As you can probably already tell, I am a huge fan of books. I always tell my 4 year old son that the most important thing he can do in life is read. But, outside of telling him so, it’s important that I lead by example.

After all, what good is telling my son such a thing if I’m not a reader myself? And, I do love learning new things about the world around me, and about myself, and what better way is there than reading books?

Anyhow, in this week’s edition of The Tuesday Tip I thought I’d offer you some of the best books I’ve read over the years.

I’ll leave biographies and books on specific business topics out of this list. However, I highly recommend that you read both types of books. For example, being an entrepreneur, I’ve read books by Bill Gates, Martha Stewart and Donald Trump to name just a few.

And, I’m heavily involved with business and marketing and read lots of books on those topics. However, for this recommended reading list I’ll include only books which will help you to grow as a person regardless of your specific areas of interest. And, I couldn’t possibly include every title here so this is only a partial list of my favorites.

“Feelings Buried Alive Never Die…” by Karol K. Truman

“The Richest Man In Babylon” by George S. Clason

“Think And Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill

“The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann

“Leadership Secrets of Atila The Hun” by Wess Roberts

“Giant Steps” by Anthony Robbins

“Unlimited Power” by Anthony Robbins

“The 5 Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die” by John Izzo

Again, this is just a partial list of some of the books I’ve read which have a major impact on me.

I would love to hear about some of your favorites. If you have a minute, why don’t you email me via the contact tab above and tell me about some of your favorite books. I’m always open to great book suggestions.

And, be sure to visit the personal and professional development library I’ve placed here on my blog. You’ll find over 100 books in the library and they’re all yours 100% free. Just click the tab above.

In this high tech world in which we live, communications are frequently conducted virtually. The tools we have at our disposal such as email, blogs, texting and yes, even the fax machine, enable us to communicate with people the world over with great ease.

All of these technically advanced methods of communication are still driven by the words we use. The words that you use and how you use them say a lot about the type of person you are. And rightly or wrongly, people do judge you on your use of words.

The words which flow from your mind be them written or spoken tell others immediately whether or not you are somebody they would want to, or should, listen to.

The use of a rich vocabulary let’s others know that you’re confident; it will cause others to take pause and pay attention to what you have to say. Additionally, the use of a rich vocabulary will enable you to convey your thoughts precisely and concisely.

Please note that I’m stressing the importance of having a rich vocabulary not a big one. There is nothing particularly virtuous about having a big vocabulary whereas there is every virtuous about having a rich vocabulary.

What’s the difference between the two?

A big vocabulary is dropping complex words throughout your written and verbal communications in an attempt to impress others. A rich vocabulary is coming across to others as articulate through the use of appropriate and carefully chosen words. There is a huge difference between these two.

Never underestimate the power of a rich vocabulary.

There are a number of things you can do to help you enhance your word power. One of my personal favorites is Word of the Day from Dictionary.com. It’s free and once you sign up you’ll receive a new word to your email inbox every day.

What I like to do is keep my Word of the Day email open and reference it from time to time throughout the day. By doing so, at the end of the day I would’ve added a new word to my vocabulary. It’s fun, easy and very beneficial.

Go ahead and try it out, I know you’ll love it. Just go and visit http://www.Dictionary.com and you’ll see the sign up box on the right hand side of the page.

This is a very important post so please take a few minutes to read it through to the end.

A very good friend’s father passed away last week, the wake was on Monday. I will refer to him in this post as Mr. P.

Throughout the funeral home there were about 15 photo collages set up which showed Mr. P surrounded by his family and friends. It was abundantly apparent that the man lived a loving and very fulfilling life. He was loved and adored by all those knew him…especially his family.

Why am I telling you this? Well, amongst all of the photographs on display at the funeral home there was one collage of the thank you letters and testimonials Mr. P had received from his clientele over the years.

