As I’ve learned, persistence is crucial for success. Throughout my life, until recently, I had been lacking in that regard.
I was apprehensive when it came to most everything, even my decision to start a home-based business. People questioned my judgment, and I did as well.
I did not have faith.
I did not have faith in this industry, faith in people, or faith in myself.
Even though I knew deep down that the opportunity I was involved in was legit and that people were achieving massive success, I couldn’t believe that I could be one of them. Those success stories must be special people. They must have had the right amount of money to throw at this thing to make it work so good for them. I could never achieve that level of success starting with nothing.
I realized why everyone on every training call was encouraging people to go to events.
Social proof.
It’s one thing to read testimonials, watch videos and hear people on conference calls talking about there success. It is another, and has much more impact, in person when you come face to face with these people and see it in their eyes that they are sincere and telling the truth.
My first live event was the turning point for me. There was no turning back. I made a decision and decided to stick to it.
Coming home from that event, I dove into training call archives and immersed myself into the curriculum, rarely missing a live call. Inevitably I got to the calls regarding seven decisions of personal success. These decisions reinforced my commitment to myself and my business and began to replace fear with faith.
I had committed to this seventh decision (“I will persist without exception”) after reading “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews. I would persist without exception. Nothing or no one was going to stop me.
Since then, I have faced some difficult challenges which could easily knock me off my square and take me out of the game, if I had let them. I could have listened to those who think me foolish for investing so much time and what little money I had into something that appears to be too risky for most in my situation. But, I have always been a stubborn S.O.B. Nobody is going to tell me what I can and can’t do, which is not always necessarily a good thing and is probably why I’ve had so many different jobs 
I find now that that stubbornness has been useful when put to good use. It has allowed me to persist through some of the most difficult challenges in my life. It’s just another chapter in the book of Jon (from Michigan). This story will be a success story. I will see to that.
I have made the decision to persist without exception.
The monetary debts I owed to my landlord, the creditors, the State of Michigan and to anyone else for that matter, pale in comparison the debts of gratitude I have to the leaders that continue to inspire and guide me and to my mentor for his leadership, wisdom, and of course for introducing me to the seven decisions that will determine my personal success.
I have faith in myself. I will persist without exception.
I thought you might be able to relate, or at least be encouraged, by this article I wrote awhile back:
“I’m sure that I’m not the only one who has encountered family and friends who think that it’s foolish or too risky to start a home-based business. Especially if you found your opportunity on the internet. That really freaks them out doesn’t it? They’ll say stuff like, “The internet is full of spammers and scammers trying to steal your money!” or “You’re not going to make enough money doing that.” and my personal favorite… “Why can’t you get a regular job like everybody else!?”
Well, I had an argument recently with someone who felt I should stay a wage slave and be overworked, underpayed an miserable like they are.
This is basically the nicer, edited version of what I told them…
After the 24 years I’ve been in the workforce, I have nothing to show for it. I have no job security, I have been laid-off for lack of work, down-sizing or companies going out of business. I have had to work at temporary assignments through staffing services for the last 10 years, or work part-time because a lot of companies don’t want to hire for full-time because they’d have to pay for employees’ medical benefits. These big companies and corporations see workers as numbers that are expendable. This is who’s been in control of my future. A future of unemployment, a mountain of debt, no health insurance and no way to save for retirement.
Well, I am not an expendable number and I am the one that should be in control of my future. I believe that the key to doing that is to get rid of the employee mindset and replace it a business owner mindset if we are to succeed in our home-based businesses. Whatever type of business it is. We have to pledge to work at least as hard for ourselves as we would for an employer. I am sure that with the right mindset, training, resources and products, anyone can succeed in this business. There’s proof of success out there if the nay-sayers cared to look.”
There is proof of success out there and you can succeed. Don’t let anybody tell you any different. Success takes time and effort…and a little help from your friends
To Your Success,
Jonathan Lamphier
