Navigating Busy

I don’t remember another Spring in the history of ACN that has been THIS busy.  I am spending a lot of time on phone calls with leaders, planning for the Los Angeles event and all other exciting things that go in to making ACN what it is.

As busy as I am, I am still looking at the future with anticipation.  Are you experiencing a busy time? Are you wondering how to fit it all in.  A little perspective can help you navigate a busy time in your life.  Sometimes it is just your reality for at least that moment in time – it is what it is.  But instead of becoming buried by the feeling, keep some perspective and remember your end goal.  Remember that what you are feeling right now is just a small percentage of your overall life.  For example, you might be running and gunning from sun up to sun down for the next three months in order to set all your goals in motion.  But a year from now, you will look back on those handful of months and they will seem like nothing, just a small blip in time.

At ACN, I always know that times like these always lead to even greater things in the future.  Think about what working hard now will mean for you and your family.  Think about the quality of life you will lead and make that your focus.  There is so much excitement and momentum in ACN right now.  As an IBO, talking to prospects, attending the International Event in Los Angeles, and helping others do the same – those are things I would make sure are part of my priority list.  These are decisions today that will impact your priorities tomorrow.  Never lose your perspective and keep your end goal in sight.

Until next time,

Greg

ACN President’s Club Retreat 2013

Greetings from Miami!  A few weeks ago I shared some pictures from our Global Retreat in Mexico where we celebrated the successes of our ACN global RVPs and SVPs.  This week I am celebrating with our prestigious President’s Club IBOs.  While on these exclusive retreats, it is always exciting to share the vision of ACN with the future RVPs and SVPs of ACN.

Our President’s Club members understand that the ACN opportunity is one worth working hard for, but also understand the need to take time to recharge.

See how we relax ACN style!

Until Next Time,

Greg

What We Knew All Along

I came across an article recently that re-confirmed what a great industry we are in.   I shared it with our Circle of Champions globally and it occurred to me that all of our IBOs need to read it as well. The overall message of the article is that the MLM business model is the perfect example of mentoring and coaching and helping people grow.  It goes on to describe how this is done, but you and I know the answer to that. We do it every day.

By helping others at ACN, you become more successful monetarily, but more importantly personally. I am proud of the mentorship and coaching that the other ACN Co-Founders and I have incorporated into our business model, but I am even more proud when I see our leaders doing the same.  This article is a great reminder that we are truly in one of the best industries there is!

Here is the article: The Correlation Between MLM Success And Mentorship

Until next time,

Greg

Sharing The ACN Vision

I spent some time yesterday with a group of ACN IBOs working with Circle of Champions member Al Thomas.  This is by far one of my favorite things about my role here at ACN – sitting down with IBOs and sharing the vision of ACN’s exciting future and listening to their experiences.

Work Hard – Play Hard Mexico Style

At ACN, we’ve always believed that a little hard work goes a very long way.  After all, when you are operating in a “no experience necessary” industry, one in which anyone from all walks of life regardless of background can be successful, hard work is really one of the few things that separates the best from the rest.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t – and don’t – play hard too.  After all, what good is all the work if you don’t take a break to celebrate your successes?

In fact, we’ve just returned from our annual Global Leadership Retreat in Mexico in which ACN’s Circle of Champions, newly promoted RVPs from 2012, and top producers from around the world enjoyed some much deserved “play time”.  It’s just our “all expenses paid” way to say thank you for an incredible year, for giving so much of yourselves to build your company within our company.   And this year’s retreat was certainly one for the record books.

ACN RVP retreat attendees taking time out of the trip to make a difference in the local community. The group spent time with the Cancun Kids Rescue, participated in a piñata building contest and donated gifts and school uniforms.

I once read that the “more we celebrate about our lives, the more we will have in life to celebrate”.  So make sure you are taking time to celebrate your successes along the way too, because if you aren’t stopping to pause, reflect and celebrate your success how do you expect anyone around you to notice your successes either. But remember, the reward should fit the work.  Celebrate small success, small stepping stones on the way to your ultimate goal, with small rewards – perhaps a dinner out, a movie, or just telling someone about your success.  Sometimes saying it out loud, giving yourself a pat on the back is all you need.  But save the big rewards for those major milestones, those business-changing moments.  Because when you do, the reward will mean that much more and the success will certainly be that much sweeter!

Until next time,

Greg

Sharing Our Story With An Entire Industry – The Privilege Was All Mine

The other Co-Founders and I, along with our Executive Team, try to attend as many direct selling industry events as we can.  As stewards of our industry, we feel it’s important to stay on top of what other companies are doing in our space – both their successes and their failures.  I was asked to speak at one of our industry’s premier events this week in Dallas, Texas, which brings several hundred executives from direct selling companies around the world together for two days of training, networking and sharing – all with one common goal: to advance our industry as a whole.