Mr. P was a landscaping contractor (his youngest son now carries on with the business). I stood there for at least a half an hour reading thank you note after thank you note that Mr. P had received from his many happy clients. It was plain as day that Mr. P loved his work, took pride in it and always delivered over and above the expectations of those who hired him.

One additional thing I took note of was the massive number of people who filtered through the funeral home to say goodbye to him. At one point the line of those who came to say goodbye to Mr. P wrapped around the block.

I’ve always been aware of the importance of living a life of service to others; of delivering value and delivering more than what’s expected of you. But this concept is easily lost on us as we go through our lives from day to day. Seeing the admiration of Mr. P after his passing – from his loved ones, friends and clients – really underscored this for me.

Anyhow, Mr. P’s career enabled him to live a life not many get to enjoy. He had a beautiful home in the NYC suburbs and a beach house on the New Jersey shore. I know that Mr. P didn’t want for anything. The great life he lived stands as a testament to his passion for his work and for those around him.

I do not want this message to be too long but I do want to say one last thing; sadly, so many people actually have a negative net worth by the time they hit age 65. Please – PLEASE – do not let that be you. We all only have one shot at being on this planet.

You can spend your life any way that you choose but you can only spend it once.

My calling is to help and work with others who want more from life. If there is anything I can do for you, to help you to get the most from this lifetime you’ve been given, please do not hesitate to let me know.

And, as always, I wish you a great deal of peace and prosperity in your life.

In my weekly Tuesday Tips newsletter I went and shared some terrific inspirational quotes with my readers. There were also a few funny ones mixed in.

There’s so much to be learned from others even by reading a simple, single sentence quote. Speaking for myself, sometimes a just quote can provide an Ah-HA moment or provide the inspiration to continue forward during difficult times.

Here are a few I wanted to share with you for now and I’m hoping you’ll take a moment to leave a comment and share your own favorite quotes with my readers.

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, either way you’re right.”

“Success comes in a can, failure comes in a can’t.”

“If you love what you do you’ll never work another day in your life.”

“It’s easy to get to the top after you get through the crowd at the bottom.”

“Everybody’s a self-made man; but only the successful ones are ever willing to admit it.”

“Success comes before work only in the dictionary.”

“Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get.”

“When you were born you were crying and everybody around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you pass from this earth you’ll be smiling and everybody around you will be crying.”

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”

Here are a few humorous quotes:

“The only trouble with trouble is it starts off as fun.”

“If at first you DO succeed try not to look too surprised.”

“Never take life too seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.”

“Whoever said money cannot buy happiness simply does not know where to shop.”

“The road to success is always under construction.”

The study of how to succeed at network marketing has changed drastically over the past 10 or so years. The reason for this change can be summed up in two simple worlds: the internet.

Of course the world wide web has completely changed the landscape for all types of businesses. But for the purposes of this article we’ll focus our attention specifically on MLM and the web’s impact on how to succeed in network marketing.

There are so many great resources available which can teach you how to leverage web technologies to build your home based network marketing business.

These resources will instruct you on the proper usage of social sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. How to use blogs to succeed at network marketing, the importance of having a marketing funnel in place, PPC efficiency and the list goes on and on.

What tends to get lost in the ocean of this technological training as it relates to growing a network marketing business is the personal nature of MLM.

At the core of Mike Dillard’s Magnetic Sponsoring training is the importance of positioning yourself as a leader. A leader that others will view as a valuable resources who can help them to build a successful network marketing business of their own.

Understand that success in network marketing is entirely about connecting with people. And this is the reason why the internet has had such a tremendous impact on how to succeed in network marketing. It provides us with an unlimited number of ways to connect with others.

Never before have we seen such powerful business building tools.

But never lose sight of the fact that behind every email you send and every video you post to YouTube and blog post you make there are people; real live human beings. And people want to do business with other people not technology.

Technology changes at such a blistering pace that you can never be too sure of what will be the next new, hottest technology to market and grow your MLM business. What’s hot and what’s working now could be completely different next year; even next month.

What has remained unchanged though for thousands of years and what will never change is human nature.

