Not too long ago, I took a detour along the roadside not knowing it would lead me to the destination I wanted to follow. Does that even make sense? Because sometimes things don’t. At least, while you’re doing them anyways.

“The tree came out of no where,” you sometimes hear people say. But we all know it was there all along, the person just wasn’t paying attention to the fact it was larger than life and in plain view.

Whenever I am offered a detour, I stop and think where would I be if I didn’t take all of the other roads less taken in my life? When I met my husband I was on my way to California instead I ended up in beautiful Calgary, Canada with two incredible children. What if fear had stopped me to take that risk?

The point is, we don’t always see what’s in front of us, but just follow our inner instincts and not what we see outwardly. Being part of a mastermind group is helpful in this respect when you have your ‘ah ha” moments because a member of your group talks about his/her path hits a chord with you that finally helps you to understand where you are going.

You see, when you are in the process of making decisions on your own, in particularly decisions that may involve risk and might scare you, you tend to analyze them to death resulting in paralyzing fear. The end result? Nothing. Nada. No move because the fear overcomes you and stops you dead in your tracks.

Belonging to a mastermind group can offer you a different end result and allow you to be open and secure enough to take the risk, take the detour. Because in the end, you will find the detour was actually the track you were supposed to be on in the first place.

Kelly Smith is a Contributing Author with EvanCarmichael.com

Brad & Kelly Smith, mastermind groups, personal growth, val smyth

Veterans Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day whatever name you go by, it’s the day of remembering those who sacrificed their lives for ours. Celebrated on November 11 (on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month) on the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

Take a few minutes today to remember, better yet, remind yourself everyday why you have the freedoms you have and for those whom you never met, fought for our freedoms and we should cherish them. 

These days, war may be something many of you view on television or hear about on the radio news stations and may not seem real. But for many soldiers, their friends and families, wars in the past and present are very very real. This very moment, men and women are still putting their lives on the line in the name of freedom and hope in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

I won’t even voice an opinion here whether I agree with the current wars or not, because it’s not the point. The point is honoring and giving those respect to the soldiers of the past and present. Never forget, never.

*Photo by Scott Moore

Armistice, Poppy Day, Rememberance day, veterans, Veterans day, war, world war 1

This industry is definitely not for the faint hearted whether doing it off or online. It takes perseverance and willingness to try just about anything to achieve your dreams.

One of the worst ideas I think Brad and I had was when our first baby was only a few months old. We packed up flyers and invitations to a hotel meeting we had set with some people on our team and went to our local  c-train station. I put my son in my front carrier and we handed out invitations to people while they came in droves to grab the early morning train for work downtown. We must have stood there for what seemed like eternity, and then we drove down to the next stop and stood at that station too.

My feet were killing me, we felt somewhat desperate and humiliated that we looked so desperate, but we didn’t care as long as someone showed up at our meeting. We handed out hundreds of flyers that day.

You know how many showed up?

You guessed it. Zip. Zero. Absolutely none.

We just didn’t get it, how could all of those people just blow off such a great opportunity? They looked like lifeless zombies going to work that morning, surely they would be excited to be offered a better solution?

But that’s when a fellow networker gave us the lowdown. She said, “Listen, why would someone else want to do what you just did? You just told me how you hated standing there at the train station with your poor babe in tow. Do you think any of those people want to do that? You’ve got to find a way to network with others that is enjoyable to you, so that other people will want the excitement about their work that you do.”

Brad and I just looked at each other feeling so stupid wondering why we didn’t have the common sense to do that. Seriously, would you want to stand at the train station just handing out flyers at 6:30 a.m.? It sounds exactly like the job I was trying to avoid at all costs by starting my home based business.

But the task proved to be a learning experience for ourselves that we will never forget. It taught us:

- Be willing to do whatever you have to do to make it.

- Prove it.

- Find a way to market that you find enjoyable or else you won’t stick with it.

- Teach others the same so they will stick with it.

Lastly, we learnt we definitely didn’t like prospecting face to face or hotel meetings. For us, the Internet was the way to go, it fit our lifestyle and encompassed everything we enjoyed doing such as writing, speaking and meeting people from all over the world. You want to know the absolute best part for me? I can work in my pajamas while hanging out with my kids and take a break to play superhero, queen’s castle or paint a portrait whenever I want.

Discover your own success through Martial Arts Marketing and Mentoring led by one of the top marketers in the world.  Be your own Marketing Warrior.

