NOT so good news

Another 45,000 hit by global slowdown

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 45,000 employees in the manufacturing sector will go on leave soon as most factories will shut down for the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said factories would stop operations for two to three weeks and employers would ask the workers to take either paid or unpaid leave.

“This (shutdown) is because of a drop in demand. And so, the factories have to temporarily terminate their workers,” he told reporters after opening the Agro Explosion 2009 Seminar & Workshop yesterday.

He said that as of Jan 12, some 14,000 people had been retrenched. However, there were also some 15,000 vacancies in various sectors registered at the ministry.

On the National Union of Bank Employees and Malaysian Trade Union Congress opposing the Government’s plan to have a pension scheme for private sector employees through the Employees Provident Fund, Dr Subramaniam said it was due to a misunderstanding.

“The ministry is thinking about senior citizens who can no longer work and have used up their EPF money. We need a system to help them,” he said.

Recession and Network Marketing

"Recession causes people to open their minds to gaining alternative sources of income." Lou Clements, Marketwave Inc. We will examine the reasons why recession is a great time for networking so you can be in a better position to discuss them with potential Business Builders or "I Caner's".

1. Evaluate History

(a) Recessions: people experience and economic downturn...lost jobs, lost earnings, lost hope, lost security, etc. Where to turn?

1950's: early 1950's, no network marketing companies worth talking about; late 1950's, Shaklee, Neolife, and Amway all came out from 1956-1959. Unemployment rate low in first half (in fact in 1953 it was an all time low of 2.9%). In the last half of the 1950's, the unemployment rate was highest since the Great Depression in 1958 at 6.8%.

1960's: early 1960's all networking continued to flourish with advent of Mary Kay in 1963, and Avon, Tupperware, and Fuller Brush all achieving momentum. Late ‘60's saw a great softening in the industry with no new companies coming on of any significance. Unemployment high in the first half of the decade; over 2 and ½ million workers were back to work in the second half.

1980's: Again we saw the network marketing industry really flourish in the first half; while in the second half of the decade, it softened and many network marketing "fiascos" occurred. When networking is soft, people and companies take more risks. There were twice as many lawsuits in the second half of the 1980's as were in the first half. In the first half the unemployment rate reached its highest level in 40 years at 9.7%. While at the end of the ‘80s there were almost ½ the number out of work as there were in the early ‘80's.

1990's: Once again, the trend occurs. In the early 1990's (1990-1994) huge momentum in the industry, in fact "there was more wealth created in by way of MLM from 1990 to 1994 than any other time in history." Network Marketing Lifestyles May 2000. From 1996-1999, we had a network marketing recession. In the early 1990's, the unemployment rate was very high and then in the later years in the 1990's it hit a 30 year low of 4.2%.

Why were the 1970's an exception? They really were not but they played out differently. It was an exceptional decade...the first half of the ‘70's saw unemployment rates jump. The attention to network marketing took off but with all the heightened attention, five times as many lawsuits were filed from 1970-1974 than all of those filed in the ‘50's and ‘60's, and the big one, Amway, which challenged the very existence of network marketing, lasted until finally settled in 1979. This legal dispute of course dampened what otherwise would have been a greater boom in network marketing in the second half of the decade. In the first half, recession of ‘73-'75, many MLM companies' growth took off.

2. Where are we headed in 2009?

All major indicators suggest recession: stock market, credit card debt, mortgage foreclosures, fall of the dollar against foreign currencies, company earnings reports across all sectors, manufacturing sector, employment figures, etc.

3. How do we take advantage of this opportunity?

(a) Market health products? This does not solve the average person's perceived need/want. Health cannot be a major priority in this time.

(b) Make a shift to support people in building residual streams of income to empower them to withstand any kind of economic downturn. "Recession causes people to open their minds to gaining alternative sources of income." Lou Clements, Marketwave Inc.

4. What are the selling points of a network marketing business?

(a) Security (not found in a recession)

(b) Financial freedom

(c) Time freedom

(d) Self-development

(e) Self-employed; no boss so no sacrifice of your own values;

Creating your own standard for the ethics in your business

(f) Time freedom

(g) Purpose driven: helping others with focus on them

(h) Unlimited income: no one telling you what you are worth

(i) Residual income

(j) Dream again

(k) Great relationships

(l) Reduce stress

(m) No employees

(n) Tax benefits are terrific

SO, STRAP YOURSELF IN AND GET READY FOR THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE!!

