Don’t compare yourself to other network marketers. We’re all different and we’re all on a different journey. This is another valuable lesson I learned from the legend himself, Holton Buggs.
Most network marketers will look at other successful network marketers and compare themselves. They look at what the other person has achieved in the business and wonder why they aren’t as successful as that person is.
As a result, their self-esteem is lowered, doubt creeps in their mind, and they start to second guess the business. As I see it, comparing yourself to someone else is a dead end road. Here’s why.
# 1 You are comparing your weaknesses to their strengths. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. Some people are great leaders. Other people can’t even lead themselves. Some people have amazing credibility. Others have no credibility. Some reps have mastered closing and selling. Others can’t even sponsor their own spouse.
When you compare yourself to someone else you are normally focusing on their strong points, and comparing them to your weaknesses.
For instance, if you are studying someone who is a master recruiter, who can sponsor 10-20 people a month consistently, and you’ve never sponsored anyone into the business, it’s not a fair comparison. Chances are they sucked at recruiting initially, but developed those skills over a period of time.
Someone who is a master at something (which is a learned skill) is always going to outperform someone who is inexperienced at doing the same thing. Someone who has years experience developing their skills will always outperform a newbie.
# 2 You don’t know the whole story! I wrote another post called the story behind the story. My belief is that you seldom know the entire story of the other top earners you admire. You don’t know what they struggled with in the beginning of their network marketing business. You don’t know how long they have been in the industry or how many companies they have been with.
You don’t know how much rejection they got, how much work they did, or what struggles they had to overcome in order to be successful. Most successful distributors rarely talk about the these things, even though they should.
When you look at someone successful on stage at your company’s convention, you are looking at a finished product, not what they were like when they were in your shoes, just getting started in the business. Someone who has gone through five to ten years of personal development, struggle, and temporary failure will be a completely different person than they were when they first got started in the business.
# 3 You don’t know how long they have been in the business. Most successful distributors have been in the industry ten to twenty years, if not longer. Even when someone new joins your company and makes it to the top pin level quickly, you don’t know they if they simply switched companies and brought their team with them. Few people achieve quick success in network marketing, or any other industry.
Most of the successful reps that I have met personally have been in our industry at least 20 years, and normally longer than that. Very few “new people” join our industry and go straight to the top in a year or two. You have to pay your dues, put in the time and develop your skills.
# 4 You put too much pressure on yourself. Whenever you compare yourself to other network marketers, you put way too much pressure on yourself. This business is not supposed to be stressful. It should be fun. If it’s not fun, you are doing the business the wrong way.
A few rare folks thrive on this pressure, but most don’t. If you’re going to compare something, compare who you are today with who you can become in a few short years! The sooner you stop comparing yourself to others the better off you will be.
Most people already have enough pressure in their life from their job and personal finances. Do not put this added pressure on yourself.
My Tip
Study what other successful people DID to become successful in the industry, but don’t compare yourselves with them. Learn the strategies and techniques they followed to get where they are today, and then model that behavior. But realize that you are a completely unique individual with your own talents, abilities, strengths and weaknesses.
Work on your personal development and get a little bit better every single day. Do that for a few years and you too can be on stage. That is the best advice I can offer.
Final Thoughts
I used to compare myself to successful distributors all the time and I have to tell you that it did more harm than good. The key to your success in this business is YOU. All you have to do is take the time to develop the right mind-set and right skill-set, and then put in the work.
Rather than comparing yourself to others, just work on you. Try to improve every single day. Develop yourself by reading books, finding a mentor, attending events, enrolling in auto-university, and rolling up your sleeves and doing the work. Do something to build your business every single day and you too will become a success story, in five to ten years.
Good things take time! Rome wasn’t built in a day.
What are your thoughts about comparing yourself to other network marketers? Leave a comment below and let us know. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a great day.
*** This is part of a mini-series. Read the original post.
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
P.S. Learn how to grow a successful network marketing business. Secret tips, training, and practical ideas. Free training delivered by email.
Everyone is different and learns differently, and people’s success will come at different times. We were not created equally so we should not try to compare ourselves to others. If a person does what they are supposed to do in order to succeed it will come. Patience and determination will get you there along with help and training from your mentors. My mentor and I started at the same time, she grew much quicker then I did; however, I am taking the steps, and listening to her guidance along with other leaders. Walk the walk of success and it will take you where you need to go.
You put a great piece of advice here Chuck. I really need to heed the advice you give because I tend to compare myself to others too. I think that there is a “fine line,” in that we want to learn from them, but not compare. In some cases, it is difficult to do one and not the other. With this in our minds though, we can have some awareness and stop comparing ourselves. You are right, we don’t actually know where they came from, or how they got there.
Thanks Chuck for some very sound advice.
Thanks for the comment, Greg.
Comparing oneself to anyone is always a bad idea, whether in network marketing or just in life. We each have our own path to follow and it is best that we don’t envy what the next person has. The tip about not knowing the story behind the story is a key concept. You never know what a person had to experience to get what they have so it’s best to learn from them and enjoy the experience that you are gaining for yourself.
Each person is unique. Focus on being the best you that you can.
Thanks, this is very inspiring. I think the young guys in this industry are very persistent and hardworking, and that’s why they’re succeeding. Besides that, they’re with a company that has a good compensation plan.
Good points, Tee. Every successful rep is a hard worker. That is given. But hard work isn’t enough. You also have to get some experience and develop your skills. This takes time, normally 10,000 hours.