How many home business opportunities have you tried and "failed" at before you found "the one" ? 3? 4? More? Or haven't you found it yet? That was a question I asked the members of my group , " The Pajama Momma's" the other day. I have tried so many in the past 20 years, I think I forgot one or two when I did that post.



So, was I a failure, or did I fail to plan? I think the longest I worked any of these businesses was about 3 months. Then I threw in the proverbial towel and proclaimed the company and it's products "impossible to sell."



For gosh sakes, I've been here 6 weeks and haven't made a dime!



I just knew I would never succeed. Another company out to get my money!



About a year or so ago, I ran into a woman who was my upline in another company about 8 years ago. She was driving a VERY nice car. Dressed to the nines. Great hair. Great face ( hmmm...those beauty products that were part of our inventory?) I asked her if she was still with that particular company. I was floored when she smiled and said, "Yes, I am." All I could think as I drove home is "that could have been me!"



So that got me to thinking. Why do some home business owner's flourish in business, while others wither away?



I was about a year into my AmeriPlan business and was growing, but pretty slow. Giving up wasn't an option. I believed in the service, believed in the opportunity and I was so thrilled that there was no product to sell, store and ship. So I decided to get a little old fashioned education. I listened to motivational speakers on CD's - those people that had what I wanted. I read inspirational books. Read about famous people and what they have accomplished, and the time it took them to succeed. I almost hung my head in shame! Compared to some of these people , I hadn't even STARTED the process needed to be successful.



Check out these facts:



We all know this one! Look how long it took God to create the world, and he's GOD! C'mon, I'm just me. How long did I try before I gave up?



Thomas Edison's teachers proclaimed him "too stupid to learn anything." It took Edison 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Edison 's attitude was this : I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.



Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he succeeded



Dr. Suess's first book , And to think I saw it on Mulberry Street, was rejected by 27 publishers. Vanguard Press eventually picked it up. It went on to sell 6 million copies. Since that time, well....it's all history.



The list goes on and on. In fact, some of the most successful people had tried and been unsuccessful at least a few times. Which gave me a new resolve- I was going to look at the successful people in my company and do what they did. All they did was keep on keeping on! I did, too. I made Regional Sales Director soon after. Now I help participate in training calls to help other's reach RSD.



Why am I willing to go the long haul now? I think it really came when I saw my upline from the previous company. She had what I had wanted way back when but did not have the courage and conviction to see it through. Granted, she probably believes in the product. I admit I didn't feel comfortable selling stuff I didn't even like using! But I do believe in health benefits.