Personal development should be a high priority for your business. But, be honest – how often do you get around to taking a class, listening to an audiobook or podcast or reading a book? Although they know that personal development is a crucial part of building and running a successful business, so many network marketers simply don’t do it. The reasons vary, but the most common revolve around resources.

Time

“I don’t have time!” is a common excuse. Picture someone with a harried expression, pulling the hair out of their heads. These days, we’re busier than ever and there’s always something demanding our attention RIGHT NOW, whether it’s work, our spouse’s work demands, our children, and all the commitments to organizations that we’ve made. Many of us can barely carve out time to focus on our businesses; the daily Power Hour is about all the time we can spare, right?

The next sentence heard after “I don’t have time” is “I’ll do it later.” Unfortunately, “later” often becomes “never.” We’re all guilty of putting off to tomorrow what we wish we could get done today but instead, we just keep moving it to the next to-do list. “I’ll get to it eventually,” we say, almost as if to reassure ourselves that we will, indeed, get around to it. But, we don’t, in the end. The demands never let up and we continue to get busier and busier.

So, what can you do about it?

If this hits a little too close to the bone, rest assured that there’s hope. It’s all a matter of your priorities. When you’re busy, everything seems like a priority, especially the tasks (and sometimes people) who scream the loudest for your attention. The good news is not everything is a priority. In fact, you’ll only have one or two real priorities every day – not your entire list of 25 items (and growing).

“It’s not the right time.”

An offshoot of “I don’t have time” is “It’s not the right time.” Hate to break it to you but there’s no such thing as the right time. It’s not like one day you’ll wake up and a sparkly rainbow will appear at your window with a messenger tooting a horn and announcing “Hear ye, hear ye. NOW is the right time to do that thing you’ve been putting off for months/years.” If only!

The reality is there’s never the perfect time; however, any time is the right time to start doing whatever it is you’ve been putting off. Those ducks will keep falling out of line because, well, that’s life. Life can be messy and chaotic. But, if you make learning a priority, you can be sure there’s time for it in your schedule.

3 tips for finding the time for personal development

If you make learning and personal development a priority, then you’ll be sure to find the time to do it. Although ideally, you’ll do something to grow every day, you can still get results doing it a couple of times a week. How?

• Dedicate 10 minutes to reading books by successful entrepreneurs or industry leaders. You don’t have to read the whole book in one sitting; you may not even get through a whole chapter. The important thing is to sit down and read for 10 minutes, whether it’s when you first wake up in the morning, before bed, or while you’re trying to squeeze in a quick workout.
• Turn your car (or gym or daily walk) into a classroom. If you don’t have time to read, listen to the audiobook. Download podcasts or audiobooks to listen to in the car while you’re off running errands. You can also listen to audiobooks and podcasts while you walk your dog or during your workout.
• Take a class at least twice a year. When you sign up for a class or training, it becomes a priority. You know you have to show up and do the work, which makes you more accountable to your goals and business. Aim to take advantage of some sort of learning opportunity at least twice a year, but ideally once a quarter or as often as you can spare.

Money

There’s no doubt you’ve heard the phrase, “You have to spend money to make money.” It’s true. The best investment you can make is one in yourself, and therefore your business. However, when you’re just starting out as a network marketer or if your business is struggling, it can be difficult to earmark the money you’ll need to take the training and workshops that will help you grow your business. If you’re struggling to make ends meet in your business and in your home budget, where can you get the money?

Prioritize your mind

Again, it’s all about your priorities. If building a successful business is a top priority for you, it’ll be easier for you to find the money you need to continue learning. How can you find it? By combing through your home budget and making cuts. That doesn’t mean you need to live a totally austere lifestyle; it just means making cuts to your non-essential home spending. That’s right – if you want to fund your business, it’s important to begin making cuts at home first.

• Download or print off your monthly bank statement.
• Review all of your expenses and highlight the non-essentials, such as trips to Starbucks or your local coffee shop, online shopping splurges, etc.
• Add up how much you’re spending every month on the non-essentials – you may be surprised about how much you’re actually spending each month.
• Set a budget. Include all the required monthly bills, but also allow for a few “extras” within reason. For example, if you shudder to think about going without your favorite fancy coffee drink, limit it to a single run a week instead of going every day. Also, create a list when you go shopping and commit to sticking to it. Stores, especially supermarkets are set up to entice us to buy stuff that we just don’t need. Resist the urge and your business will thank you!

Over time, the money you save will grow and may be enough to fund your enrollment in training and workshops. And, as a result, your business will continue to grow and expand, bringing in more money to fill your businesses and home coffers. One day, you may be able to go back to your daily gourmet coffee habit; however, until you get there, it’s important to make a few sacrifices for the sake of your business and goals.

Energy

Peas and carrots. Peanut butter and jelly. Busy and tired. These are all things that just go together. The busier you are, the more exhausted you’re sure to be at the end of the day. How many of you are running ragged right now from burning the candle at both ends? When you’re already busy, it can be exhausting just thinking of adding another commitment to the growing list.

But, again, when you’ve prioritized your business, you’ll likely prioritize anything that will help you grow it. Although the thought of committing to one more thing can be tiring, the actual experience is often exhilarating. Why?

• You’ll give your brain a workout. You exercise daily or a few times a week to build your muscles and get your blood flowing; personal development is a way to work out your brain. Your brain loves to exercise and be challenged! Instead of feeling exhausted, you’ll feel exhilarated.
• You’ll learn to serve your clients better. Courses and workshops give you the tools and strategies you need to keep up with the changing needs of your current and potential customers and team members. It ensures you keep your skills sharp and encourages you to become an expert in your industry.
• You’ll connect with high achievers just like you. Successful people hang out with other successful people. Therefore, if you want to achieve success, associate with others who are successful. As a group, you’ll share the strategies that have helped in growing and building a solid business. Similarly, you can hold one another accountable to your goals and even provide a ton of encouragement and motivation when you need it the most.

Eager to sign up for training, but not sure where to start?

Start by signing into Teamzy! Teamzy University is full of videos designed to help you learn anywhere, whether you’re setting out a bit of time each week to do so or you’re building it into your daily Power Hour. If you want more in-depth training, be sure to enroll in Elite Business Bootcamp. This 12-week course has all of the information and tactics you need to bring your business from ho-hum to Wowza! In addition to knowledge and tips, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with other successful network marketers who are striving to grow strong, lasting businesses. Click here to learn more and don’t forget to check your email – the window to enroll in Bootcamp is short and we want to make sure you’re on the list.