At the core we all have dreams, goals, desires and wants. When you can understand the dreams, goals, desires and wants of the people you’re talking with about your business you will have no choice but to succeed.

When you connect with people on a personal level and understand their motivations for wanting to start an MLM business then you will no doubt succeed at network marketing.

Although the internet provides every means imaginable to initiate contact with others, how do you take it to the next step? How do you then replace technology with the human touch even if a person is half way around the world?

With your eyes and ears, that’s how. Read the emails they send to you with care and really listen to what they say when speaking with them on the phone.

In order to connect with people on a personal level you’ve got to find out what motivates them. You need to uncover their dreams and goals. To do that, you should be spending most of your time looking and listening.

Ask them questions and let them tell you why they are worthy of your valuable time. Let them convince you that they are a good fit for your business not the other way around.

Finally, above all else, network marketing is a business. Make sure you get involved in a business which is true to your core. When you’re speaking with others they will be able to sense the belief and enthusiasm you have for your product.

Your belief and enthusiasm will come through which will result in a natural human connection with others.

How do you choose the business which is right for you? I’ve written a free report you can download immediately which can instruct you on how to succeed in network marketing by choosing an opportunity you can believe in. Download the report right now by going to http://www.UltraHomeBusiness.com/

There exists a quiz referred to as “The Charles Schultz Philosophy” although there is some debate as to whether or not Schultz actually came up with it. For those who may not know, Schultz created the popular “Peanuts” comic strip.

I’d originally read this philosophy years ago and just came across it again the other day. I wanted to pass this along to you because I really feel that this short philosophy is what success and life is all about.

It’s very easy for each of us to lose sight of the really important things in life. As we get all caught up in achieving and accumulating things we tend to forget what’s most important.

The following is a great reminder.

Here’s the quiz although you do not have to actually answer any of these questions to get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
3. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
4. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
5. Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is; none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here’s another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care and make a difference for others.

“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It’s already tomorrow in Australia.”

I’d like to remind you of the free resource library I’ve placed right here on my blog. Although I most likely do not know you personally I’d still like to make a positive difference in your life. This resource library is my way of doing it. Just click the “free resources” tab above.

You will frequently hear that how to succeed in network marketing – often referred to as multi level marketing or simply MLM – comes down to the business being a numbers game.

Although it’s true that most of the people you speak with will not join your business, there are tremendous flaws with looking at network marketing as just a numbers game.

So if you’ve been lead to believe that network marketing success is nothing more and nothing less than a numbers game, please allow me to offer you a different perspective.

Before you read any further, you’ve got to understand that success in network marketing is entirely about connecting with people.

If you fail to understand the importance of connecting with others on a personal level in MLM, you’re toast.

So please, put aside the distractions for the next few minutes and really pay attention to what you’re about to read. It can literally be your turning point to the network marketing success you deserve and seek.

People get involved in a network marketing business because they have goals and dreams.

They are not getting involved because they love to sell stuff. They see that succeeding in a network marketing business is a means for them to reach their goals and realize their dreams.

Let’s say you’re speaking with somebody about your business. She’s got some interest in the MLM industry but she also has her doubts. She is looking for assurance that if she does start a network marketing business she’s making the right decision.

This is a real person you’re speaking with. She’s somebody’s daughter. She’s a mom, a wife, an aunt and maybe a grandmother.

If you look at her as being a part of your network marketing numbers game, she will see right through you. And it’s more than likely that if you see her as a number you’ll use some kind of a high pressure tactic to get her into your organization.

On the other hand, if you make it your business to connect with her on a personal level – to understand her motivations for wanting to start a business in the first place – she will then see you as a valuable leader. She’ll see you as someone who can help her to reach her goals.

If you make it your mission in network marketing to be seen as a valuable leader to others, you’re golden.

At the risk of sounding all kumbayah, speak with people from your core. Let them feel the love and concern you have for their well being.

When you can connect with others from your core to theirs then you will be in for one helluva ride.

