Here is a topic I think about constantly, and now with the explosion on the scene of the movie AVATAR, my thinking has expanded into an entirely new realm. (If you haven’t yet seen this film, I highly encourage you to do so).
Believing, as I always have, that we humans above all are social animals, that we fundamentally NEED to connect with one another in a meaningful way in order to fully experience life, I feel so encouraged that the effects of this film are sweeping not only our nation, but the world (#1 film in Russian film history as of yesterday 1/10/10, and China is close behind).
I was curious about the meaning of the word avatar, and in researching it, I see that the concept of an avatar – namely the idea that the Divine (however one chooses to define it) will descend and become manifest in various aspects of human life and the natural world in times of great need - is present in most of the world’s cultures. It is a common thread woven amongst all of us who live and breathe on this planet.
Since I believe that we humans are a direct expression of the Divine, and that we need to treat each other as such (do unto others as you would have them do unto you), this film hit close to home. And how, you might ask, could this possibly relate to Network Marketing? In the film, the hero embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption, not unlike what we all undergo, if we approach this industry in the correct way, as we examine ourselves and how we might best serve others in our businesses and in our lives. As our industry has evolved in the last decade, and particularly in the past two years, the posers and the get-quick-rich schemers intent on the quick buck at the expense of others are being exposed for what they are, and are NOT, as record numbers of people around the globe reach desperately for hope, for possibility and new direction. If we choose we all have the opportunity to step into our roles as guides, teachers, and leaders who work together to lift others from the depths of despair to the heights of hope.
There has never been a time in our country’s history where not only have so many been in need, but where the stakes are so very high. I know I do not need to recite the litany – record unemployment, lack of job security, evaporating retirement funds, the loss of homes and security, uncertainty with respect to basic health care, eroding educational institutions – so much of what used to be able to be depended on is no more. It is imperative that we ALL explore new avenues to meet our responsibilities, financial and otherwise; we can no longer depend on the company, the system, or the fact that we have 20 years seniority. It does not account for much any more.
We as network marketers are needed as never before, to inspire, to lead, to guide and to teach. To provide hope to someone venturing out on an entirely new career path at mid-life, or to the discouraged twenty-something who feels there is nothing “out there” that can be depended upon. We provide the vehicle where people can and will salvage the wreckage in their lives, and create new possibilities they could never have imagined. We can share information, based on our own personal experiences and those of people we know personally, to offer a new perspective or a different viewpoint. Again, it is hope and possibility.
People are of course researching, with often a high degree of anxiety and despair, for that special business or opportunity that speaks to them personally, but more importantly, they are looking for a WARM human HAND reaching out across the abyss that they can grasp and hold on to. They are looking for CONNECTION, to feel a purpose, to feel that someone other than their own family members care deeply about their welfare. And they often need a real live HUMAN BEING who can hold the space for hope and possibility for them until they can access it themselves, and can in turn, share that with others. Someone who will take them by the hand and show them the way until it feels comfortable and familiar. And then the cycle begins again.
I truly cannot think of another industry where we have such a powerful opportunity to help reshape lives, and in doing so, find our own redemption as exquisite expressions of the Divine. Make no mistake… we are here to SERVE, and in serving, we discover our own true worth.
