The Blank Canvas

===> INTRODUCTION

What would happen if you and I could create our future from a blank canvas and if nothing stopped us from inserting our wildest dreams? Our dreams wouldn't resemble those dreams we allow ourselves in today's world would they? They would be without boundaries and they wouldn't include the limits we've inherited over time.

In this issue titled "The Blank Canvas", I ask you to step out of your comfort zone a little. I invite you to stretch your horizons a little and to operate from outside the box, to shift the way you look at things. I invite you to NOT be normal and to do this exercise differently such that your future may be altered permanently. I can make no guarantees here other than: If you change nothing, nothing will change!

Trust the result and bring intentionality to this exercise. Follow it to the letter and you will find that, in the very least, you will come out of it with an action plan that will leave you stimulated and inspired. You'll come out of this one with an action plan that is pure vintage YOU, created by you, from your visit into the future. You will be called to act with a sense of freedom from past circumstances.

In our great Network Marketing Industry, leaders always share with us that one of the most important success ingredients is to have a precise action plan. However, rare are the times that I have received extensive coaching on that very subject.

I recently attended a "Masternind" training evening in Dallas, where the highly acclaimed "Motivated Mike Lemire" shared some of his ideas and concepts on the subject of planning. I was so impressed with this young dynamic coach professional that I decided to buy one of his CD's entitled "Goal Setting".

I don't have to tell you that any time spent on planning is time well spent. This kind of exercise yield higher returns that the cost of NOT doing so. In listening this CD and deciding to go ahead to do the exercises he suggests, I thought to myself "what a great theme to choose for my next month's MMGVision Ezine.

===============================================================

***BEGIN SIDEBAR***

Everyone has dreams. However, dreams are just that, dreams! I am convinced that one of the major "missings" that we find with people who rarely reach their goals and aspirations in Life is an absence of serious planning. Most people never really pause, relax a bit, and take the time to identify and map out what they really want to accomplish in their business as well as their Life in general.

Don't forget, "as Mike Lemire points out in his coaching", the tremendous secondary advantages to doing such an exercise:

1) Reduced stress and anxiety
2) Increased productivity
3) Increased self-esteem

Furthermore, these returns are almost immediate when we dive into this kind of exercise. "Preparing a good action plan is easy", says Mike, "but NOT DOING IT is just as easy... Hmmm !

*** END SIDEBAR ***

===============================================================

===> YOUR WORD IS GOLD

One of the most (if not the most) important things to accomplish in the Network Marketing industry is to find and sponsor new partners, reps or associates and to help them succeed, grow and reach their goals. It is said that duplication is inevitable in our industry. Perhaps it would be wise to lead by example by planning our own future!

How many new reps have you personally sponsored in the last 12 months? How much money have you earned during these same 12 month? Do these results reflect last year's planning time OR the absence of proper planning? I assert that the results you have today and the way you feel about them are a direct result of your plans a year ago.

Good planning could be said to be a series of promises we make to ourselves. You and I know too well how easy it is to allow life circumstances cause us to lose focus, to deviate from our plans and goals. It's all too easy to put our goals aside, to not honor them, to not keep our promises to ourselves. Our planning, or the absence of planning of a year ago, has undoubtedly colored the results we wind up with today.

===> YOUR LIFE CATEGORIES

The order of the categories is not important at this point but I suggest you download the exercise worksheet (link below) and prioritize the list of your Life Categories. Understand that your top priorities today may change in the future and that's ok! Don't feel guilty while listing your present priorities.

===============================================================
***BEGIN SIDEBAR***
To Download the exercise worksheet, point your browser to: http://www.MissionMarketingGlobal.com/mmgvision/english/blank_canvas.pdf
*** END SIDEBAR ***
===============================================================

Here is the list of categories. By downloading and printing this document, complete this exercise now. Identify the categories in order of importance for you.

Please note one or two things that you would like to improve in each of these categories.

Categories

My categories in order of importance

1. Attitude
2. Money
3. Family
4. Career
5. Pleasure
6. Physique
7. Social
8. Education
9. Service public
10. Spiritual

===> YOUR LONG-TERM VISION

Here you must first establish how many years long-term represents. (As an example, if you are 50 years old, then long term might mean 10 years). However, if you're 20, long term might mean 20 or 30 years.

That being said, what you need to do now is to map your long-term vision. Don't take this exercise lightly. Identify your biggest dreams. What kind of life-experiences would be possible with a 6 figure monthly income?

I realize that I'm asking you to push the envelope here and YES, to write all those projects and dreams you've put aside for so long. You'll see later why we're starting with long-term goals. Please find a quiet spot where you can invest the required time to complete this exercise and be sure to spend more time in this section than elsewhere in the exercise.

===> YOUR MID-TERM VISION

Calculate and identify what will have to be accomplished at the mid-term portion of your career plan. As an example, when you write down your long-term vision, if you've listed several luxury cars, your boats(110 footers