Cheers to Your Success!
Kelly 

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I was a watching a video episode for The Next Internet Millionaire this morning and something suddenly struck me while I was watching it about these internet marketers, passion. These people started introducing themselves talking about passion for helping people and sharing knowledge for others. Not making a quick buck, which is what I often hear from people who come into this industry and wonder why they don’t. If the passion isn’t there, neither will the money. So sorry if this bursts your bubble.

I started to think back on how I came to be here on the Internet today and why. Was it to just make money? No. Some years back I remember reading an article about finding a career you love. The article explained the steps of writing down all the things you love doing and if there isn’t a set career path for it then create your own.

Well, I sat down and thought about it while writing in my journal. I wrote, “I love helping other people, love writing, speaking and I really want to make a difference, make a mark. It was always important to me to leave this plane of existence with something else said at my funeral other than the generic, “She was a good wife, sister and mother.”

Don’t get me wrong, those are good aspirations and I only hope I fulfill them on a daily basis, but I have always wanted  more. Brad jokingly says I want to save the world, but I don’t know if that’s true either. I do have visions of being part of the change that will make the world a better place. (I do believe the Internet evens the playing field and it brings people from all over together).

I know some of you may think my aspirations a bit over the top but when I was reporting for some of the small town newspapers I just had in my head, “If I could help just one person with my writing, it could make all the difference.”

Although I did help a few people (one woman received a new wheelchair because of a piece I did), the people I met and wrote about changed my world much more than I changed theirs. I have met some remarkable people who battled cancer, AIDS, climbed Mt. Everest, wrote best selling novels and fought the government systems. Of course, not all of these battles and fights were won and I lost some good friends but they made their mark, made a difference and touched so many lives that made an incredibly deep impact on me to do the same.

So, what are you doing here?

Discover your own success through Martial Arts Marketing and Mentoring led by one of the top marketers in the world.

Cheers to Your Success!
Kelly

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“He Said, She Said”

 By Kelly Smith

I must admit the first time I read Brad’s post, I wasn’t thinking about editing, I thought, “Yes! He finally gets it!”

There’s a big old check mark for wahms everywhere.

I think the whole experience of us working at home together has really opened both of our eyes to realize the grass isn’t necessarily greener or browner for that matter, on either side.

When Brad was at a job full time and would come home to me who was not only running after two little ones but working on our business and taking care of the home, he couldn’t always understand why I was soooo burnt out. When he came home to work with me, I decided I would go out (I mostly bring the kids) and volunteer (which has since turned into part-time work also working with more kids, what can I say? I love kids), I wanted Brad to see my perspective.

So I left him home with the kids without me by his side a day or two week for a few hours at a time. I gotta admit today he is going through an evolution and realization of what moms go through day in and day out, especially running a business at the same time. I am not saying he has totally abandoned all of his Neanderthal ways, (it’s a guy thing I know), BUT, he certainly sees the big picture in a larger than life perspective.

So when people say the word scam to me, I just smile and say, “Scam?” This business has been therapy for our marriage and I certainly wouldn’t call our relationship a scam.

Cheers!
K.

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“He Said, She Said”

Guest Post by Brad Smith

As I ran around picking up after the trail of destruction that Hurricane Devin (our 3½ year old son) had left behind the other day, I reflected upon wondering if staying at home with this craziness was a good thing.

How the heck can Moms around the world do this day-in and day-out?

“Maybe working outside of the home and shuffling our kids off to a daycare was not such a bad thing”, I thought.

Shortly there after I regained my composure and remembered that there was no way in H-E-”double-hockey-sticks” that I could ever go back to working for somebody again. I started to remember that this was part of my ‘WHY’ and that I truly desired and needed a lifestyle change; and what I was currently doing was definately NOT working.

Then I began to reflect upon my years and growth in the Network Marketing industry. I remembered back at the beginning of my “Stay-at-Home Executive Dad” position and watching a movie that really explained to me about Network Marketing and its empowering advantages and lifestyle changes that it offered.

After seeing this movie it all became so much clearer too me and what I was suppose to be doing with my life. Helping people out of their current situation has now become an ongoing passion and obsession for both Kelly and I. So to all those people out there who are living with their blinders on, “It is time to wake up and rise out of the fog.”

