Network Marketing and Post Traumatic Growth

I’ve had an interesting realization recently. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve visited with quite a few people and have been reflecting on what has worked over the past year. It’s good to do that from time to time to adjust for growth. You cannot do the same thing next year that you’re doing this year if you plan to grow. In the Army, when we would go to the field and set up a perimeter with vehicles, or whatever, we would do what’s called “Position Improvement” every day. That could be something as simple as fortifying your fighting positions, improving camouflage, adding to your sector sketch for crew served weapons, etc. The same happens in life. You need to constantly be doing position improvement. If you don’t, and nothing changes, then complacency and stagnation sets in. Things can always be better.

After I left Boulder Crest Retreat and fully jumped onto the Post Traumatic Growth train I was ready to do whatever was/is necessary to thrive in life. Do I have setups and slip up? Absolutely…weekly and sometimes daily. I am better at recognizing those setbacks and managing them. I feel I’ve become a better person not only for my family but for my community and society. One thing I do now that I NEVER did previously was happily meeting new people. Especially people who were not like me. I always had my guard up and always felt I had nothing in common with anyone who didn’t like what I liked or do what I did or had experienced life like I had. I was judgmental and comfortable in my bubble. I’ve learned that growth requires being uncomfortable. I’ve also learned that people are awesome, and everyone has their own story. Another thing I’ve realized is that people have much more potential than most seem to realize. People sell themselves short. That all changed for me when I entered the “Direct Sales” or “Network Marketing” industry.

As part of my own path for growth in this PTG journey I knew I had to “prune” some people and things out of my life and welcome in new people and opportunities. Early April 2017 my wife had told me that she ordered some “products” for me to try for the chronic pain I had been dealing with for years. That also led to my unhappiness and depression. I was taking/sneaking Opiates to be able to cope with that unhappiness and pain. I told my wife that I “was down for whatever snake oil was out there”. I knew that something needed to change, and I did not know what I needed. After a week of taking the products I was sleeping better and had better energy throughout the day. No more afternoon crashes. Three weeks later the chronic pain from arthritis was pretty much gone! The pain would literally keep me up at night and sometimes I had so much nerve pain in my hand I wanted to just whack that sucker off. My knees would ache before my feet hit the floor in the mornings. That was HUGE to me!! The first person I called was my mom and told her about it. I then phoned a few friends and told them they had to “try this stuff”. My wife then told me that she had signed me up to do the business. OH, HECK NO!!!! I was not a salesman and wasn’t about to get into that business. She wasn’t pushy and instead told me about her experience with in the industry. I figured if I could help some folks and make a little money it couldn’t be so bad. It’s been awesome!

This article is not about the business, however. Two things are really hammered on when people consider a Direct Sales company. The product results and the “wealth” that can be obtained. I focused on that a while and it’s been great but the biggest take away for me has been the personal growth and development. See, most MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) companies have outstanding coaching because not many people who get involved with these companies have experience. The company I’m with is VERY heavy on personal and professional growth. There is even a list of recommended books and videos as well as daily and weekly training. In the beginning this was all very interesting to me. The first book I read after I left Boulder Crest Retreat was “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl. It’s the most amazing book I’ve ever read next to the Bible. The book is about choices and thriving in the aftermath of trauma; Post Traumatic Growth. It took me about a year to realize the similarities between PTG and the Direct Sales industry. Learning not to take things personally has been huge. People will say “No” but they’re not really saying No to the business or opportunity. What they’re saying No to is the work they’ll have to do after they say “Yes”. Growth, like success, is hard work. Not only does it take commitment, it’s takes conviction. Meeting new people and being transparent as well as active listening has been HUGE for me. Listening to people’s stories explains a lot why they are the way they are and why they are WHERE they are in life. Mindset is extremely important!! Vision casting to see where you ARE going to be and then writing down goals and action steps to GET to where you are going to be are both part of the PTG and the MLM industry. You could take a group of people working on PTG and a group of people in the Network Marketing industry, set them next to each other and probably not tell the difference between the two. Both communities are filled with like-minded people who are uplifting and supportive. Everyone wants to WIN together as a team!! I realized that I’m “the average of the 5 people I associate with” which leads to pruning people out of your life for growth is also part of both PTG and the MLM business. You have to surround yourself with people who maintain the mindset and lifestyle you seek for yourself.

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I’ve really enjoyed reading more books, too!! Books I’ve read and am reading are listed in another article, https://hoodlm.org/2018/07/05/success-what-and-how/. Another thing I do to for growth is my morning routine and listen to speakers who are on their own path of growth. Getting out and challenging myself and putting myself out there has been an obstacle but like any other obstacle in life, they can all be overcome. There comes a point in life when you MUST choose to do that same you’ve always done or hammer down and get busy. This path is uncertain, takes challenging work, takes time, will have setbacks but it is so worth it! We have 1 life to live and I choose to create a legacy and achieve success. The best part about all this is that it’s very simple, not easy, but simple. Just emulate those who are doing well in the Network Marketing Industry and the Growth Industry. If you do that, you’ll achieve your goals and live a life full of fun, adventure and satisfaction.

God bless you all and thanks for reading!! If you like what you’ve read, please SUBSCRIBE AND SHARE!