Today is Labor Day in the U.S. and like most people I know, I’ve been giving my grill a major workout all weekend long! Traditionally, this day marks the end of the summer vacation season, college football gets into high gear and even though we haven’t had much of a break in the heat here in northern hemisphere, this is also a symbolic time of year when folks shake off the dog days of summer and make that mental shift to get down to business again as another school year gets underway.

One of the great things about any holiday is the break in routine – the opportunity to look at life from a fresh perspective and take inventory on our priorities. We get so caught up in barbeques, parties and last minute getaways before the kids head back to school that it’s easy to forget where Labor Day and other celebrations like it around the world originally came from. I looked it up this morning and was reminded that legislation to make Labor Day an official federal holiday in the U.S. was actually rushed through Congress in the 19th century in the aftermath of the Pullman Strike that ended in violence during Grover Cleveland’s administration.

As entrepreneurs, Labor Day gives us a lot to think about. The old paradigm is gone forever. Gone are the days when we can rely on a job, an employer, a corporation or even a government program to carry us safely into the future. If you’ve read Crashproof Prosperity by Kip Herriage, you understand that the age old conflicts between “management” and “labor” completely miss the point of the realities unfolding around us. Labels like this serve no purpose but to create division between people and have nothing to do with how wealth is really created. Money follows value. Always has. Always will. It’s all about choices and actions. Some choices and actions add value and others take it away. Everything else is academic.

So where does that leave us? Fully in charge of our own destinies. Fortunately, we still live in a world where hard work has the same power to create abundance that it’s always had – provided that it’s channeled in a single, positive direction and based on a passionate belief in solid success principles. As you look around you today and reflect on the blessings in your life, take time out to renew a few commitments to yourself. Promise yourself that you will assume 100% responsibility for the results you’re getting in wealth, health and wisdom. Promise yourself that you will get totally clear on what matters to you most – the ideal scene you envision in your work, in your home, in your relationships and in your private time. Promise yourself that you will relentlessly develop the habits of thought and action necessary to make that ideal scene a reality.

Everything you’ve ever wanted in life is waiting for you just outside your comfort zone. It’s there for the taking, but no one is going to bring it to you. You already have everything you require to succeed inside of you, so there’s no reason to wait for the “perfect” conditions to start enjoying the rewards you desire TODAY! Have a safe and happy Labor Day and pass me that barbeque platter one more time!

DREAM BIG!!!

Michael Hamburger

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an avid (and active!) student of success, especially since I first found my way into the network marketing industry more than ten years ago. Along the way I’ve been privileged to meet some of the highest achievers in the world. Every success mentor I’ve ever studied makes pretty much the same point. They may have their own unique way of saying it and they usually prescribe different tools and techniques for capturing it, but from Napoleon Hill to the most successful person you know personally, they all agree that you can’t GET what you want until you KNOW what you want!

When I talk about knowing what you want, I don’t mean the vague wishes that everybody has for more money, better relationships or a more comfortable life. What I’m talking about here is having TOTAL CLARITY about what you want your life experience to be in every area – mind, body, spirit and emotions. It might shock you to discover how few people are really willing to put in the time and effort it takes to map out their lives in this kind of detail, but I can assure you with complete confidence that the wealthiest 1% of the population follows this one success habit without exception. They all create a powerful mental picture of what they want in vivid detail that energizes every decision and action.

If you happen feel stuck the first time you try this kind of visioning exercise, don’t beat yourself up about it. Most of us have been taught from a very early age to “go along to get along” and keep our dreams small, if we have any dreams at all. By the time kids reach the sixth grade, most of their creativity has been conditioned out of them with the expectation that there’s only one right answer. Independent thinking is almost never encouraged, especially when it comes to the ideas of wealth and success.  The truth is that there are no rules about how successful you can be. The only real limits on the abundance you create are the ones you set for yourself. If you’re ready to give it try, here are a few thought-starters to get you moving:

What inspires you? Are there activities that make you lose track of time? Are there certain things that seem to automatically raise your energy level, almost before you realize it? These are clues that point to your true desires in life.

Think back to conversations you’ve had with close friends or family members. If you can remember a time when your speech became more animated – when the words just seemed to flow – that’s your idea life calling to you. Make a few notes about these memories and you’ll be off to a great start toward defining what you really want.

