Have you ever been tempted to quit? We all have at one point or another, whether it’s related to a diet or our professional lives. When you own a business, this feeling can occur at any time, although it often occurs in the first year. In network marketing, it’s a common feeling to have – on average, half of network marketers quit in the first year. Isn’t that something? Half of network marketers lose faith in their businesses and decide to just give up and stop doing it. Forget that it takes time for a business to develop or that it’s natural to face challenges, especially in the first year. For many, it’s not worth it to continue. If you’re facing the temptation to quit, here’s how to silence that voice and persevere, and, most importantly, tap into your Why.

Why do network marketers quit?

Network marketing is certainly rewarding; however, it’s also hard, especially in the beginning when you’re trying to build your business. If this is your first business – and it is for most network marketers – you may not know exactly where to begin. Although your upline provides guidance about the products and services you’re selling and how to sell them, you may not receive much guidance on the ins and outs of building a business that lasts. After all, there’s more to building and running a business than selling products and services; it also includes all of those day-to-day tasks necessary to keep the business going. 

People become network marketers for a variety of reasons – to work for themselves, to break away from the 9-to-5, to supplement the family’s income, or to reach a lofty financial goal. However, many find out that without someone – like a boss – or something looking over their shoulder to keep them on task, many begin to stop working on their businesses. They stop setting aside time to follow up with their customers, prospects, and distributors; they may go from working on their businesses daily at the beginning, when motivation is high, to working on it once a week. Eventually, the business falls entirely by the wayside. 

The role of accountability

Accountability is at the center of why people quit their network marketing businesses. Without something to hold them accountable – a person, a system, a goal, the network marketer has nothing to grasp onto when the business becomes challenging. Think of accountability as the tether to hang on to when the fast current of life threatens to sweep you away from your business. 

For the most successful business owners, the biggest source of accountability is a Why. A “Why” is your reason to continue to put in the work, even when it’s slow or – conversely – when you’re frustrated that you’re not advancing fast enough. It’s personal and unique to each network marketer. For some, a Why is a person – perhaps their children – who they wish to provide a better life for. Or, it could be the promise of a new and better life, in general, with a bigger house, a new car, and more money in the bank. Or, it could be to add to the family income and create a sense of security and comfort, especially after living paycheck to paycheck for so long. 

Why your “Why” matters

So what does this have to do with quitting? It’s normal to want to quit every now and then. Perhaps you’ve had a rough week and life is pulling you in different directions, driving your business lower and lower down your list of priorities. Or, perhaps you’re frustrated that everyone you’re following up with isn’t contacting you back. You may begin to wonder if it’s all worth the effort. Then, it begins to seem easier to quit than to keep plugging away consistently. Instead of focusing on the big picture, you become consumed by what’s in front of you.

A Why provides both perspective and focus. And, while this doesn’t seem like much, it’s the world when you’re feeling DONE with your business. A Why whispers in your ear that the frustration you’re feeling now is temporary and won’t last forever. It forces you to keep plugging away and work through the normal frustrations of owning a network marketing business. It reminds you that this work is necessary if you want to achieve your goals and live your dream.

How to find your Why

Don’t have a Why? What better time than now to find it?

First, get someplace quiet. You need time to think and focus and that’s tough to do with distractions. 

Next, get a pen and paper or open a new document on your computer. You’ll want to write things down so you can refer to them later.

Now, clear your head. Think about the following questions:

• Why did you become a network marketer in the first place?
• With all of the network marketing opportunities available, why did you choose your product/services?
• How have these products changed your life? 
• What do you want to achieve as a network marketer? That is, what is your big-picture goal?
• Imagine you’ve achieved this goal – visualize what your life looks like. Where are you living? What do you see? How do you feel? How do your loved ones feel?
• Why is this so meaningful to you?

These questions force you out of the present to begin thinking about the overall picture. Sure, you may have initially become a network marketer to earn some extra cash each month, but there’s often more to it. Why do you want to earn extra money? Is it so you can breathe a little easier at bill time? Do you want to provide more for your children than what you had growing up? Is it to create the lifestyle you’ve only dreamed of until now? Write down everything you’re feeling and thinking as you answer these questions. 

Put it into perspective

Once you’ve answered the questions above, read over what you’ve written. It may not make sense to you at this moment, but as you continue to mull it over, you’ll be able to make connections. You’ll see that your business is more than just a way to make money; it’s a vital piece of creating the life you want to live, for yourself and your family. After all, you’re not just doing this for you; you’re in this for your family as well.

Pro Tip: 

If you know your Why and you’ve lost touch with it, use the questions above to reconnect.

How to connect with your Why each day

One of the best ways to stay on track is to keep your Why at arm’s reach – quite literally. Once you’ve reviewed your answers and made connections, it’s time to draft your Why statement. This is just a short sentence or two about your Why and its importance to you and your business. 

When you’ve come up with your Why statement, write it down or print it off and post it where you can see it as you’re working. Although you may not need to look at it on the days when you’re on fire and everything is going right, you’ll need to look at it often on those days when you’re ready to close shop. You know, those days when it seems like all of your follow-ups are ending up in a void where no one responds or you’re just having no luck expanding your network or when life becomes so busy that you’re tempted to cut back on your business. You can look up at your Why statement and reconnect with your purpose and ultimate reason for getting into network marketing in the first place. It’ll provide perspective when you begin to feel doubt creeping in to take up space in your mind. It’ll also provide confidence when you begin to fear success (yes, that’s a thing. People don’t only fear failure, they also fear what’ll happen if they become too successful).

Achieve your Why by growing your business

Growing your business will help you honor your Why while fighting the boredom, fear, frustration, and doubt that try to sabotage your business. When your business is thriving, it’s easy to fight off the urge to quit. 

Teamzy gives you the tools you need to organize and grow your business. Based on relationship marketing, Teamzy helps you build relationships with your customers, prospects, and distributors. You’ll learn how to effectively and efficiently run your business in an hour or less a day while connecting with your favorite people. What’s more, you’ll have access to training to help you keep your skills sharp. If you’re not using Teamzy, what are you waiting for? Click here to learn more.