What’s your story? Are you doing exactly what you want to be doing right now? Is your life where you want it or on the road to being there? Are you actively working for your dreams? Do you know what your dreams are?
Last week I talked about the Master Key Experience (MKE) and how I’m baffled that people will pay thousands of dollars for courses but won’t take a look at this course that gives them all the tools they need to learn how to achieve their dreams on a Pay-It-Forward Scholarship. Yes, after they’ve been in the program for a little over a month, they’ll be asked to Pay-It-Forward for the next class, but it’s at a fraction of the cost of those classes that sell for thousands of dollars — even if they choose to pay the maximum amount in the Pay-It-Forward choices. Why? Well, the Master Key Experience class is hard. Not in the way you think it’s hard. It’s mentally hard. It’s emotionally hard. The simple things Mark and Davene and the guides ask you to do are hard only in that you confront yourself and the lies you’ve been telling yourself or have been told for many years. Or you find yourself having to deal with the cement you’ve packed on to protect yourself from painful moments. In the process of stripping that old cement off and teaching yourself a new blueprint, many people aren’t prepared to deal with the emotional challenge of doing so. That’s what’s hard. The individual steps of MKE are easy. What you need to do to realize your heart’s desire is challenging.
This post isn’t about MKE, but MKE, oddly enough, brought me to this story. I think this is going to be a long post, but I’m not going to apologize for it — somebody out there needs to read this. I don’t know who. Maybe it’s you? Maybe it’s someone you know. I don’t know. I do know somebody needs this. So bear with me or keep scrolling — your heart with tell you what is right for you.
Way back in the early 1980s while I was stationed in Montana, friends introduced my then-husband and me to Amway. My now ex-husband saw a possibility, and we joined. There were a number of things I didn’t like at the time, but looking back, we were blessed to be in the Bill Britt and Rick and Toni Fairchild organization. They taught business practices, and it was a very male-female role segmented approach. The men wore suits and shared the plan. Women wore dresses and sold the products. Anyone who knows me knows how strongly I rebeled against this process. I have detested dresses all my life and only in recent years have a I found a rare use for them.
We went to meetings. We attended rallies, going as far away as Minot, ND (where Rick and Toni Fairchild were based — they had been Air Force airmen, too, before they made it big in Amway). I listened to the motivational tapes in the car. I struggled to buy enough products each month to meet the first rank obligation. Sometimes I made a sale. I know the first rank obligation was $100. I don’t remember the rank structure for Amway anymore; it’s been more than 30 years. I do know Amway was not and is not a scam. It’s not a pyramid scheme. It’s a legitimate business opportunity. Ultimately, it wasn’t for me, and I moved on. I learned so very much from the experience. It also colored my views on a few things and made me resistant to looking at business opportunities for many years.
Many people who get involved with MKE work some type of Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) business and are looking for the tools to succeed in those ventures. I was looking for personal growth from MKE, and that’s still my primary focus for maintaining my involvement in the program. The key is the program can be used for anything you want it to be used for whether it’s personal, business, or both. Shortly after beginning the MKE course, I traveled to Wisconsin to visit my parents. My niece, my sister, and I were helping my mom launch her Young Living business, and I decided to sign up to get the products at wholesale — I call that being “my own best customer.” I warned my niece I was only going to be a customer to myself. My niece says, “That’s fine.”
I’d been in Amway, so I knew pretty much the gist of how things worked if not the specifics. I willingly signed up for Essential Rewards when I bought my Premium Starter Kit. I learned about the compensation plan. I realized the Young Living product line is unmatched by any other company. I confess I still haven’t figured out how to use most of the essential oils to benefit me. I have embraced the nutrition products, and I have seen personal benefits from their use. What I like about that is I use the products up, so I have a legitimate need when I select products for my Essential Rewards order each month.
It didn’t take me long to figure out, well, if I like the products, maybe someone else will, too. Maybe they are looking. So I began making posts on the blog and via Facebook in a sharing way. My idea is if this is something that strikes a chord with you, I’m available to work with you in any capacity you need.
My story feels unique from most people in Young Living. Many stories I hear are of desperate need to find a financial solution to a current situation. That’s not my story. One of my personal pivotal needs established during the MKE course was True Health. I see Young Living as a plank in that journey.
I have a solid Air Force retirement. My husband has a solid college professor retirement. Together we can do almost everything we want to do. Before I came to Young Living, our houses were paid for. Our vehicles were paid for. Our debts were paid. We travel when we want. I can donate to my preferred charitable situations when I want. In fact, if I’m feeling a little pinched, I make sure I send off a donation to my preferred charity, and somehow, that pinched feeling goes away. If we see something we want, we can usually purchase it. We do have some limits, but the things many people struggle with day-to-day have not been problems for us for several years. This is not a story to inspire someone to choose Young Living, because I haven’t done much with Young Living. At least, not financially.
I don’t have the hunger for myself. I’ll be okay with or without a Young Living business. But I know Young Living has so much to offer so many people if they are willing to work. If they are hungry and can see the possibilities for themselves and others, they can achieve great things for themselves and their families. I do have the hunger to help someone achieve that. How can this be?
I have an odd set of gifts. I’m a strong introvert. Despite that, I have little fear of talking to a group of people. I don’t think I’m the greatest speaker, but I am pretty much unphased in front of a group of people from 5-500 or more in size. Why is this important? If you are afraid to talk to people but are willing to invite them, I’ll be happy to talk with them for you. How cool is that? I may or may not travel to your location, but I am happy to use Skype or Zoom to reach your audience. Eventually, you’re going to need to learn to talk to people, but it’s not as hard as you think. There is one caveat, you need to be signed up or willing to sign up as a Young Living distributor in my organization. My goal is to teach you to teach two.
Since I alluded to an income opportunity, I need to share the Young Living Income Disclosure Statement. I’ll tell you up front most people never make a living from Young Living. Ninety-four percent of people in Young Living are at the Distributor rank. The average annual income for a distributor is $12. Until recently, I was in the 3.5% of people who are at the Star rank, and that income is accurate. Due to a small growth in sponsorship and an incredible convention product order, I recently earned Senior Star, 1.3% of Young Living members are at this rank.
Why do so few people make it? Many have no desire to — they want to be their own best customer and they’re perfectly happy with that. They are in the 94%, and that is perfectly okay. I love people like that. They’re taking an active role in their and their family’s health. They are using safer products to maintain their home. That is fantastic!
Some people get involved thinking they will make it big, but they don’t realize it can be hard work. They get discouraged when someone tells them no. As I once heard Roger Donlon, Medal of Honor say (paraphrased), “Discouragement is the tool of the devil.” Discouragement, more than anything, keeps someone from continuing to work to attain their dreams. Another of my gifts is persistence. I may fail again and again and again, but I do not give up.
I encourage you to define and pursue your dreams. If MKE or Young Living can be a part of achieving your dreams and you think I can help you in that endeavor, I want to hear from you.
What’s your story?