We have learned a lot in the short 14 years we have been in business. Some of those things have to do with what factors make the biggest difference in building a large Melaleuca business.
For some time now I have observed how different people approach working their business. It is obvious that some are much more successful than others. The reason why they are ore successful has also become very apparent.
In the early stages of our company I made the mistake of believing that other people’s success would be determined by their skill levels, by how talented they were and how bright they were. When I met new Marketing Executives I made the mistake of “prejudging” them as to whether they would be successful or not. I didn’t do it consciously or with any ill intent, but I found myself making a sub-conscious “checkmark,” as if to say, “Boy! This person will do really well!” or “I doubt this person will ever make Senior Director — I hope she has someone to help her!” I soon learned how wrong I was to be so audacious as to believe that I had the ability or even the right to have any preconceived notions about anyone before they had the chance to prove themselves.
I soon learned that skill, talent and intelligence were not the defining factors for success. Those whom I had prejudged consistently proved me wrong! Although many of the bright, skilled and experienced people have done very well, many have not. And yet many of those whom I thought would not make it have done extremely well. Although there are vast differences among those who have had success with Melaleuca, there is one trait shared by all those who have been very successful: That trait is tenacity! I would define tenacity as “focused energy,” a single-mindedness of almost constantly working their business during normal business hours; they are at it day in and day out. They do not let go of their goals. They do not wait for something to happen, they make things happen!
It does not matter much how bright they are or how skilled they are. I have seen many who have lacked social skills and people skills who could, in no way, be considered “polished” — yet they become Executive Directors, earning in excess of $100,000 annually just by sticking with it every single day. By “sticking with it,” I mean regularly and systematically enrolling new customers and helping those customers build a Melaleuca business.
I have been delighted to watch what happens when someone makes a goal and sticks with it until that goal is achieved, no matter what kind of distractions may come their way. Some businesses move more quickly than others. The speed of the growth of each business has more to do with the tenacity of the leader than any other factor. Those who are not tenacious are easily distracted; day-to-day life gets in the way, or they busy themselves with unproductive activities. With Melaleuca, productive activities are: 1) prospecting for customers, 2) doing presentations, 3) helping others prospect and do presentations. Unproductive activities would include pretty much all other activities except the activities listed above.
When my children were smaller I took them fishing a lot. In truth, I do not enjoy “fishing” nearly as much as I enjoy “catching.” We had a family motto: “While others go fishing, we go catching!” I taught my kids that if they were going to be serious about “catching,” they had to keep their line in the water. They repeatedly heard me say, “You can’t catch a fish with your line out of the water!” They got tired of hearing it, but those who were tenacious about keeping their line in the water caught lots of fish, while those who got distracted and fiddled around with other things never caught much of anything.
My son Matthew Trent was one of my biggest frustrations. He seemed to always have his line tangled up or often busied himself with getting things “just right” or moving up to the next fishing hole or investigating flowers or weird rock formations. Although he always had a great time, he seldom caught any fish.
At Melaleuca, prospecting for customers, setting up appointments and making presentations are the same as having your line in the water: If you are not doing them consistently, you may be having a great time but your business will not be growing much.
It is great to know that success with Melaleuca does not depend on some endowed gift or combination of skills. In all cases, success with Melaleuca comes from tenacity: never losing focus on contacting potential customers and making presentations. It’s a simple concept, and it’s totally within our control. Everyone — including you — can do it if you stick to it! If you want your business to grow faster, make sure your line is in the water!
Sincerely,
Frank L. VanderSloot
President & CEO
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“You can’t catch a fish with ur line out the water” that makes alot of sense to me. I will post it on my mirror and read it every day. I will now on hv a very productive day and also learn as much as I can about Melaleuca.