What I learned in Paris…

The iconic Eiffel Tower is one of the most beloved structures in the world. Having surpassed its 250 millionth visitor in 2010, it stands today as the most visited paid monument on the planet! Yet it might surprise some of you to learn that in the beginning the tower had its fair share of naysayers. In fact, it was erected against considerable criticism from those who thought it wasn’t possible to construct such a tower (nothing like it had ever been built), and those who also felt even if it could be built, it would not fit into the artistry of the city…

In 1887 those critics sent a petition to oppose the construction, which read in part: “We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects and passionate devotees of the hitherto untouched beauty of Paris, protest with all our strength, with all our indignation in the name of slighted French taste, against the erection…of this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower…”

Hmmm, does that sound familiar? Does it remind you of some of the feedback you received when you first shared your excitement with others as you began to build your own Network Marketing “Tower”? It’s funny, but for as long as we can remember, those naysayers seemed just as committed to their opinions as they pleaded with us not to sign up, attempted to convince us these things didn’t work, while they repeatedly reminded us we’d somehow lost our minds!

But here’s the thing… Thankfully, Eiffel didn’t listen to the naysayers and we didn’t listen to the naysayers either.

The man behind the vision, Gustave Eiffel, had a massive vision; he created a plan of action (a written blueprint), then put that plan into action, and persisted until his masterpiece was complete! The interesting thing was, once the tower was finished and the critics saw the completed tower in all its magnificent splendor, not to mention its enormous success, the criticism all but stopped. Again, does that sound familiar?

In the beginning, like building that tower, building our business is the most difficult when we are opposed by naysayers, when we haven’t experienced success, and when we are simply trusting in the vision and belief of the leaders who have gone before us. But Eiffel proved it was possible and so can you. How? By remembering, perhaps, the greatest lesson of all…

The Eiffel Tower began with a strong foundation (see the pictures below) and was completed because of an unwavering commitment to succeed. So how about you? Are you willing to lay in a solid foundation for your business that will, like the Eiffel Tower, stand the test of time?

It did take time to lay in the proper foundation for the Eiffel Tower. Likewise, it will take time to read the right books, to listen to the audio programs, and to attend the live events. It will take time to learn the skills. It will take time to learn how to use the tools. It will take time to understand and be able to explain the compensation plan. It will take time to listen to the training calls/podcasts. It will take time to grow into leadership. And it will take time to grow ourselves personally. In other words, it will take time to go from wherever we are, to wherever we desire to be…

But will it be worth it? In my opinion, the answer is absolutely YES! Now keep in mind, in life we receive the reward after investing the necessary time and effort. Likewise, we need to invest in ourselves if we want to lay in a strong foundation that will support the growth of our successful Network Marketing “Tower” or business.

And laying in that strong foundation was just as important for the Eiffel tower. Although it took two years to build the tower, it took the first six month just to complete the foundation! Can you imagine what the naysayers in Paris thought watching all the activity for six months without seeing anything being built above ground?

The criticisms around the project included protests, as well as negative stories written in the press. Yet, the workers showed up every day being guided by Gustave Eiffel’s powerful and compelling vision. He could have given in to the naysayers, or simply given up, but he didn’t. He continued working on the foundation that would eventually support the most well-known and, perhaps, the most-beloved structure in the world!

I wonder how many other “masterpieces” never got off the ground because someone actually listened to the naysayers and dream stealers? Although we’ll never know for sure, in my experience, it’s during the foundation building part of our Network Marketing journey that we lose the most people.

Never let that happen to you!

Therefore, do a little reading, listening, and learning every day to build that strong foundation for your business. Make sure you have a written plan of action in place (your own blueprint) to keep you on track. And then consistently work every day to build your business until your own “Tower” is complete! It’s true, if you focus on the fundamentals and build that strong foundation for your own Network Marketing business, as you work to get better over time, you can build the most magnificent life, a true masterpiece, silence the naysayers and the critics, and enjoy the spectacular views from atop your very own “Eiffel Tower!” Because in the end, it’s all worth it!

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