“People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do what you do,” Simon Sinek.

Anyone who leads people in any capacity or markets to them in any way can benefit from this powerful talk by Simon Sinek at a TED Conference.

This is why in every great network marketing training…we begin with defining your “why.”  This is also why we tell stories, share testimonials, partner with great causes and work to really connect with people…regardless of our product, pay plan, features or benefits.

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What’s YOUR why?  Please share.

If you haven’t started following the work of Seth Godin yet, you need to.  The man is brilliant, and I don’t throw that term around regularly.  Besides 9 best selling books, including Purple Cow, The Dip, Permission Marketing and of course, Tribes, he is the creator of Squidoo.  Yeah, I know, it’s fairly popular.

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If you haven’t read Tribes yet, this article will still serve you in a big way.  If you have and haven’t put all of the incredible concepts to work for you yet, then absolutely read each word…you may need it more than most.

Tribes is about many things, but it’s mostly about a new form of leadership and what it takes to create a following.  Everyone in network marketing knows that your income is largely related to your ability to lead others and create a following of loyal customers and affiliates.  Tribes should be required reading.

As you read this, consider your current role as a leader within your team and your company and consider Godin’s 7 key elements of leadership with my notes on each to follow:

1. Leaders challenge the status quo.

Are you really bringing something new to the table?  There is a status quo inside of every organization.  Our country has one, our business economy has one, your company has one, your team has one…and I would be bold and say that you have an internal one.  These are the sets of beliefs you have about what you are capable of and why.

2. Leaders create a culture around their goal and involve others in this culture.

This is the beginning process of creating momentum.  Can you rally a team behind a common vision/purpose?  Can you engage others in meaningful ways that has them buy into the big picture while fulfilling their own needs?

3. Leaders have an extraordinary amount of curiosity about the world they are trying to change.

This could apply to your financial life and utilizing a more effective way to secure your future.  This could relate to the network marketing industry as a whole.  Mike Dillard a few years ago changed the game for many network marketers, essentially inventing what is now called Attraction Marketing.  How much of your time do you dedicate to continuing education about your craft?

4. Leaders use charisma (in a variety of forms) to attract and motivate followers.

Are you a good speaker?  Do you give good phone? J Seriously, how compelling are you on a prospect call?  Do you lead team trainings, conference calls or webinars?  Do people feel lifted and invigorated after speaking to you?  If not, it’s time to change that.

5. Leaders communicate their vision of the future.

We all know that repetition is the mother of learning.  We all know that repetition is the mother of learning.  We all know that repetition is the mother of learning.  Damn, I am funny.  Some people will buy into your vision the first time they hear it.  Others will take some time.  Your job is to passionately share it with everyone who is willing to listen.

6. Leaders commit to a vision and make decisions based on their commitment.

Once your compass is set…go flat out in that direction. Do you get sidetracked easily?  Is there always something else going on?  Do you let bad days and dream-stealing naysayers deflate your energy and enthusiasm?  Toughen up.  Know things will be ever changing and stay the course anyway.  After all, this is what you want, right?

7. Leaders connect their followers to one another.

This one is important and often overlooked in network marketing, especially as teams are just starting out.  There is huge value in community and honestly, it’s one of the main motivators for people joining and staying in a network marketing company.  Make sure you have systems set up so that your team can communicate to each other.  This will pay huge dividends over time.  You never know, they may even create a better plan and go out earn you.

This is just one small piece of the value out of Tribes…as the entire book is filled with moving, creative and engaging ideas about personal branding, positioning, stepping up as a leader, how to work through the criticism and a ton of phenomenal stories illustrating them all.

If you have read Tribes, I’d love to hear how you have specifically applied one of the ideas.  Also, I’d love to hear your thoughts on how the above 7 key elements apply to you.  Please post your comments and if you think this article will help others, please Digg it, Tweet it and share it with others.

If you haven’t read it, go pick up the book.  Read it.  Study the lessons.  Then pull your leadership team together and figure out how to add value to your existing tribe…or go create the one you know you can.

If you want to learn how to create your own tribe in network marketing using the online strategies of the top producers, subscribe below to get instant access to the what the leaders know but rarely share with other affiliates.

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I wrote a status update yesterday on Facebook that said…

“How do you brand yourself in the world? Everything we do contributes to our personal brand…the ethos of who we are and how we choose to play the game of life.”

One of my friends asked me why I call life a game.  So, I thought I’d take a few minutes and share my thoughts on this wonderful game of life.

To quote Will Smith from the movie The Legend of Bagger Vance…                   “Golf (Life) is a game that can’t be won, only played.”

Damn if that isn’t true.  Winning would really imply beating someone else, which puts all focus on subjective, external stuff.  That is just not the stuff that life is about.

Like any game, not everyone chooses to play life at the same levels – as we all know, many choose to simply watch from the grandstands, observing others who put on their uniforms and got in the game.

Perhaps I am naive, but I believe the difference between good and great in any endeavor has far more to do with commitment, drive, skill acquistion and developed intelligence than innate talent.  I believe this at every level.  Even in professional sports, I think there are many, many people who could play at that level if they made the choice to do so and honored their commitment at every level.

Now before you start firing off…I agree that there are some that are a cut above.  Their commitment and drive is supported by incredible natural ability…these are our superstars.

This philosphy is even more true in the game of life.  For most of us…we get up, we do things, we go to sleep and the next day we repeat the cycle.

What separates the Player from the Spectator?

What they choose to do with the space between the time they sleep is what separates the two.

Our choices each day our driven by our beliefs about ourselves, about other people and the world we live in.  To choose well, we need to get our belief systems in order.

What are your beliefs about…

What you deserve in life?

What you are worth?

Whether you are good enough?

What you are capable of?

The importance of relationships?

About men?

About women?

About money and wealth?

About health, food, disease and longevity?

These beliefs drive our choices every day.  We can outperform them for a while, but eventually the predominant belief will win out and start attracting to it results to support the belief.

Choose now to adopt beliefs that support what you say you truly want.  If you want a great relationship…then you better believe that men/women are amazing, supportive, loving, giving, _____ fill in the blanks with the things you want.

As you get the old programs cleared out – take massive action in the direction of what you want.  Put yourself out there.  Be bold.

Stick your head out of the top of the convertible, raise your hands in the air and scream at the top of your lungs!

Grow some fricken balls and GO FOR IT.

Growing up playing high school football I finally had a coach as a junior that really taught me how to play the game.  Full out every play.  No holding back.  100% effort…100% of the time.

What % of your ability are you playing at?