The definition of delusion can be said to be:

“Implies an inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind”

recently posted at Goji-Leadership Blog

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Admit it. If you’re involved with network or Internet marketing and have been for years, you know what I am talking about because at least in the beginning you may yourself have been one. The Junkie. They should have a group like Gamblers Anonymous but it would be called Networking Junkie Anonymous or Marketing Junkie Anonymous or do they? So what to do in the meantime? Shut your blinds and screen your calls if you have to keep it in check.

What is a junkie? It’s the person who is always calling you with the latest and greatest deal, if not weekly or monthly. The junkie keeps jumping from ship to ship never building a team or making money in any of them because he can’t keep his focus on one thing long enough to make it happen. Or he gets frustrated within days because he believed the hype of getting rich quickly and when he doesn’t become a millionaire overnight he jumps again.

Pre-launch deals are the biggest lure for these folks and they jump in within a blink of an eye.

I have to admit, when it comes to us marketers, I think it’s in our DNA that we are intoxicated by the rush of an exciting business that we might miss out on. As opposed to the average person outside of our industry who is scared to death of risk, we live for the rush.

Here are some steps I would suggest for a recovering marketing junkie:

1. Stay focused! I can’t say this enough to people who are easily distracted. Working from home isn’t easy. There are so many distractions in your immediate environment like dishes piling up and friends calling to say hi. Then you venture onto your laptop and the distractions are endless and you see lots of ”bright and shiny” objects that are just calling for your attention. Beautifully copywritten emails telling you why the latest deal is sure to make you rich overnight and if you miss out on it, you will be sorry later. All I can say is, “Keep your eye on the ball.”

2. Keep in mind that nothing happens overnight or as my husband’s favorite saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Success takes work and time.

3. Find great business partners. Okay, so how will this help you? Well, once you have great business partners on your team and collaborate with you will see how precious of a concept this can be to your success and even alleviate some of the work because you’re working together. Great partners and a fantastic team can be almost irreplaceable. You will think about how starting in a new business by yourself won’t be very tempting.

4. Commitment. All of the above will really commit you to your business and commit yourself to your goals and aspirations.

5. Put it on paper. When you write things down it tends to make things more real for most people. Write down your commitment, write down a daily log or journal of goals, ideas and most definitely keep calendar or planner with all of your appointments and schedule it will help to keep you on task.

So how many junkies do you know or have you been one? It may drive you crazy at the time, but like they say you’ll laugh about it later. Share your experience.

Cheers!
Kelly  

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One of the aspects I have noticed by being part of a Mastermind Group is the sense of community. Let’s face it, people don’t quite connect with others like they used to. Neighbors don’t bring over a home baked pie when you move into the neighborhood and people are often paranoid in the “big city” to even say “Hi” when passing you on the sidewalk. The world has changed, but that’s not to say it isn’t for the better. We are now on a bigger playing field and can meet people from all over the world like never before.

We are adjusting to that change. The possibilities are incredible. We now connect through telephone lines and with people across the world through our laptops. We are still human beings and possess that sense of belonging that a Mastermind group can give us. Yes, there are still local business groups that can operate like Mastermind groups but connecting from the comfort of home is what many of us have become accustomed to.

Communities often give us consistency that we crave in our lives. A Mastermind Group can do that for you while some ventures may come and go but a Mastermind Group community can create a commitment from everyone knowing we are accountable to others. This kind of community of like-minded people works together in harmony to help each other discover the most within ourselves and reach beyond what we once thought were our limitations.

An industry like Internet marketing is changing faster than we can keep up. It’s good to have some passengers to travel with on that wild ride, people whom you have developed a sense of trust with.

As human beings, we crave that interaction, especially meaningful ones with people who are also committed to each other. It’s critical to success to be with others who are also bringing energy, excitement and a fresh perspective to the Group.

Mastermind Group community advantages include:

Support system
Energy
Motivation
Balance
Sense of belonging

We join parenting communities to have a support system and help us be better parents so wouldn’t it be only logical to join and entrepreneurial community to be better business owners? It only makes sense.

When we envelop ourselves in a community it becomes a daily ritual, part of a successful habit instead of a chore. It gives us a sense of who we are and becoming successful means developing successful habits and surrounding yourself in a community of positive, energetic, motivated and successful people. Brad and I look forward to our Mastermind group classes and would feel lost without our community.

http://www.evancarmichael.com/Mastermind-Group/labels/Kelly%20Smith.html

Cheers!
Kelly

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I have to admit it. I know nothing. At least I feel like I don’t about web 2.0 that is. When Brad and I were listening to a webinar with jack humphrey about social marketing in regards to web 2.0, a flash of panic surged through my body.