Given it’s ACN’s 20^th Anniversary Celebration, I was asked to provide some insights we’ve gained over the past two decades – insights that might help other company leaders as they set out on their journeys into the direct selling history books.  So I spent my time sharing the successes, failures and most importantly, the lessons learned during ACN’s 20-year history. See it’s easy for us to forget that for many new companies, where ACN today is a dream that seems incredibly out of reach.  Many new companies are simply focused on staying open one more day, month, year – and 20 years seems like a lifetime away.  Well, you know our story well and we have certainly been there, so it is my hope that I was able to impart some small piece of ourselves, of our history with these other companies as they embark on their next 5, 10 or even 20 years.

But regardless, I have no doubt that I gained far more than I ever could have given. In fact, it’s events like this that remind me just how proud I am to be a part of not only ACN but this industry as a whole – and how proud we should all be.  There isn’t another industry in the world that puts the needs of its people first, that gives people hope and allows them to finally start dreaming again.  In fact, as a company proudly operating in the direct sales space – it is a privilege for us to put “changing lives for the better” at the top of our priority list.  And there certainly, without a doubt, isn’t another company in another industry anywhere that I would rather be a part of.

Until next time,

Greg

It’s an ACN Three-Peat!

Most people only get to celebrate an important milestone – like an anniversary – once, but at ACN, when it comes to celebrating our accomplishments, bigger is certainly better!  ACN kicked off our 20^th Anniversary Celebration in Charlotte, NC, in February, and last week we traveled 4,892.5 miles to Budapest to do it all again with our European teams.  Here’s a quick sneak peek at how we jumpstarted the event Saturday morning – better than any fireworks display I’ve ever seen:

 

But we aren’t stopping there!  We plan to three-peat that celebration in two weeks in Brisbane, Australia, for our Pacific Convention, which will wrap up our tri-continent celebration.

And while celebrating is exciting, these events are really about so much more than just what happens inside those three days.  In fact, it’s the momentum coming out of events that really matters most, and I can tell you; momentum in ACN worldwide has never been higher than it is right now.  Momentum can best be described as “a driving power or strength.”  In fact, I think that perfectly describes what momentum should do in your ACN business.  See, momentum is what keeps you going when you think you can’t – and it’s what will keep you going long after others have quit.

Think about a snowball, for example.  If you release a snowball at the top of the hill, it will increase in both size and speed as it moves further down the hill.  It won’t stop or slow down until it either reaches its final resting place or gets knocked off course by an obstacle.  Take ACN’s events: I think we can all agree these are natural momentum creators – you can’t help but feel reenergized after leaving one.  But what do you do when that feeling has worn off?  How to you keep the momentum going?  There are lots of theories on this, but I have one of my own.  For me, the best way to keep momentum going is to continue setting aggressive goals for yourself.  If you accomplish one goal, celebrate that success, set a new goal and then use the momentum to carry you through to your next goal.  If you do this, your snowball won’t be able to help but increase in size and speed.  But if you allow obstacles to get in your path, to throw you off course, you’ll be left with nothing more than a pile of snow.

So set some aggressive goals, hold on tight, and remember, that the greatest of avalanches often starts with the smallest of snowflakes.

Until next time,

Greg

The Greater the Conflict, the Greater the Story

What kind of day, week, even month are you having?  I certainly hope it’s a good one, but I know the reality is that many people are struggling right now – perhaps it’s with family, personal issues, even challenges in building your business.  And the even harsher reality is that even if things are great today, they can quickly go south tomorrow.  This is a little thing we call life.  The question you have to ask yourself is how will you deal with the challenges, the bumps in the road, without letting them completely knock you off track?

My three children are all young adults now but as they were growing up, my wife and I tried to teach them how to deal with challenges, how to rise above and overcome them – instead of being completely beaten down by them.  See it’s easy to have a positive attitude during the good times.  It’s easy to be a strong leader when things are going well.  But the real measure of a person’s character is how they react when the chips are down.

The first step to surviving – and more importantly thriving – through the challenges is realizing that conflict and tough times are all a part of life that can’t be avoided.  No one is immune to them and no one can hide from them.  Think of the happiest, most positive person you know.  I guarantee they have bad days too – perhaps they just do a better job of hiding them.  What you have to remember is it’s the conflict that makes your story worthwhile, worth telling.  In fact, the conflict has to be great for your story to be great.  Think about it this way: if the story line in a movie is about a guy who wants a new car and he doesn’t get the new car, no one would cry at the end of the movie.  In fact, no one would even watch the movie.

I recently read a story in SUCCESS magazine about Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester.  As a second round draft pick, he received the highest signing bonus of any second rounder that year – $1 million.  Jon had it all – until he was diagnosed with cancer.  But instead of quitting, Jon went on to lead his team to win the 2007 World Series, and in May 2008 he pitched a no hitter – all in less than two years after his diagnosis.

Jon is a true example of someone who didn’t fold when times got tough, nor did he give up on his goals.  In fact, he used his challenges, his conflict to push him to work that much harder to defy all odds.  And while he would certainly have a reputation as an outstanding major league pitcher, it’s his incredible recovery from cancer and his no-quit attitude that has people talking – and will keep people talking long after his baseball career is over.  It’s his conflict that makes his success that much sweeter.

