Photo Credits: Derrick Collins

Rubber bands are meant to be stretched. In fact, they are fulfilling their purpose and are most useful when they are stretched fully. Think of yourself as a rubber band, are you stretching yourself or are you lying loose on the table or in a drawer? Do you know how far you can stretch yourself? If you have been hesitant to stretch yourself further, remember the greater the challenge, the greater the victory.

Sometimes we are stretched pretty thin, feeling like we are about to break, and a storm still looms in front of us. It is at these times that we actually see what we are made of and how much more we can do. In the midst of a challenge, always keep your goal always in front of you and never forget that every storm will end. Try not to lose sight of your goal in the fog of the storm. The reward of accomplishing your goal is far greater when you had to struggle and stretch to reach it.

When training for a marathon, it doesn’t matter if it is raining, extremely hot or my body doesn’t feel like it can handle more, I know I must do what it takes to complete my training runs. While I am running marathons, despite any pain or desire to quit, I focus myself on the finish line and the sense of accomplishment I will feel when I cross it. Whether an injury at mile 18 of a marathon forced me to slow to a walk, but felt like I needed to crawl, or passing out at the Singapore Marathon at mile 20 due to the heat, I always press on toward the finish line because I know how great the reward of fulfilling my goal will be.

At Solavei, we do the same thing. We are creating something that has never been done before and it isn’t without challenge and hard work. But it’s the stories of our members who are benefitting from the opportunity that keep us stretching and doing whatever it takes to accomplish our objectives. When our members are able to buy groceries, pay for their mobile phone bill or even pay their mortgage, it is a constant reminder that we must keep stretching at all times. It positively impacts their lives, their relationships and their health because we push through a challenge, work to find solutions and create success for our members. The stories from the members are our reward and each one is far greater than any challenge we face.

Are you ready to stretch yourself beyond where you’ve been before?  What are the goals that keep you pushing beyond your mental limits?

The post How Far Can you Stretch in the Face of Challenge? appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.

Photo Credits: Mike Foote

How is it possible to start a new company, enroll over 200,000 new members, run twelve marathons, spend time with family and friends and volunteer with charities all in one year? The answer is in effective and deliberate planning and prioritization. Without a plan, there is no way to have a high degree of productivity and to reach your goals.

Think of your days like a train with twenty-four cars, one for each hour, and you are the engine pulling the cars. To get the highest payout and yield at your point of delivery, you must fill each car with the highest quality materials and capacity. You do not want any cars to be empty or just half full. You do not want any cars to contain poor or contaminated materials. No doubt you have more than twenty-four cars worth of material for any given day. Deliberate prioritization of what materials to fill those cars with will determine your outcome.

Each morning, I go into my day with this concept in mind, knowing that if any one area of my day is lacking, I will not be as productive. This means I have to take into account not only business responsibilities, but also family and life responsibilities. It is extremely important to me to spend quality time with my family, so I purposefully ensure some cars are filled with time for my wife, personal thought, physical activity and time for my children. I don’t work during these hours dedicated to my family. Mixing separate shipments could lead to confusion, poor quality or low yield.

By keeping this metaphor in mind throughout my week, I am able to strategically plan and prioritize my responsibilities and accomplish everything that is important to me.

What strategies do you use to stay productive and reach maximum efficiency? Let me know in the comments below!

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Photo Credits: Tundra Rice

Fear is the creation of an unwanted outcome within our imagination. Everyone has felt a level of fear at some point in his or her life and business. This scenario in our mind becomes more tangible the more energy we put into it. Fear may have a foundation or a basis in the past, but that does not determine the outcome in our future. It is our responsibility to overcome fear to reach a possible opportunity and outcome.

A group of four friends were on a road trip across the United States. At one point, the car got a flat tire in the middle of an 18-mile gravel road in the middle of the night. There was no cell reception and it was pitch black. All four of the travelers piled out of the car and worked together to use headlamps to read the owner’s manual, jack up the car and replace the tire. The next day, they stopped at a tire shop to get it patched. Two days and 600 miles later they realized the shop had forgotten to return their spare.

At the next crunch of gravel, one of the travelers promptly pulled the car over and got out, refusing to go any further.