What does a Recession Mean to Network Marketing

You can’t escape the talk of the economy these days. It’s everywhere. Every news station, every business magazine, and every major newspaper is talking about it. So what does all the talk about a recession or a declining economy mean to your Network Marketing business?

Some may use the recession as an excuse to not work their business. They may be focused on the product of their direct sales company only and think “No one can afford my products right now; they have other needs that must take priority.” They focus on the negative and all consuming media coverage and think, “This doesn’t work. I can’t have a successful home business during a recession. I’ll just wait to work my business when the economy starts to pick up again.”

But if you are serious about your Network Marketing business and fully understand the potential you have to offer people a financial alternative, then sitting back and waiting for improvements in the economy is a huge mistake. You will welcome the bad economic news. Consistently, the Network Marketing industry has grown during these economic downturns.

Yes, it is true that in good economic times, people can afford to buy more consumer goods. Thus, your Network Marketing business will do well to offer high quality products.

But in bad economic times, people are concerned about downsizing and job layoffs. They are looking to make extra money or develop Plan B to their employment situations. A downturn in the economy results in people opening their minds to alternative sources of income. You can provide a solution for these families.

Network Marketing allows the average individual to get involved in starting their own business with very little capital outlay. For instance, one can start with our company for under $50. You have the ability to offer people a way to protect themselves from future uncertainty. You can provide hope and a way for them to create financial security for their family.

You may have heard that Network Marketing is really the only industry that is recession proof. So it is the winner every time - good or bad economy.

How the recession affects Network Marketing?

Should you be spending time on network marketing when the economy is in a downturn? By Michael L. Sheffield | October 21, 2002

Q: I've been working with a network marketing company and am concerned about what others are saying about us being in a recession.

How will this affect my business?

Should I be spending my efforts on this part-time business right now in these uncertain times?

Should I focus on retail customers or on building my sales organization?

A: Whether or not we are in a recession is a topic I'll leave to the economic wizards.

However, having worked full time in direct sales and network marketing through several times of faltering economic indicators, inflation, unemployment, layoffs, etc., I have some thoughts on this matter.

In today's news, you get mixed messages.

But if we are in a recession, what does it mean to you, the distributor?

If you're not doing anything and looking for an excuse not to do anything, a recession is about as good a reason as any.

But if you're serious about your network marketing business, then, believe it or not, a recession could be the best thing that's happened to you in a while.

Shaky economic times have historically produced a renewed awareness of the need to make more money.

You'll find people who were previously uninterested in your business are suddenly looking for new financial opportunities.

They want a business that doesn't require a lot of capital, allows them to establish their own hours and offers rewards that can grow faster than capital or labor requirements.

Sound good to you?

It's the business you're in right now!

While other businesses offer one or more of these benefits, only a true network marketing plan can offer all three.

The reality is that leveraging your time through the multiplication process of network marketing is the hardest principle to teach others, yet it's the easiest to attain if you're involved with the right company and right product at the right time.

It's such a simple concept, people sometimes refuse to accept it as being something that could actually work for them.

They suffer from "analysis paralysis," trying to figure out why it won't work rather than why it will, making the whole process more difficult than it really is.

But when people are motivated by concern for their financial future, the sponsoring process becomes much easier.

Spouses are more supportive of their partner spending extra hours working to create more financial security for the family.

If you're pre-planning for uncertain times, consider that customers scrutinize your product or service more when dollars are tight. Is your product or service a "need to have" or a "nice to have"?

Products that are necessities rather than luxuries do better during times of uncertainty.

Do you focus on retail or recruiting?

In network marketing, these are never exclusive.

Building a strong retail customer base is critical, but you must recruit others to duplicate your efforts.

Learn the success formulas for yourself, then teach others to achieve that same success.

There is no other way in network marketing.

You can't achieve significant success on your own--you only have so many hours each day.

Nor can you sponsor that one hotshot person who'll make you a success while you sit back and watch the dollar bill sprout wings and fly into your mailbox.

You need a plan to duplicate your efforts through many others.

It's a vivid example of the biblical admonishment, "as ye sow, so shall ye reap."

Network marketing is and always has been a person-to-person business, so nothing happens until two people talk.

During recessions, talk to people about protecting themselves against an uncertain future via network marketing.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another, without helping themselves."

Michael L. Sheffield is the CEO of Sheffield Resource Network, a full-service direct sales and network marketing consulting firm.

He is also the co-founder and chairman of the Multi Level Marketing International Association (MLMIA).

