the leadership of this country is proposing to do right now. And it is disgusting to see how our leadership, rather than taking time to look at ALL OPTIONS on how to solve the problem and act prudently, and HOLD ACCOUNTABLE - FINANCIALLY - AND LEGALLY - the CEO’s of each of the failing financial institutions, they expect the already struggling American people, to SUCK IT UP and do it for “America”….  THAT MY FRIENDS, IS THE POOREST EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP AND TEAM WORK I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

This may be a simple, naive question, but can anyone tell me WHY every single executive from these major financial institutions is not sitting in JAIL right now awaiting trial for the MASSIVE negligence and FRAUD that has taken place here with the amount of wierd and strange transactions like hedging and other unusual lending transactions, that seem to have been drafted so that NOBODY could understand them?  Didn’t ENRON set a precedence whereby we should have the RIGHT to put CEO’s of failing companies in jail, or at least MAKE THEM PAY for the mess they created?

I realize that this blog and the topics I choose to write about are usually about home-based business, leadership, and financial well being.  So, I will now tie this discussion in to how this relates to me, and anyone else who is self employed in direct sales.

People ask me all the time whether or not my company or others like it in direct sales are a “Pyramid”.  And usually those people who ask that question see network marketing opportunities as a situation where people at the top are making all the money, and the people at the start or bottom are making none.  Well folks, if this situation does not PROVE to you that there is no bigger pyramid than Corporate America and the existing distribution of income in this country, than I don’t know what is…

In direct sales, the people at the top HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY as EVERYONE ELSE to get there. It is not reserved just for people who come from wealthy families, already in positions of government contacts and people in “high places” like Mr. Polson, former CEO of Goldman Sachs. 

And, in my business with Platinum One Destinations, the only way people at the top can get to the “TOP” is if they demonstrate that they can make personal sales of their own, as well as assist other people they bring into their downline in getting to the top as well.

In direct sales, people SHARE in the wealth - ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP.

I just think about this whole situation from my own perspective. I am a smart person, I am a dedicated leader in my field, I work hard, I pay my bills and mortgages, and I support my people. But what would happen if I started wheeling and dealing and sucking money out of people for my own personal benefit? Should I expect the American taxpayers to bail ME OUT???? So why should I be expected to bail out these millionaire CEO’s from their own responsibilities????

I realize that this is a very complicated mess. And I realize that it requires action. However, it also requires new leadership. It requires a BASIC RESPECT for the intelligence and integrity of the American people. It requires an APOLOGY from EVERY SINGLE LAW MAKER on Capitol Hill, for FAILING TO SERVE AND PROTECT the American people, while laws were continually proposed by President Bush, and SUPPORTED by the House and Senate, to deregulate the financial and mortgage industries.  And, when we are going to go out and spend $700 BILLION dollars, it requires TIME to consider all the options, and DO IT RIGHT - NOT IN HASTE.

The Declaration of Independence declares that when the government no longer serves the people, that the people have the right to abolish such governement and reinstitute a new one. Folks, based on what I’ve seen take place over the last couple weeks, I believe it is TIME…

Your Partner in Prosperity,

Carol Ann Martin
Founder, Synergy Prosperity Alliance
Synergy Certified, Platinum Executive Leader & Instructor
Platinum One Destinations, Synergy Marketing Group
Learn more about Platinum One Destinations