He was paralyzed by his fear of getting another flat tire with no spare tire safety net. He literally could not move forward. To him, just the possibility, no matter how unlikely in reality, of getting a flat was enough to prevent him from advancing. Finally, another traveler got out of the car to reassure him they were going to make it to the campsite without any issues. It took patience and negotiation, but eventually both got back in the car and drove to the campsite.

Only 40% of the things we fear ever actually come true, even in cases like these where past experience indicate otherwise. We all have the power within us to push through fear. Sometimes, it takes admitting the fear to those around us who can support us and help us through. At other times, it’s encouragement , or even our own personal drive telling us we can be successful.

The key to ensure success in the face of fear is to embrace it and get through it, no matter what it takes.

The next morning the four travelers woke to a beautiful sunrise and an unforgettable drive through the Badlands. They made it to a place they had never been before and saw things they had never seen. All of this would have been missed if fear had overcome their drive to move forward the night before.

What was it that convinced the traveler to overcome his fear of another flat tire? It was confidence in his team’s ability to figure out any problem even if it did arise, and the reassurance of a positive outcome.

When has fear almost stopped you from moving forward into an opportunity? What did you do to overcome your fear? I would love to hear your story in the comments!

The post False Expectations Appearing Real appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.

Recently, I spoke at the Video Plus University 2013 conference, where I delivered the vision of Solavei to CEOs and senior executives of the top 100 direct sales companies in the world. The presentation was similar to the one I give during our Solavei Socials, but I wanted to share additional details form the presentation.

The creation of a Social Commerce Revolution.

Solavei was created to fully capitalize on converging trends where consumer behavior gravitates toward saving money, being connected in a social environment, using a mobile phone for primary communication and sharing with those closest to you when you find something of quality and good value.  Solavei offers consumers an alternative, a less expensive form of commerce that benefits individuals by moving the millions of dollars spent on traditional marketing and advertising to people. History has shown that in order to create a strong movement, you cannot settle for thousands, you must have millions. That is why Solavei strives to create real positive change in millions of people’s lives across the country with something as simple as mobile service.

We have created a low barrier to entry with Solavei, just $49/month for unlimited mobile service and no membership fee. We want to focus on the consumers who share with other consumers. This is a consumer-to-consumer relationship, not business-to-business.

Of our members, 90% do not have experience in direct selling, yet over 35% of them have enrolled someone. That’s because Solavei is about sharing, not selling, and has made it easy by creating a platform that empowers its members to share Solavei through the social networks they’re already connected to. It comes naturally to members and we make it easy for them to tell their friends.

Mobile service is our first offer. From here we will expand and continue to make everyday commerce less expensive, and even profitable for members of Solavei. We can do this because we do not spend our money on advertising but instead on the best advertisers in the world, people!

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It was an unbelievable experience.  What had started as a beautiful day, running my 5th Boston Marathon in five years, being there with my wife and great friends supporting me, spending time with the beautiful people at the Michael Lisnow Respite Center in the morning before the race started, pushing hard through 26.2 miles, turned quickly to a tragic scene. I had just crossed the finish line and the medal was being placed around my neck while Shawntel was sitting on the front row of the VIP grandstands where she had cheered me and the other runners on, directly in front of where and when the first bomb went off.  When I saw the first explosion, knowing it was right where I had just seen Shawntel, and heard the second one go off, I ran back to see if she was injured and to try to get her to safety.

Fortunately and by the grace of God, we escaped injury. We are still shaken by yesterday’s events and Shawntel hearing is still affected, but we’re okay. But so many others were not as fortunate – there was tragic loss of life and many serious injuries, and our hearts and prayers go out to all the families affected.

Shawntel and I witnessed something yesterday, in the midst of the smoke and the chaos and the tragedy. In the midst of this horrible act, everyone stopped thinking about themselves, they tapped into that unlimited wellspring of compassion that we carry within us and rose to the occasion. We saw courage, and strength and determination, both from people who were injured, and the hundreds of people who rushed to help them. It was a terrible moment in that some among us sought to inflict harm on their fellow human beings. But at the same time, the terrible moment was followed by an immediate outpouring of love and charity. It was humbling to experience. I will never forget.