He can be contacted through http://www.sheffieldnet.com.

Are you listening or hearing?

How many times have you been frustrated by someone who is not listening to what you are saying? How many times have you frustrated others by not listening to them?

People tend to think that listening is the same as hearing, but the truth is, listening is hearing PLUS understanding.

Often times during a conversation we jump in to say what is on our minds even before we acknowledge or register what the other person is saying. This ‘butting-in’ short circuits the possibility of a mutual understanding between you and the other speaker, even if you did not deliberately set out to break the flow of conversation.

How do you know when a person is not listening? It is usually easy to sense this. Tell-tale signs are poor eye contact, shuffling feet, busy hands, and meaningless replies like, “That’s interesting…”, “Oh really?”, “Uh huh…” etc. A fake listener’s lack of interest in the conversation can also reflect an even more annoying reality – his or her lack of interest in the speaker.

Most people don't listen with the intent to understand, but listen only with the intent to reply. Even at work, where performance takes priority over relationships, listening carefully to understand the other person's point of view before you even think about replying is the key to productive communication.

Careful listening is difficult and takes practice to improve. Next time you get into a conversation, try to ‘care enough’ to understand what the other person is saying.

Credit to Qpportuity

The Crosswalk

CROSSWALK

By Amy Sandlin

As I slowly pulled myself into work this morning, I was overwhelmed with exhaustion; with full speed stress headed my way.

Anticipating the "mind over matter" feeling I needed, my eyes not wanting to open my "inbox" to start the day, I remembered the crosswalk.

I was on my way to work a couple weeks ago, frustrated at how late traffic was making me, annoyed at my bad hair day.

It was already scorching hot, humid and NO wind.

I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep.

While being frustrated and annoyed and just plain angry at the day, I was held at a stop light for what seemed like forever.

I glanced over to my left and saw a woman probably in her mid twenties, waiting for the crosswalk sign to allow her to cross.

She was dressed in bright colors, gorgeous shoes, with a purse at her side and a glowing smile!

Along with these striking things, she also had her dog along for the stroll.

A joyful golden retriever, hopping along on the leash, excited for the day and to be outside with his owner.

He just couldn't sit still with how much energy he had.

So the woman petted him with her hand, and was talking to him with so much expression, and love - they were so happy! It made me smile underneath my gloomy bad mood.

One detail not mentioned; the woman dressed in bright colors, gorgeous shoes, purse and a glowing smile, with her pal at her side was handicap, in an electric wheel chair, which she could only operate with her right hand.

As the crosswalk sign changed, and she pushed the black knob forward to operate her wheelchair across the street, her dog followed happily beside her as the leash was tied to the arm of her chair.

A tear filled my eye, and I smiled! Someone else's situation can kick your mind into gear and remind us what to be thankful for!

I have no doubt this woman and her dog were put there for a reason, so I would wake up, and enjoy my day no matter what my hair looked like, no matter what traffic I was stuck in, and no matter what my day had in store for me!

I greatly appreciate this woman and her golden retriever, for teaching me a wonderful lesson!

Pay attention to the smallest moments, they will teach the most!

7 Way to Stay Motivated

Hello friends, it has been quite a while I am not updating my blog. So many things come up,  and only now I have time to update.

I just receive one email from my mentor, Miss Caroljit.. this is so powerful article. Powerful in the sense of, every point seems like hitting me :) Anyway, very worth to spend 15 mins read all the articles..

Enjoy !!!

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It is so easy to go from excitement to complete apathy but there are things you can do to ensure you stay motivated towards your goal and following are seven great ones!

1. Is Your Reason WHY Large Enough?
When I wanted to lose weight, setting a goal to look great in clothes was not big enough, what didn’t help was the fact that I loved who I was and what I looked like, but my health had begun to show signs of being affected by my excess weight and this is the WHY I used to ensure I stayed on track.

I started with 6 weeks of no dairy, no wheat and red meat only once a week.

Do you think I needed a big why to stay committed to such a regime??!!

I knew that health is my true wealth.

Having been unwell for 6 months and hardly able to walk had taught me that without my health my goals were useless.

So maintaining a healthy body that would allow me to enjoy the fulfilment of my goals was the big WHY that kept me on track.

Stop and think about your reason WHY?

What reason is big enough to keep you motivated at times when you want to give up and/or give in?

2. Create a visual and emotional image of what you want.
Writing your goals down is an essential tool but not always enough to keep focused.

