Victim Or Victor?

Here’s quick way to tell if you see yourself as a victim or as a victor. After all, there are only two choices: Victim or Victor. Loser or Winner. If you think your circumstances dictate your income and level of success, you’re like the losers that write in to NotCanada.com – all whining that it’s so tough to immigrate, that Canada is so hard on them, that it’s all so unfair. I’m also an immigrant and I have news for you: try immigrating to Zimbabwe or South Africa and see how much welfare and free medical you get there, if you don’t join the 400 people who are murdered in South Africa every day. If it’s so hard, why don’t you pack your stuff and go home? I’ll tell you why – because you know it’s better in Canada! Nobody asked you to come to Canada. Go home. It’s not about where you are; it’s all about WHO you are.

If you think American business is nasty because they’re outsourcing your job to people in third world countries, perhaps you should think about why you can’t get a better job after living in the richest and most successful country in the world all your life. It’s an indictment on YOU, not on profit conscious businesses that you probably own shares in! Have you noticed that people actually die trying to get into North America? Put down the cigarette and beer, look in the mirror, point at yourself and say, “LOOOOSER!” Play the blame game as much as you like, but the real problem lives right under your comb-over.

If you are wont to shoot the messenger, blame the weather, wallow in self pity and talk about life being unfair, you see yourself as a victim. Now the good news is that you’re not really a victim, you’re just choosing to see yourself as one. And, while you believe you’re a victim, you will continue to lose out on all the wonderful opportunities around you! If you live in North America you are one lucky character and it’s about time you realized it. Instead of being angry at immigrants because they’re prepared to do jobs that you don’t like doing, be grateful that you can get cheap labor! I’m so glad I can afford to have someone come in and clean my apartment while Rika and I settle down to make some real money.

I was fortunate to be in business with an extremely successful East Indian in South Africa. One day he said to me, “Thank God for Apartheid. They wouldn’t give us East Indians jobs, so we got into our own businesses and made lots of money. If it weren’t for Apartheid we’d be poor civil servant suckers!” Immigrants who see themselves as victims choose to drive cabs. Immigrants who see themselves as victors start businesses and get to their golf clubs in cabs driven by their countrymen. When you get downsized, you can decide to be a victor and have an Independence Day party, start your own business and get rich, or you can feel sorry for yourself, get all bitter and twisted and cry yourself to sleep like a big baby. Your choice.

Now that I have your attention, here’s the truth: You are whatever you decide you are. Instantly. If you decide that, from now on, you will see yourself as a winner, a victor, and a warrior who is unstoppable and powerful, you will start winning in a big way. When you hit a detour or a bump in the road, you will be so focused on your exciting goals that you’ll hardly notice it. You will attract strong, enthusiastic, ambitious, generous people into your life. The losers will run away fast. The sun will shine brighter and all sorts of new opportunities will start to reveal themselves to you. You ARE a victor. I know that. It’s about time that you accepted it, too.

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com

Joint Venture Negotiation Tips

When you want to negotiate the terms of a successful, win/win Joint Venture, there are a few basic guidelines that I have learned through the years that will help you to optimize the opportunity and maximize the chances of a successful Joint Venture that can lead to many more. More importantly, with the right approach you can build and maintain a good, solid relationship, whether the JV is successful or not!

First, do a lot of homework on the type of business you’re dealing with, its unique problems, profit margins, challenges, back end and resources. You can use the Internet, speak to the competition, read industry publications and talk with company employees, vendors and customers. Also, speak to fellow Joint Venture Forum Members at your locals meeting, on the Internet and on your Members Only Conference calls. Six degrees of Separation means everybody knows people and you’re looking for contacts that can fast-track your information collection and due diligence.

Next, do serious research on the person you’re dealing with. Naturally, you should be negotiating with the decision maker. What is his or her “Hot Button”? What do they really, really want? What keeps them awake at night? What are their values, hopes, dreams, fears and aspirations? WHY do they want what they say they want? How much and what will it take to really get their undivided attention? You need to craft and personalize the JV to take full advantage of this knowledge to offer the ultimate benefit, a deal which is too good to be refused.

Is this person knowledgeable about the mindset required for a successful JV? Give him JV information to prepare his mind. There are complimentary downloads, interviews and more on http://www.nomoneynorisk.net/ that you can use. Suggest he joins the DollarMakers JV Forum / attend a DollarMakers JV Broker Bootcamp. Members have also realized the efficacy of giving then a copy of my book, Joint Adventures, to read in preparation to the negotiation.

Also, make sure you reduce the cost and risk on both sides to the absolute minimum, as well as the time required to make it work. Do this by leveraging existing resources instead of creating / buying / building new ones. That way, if things don’t work out as expected, nobody loses and the relationship remains strong, without resentment or regret.

Get the opinion of at least two respected mentors / Mastermind Partners / Fellow JV Forum Members before presenting your case to your potential JV partner.

Finally, put everything in writing. This clarifies issues and responsibilities, duties, payments, time of payment, conditions and expectations. You could also mention the fact that things might not work out as expected, and what will occur under those circumstances. Clear communication is essential.

Always be positive, relaxed and unattached, and be prepared to walk away from any JV if you’re not comfortable or if the return on investment is not deemed worth the time and effort it requires, always bearing in mind the big picture. This attitude will strengthen your position.

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com

Go Deep

Yesterday, we went snorkeling on a coral reef at Kaneohe Bay in Oahu, Hawaii. We had a great time feeding the fish by hand and marveling at their beauty. We saw a green sea turtle and an eel. When the majority of my 21 companions got cold and climbed back on board the boat, I took off to the side of the reef and started diving deeper. It was there that I saw some amazing fish that weren’t partaking in the feeding frenzy. One of them was an amazing translucent blue. I could never describe its beauty without you seeing it as it glided around the coral. I also got a few bluebottle stings, which the others didn’t get, but the fleeting discomfort was nothing compared to the wonder of being alone in those magical surroundings.

This is true of any opportunity. Follow the herd, run with the rats and you might have some fun, but strike out on your own and go deep and you will learn unique skills and have an adventure. You can join a service club or association and do the minimum or you can become a leader and go all the way to the top of the international organization. Believe me, there’s very little competition. You can wallow in the shallows and have a good time, or you can take it to the next level and have a great time. It’s not about the opportunity – it’s what you make of it.

This I evident in any organization or club, and I see it in the DollarMakers Joint Venture Forum as well. Call it the 80/20 rule, if you like; I call it the 10/90 rule. I recently talked with a new Member who asked me if the Forum Membership commission structure would allow him to make $5,000 per month if he worked the system. I assured him that this was possible with enough work and focus, if he got himself a Replicator Website to use as a good marketing and tracking tool. When he discovered that the site cost $249 to set up and then $39 per month, he lost interest. Why would someone balk at $39 to earn $5,000? Simple: he doesn’t believe he can make that kind of money. His self esteem is too limited to accept the opportunity. Others have done it, but he won’t. He prefers to wallow in the shallows. And that’s fine by me.

The price you pay to experience success, joy, fulfillment and wealth is negligible compared to the benefits, but there are requirements to going deep. They are: commitment, self discipline, honesty, hard work, focus and consistency. These are choices that anyone can make once they have access to a good system. I had all the support, equipment and tools I needed to go deeper when snorkeling. I had a good team on the boat, and they were there to guide me and assist me. When a got a few stings, they reassured me and sprayed stuff on my back and arms. Teamwork makes the dream work. The DollarMakers Joint Venture Forum is based on exactly that support system: Joint Ventures. We use proven systems, great support and a great team of hundreds of Members worldwide to help Members go deep.

Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.net