As I sat in the immaculate, Xango headquarters, in Utah, awaiting my meeting with two of their founders, I didn’t realize how much that half-hour meeting would change me for the rest of my life.
At the beginning of 2009, I was the “Financial Advocate” for a company called Freedom FastTrack. I was just starting to gain confidence in my message and my own abilities as a coach, even though my financial life was a mess. Through some fortunate connections in network marketing, I was able to set up a meeting with Joe Morton, one of the founders of the nutraceutical company, Xango.
As I walked in to their plush office that looked like they bought out IKEA, I started to get nervous as I informed the front desk receptionist that I had arrived. After she had me sit down in the waiting area, I realized that my heart started pounding harder, my palms started sweating, and my mind starting asking things like, “What are you doing here? Who do you think you are?”
Feelings of inadequacy quickly surfaced. These guys just past the $1 billion mark and I was in the midst of my own personal financial crisis. Our business at Freedom FastTrack was barely surviving. I hardly even took home any pay because it was often wrapped up covering expenses in the company.
“So why would they even want to meet with someone like me? Who am I to be here?”
Almost instantaneously in that same moment those thoughts occured, I felt a firm, yet soft voice enter penetrate my down-trodden heart and say,
“You know who you are! You’re their brother. Now go and exchange value with them!”
At that moment, my heart started calming down, my palms stopped being slimy, and I began to breathe. Right then, the front desk receptionist told me they were ready for me.
I traveled up 3 floors, was escorted to a conference room, and sat waiting. As the door opened, not only did Joe walk in, but his brother, Gordon, did as well. I confidently stood up, walked over, and shook each of their hands (with a much drier hand, I might add).
Not only did we talk for the assigned half an hour, but it went another 20 minutes longer. We had fun talking about sports, our favorite TV show at the time “The Office”, and the importance of personal development.
I didn’t walk out that day with a huge contract to educate their entire network marketing organization, but I did walk out with something much greater – a increased amount of self-worth and confidence.
What a gift that has been!!!
Although my feelings of inadequacy come up from time to time with regards to my business, I still know that I have a lot of value to offer those that I encounter each day.
Here are 3 simple keys to having more confidence (not arrogance) in your business:
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- CLARITY – You need to know the direction you are going. You don’t necessarily have to know how to get there. But you do need to be clear and know what you want. Clarity creates confidence.
- PURPOSE – I know you’ve heard how important it is to know you’re “why.” It’s still true. Your purpose drives you beyond the problems that inevitably arise. Having a deeply rooted purpose will anchor you during the roughest storms.
- UNIQUENESS – Know that you are one of a kind. In fact, no one else on this planet can bless people’s lives quite like you do. Get very clear about how you go about creating value for others with your gifts, passions, character, experiences, education, values, and roles that you play in life.
When you have a clear vision, know your purpose, and have an understanding of your uniqueness, you will stop asking, “Who am I?”
Instead, you’ll begin asking, “How can I best serve my brothers and sisters.” Then, and only then, will you have sufficient confidence in your business to leave your unique footprint on this planet and fully enrich the lives of others, including your own!