This kind of situation can knock the scales from your eyes, makes you sit and take notice of what’s truly important. I am feeling so thankful right now. I’m thankful to the responders, all the volunteers and runners who rushed to help, the police, medical teams and fireman who did such an amazing job tending to the wounded. I am thankful that my wife and I were unharmed and that we were able to return home to our children today. I’m thankful for each and every one of you, and I pray that your loved ones are safe as well.

For our members in Boston, and all of those affected by yesterday’s event, know that the thoughts and prayers of the Solavei community are with you.

I will proudly run in next year’s Boston Marathon more committed than ever to show our resilience and to honor those that were lost, injured and all those that were personally affected. Next year’s race will prove to be one of great meaning, healing, reflection and resolve for the Boston Marathon because in times of tragedy, we as Americans always rise up with greater strength and fervor.   I will invite all of our members and friends to join me there, whether it is to run a few miles with me, cheer on the runners or just be there, but more importantly to remember and support those of yesterday. We will continue to pray for each of the families hurt by the senseless acts.  We will show through our strength that the people of Boston and the United States are not weakened.

The post A Day We Will Always Remember appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.

Photo Credits: Moyan Brenn

When we were children, we saw the world differently. Cause and effect were more closely related and we believed in the impossible. Over the Easter weekend, a friend told me a story about two young brothers. The youngest, just turning five years old, was excited for the Easter Bunny to stop by their house and hide eggs throughout their yard. But he was concerned the Easter Bunny wouldn’t have time to get to his house. He asked his older brother how the Easter Bunny could visit everyone’s house in one night. Santa could do it because he has a sleigh and reindeer but what does the Easter Bunny have? The older brother responded, “Tunnels that run under ground all over the world.” Both boys went to bed confident they would have plenty of eggs to search for in the morning.

Even at a young age, we are able to question and see challenges. But something happens as we get older. Instead of being satisfied with a simple answer, we become caught in the details. These can become so numerous we are paralyzed by the complexity of the situation. Even though it is impossible to get around the world in one night through tunnels, this story is a good representation of a complicated problem children are able to solve with belief and vision. To them this seems a do-able solution.

Now, consider the challenges you face. Do you see a wall of complications in front of you? How would looking at your challenge with more of a child-like vision enable you to see beyond this wall and ultimately believe you can do anything that is in front of you?

What can we learn from the characters of children?

1. Help others. These brothers found the answer to the problem together. The younger did not stop believing because he didn’t know how it would be possible for the Easter Bunny to travel around the world.  Instead he sought out advice.

2. Take on Challenges Head On. What if the Easter Bunny couldn’t make it to these little boys’ house? They wouldn’t have received any eggs! The youngest brother did not sit quietly by himself and worry he would miss out. Instead he searched for answers.

3. Simplify! When you see that wall of challenges rising in front of you, break it down brick by brick. What is the ultimate goal? What are the major accomplishments you need achieve to reach it? What are the steps to reach those?

4. Believe in the impossible! This is your vision and your dream. Remember to believe in it with the same vision that children believe in the Easter Bunny. There will always be people who tell you you can’t. Work hard, keep believing and you will.

The post What Children Can Teach Us about Vision appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.

Photo Credits: Mike Heard

At some point everyone will face a difficult challenge personally or professionally. People react in a variety of ways to these events; some will try to ignore it, some will be frustrated and decide they can’t move forward, some will just give up and some will look at the challenge as an opportunity for growth.

With each new challenge we have the chance to learn something new and develop a skill. Here are the steps to tackling any challenge:

1. Analyze the situation and what is intimidating about it.

To begin finding a solution, you must first determine what you are solving. This will require self-awareness and the ability to allow yourself to admit where a weakness lies.

2. Learn about the issue’s origins and your options.

Once you identify the issue, you should spend some time understanding how it originated and what the potential solutions will entail. This research will arm you with the knowledge you need to move forward.

3. Be optimistic.

No matter what your research uncovers or how unappealing the options feel, stay positive. You will find a way to overcome this challenge. The more pessimistic you become about your outcome, the bigger the challenge will feel.

4. Take the first step.

You now have research and an understanding of your options. Pair these with your intuition and good judgment and you are ready to take the first step. It may turn out this first step wasn’t in the right direction, but chances are it will be. If not, try another.

5. Seek out expertise.

Some challenges require skills we don’t have or will require too much time to learn. In these cases, seek out experts who can assist you on your path to success.