So the next time an obstacle is thrown in your way, the next time the chips are down and the road seems long and impassable, remember that your conflict is part of your story – and it’s the part that will certainly make your story worth telling one day.

Until next time,

Greg

Everything You Need to Know About Life (and ACN)…from a 9 Year Old

I constantly find inspiration in things – from things I read, things I watch and certainly from the people I meet and come in contact with on a daily basis.  In fact, my role at ACN has blessed me with being able to meet some of the most inspiring people in the world – from world-renowned motivators and authors to seemingly ordinary people who manage to do extraordinary things in their daily lives.  And while the list of people who inspire me is a long one, I have to admit; it’s not every day I am inspired by a 9-year old kid.  That is, until today!

I encourage you to take a few minutes and watch the video below, as it reinforces just about everything we need to know about life – and ACN – directly from a third grader.

The boy in the video is Robbie (aka Kid President, aka motivator, comedian and speaker), and he was born with a disease that causes him to very easily break his bones.  He’s had over 70 breaks in his short 9 years of life.  Yet he chooses to look on the brighter side of life, to turn his misfortune into fortune.  And more importantly, he is using his humor and positive attitude to leave the world a little better than he found it.  I can’t think of anything more inspiring than that.

So here goes…I think we can all use a little pep talk today!

It just goes to show that success in anything comes down to a few, basic principles – a willingness to step outside of the box and step up to the plate.  Remember, it’s the little things done over and over that make life great and that will separate the best from the rest.  Little things that are so simple, even a third grader could do them:

• Stop being boring – boring is easy
• Remember, we are all on the same team
• It’s time to do something great with your life
• Take the road less traveled – it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it
• Don’t ever stop believing – in yourself or what you are doing
• Focus on your dream – and keep going, keep going, keep going
• Do something to make the world awesome
• We have the power to make every day better
• You were made to be awesome

So as you go through your day today – and every day – ask yourself: are you living life to its fullest?  Are you making a difference in your own world – and the world of those around you?  It doesn’t take much to change someone’s day.  And lastly, are choosing to just go through the motions of life or are you choosing to dance?  I for one choose to dance.

Remember, as Robbie reminds us, it’s the road less traveled that leads us to awesome! I couldn’t have said it any better myself!

Until next time,

Greg

The Celebration Has Officially Begun – ACN Then and Now!

We just wrapped up our North American Convention – and the official kick-off of ACN’s yearlong 20^th Anniversary Celebration – last week in Charlotte, NC.  And regardless of where you are in the world in ACN, this is a milestone time for you – a milestone for everyone in ACN.

During the last few weeks, I have found myself really reflecting over the past 20 years.  Certainly there were many, many rough days, many times we weren’t sure if we would be around one more day, much less one more year.  Yet I still find that the tough times are far outweighed and over shadowed by the good times, the countless successes and the many, many lives changed.   It’s funny that as more time passes, those obstacles that seemed so big at the time, so painfully impossible to overcome are now just little pebbles along the path that took us to much bigger and better things.

With our 20^th Anniversary well underway, it seems only appropriate to share a little bit of ACN “then and now” with you.

ACN Then…

I found these first two pictures way in the back of the basement at ACN’s World Headquarters.  The first photo is sometime in 1994 at one of our early events. I remember this day like it was yesterday – feeling so excited of what we had already accomplished but at the same time knowing deep inside that it was only the beginning – and man was it definitely only the beginning.

The second is in 2000 – several years into our business, yet still a short period of time in our company’s history.  Take a look at that check amount – $11,332.17.  Man were we ever proud of that contribution; yet keep in mind that at our event last weekend, in the same three-day period, we were able to raise $134,358.28.  Now that is something to be proud of!

And ACN Now…

Wow – do these photos ever speak for themselves!  The impressive stage design, spectacular graphics and a crowd nearing 20,000 people in size – just look at what we’ve been able to do in 20 years, a relatively short period of time in the grand scheme of things, and just imagine where we will be in the next 5, 10 or 20 years.

So what is going through my mind right now? For starters, there is overwhelming gratitude that so many people have allowed us to pour ourselves and our company into their lives; gratitude that we have played a small part in changing so many lives.  And more so than anything else, I am overcome with a feeling of anticipation.

The ACN of 1993 is far different than the ACN of 2013.  And I can assure you the ACN of tomorrow will be far different than the ACN of today.  But some things will never change – our commitment to building our business with integrity and to always putting the needs of the people and the greater good of the company above the needs of ourselves as individuals.   We’re the same four guys we were 20 years ago, with the same hopes and dreams.  The only difference is that today we are dreaming bigger than ever before!

This is only the beginning – there is still so much left to do, so many chapters left to write in the ACN history book.  The only question that remains is will there be a chapter with your name on it?

Happy Anniversary ACN – and Happy Anniversary to each and every one of you too!

Until next time,

Greg