The psychology of the networking marketing industry is interesting and reveals a lot about human nature. Over the last 4 years I've become very interested in learning why people choose a particular company, and why people change companies. I've become particularly interested in why people sometimes become more successful after changing companies when the original company had just as much (or even more!) potential as the company they switched to. I feel that the better I understand the psychology of the industry the better I will be in helping develop leaders within my organization. The relationship between an individual and a network marketing company is very similar to a marriage.
I spent 3 years with the first company I joined. It was my first "marriage". I was young, naive, and idealistic. I expected to live "happily ever after" in the wedded bliss of financial and time freedom. What I didn't realize is the amount of effort required to make the marriage work. Although I never cheated and stayed faithful to this first partner, my eye started roving. Perhaps I was too young and didn't "play the field" long enough. Perhaps there was a better alternative out there, and this company really wasn't the right partner for me. These doubts sabotaged my confidence and ability to grow my organization. I couldn't be sincere in my prospecting because I wasn't convinced myself that this relationship was "made in heaven".
Instead of making a rash decision, I turned inward. I did a lot of reading, soul searching, and self-examination. I finally concluded that this marriage was not meant to be. I hadn't made the decision to marry into this company with all the facts. I went in blind. In fact, it was an arranged marriage. My father had sponsored me into this company, and I simply followed his guidance. After 3 years of trying to make it work, I "divorced" my first company. It was an amicable divorce. It was really anybody's fault except mine for not understanding what I was getting into in the first place.
I learned a lot from my "divorce". I learned a lot about the networking industry and a lot about myself. I discovered that ethics, being upfront with information, and honesty are very important to me. I learned what I liked and what I didn't like about marketing plans. I learned much about products and presentation. I learned how to get out of my comfort zone. I learned that free, cheap, and easy usually gets you what you pay for. I learned that bigger, faster, and more aren't always better. I learned that I value stability and integrity. I learned about the law of compensation and the truth of the phrases "if it is too good to be true it probably is" and "you don't get something for nothing". I learned the importance of your line of sponsorship and the critical nature of group dynamics in this industry. I learned all this and much more. Overall, it was a good experience aside from the fact that it ended in divorce. I didn't get hurt much financially, and all I learned was more than worth the pain and suffering of the divorce.
The divorce was very emotional. Networking organizations developing into lines of friendships. Breaking the sanctity of the vow of commitment to the company was something that I knew would change my relationship to those involved. Although my downline was even less committed than I (they do as you do), I had real biological family for upline. Fortunately, my father was very supportive. I'm sure it was disappointing to him, but it always is when someone quits...especially when you believed that that person could have succeeded. This is why I firmly feel that you must believe in everyone, but work as if it depended solely on you.
Probably one of the most important things I learned is that network marketing when properly done with the right company is a tremendous financial vehicle...and more than one "right" company may exist for any particular individual. There may be hundreds of companies out there, but only a few met my criteria for re-marriage. I researched the industry and sought out companies. I reviewed marketing plans, tried products, went to meetings, and did my homework. I wanted to make sure that if and when I got remarried that the relationship had the makings of a lifetime partnership.
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