Strategic Thinking- Mental Attrition

Strategic Thinking- Mental Attrition


That's it! You can't take it any more, here is yet another person telling you they are interested and you never hear from them again. You have spent two hours with this person and they absolutely loved the concept and profusely exclaimed to you that they intend to take this seriously. They even gave you a check, however the check they gave you just bounced and they don't return your calls. Or, you've received one too many of the "let me think about it" responses which you well know means No!

You are fed up, ready to quit, throw the towel, and admit defeat yet again. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Unfortunately, we have all been there before and will no doubt be there again.

Handling The Disappointments

The circumstances cannot be changed; they will always be part of doing business. However, what can change is our attitude about these impediments and how we deal with disappointments. Or, to put it more allegorically, how to best ride the valleys of disappointments that stand between the hills of achievements.

Disappointments are nearly always a result of irrational expectations! One of the common mistakes people make is they fail to equate their expectations with reality. The very act of doing so is a mental toughening exercise that prepares a person for the hurdles that will face them on their road to success. The failure to project ahead to the tough times is a fundamental mistake that often prevents people from achieving their goals. The metal of a person's will is tested when they meet the harsh business reality and at that point, the question becomes will they wilt or will they overcome their own mental obstacle?

Toughening Yourself Mentally For The Long Haul

At the core of network marketing is a promise of residual income where one can build a financial empire that will yield for them an exponential growth of revenue. It stands to reason, therefore, that long-term strategic preparation is necessary to secure such a high goal.

One of the important aspects of mental toughness, therefore, is to store an arsenal of energy and self-conviction to use when the going gets tough.

So, what this article is pointing to is the need to toughen mentally for the long road ahead by mental preparation for the lean times. To put it in different words, mental toughness in this context is the ability to project and forecast the mode of behavior and attitude one will summon at times of difficulty.

Preparing Yourself Strategically

One of the definitions of mental toughness is the discovery of the fighting spirit within and the ability to harness its energies to achieve a projected result.
This sounds formidable, but it takes only a few basic, yet simple personal adjustments to achieve. I show how to make these adjustments in my seminars and presentations. Here are the steps to follow:

Be willing to learn about yourself.

Cease to be negative about you and others.

Make a list of your strength and weaknesses

Make a list of your self- expectations and determine if they are reasonable.

Revise your expectations to a realistic level and write them down.

Focus on your strength each morning and night.

Work on one weakness each week by deliberately doing the opposite.



This fighting spirit is needed when self-doubts appear and the inner voice of negative self-view and familiar excuses begins to take over the hopeful initial mind-set. Thoughts such as " I am not good enough", or " this is too hard," or " there is too much competition," can be very destructive unless there is something else to call upon. For many, these personal objections signal the beginning of the end!

There is a very apt exercise to help people create what is called the "cavern of the fighting spirit". This method is extremely effective in locating inner strength and combating the noises of self-doubts and personal objections. It can be coached one on one and in a group dynamic.

Curiously, the ability to overcome self-objections is a vital prerequisite to overcoming external objections a network marketer will meet in their business. Furthermore, it will radiate externally, the kind of charisma and trust essential to sustain a strong down line.

Finally, mental toughness and emotional resilience are two commodities connected and affected by each other; they are easily accessible and yet can be elusive. They depend upon the correct utilization of the mind resources each person has and whether or not they manage to tap into them. Mental toughness and emotional resilience form a two-lane bridge between a person's potential and their actual success. They constitute the difference between a person becoming the master of their own destiny or a victim of external circumstances.

In Summary

Over the years, I have worked with many people who were able turn their fortunes around by applying simple techniques that toughened them mentally and enabled them to persevere and succeed in ways they never imagined they could.

I am a firm believer that the human mental and emotional capital is an untouched source that can yield amazing results to those who learn, practice, and try.

In network marketing, mental toughness is an essential building block in the road to success. Will you have the energy and self-conviction to see you through the mentally and emotionally lean times? If you plan well and tap deep into your mental and emotional resources, you will overcome the obstacles and succeed beyond all expectations.