'Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them.'
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene i (58-90)

Hamlet may not have been talking about network marketing, but his words do apply. Almost every network marketer has experienced the 'slings and arrows' of the naysayers, those often well-meaning friends and relatives that stand in the way of our making an 'outrageous fortune!' Experienced network marketers, clothed in the armor of past success, are less vulnerable to outside influences. The new distributor, however, is vulnerable, and that 'sea of troubles' can act as a barrier to reaching their true potential.

What did the knights of old do to prevent an injury? That's rightthey armed themselves. Their armor was heavy and cumbersome, and they needed a squire to help them prepare for battle. Well, the same is true for your new distributors. While the armor they must use is less cumbersome than that of the knights, you must help them arm themselves for success. In other words, you must be their squire.

What do I mean by 'arming for success'?

When a new distributor joins your network marketing organization, they are moving into an environment that demands strong armor. There are a lot of 'slings and arrows' that can hurt their chances for success and create a sea of troubles -- of doubt, disbelief, even failure.

As Rich Dad, Poor Dad author Robert T. Kiyosaki points out, most people in this world are afraid to experience success. They are held back by negative thinking, and consequently suffer the pain of mediocrity. Because they have not been armed for success, and are more focused on security and survival, they subject themselves to a life of servitude and poverty and being someone else's employee.

Arm your new distributors from negative thinking and potential disaster. How? By understanding why so many people are negative about network marketing and the prospects of the success it can bring.

Let's face it. There are a lot of people out there that do not want you to become successful. When you are successful, you point out the lack of success in their lives. When you take away any excuses they've been hanging onto and you force them to look at their lives as they really are, it makes them very uncomfortable. You've heard of the expression 'Misery loves company.' Well, it's true.

Doug Firebaugh, network marketing guru, calls it the "Unspoken Understanding," which is simply the silent agreement that most people have with each other, namely 'don't mention my mediocre life, and I won't mention yours.' Your success and the success of your new distributors, just points out the naysayers' mediocrity.

Leaders help others. If you are going to be successful in network marketing, you must arm your new distributors against people who will try to convince them their business won't work. Show your downline you want them to be successful. Encourage them. Show them how the most successful network marketers have achieved their success, and teach them to model those attitudes, habits, and actions. Remind your distributors that they are the CEO of their lives. Arm them with the power of positive thinking so they don't let others live their lives for them with their negative attitudes.

To paraphrase Hamlet, by opposing negative thoughts, we end them.

Bruce Bailey, Ph.D.