Recent discussions with fellow network marketers have centered on whether true 'walk-away' and lifetime residual incomes are really possible. I don't know ? I'm not there yet.

But it has set me to thinking.

There are three things that are probably a common thread between all of the people who have succeeded to this end (or as close as the network marketing industry allows for ... let's not get hung up on finite statements, shall we?).

WHY PEOPLE SUCCEED

These are the same people who when faced with disasters like their companies going out of business (or any other number of fatal flaws), are able to pick up and rebuild again.

Why are they able to do this?

Here's my theory:

? They believe that they can.

? They believe that they deserve it.

? Their 'Why' is strong enough to carry them to their destination.

Sure, we can get into 'mine is better than yours' debates. We can say to each other, why are you not working as smart as I am? Why don't you wise up and see the light already?

What's the goal here?

FORCE FEEDING FAILS

All you can do is put what you feel is *right* information out there. Unless it's sheep you want following you, you have to let the information speak to whomever it may, trying to sell those who are already committed to a certain perspective seems downright silly to me.

Surely working with the people who raise their hands makes more sense.

Sheep get lost when you leave them and go to the beach. They also have to be eternally re-sold. They have no internal direction or creativity. I too am sorting and sifting, but not by way of feeding tube. Presuming that my way is the right way for everyone around me would not only be arrogant, it would be self-defeating.

A BETTER WAY?

This is what works for me ...

I want to attract the people that I want to attract ... everyone else is a distraction.

The people I want to attract most are those who have been there, done that within the network marketing industry, know it should work and just haven't found the right path until this point.

I also have a leaning towards helping anyone who is unfamiliar with what residual income is. I feel a person can't make an educated choice until they know what the offer is. My job is to make it accessible.

Second best to that is attracting and making connections with other like-minded networkers. These are the folks who will at the very least be a great source of industry specific resources (as I hope that I can be for them) with whom I can build a relationship now and file away as future joint venture partners.

GETTING FROM POINT A TO POINT B

Any situation that puts me into contact with people in those groups is where I want to be. Setting up systems that pre-sort people in mixed groups takes my own pre-judging (human) ways out of the equation.

The folly of sheep shopping is mine no more.

Now, people contact me.

About the Author

Andrea Goodsaid was first attracted to the NWM industry in 1996. Since 1997, she has been unravelling the mysteries of marketing & relationship building online. Visit her blog and see what's new http://AndreaGoodsaid.com