“Uh oh,” I thought as Jack explained what not to do on these social sites. And how it’s not the same as the old way of marketing through direct marketing letters and such. I was panicked because I know I did some things wrong already on certain social sites and I was hoping I didn’t do too much damage yet.

“Just move forward with the information I now know,” I thought.

Why? Because this is the wave of how everything is going. This is what we are passionate about and what we plan to use to build our business.

We already have the mindset, that is a part of building any business and will never change. But I am obviously going to make mistakes along the way. What’s exciting is putting the research, internet surfing and writer’s hat on which is where I started long before I started this endeavor and was in the journalism field. This is the fun part and the possibilities are endless.

So get ready for the rollercoaster ride and grab on until you see the whites of your knuckles. If you have any suggestions, thoughts or stories about your journey you want to share about your web 2.0 experiences you’re welcome here because we are in this together. I will share whatever tools and tricks we discover along the way. . .

Cheers!
Kelly

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“Life is not tried it’s just merely survived, if your standing outside the fire.” Garth Brooks 

I have to vent.

I was talking to a former marketing partner who was giving me reasons to me about why she was quitting her business and how some people have to work a 9 to 5 job and don’t have the option to run a home business like my mother does or like Brad and I do. She went on that she needs to pay rent, pay for things and they don’t have people throwing money at them, they have to take whatever they can get - no choices.

Choices? Choices?! Life is all about choices. Sure things happen to people, sometimes good, some bad and life can  wallop you when you’re not paying attention. But it’s your choice what to do when life comes at you and at you hard.

My mother made the choice to start working from home when my father became so sick he couldn’t work a regular job. She decided to take everything on, the mortgage payments, my father’s care, even started a second home business to make ends meet. She didn’t do it by windfall or luck, just took the risk and believed in herself instead of worrying about the stuff happening around her . . . That was over 15 years ago and she is a stronger person today because of it and so is her business and independence. In turn, so am I.

Brad and I took a risk to work at home, already had two babies, but believed in ourselves enough to know we will always do what it takes to make it happen. It’s a choice. A belief, without fear. That big stumbling block that stands in my former partner’s way. That stands in the road of many people’s paths. This is where the entrepreneur takes hold of that fear and kicks it in the butt.

What is it that makes us different? Entrepreneurs I mean. People often call us foolish, risk takers, silly, etc… When a deal goes sour we lose out on money, when a company goes down, people say it’s a scam. But the true entrepreneur looks at every experience as a learning experience.

“What did I walk away from this experience with?”

You may then see the evolutionary process it may have put you through. You may have learned how to become a better networker, a better speaker or a better Internet marketer. You may have learned new techniques from a new business partner or mentor or learned how to become a better mentor yourself and the next venture turns out to be that much easier because of it. You have learned how to make the Law of Attraction work for you instead of against you.

As entrepreneurs, like other risk takers we thrive on these incredible experiences that enable us to feel truly alive. It’s the same as breathing. I know Brad and I tried the safe route a couple of times when we were younger. We felt like those puppies in the window, noses pressed against the glass, watching others live their lives. We choose to take the risk instead of letting life pass us by in a cubicle somewhere.  I am not knocking the cubicle if that is your dream, though I can’t personally imagine it.

Follow your dream instead of hiding in fear of taking the risk on yourself. Because that is the real risk isn’t it? The risk is You. It’s not money, it’s not the product or training, it’s yourself you are taking the chance on.

Traits of the people who see success and the traits of the people who just never seem to get it:

The successful: determined, have no fear, take risks, believe without doubt they are successful even before it happens and have a passion for what they do.

The ones who fail: blame the product, the comp plan, the team, the upline, their mother, their best friend, their spouse, etc… You get the point. They are usually negative about everything around them and FEAR is constantly rearing it’s ugly head.

So those of you, who call us risk takers, crazy, fools, it’s okay, we know it’s only fear talking. I think Garth Brooks says it perfectly in his song, “Standing Outside the Fire,” when he says, 

 “You got to be tough when consumed by desire because it’s not enough just to stand outside the fire.”

Cheers!
Kelly Smith

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