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Welcome to our blog...

Monday, September 10, 2012





 

Ducks with Attitude
What can we all learn from these fuzzy little creatures?
 
Last week a clip was shown on the NBC "Today" show of a mother duck leading her gaggle of young ducklings across a multi-lane freeway, dodging speeding cars in a zig-zag path to the other side. The news crew gasped in disbelief as the row of tiny feather balls were tossed between lanes by strong gusts of wind from passing semis. It seemed like an impossible obsticle course that no trained professional could finish, let alone a duck attempting to lead her wee ones through it.



Yet she did, creating a national sensation. She also appeared on U-Tube, and quickly racked up thousands of hits. Watching the Today Show, I was reminded of the above photo and cover of a book published by Simple Truths, "Attitude is Everything." But  there was no mother duck this time to solve the dilemma, which was, "How in the heck are we gonna get out of this gutter?"

Then one of the nine ducklings stepped forward, took charge and scaled the cement wall. Web feet were designed to move swiftly through a pond, not surmount obstacles such as this. But success was achieved, brothers and sisters quickly following their leader. It’s the perfect image for the cover. It shows how one’s attitude impacts success, not only in life when facing challenges, but also in business when your attitude with your boss, co-workers and customers impacts your success. It's advantageous to have a sunny outlook. Doors open to optimists. They make friends, earn respect, close sales, produce loyal clients, and others want to be like them. The question is how can we do that consistently?
 


Simple Truths CEO Mac Anderson often asks, "Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?" Good question. If you are surrounded by co-workers who complain often, it brings you down, and can affect your mood and progress. But if you are working toward common goals with upbeat people who possess a positive attitude, you can't help but feel better and be more productive.
 

When Anderson was searching for an author on the subject, he turned to Vicki Hitzges, who speaks to large corporations around the globe about how to build better relationships, zap stress and conquer change. "Attitude is Everything" was her first book. It quickly became a best-seller, in which she shares her 10 secrets to developing a positive attitude, which could be reminders as well. Authors have been writing about attitude ever since Norman Vincent Peale penned his multi-million best seller, "The Power of Positive Thinking." Even though Dr. Peale died more than a decade ago, he must be somewhere smiling that the most popular of his 46 books is now one of Amazon.com's top sellers. It's also a hot hit on Kindle, of course.


 
Look at your own circle of friends, co-workers and associates. We all prefer positive people because it's no fun spending time with a person as chilly as an igloo. We enjoy warm, cheerful, upbeat people who believe in us, and remind us that tomorrow is ripe with possibility. We get that from Watkins folk all the time!

One of the most positive-thinking people we know is Watkins Bronze Executive Bonnie Campbell. Bonnie heads up our "Power Team." She joined Watkins because she loved the products and the discount on all her purchases just by being associated with the company. Then friends asked how they could get the same rewards. Bonnie was such an effective promoter that it didn’t take long to earn a monthly check just by telling others about the Watkins business opportunity. Today, she is one of the company's most successful women. It also helps that she resembles a Ms. America with a delightful Canadian accent, like a good will ambassador for our North American neighbors.


 


I had long admired people like Bonnie from afar, thinking that I was not smart enough, not well-connected enough, not familiar enough with business or sales to establish a part-time home business. In a former blog, I wrote that I was laid off from a full-time position in real estate education and well beyond my 50th birthday when I first heard about Watkins. I learned about it from an individual with a special attitude toward life. He overcame many obstacles in his way, including life-threatening illness, by changing his way of thinking. I was very impressed with his "anything-is-possible" attitude. That’s why I went along with his suggestion to attend a Watkins training workshop on party-planning -- of all things -- because he thought it would provide insight about how the company operated.
It was at that Las Vegas workshop that we heard a top salesperson tell his Watkins story. Ed Williams seems oblivious to his impact on people. Here was a soft-spoken gentleman, who sounded like the elderly professor in the Hallmark commercial surprised when presented with a card by a former student, so influenced by his love of teaching that she decided to become a teacher herself.

Ed Williams has it. Alan Lukes has it. That’s one of the reasons Alan is my business partner, and one of the reasons we are among Watkins "All Stars," with a growing team of Watkins Consultants, and a successful sales record that also continues to grow every month.
 
 
"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength."   Charles Spurgeon 
For years I was side-tracked by anxiety, worry and self-doubt. Sure. I still get the wind knocked out of my sales (pun intended), like the first time I followed up on a Watkins business lead, who asked me to call back at a better time, then never responded to my voice-mails. Today, I have a much-improved attitude (and probably no hint of desperation in my voice), thanks to being associated with people like Bonnie and Ed and Alan.

Recently, a woman stopped by our Watkins booth at the local farmer’s market, and said she wanted a number of Watkins products on display, but they weren’t in her budget. I explained how she could get $150 in Watkins products just by inviting some friends over for a party. She thought about it for a few seconds, then replied, "I don’t have any friends. We just moved here. The house is too small. I wouldn’t know how to approach anyone."

This woman needed a serious attitude adjustment. It took some time and convincing, something I never could have done four short years ago before my introduction to J.R. Watkins' band of merry men and women. In just two weeks, this former shy and uncertain woman will be hostess of her very first Watkins"Kick Off to Fall Good-tastings Party." She's gonna be great! 

I bet you could come up with a list of people just looking for a reason to get together and party this fall. Give "Anything is Possible" Alan a call at 888-881-7372. Or myself, "Don't Let a Closed Mind be Your Biggest Enemy" David at 888-424-5211. We're both getting quite good at spotting the makings of a fellow All-Star! 



 






 

 

 
This uncertain economy has created numerous individuals, who have taken a step backward in what they thought was the right direction for their career. Others are floudering, afraid of making any decision about the future, fearing it might be a wrong one. Even going so far as saying, "I think I'll just stay home on November 2nd, and wait for the outcome of the election to see what happens." That's like turning your car over to a stranger because you haven't figured out how to use your smart phone's GPS feature.
 
And then there are some feathered friends-to-be out there just itching to find something that has proven to work year-after-year, through tough economic times as well as good. Imagine the rewards that could come by showing fellow grounded friends and family members how to fly to a better climate.

Well, we just happen to have such a proven course that can show the way. It bears repeating. Please call Alan at 888-881-7372. Or David at 888-424-5211. Our biggest reward doesn't come from the additional residual income we receive every month. But from those days when we see old attitudes begin to change, watch as a new Watkins Consultant receives a pair a wings, and then begins to show others how to fly.

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