What are you passionate about? Almost everyone has had the experience of seeing situation at work, at home or in the world at large and just “knowing” they could make it better. If you’ve ever felt driven to improve something in your life or in your environment, that’s another clue you can use to uncover your deepest desires.

What are the “wants” that truly motivate you? Is it having more discretionary income, more free time or a special accomplishment that has your name attached to it? Imagine all of these things as if they’ve already become real in your life and write them out in vivid detail.

Finally, knowing WHY you want these things will help you to stay on task. Whether it’s to realize a personal dream, make a change in the world or provide a better life for someone you love, knowing “why” your dream is important to you will keep you on course when the inevitable temptation comes to put it off for another day.

Think carefully one more time about this statement; you can’t GET what you want until you KNOW what you want. Once you have a clear destination in mind that you’re passionate about – like being a part of the life-changing 3 day Transform event in Hawaii – you’ll have a REASON to succeed, to persist and to be RELENTLESS. Nothing will be able to stand in your way. Having certainty about what you really, really want is the key to being unstoppable. The network marketing industry in general, and Avant in particular, is the best vehicle I know for making dreams come true, so make sure you…

…DREAM BIG!!!

Michael Hamburger

Right now there’s a big, fresh beef brisket soaking up flavor in my refrigerator, waiting to be slow-grilled to perfection over the weekend. It’s just chillaxin’ in there like a movie star stretched out in a Palm Springs spa. I could tell you what’s in the top secret dry rub, but it’s not mine to give away… I got it from an industry insider who will be introduced to the Avant community in the next 30-60 days. When it comes to brisket on the grill, I’ve got it down to a science now and when I stick to the formula I get a predictable result every time… smoky crust on the outside, fork tender on the inside and plenty of ooh’s and aah’s all around the table… just the way I like it.

Family and friends know that I love to tear it up in the kitchen. When you’re at my table, I want you to enjoy the BEST, so I put a lot of time, effort and passion into perfecting each recipe. Sure, I’m always looking to expand my skills and learn new techniques, but I never stop building on the basics. Each time I reach for a new level of excellence, I always start by returning to the fundamentals… striving for perfection in the rudimentary skills that are common to ANY great culinary experience. You already see where I’m going with this, don’t you?

No matter how creative you get or how many variations you try, success in the kitchen really boils down to just three very basic things; 1) the right ingredients, 2) blended in the right proportions and the right sequence and 3) cooked at the right temperature for the right amount of time. Follow these steps without exception for ANY given recipe and you’ll get pretty much the same outcome every single time. From there, everything else is just nuance. There’s a comfort in having that kind of certainty and when your confidence goes up, so will your enjoyment.

The late comedian Richard Jeni did a hilarious spoof on cooking shows, saying, “Tonight we’re going to make a fabulously complicated dish using ingredients you’ve never heard of and utensils you can’t afford, in a kitchen that’s bigger than your whole [expletive deleted] apartment.” You saw this coming a mile away and here it is. The difference between a GREAT marketer’s results and a good marketer’s results has nothing to do with flashy techniques or expensive gear… it’s in the amount of DISCIPLINE and CONSISTENCY they devote to the fundamentals.

The right ingredients for great marketing are getting your message out there (advertising) and people to talk to (leads). A balanced blend of both is the LIFEBLOOD of this business. If you’re new and you don’t have a big advertising budget, there are dozens of low or no cost options out there you can start using today with virtually no risk. Even if you haven’t made your first sale yet, you’ve still got a powerful story to tell. You came to this opportunity in your own way and people will follow you if you concentrate on being the prosperous entrepreneur you envision in thought, word and deed, rather than identifying with any limitations in your past. Let ‘em go!

Once you’ve got the right stuff in the bowl in the right proportions, time and temperature seals the deal. Marketers who make it from good to great know that sticking to the fundamentals with the same level of intensity every single day over the long haul is what delivers the results. Distractions, rejections and setbacks are just a part of life that comes to multi-million dollar producers and raw beginners alike. What sets the winners apart from the wannabes is an unshakable “no matter what” attitude. No doubt about it, Avant is a “workers” business, but the rewards of consistency are unlike any other in our industry. We’re changing lives with products that matter and spreading a holistic message of financial literacy and freedom that’s available to ANYONE with the desire, drive and determination to create a better life. Let me know next time you’re in the Houston area… you just never know what’s cookin’ on the grill! What are you waiting for? Get out in that kitchen and rattle them pots and pans!

DREAM BIG!!!

Michael Hamburger