Writing your goals down and having a visual image of you completing that goal adds fuel to the motivational fire. Writing goals down, having a visual image of your completed goal AND connecting this image with your emotions is the power of 3 that will ensure your motivation remains high.

At any point during the day, or at any time when you are feeling in need of encouragement, you can simply stop, close your eyes, see your goal and evoke all the emotions achieving that goal holds for you.

Nothing is more powerful!

3. Questions to ask before, during and after!
It is important to know not only why you are doing something but also WHAT.

What achieving this goal will provide for yourself and your family.

It is easy to believe that what you want is to make a million, but for many it is the lifestyle and the time freedom that this money has the potential to provide that will be the real motivation.

Spend time asking yourself questions that will help you identify what achieving your goal will provide.

Questions such as:
- What will it bring me?
- What will it do for me, my family, and/or friends?
- What kind of lifestyle will I be able to have?
- What sacrifices will I need to make?
- What will be the impact on my current routine?
- What will be the impact on my family?
- What outcome do I want to achieve?
- What contributions will I be able to make?

Motivation and staying motivated is easy when you know what the achievement of your goal will provide for you and we only really lose motivation when we lose sight of our goal or end result.

4. Creating a visual representation of what you want

Keep the motivational fires burning by creating a collage with the family of what your end result will look like, or paint a picture, write a poem, sing a song or whatever creative endeavour excites you enough to complete it.

Whatever you create keep it in a place where you can see it constantly.

I remember listening to someone talk about sticking a poster of making their first 100,000 on their ceiling so that as they woke up it was the first thing they saw each morning, and the last image in their mind before falling asleep.

Leave yourself reminders on your fridge door, on your bathroom mirror, in your car.

The more places you are able to leave yourself little notes and reminders about what you want to achieve the better.

Doing this will help your unconscious mind bring you the results you desire, whilst also supporting you in staying focused and motivated towards achieving your goal.

5. Get Support from people around you
Support from family and friends is important but also consider what other support is available to you.

Books, mentoring, work colleagues, life coaching, forums - these are all things that can support you as you work towards achieving your goal.

Also think about WHO can support you in staying motivated, can you buddy up with someone, do you have a “boss” who will be happy to help you keep accountable.

One thing I recommend is that you tell as many people as you know about what you want to achieve, this has the effect of keeping you motivated to complete your goal because you have told so many people.

However, a word of caution is needed here because it is easy for people to trample your dreams and fail to support you.

You must first pick and choose carefully those people you know will want to support you, but also you must gain enough inner personal strength to be able to continue no matter what negative comments may come your way.

6. Develop Inner Personal Strength
Ultimately, the person who will determine whether you stay motivated and achieve your goal will be YOU.

Your thoughts will determine your behaviour which determines your results.

Developing a strong inner personal strength about your ability to achieve and your ability to motivate yourself when you are in an unproductive state of mind is essential.

Being able to see setbacks and failures as opportunities for continued growth and upset and emotional turmoil as opportunities to discover what you want and need, will determine how you view life.

One of the best ways to inner personal strength is to read and listen to audios that inspire and motivate you.

Continued learning is an essential part of being able to stay motivated.

7. Support from Continued Learning
If you are going to need to learn new skills to ensure you complete your goal then it is a good idea to identify what learning you will need to undertake as early as possible.

If you have planned out how you will achieve your outcome then you will already be aware of any areas where you need to strengthen your skills or out source to others who will be able to fulfil what you need.

There is nothing worse than getting halfway towards the completion of a goal and to be stopped because you are not able to complete something because of lack of knowledge and/or skills.

This is a sure-fire way of dampening your excitement and your motivation.

Make a list of what you can and can’t do and who might be able to help you.

Knowing this in advance can help you avoid getting frustrated because things aren’t getting done.

If you are serious about developing your personal and professional life then I recommend getting yourself a Mentor or Life Coach, to ensure you stay on track.

You should also look at continued learning as it relates to your own personal development, continuing with your own personal development will ensure you are able to work through set backs quickly and stay motivated.

 

Staying motivated when you are looking to achieve your goals is essential for ultimate success.

I have provided you with seven practical ways to achieve continued motivation and I recommend you use them all.

Some of them such as creating a collage will be activities you perform occasionally, but others, such as continuing your personal development will be a continuous learning process.

There is not one single thing that will determine your success in staying motivated but a combination of many, finding the combination that is right for you will change from goal to goal and will be an ongoing (fun filled) exploration.