As you are working through these times, keep in mind your experience and your ability. You are never going to be faced with a challenge you cannot solve. When you have succeeded, think of what you’ve learned and what you can implement into your life or business to better future results.

The post The Answer to Any Challenge appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.

Photo Credits: J Favel

Productivity is less about plowing through a series of tasks on a to-do list and more about efficiently and effectively accomplishing the work you are skilled at doing. When using your strengths in work, you are more likely to work faster, with higher-quality results, feel better about your work and allow your team members to shine in their areas of strength. However, if you attempt to be excellent at everything, you are more likely to work slower, with lower-quality results, feel less confident in your work and prevent your team from being able to assist in their areas of expertise.

Proper delegation is not about transferring your work to someone else, but about allowing yourself time to do what you do best, while doing the same for others on your team. This will result in better outcomes overall.

How to determine what to delegate and what to take on yourself:

1. Determine what skills you have and what areas you are not as strong. To start, consider what you enjoy working on and what you do not, this could be an indication of where you have expertise.
2. Determine what tasks do not match your skillset, then delegate those tasks to team members who have the skills to match the task.
3. Hone in on your responsibilities. Now that you do not have to worry about working on tasks you are not especially skilled in, you can focus more on your own work and produce the highest-quality results.

As the leader, you will still have to oversee the work being done by your team, which will require you to be involved in the process for tasks you delegate. But overall, you will have more time to focus on the work you enjoy and are most skilled at doing. To be most successful, implement a long-term delegation strategy that will allow you and your team to settle into the arrangement and to feel empowered in their personal responsibilities.

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Photo Credits: Mike Miley

Every once in a while we have the opportunity to make a big and positive impact on someone’s life with only a little extra effort. It is these opportunities, when we choose to take them, that remind us of the importance of going just a bit further to provide assistance.

You hear stories like this all the time. The one I most recently read was about a man who was rushing from California to Texas to reach his mother before she passed. The terrible news was delivered to him the morning of January 24^, at which point he immediately booked his flights. But as happens with so many flights, his first flight was delayed and he was worried he would miss his connection, the last flight of the day, and his chance to say goodbye to his mother.

However, something remarkable happened.

Upon hearing about his situation, the flight crew on his first flight took extra care to ensure they were doing everything they could to get him on the connecting flight. The captain radioed ahead to hold the connecting fight from taking off, and baggage ground crews worked to get his luggage onto the proper flight.

Airline employees are often evaluated on their ability to keep flights on time. This team decided to risk falling short of the standard in order to help a passenger with a much more important need. They made the right call.

Consider your business. Do you take these types of risks for your customers who are (are what? Missing a word here?)? Is your team willing to go out of their way to assist a customer in a comparable situation? You may be thinking, of course we are. Which is probably true. But also consider what it took for the crew to become aware of the situation. The members of the crew recognized that something was wrong and they asked what it was and how they could help. Then they acted on it.

If no one had asked why he was upset, they would never have realized the situation and it would have been an unmemorable day for the airline employees. Are you connected to your customers enough to see when there is an opportunity to go the extra mile and assist one of them?

When has a company gone out of their way to help you with a difficult situation? Tell me in the comments!

The post The Small Things that Mean the World appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.

Maureen Lunn

With the first flowers starting to bloom, the temperature starting to climb and daylight saving time in effect, it is beginning to feel a lot like spring.

There is something rejuvenating about Spring! Maybe it is all the new growth on the trees or the longer days. Springtime is well known for fresh starts and new beginnings. Using this season to renew your sense of energy can positively impact the rest of the year. Here are a few easy ways you can create some newness in your life:

1. Take a new route to work in the morning.

2. Try out a new class at the gym or pick up a new hobby.

3. Clean out all your old or unneeded items in your house and donate them.

4. Travel somewhere you have never been.

5. Buy something new to wear.

6. Go out to a restaurant you haven’t tried.

7. Meet someone new and be purposeful with the friendship.

These things can add excitement and freshness to your life to help you break out of your winter routine. It is normal to hunker down and work through the dark and cold days of the winter months. Now is the time to look up and search for new possibilities in your business and life! You will feel a revived energy inside you to help reach new levels of success and accomplish goals.

How are you going to reenergize your life this season?

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