Before we can examine the keys to successful prospecting, let's take a look at a powerful paradigm that already exists and is probably an obstacle that you need to confront.

 

What is a Paradigm??

 

By ?paradigm?, we mean the common belief of what is true that's taken for granted by society or our culture.

It's important to pay attention to prevailing paradigms, whether they are "true" or not.

 

What Is the Forty Year Paradigm That You Will Need to Confront?

 

Note, for the majority of your prospects, there exists a paradigm called the ?Forty-year Career Plan?.

• Go to high school, study hard, get good grades.
• Get accepted into a good college.
• Study hard, get good grades, graduate with honours; and
• Land a great job, get paid a good salary and benefits which lets you have two or three weeks of holidays a year.
• Work hard for next forty years until you have earnt the right to retire, at which time the Company (or the Government) pays you a pension, and you hope this is enough to live on until you die.

 

Now, picture yourself approaching your prospect who sees the world through this firmly rooted paradigm. You're enthusiastically talking of early retirement, financial freedom and living a life of choice. And what is your prospect hearing?? ??."Fairy-Tales".

 

Think about it: in most cases, the awesome power of possibility you're offering - the chance to earn extraordinary monthly incomes after only a few years of effort. It is simply not believable at all.

 

Can you see what's happening here from your prospect's point of view?

 

Before you even think about sharing any of the potential rewards of your opportunity,

1. You will need to change the 40-year career plan paradigm.

2. You will need to demonstrate to your prospects that what you are saying is truly possible for them.

3. You will have to do it in a way that they will truly believe you.

 

How?

 

The First Challenge

 

As you prepare to prospect, the first challenge you'll probably need to overcome is your own discomfort with the prospecting process.

 

This awkward or uncomfortable feeling is to be expected with any new venture or activity.

 

The first time we do anything, it is usually pretty uncomfortable, just because it is new.

 

Prospecting is just the same!

 

Practice will help increase your confidence level. Every prospecting conversation can be an improvement over the last one if you set out to accomplish it that way.

 

Competence creates confidence.

 

Those early fears will soon dissolve into the comfort of a well-known routine, as you begin to trust yourself.

 

So how do you cultivate such self-trust?

 

By Creating a Vision Greater than Your Fears

 

It is natural to feel some fear, but the successful in this world feel the fear and do it anyway because they know that is the very road to success.

 

You have to overcome these fears before you become powerful in your communications and attractive to others as a prospective business partner.

 

Start with Identifying Your Own Passion

 

By passion, I'm referring here to the ?juice? that makes your life worthwhile.

 

Look and see if there's a common thread running through the activities you enjoy most. Make a list of all of your favourite things to do, hobbies, sports and recreations.

Ask yourself?

What is it I like best about doing this?

What values am I experiencing and expressing when I'm doing this?

 

Examples of values might be:

·       Humour

·       Independence

·       Creativity

·       Contribution

·       Fun

·       Freedom

·       Adventure

·       Intimacy

·       Power

·       Belonging

·       Success or Communications

 

?? to name just a few

 

Look for the common themes that are important and valuable for you.

If you like to play golf and water rafting, what common element or value do you get from each activity?

 

Create a Vision of a Life filled with Passion

 

With a focus on your passions and most important values, spell out your vision for your life. Be as clear, specific and detailed as you can and be sure to include such elements as where you'll live, what you'll own, who you will be with, what you'll be doing etc.

 

Include as much picture-like details as possible as if it were a movie. Create a vivid mental image of every important aspect of your life. And make sure to show how your vision is an expression of your passions and your values.

 

To be truly powerful, create your vision as something that is much greater than about just you alone?

something you can't do on your own?

something that must involve and positively affect the lives of many, many others.

 

Here are the Key Elements of a Powerful Vision...

 

About YOU

 

·       What will you be?

·       What qualities will characterise you?

·       What will you do?

·       Who will you do it with?

·       What will you have in terms of both possessions (material needs, things and toys) and non-physical qualities (emotion, feelings, accomplishments - such as time freedom, peace of mind, fun, a sense of fulfilment, creativity, etc.)?

 

About OTHERS

 

·       To whom will you contribute?

·       How will you contribute to them?

·       In what ways will your contribution affect the lives of others? And?

·       What values will you honour - for yourself and others - through the fulfilment of your vision?

 

EXAMPLES of Values: Contribution, Happiness, Peace, Security, Freedom, Adventure, Creativity, Love, Joy, Belonging, Excitement, Recognition

 

One more important point about your vision: your vision must be created as an already accomplished reality.

 

If you state your vision as something you want or desire, that is precisely what will manifest - the wanting your vision. But if your vision is something you truly dream of having, then shift your vision to having it, not wanting it.

 

Please, take time out to write down your vision for the next few years.

 

Use the following questions to help stimulate your imagination to make your vision as rich and detailed as possible.

 

1) What will you have?

2) Where will you live? With whom?

3) What kind of house, cars, possessions will you have?

4) What will you earn?

5) What will every aspect of your life look like?

6) What will you do?

7) What hobbies will you pursue?

8) Will you travel?

9) How would your ideal day be spent?

10) Who will you be? For what qualities will you be known?

11) What impact will you have on others and the world?

12) Who will you contribute to and how?

13) What legacy will you leave behind?

14) If all of your finances and day-to-day challenges were handles, what would you do?

15) How would you choose to live the next 100 years of your life, if you could?

 

There are several reasons for taking the time/effort to create this vivid picture for your future.

 

First, doing so sets into motion unconscious forces that work toward accomplishing the vision. The reason this works is that the human mind cannot distinguish between an image that is real and one that is simply vividly imagined.

 

By clearly defining your vision and keeping it in front of you daily, it will live in your mind as a positive accomplishment, something you expect will happen because, in your mind, it already has!

 

This will prompt you to look for, be open to, and explore the awesome possibilities, which would have gone by unnoticed without such a clear mental picture in place.

 

So, let your vision be the ideal result of the game you're about to play for the next few years.

 

Make sure it's powerfully tied into your passion and reflection of the ideals and values you treasure most. With such a potent image to motivate you, few things will be able to derail you.