We live in an unprecedented time in human history.

We have more tools at our disposal today to help us build a successful network marketing business than we’ve ever had before.

Some of the network marketing training materials available today will teach you everything you need to know about effective business marketing.

On top of that, technology and the internet place hundreds of options to market an MLM business literally at our fingertips.

Never before have we seen such powerful business building tools.

But never, ever forget that behind every mouse click, behind every blog post and behind every email you send are people; real live human beings. And people want to do business with people not technology. People want to be treated like people, not numbers.

The speed at which technology changes ensures that you will never run out of ways to market your business.

What hasn’t changed and what will never change is human nature.

At the core we all have dreams, goals, desires and wants. When you can understand the dreams, goals, desires and wants of the people you’re talking with about your business you will have no choice but to succeed.

When you connect with people on a personal level and understand their motivations for wanting to start an MLM business then you will succeed in network marketing.

When you’re speaking with others about your business, it’s what they want that’s important, not what you want.

When you can help others to get what they want then you will get what you want in the process. That, my friend, is an undeniable, universal truth.

Please, go ahead and read the previous two sentences once more. Those two sentences represent the single most important business concept you will ever discover.

Additionally, being hung up on the numbers game of network marketing means you’ll have an open door policy for your business. This kind of thinking will lead you to believe that stuffing “numbers” into your organization is the key to network marketing success.

Man oh man nothing could be further from the truth.

Looking at network marketing as a numbers game will lead you to believe that such garbage as the 3 foot rule is actually effective business building.

Have you ever heard of this rule?

Actually, calling it a rule is very misleading. It can more appropriately be described as utter nonsense.

What “the 3 foot rule” tells you is that anybody within 3 feet of you, at any given time, is a prospect for your network marketing business.

What? You’re kidding me, right?

If you’re at a cocktail party and meet somebody for the first time, do you want to start pitching them on your business? When in line at the super market, do you want to turn to the stranger behind you and pitch your opportunity?

The numbers game of network marketing will tell you that these are effective business building strategies. When in fact, they are nothing more than great ways to ostracize others.

How to succeed in network marketing is not at all about quantity but is so much more about quality. Sponsor just a few serious business builders into your organization and you will succeed in MLM beyond your wildest dreams.

But, with an open door policy for your MLM business you’ll be sure to fill your organization with tire kickers and time wasters.

There is nothing which will smash your hopes of network marketing success more quickly than the frustration brought about by attrition.

And the very best way to experience attrition in your business is to see network marketing as a numbers game.

So finally, how do you do it? How do you connect with others on a personal level and how do you find serious business builders for your organization?

How do you effectively connect with others? Look and listen, that’s how.

You were born with two eyes, two ears and one mouth.

Note that 4 out of those 5 are sources of input with only one being a source of output.

In order to connect with people on a personal level you’ve got to find out what motivates them. You need to uncover their dreams and goals. To do that, you should be spending most of your time looking and listening.

Ask them questions and let them tell you why they are worthy of your valuable time. Let them convince you that they are a good fit for your business not the other way around.

I can guarantee you that those who see network marketing as a numbers game are doing most of the talking as they try to pressure people into their organization.

Finally, let me say this; I realize that a much smaller percentage of the people you speak with will actually join your business but so what.

Taking the time and steps necessary to connect with the right people for your business will put you way ahead of the success curve and will save you a ton of frustration in the process.

Please allow me to offer you this one final thought before I go:

Approach people with empathy. Think of the most successful people in the world. How did they get that way?

They became as successful as they are because they offer tremendous value to others. They do not chase people; people chase them.

When you make it your priority to connect with others on a personal level, they will be asking you to please sponsor them into your business.

Wishing you tremendous prosperity,

P.S. I invite you to download some killer network marketing success tools and other terrific, free resources at http://www.ultrahomebusiness.com/  Also, be sure to visit my blog where I’ve created a free resource library of over 100 personal and professional development resources – just click the tab found above.