You’ve put your heart and soul into your direct sales company, and then the unthinkable happens…you feel let down by the very company that you’ve poured your life into. It could be any number of things: they didn’t do what they said they would do, they didn’t give you the support you desperately needed, they changed vital things in the compensation plan or manual, their rules and policies were vague then interpreted against you, there was a major miscommunication between the two of you that cost you dearly…I could go on and on. Maybe it wasn’t the company itself, but your sponsor or another consultant who let you down or did something very hurtful to you. But if you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about, and you more than likely have a clear instance or two in your mind.
How are you feeling now? Let down? Betrayed? Ready to quit?
I am here to say, “Don’t.”
Unless it was a major instance of poor company character such as outright lying or blatant deception, then you are shooting yourself in the foot to throw in the towel after investing so much into your business.
You may be livid. You may be wounded. You may not feel you have the strength to go on. But please hear me out. You will only be hurting yourself if you quit now.
Seriously…do you think you can pack up and go elsewhere and the same thing won’t happen again? Disappointment is life. It will happen again. I can almost guarantee it. Life is messy. Stuff happens. People make mistakes. The key is how you deal with it.
So what now?
1. Hit the pause button, because your feelings could be a signal of something deeper. Maybe the real issue is that you are simply burned out.
You pushed too hard, put in too many hours, and crossed personal and family boundaries. You left no margin in your life for rest and recovery. You poured everything you had into your business. So now when any issue comes up, big or small, you are more sensitive…it is easier to blame others…see others’ faults…not be able to think things through rationally. If this is the case, then you need to make radical changes in your life, priorities, and schedule, so that you can get your life back into balance.
2. Watch the friends and company you keep.
If you are discussing matters with friends and consultants who are negative, then I can guarantee that negativity will grow with a life of its own and infect everyone in the group with a deadly poison that will ruin their chances of having a happy, successful business.
You may feel that you need someone to confide in, but if that person only feeds your negativity and hurt, rather than helping you climb out of that hole, then you are asking for trouble. Surround yourself with friends and consultants who are positive and can encourage you when you are down. Return the favor. Disappointments will come, but having encouraging friends can make all the difference in whether you fizzle out or can sustain and thrive through the long haul.
3. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
I know someone who is not really getting excited and putting effort into her business because she is not wild about the stylishness of the packaging of her company’s product, even though she loves the product itself. She is killing any chances of success she might have by focusing on a minute issue. What could be a great opportunity for her is being criticized to the point of being useless as an avenue of potential financial independence.
There are so many insignificant issues that distributors can find themselves disgruntled over…how the website looks, how efficient the checkout process is, the return policy, the quality of marketing photos, the frequency of sales, the look of the newly released products, how often new products are released, etc. Again, you are only hurting yourself if you get distracted by insignificant issues such as these.
4. Remember that we are all human, and be willing to grant GRACE to others.
Upset that your customer service rep was short with you when you called in with a question? Well, have you ever had a bad day? Have you ever thought that maybe this person was having a bad day as well? She is a person of value and we may never know what she is currently going through. Why are we so prideful to think that we are always perfect and never make mistakes, and never allow others to make a single misstep? Think the best of others and their intentions. Assume the best rather than the worst. Think of them the way you’d like others to think of you when you mess up. Give grace. Is there one person that has hurt you? If it is relatively minor, then forgive and overlook. If it is not something you can overlook and is causing bitterness to fester inside you, or affecting your work relationship, then maybe you need to humbly talk with them one-on-one to get things in the open so you can get them resolved. Many times we make assumptions about people and their motives that simply are not true.
There are many ways you can feel let down by your direct sales company or those in it. Don’t be surprised when you are, because it will more than likely happen at some time in some form. Yes, there may be times when issues are serious enough to warrant getting out, but be sure you think things through carefully using discernment and wisdom rather than unreliable emotions. Feelings make great servants, but horrible masters. Don’t sabotage your own business or future; you are only hurting yourself. Be sure to keep your life in balance to prevent burn-out, surround yourself with positive influences, overlook insignificant issues, and above all, give grace.
