Hi Gary, I believe I understand your lost and I do hope you gain great stength in time once you truly understand the meaning of the loss. It's easy for anyone of us to say that life is like that, it happens to all of us, and so on if you know what I mean. In my mind each loss is unique and when we truly understand what has happened we somehow raise our own level of understanding. Myself I have been successful in helping many people cope with their grief and each time I give I get more in return. Perhaps this doesn't make sense to you or others but it works for me. My Dad passed away early this year, my nephew passed away a few months ago and two weeks ago I had to put down my 14 year old dog. Please understand I'm not telling you this to minimize your loss but to share an experience. These were difficult moments for me but to this day I find another loss has had a greater impact on my life. In 2001 3 friends and I decided to make the big trip to Daytona USA to see the greatest race on earth. I was completely indulged in NASCAR racing. I went to see my hero and I can't believe the emotions I went through the weekend Dale Earnhardt Sr. died. For what it's worth I give you all my thoughts to help you with your loss of a great man. Now, I have to go blow my nose. Jack

Thanks for those kind words Jack, I know we all go through these things from time to time. It certainly makes us ponder upon life itself. What are we here for? Why are you Jack? Why is Winston, Winston and David, David? Why is Linda who she is? And Peter and Heather? What are we all doing here at this space in time? I have been wondering these things... Gary Simpson PS: An "O'Sensei," is a Japanese term for a Great Master who has passed on - in case anybody was wondering. It is little used and hence a title of great respect.

This is in response to Gary's post here: http://community.adlandpro.com/forumShowPost.aspx?PostID=229272&pageindex=2 Gary, That makes the assumption that 100% of all the people that join an MLM company strive to reach this EXCELLENT standard of living that you mention, though I have to admit, I don't know exactly what that would mean. Is that really a correct assumption to make? Here is why I think that numbers like that do not really add up to much in terms of helping someone make an educated decision. My personal goal when joining the MLMs I am part of was not to reach the so called EXCELLENT living standards that everyone seems to like to portray this business as providing. At least not from one company. My goal was to generate additional income streams (in the hundreds of dollars to perhaps a couple of thousand) per month. My long term goal is to make them steady income streams and add other income streams. That being said, many of the people I know involved in the MLM industry joined with the same thoughts in mind. At least that's how they were expressed to me when talking about this industry. Those I know who are very successful, are only partly so because of their MLM business. It's their investments into other businesses (some but not all non MLM related) and other areas of thier life that total together to comprise their lifestyle. All that being said, I'm not saying that your calculations are wrong on the industry as a whole. But rather coming up with a meaningful interpretation in them could pose a problem. One needs to know all the variables to make any interpretation of them useful.

Winston, Heh...heh... I think you are a closet stirrer! You want me back here in full battle mode! OK, just so people don't have to flick back to another thread, here is what I said: ======================== Hi Linda & other forumites, All of the replies so far have been quite thoughtful and very interesting. Well said folks! Linda, I just wanted to pick up on ONE thing. I saw Johnny's comment several weeks ago. Since I have had a real red hot go about MLM's on the MLM thread I decided to let it go. But... ... since you have picked it up and want to make further comment I am gonna weigh in again. Johnny said: ====================== "... he doesn't like MLM simply because 5% of people make money and 95% don't." ====================== Sorry to pour more cold water over MLM but that success figure is way too high. I have done a personal calculation, based on my own 10 years in MLM which took in 3 MLMs and here is my figure, which I believe is far more accurate: 0.3% of people in MLM make an EXCELLENT living, 99.7% of people in MLM simply support the lifestyle of the 0.3% (but don't realize it). These were REAL figures - not an estimate that people will generalize over. Perhaps I will concede that there are 5% who are contenders to graduate into the 0.3% but, at best, that 4.7% (5% minus 0.3%) really only ever break even. In other words, if they did nothing they would be just as financially well off. This is easily represented in the classic J-curve. Just travel along the horizontal axis (# of people) until you get to 95% where there is a gradual rise upwards until you reach the 99.7% mark where the line then goes vertical ($ made). Like I said, when I determined those percentages I did them with REAL figures not a guesstimate. Since what I have said here is more appropriate to the MLM forum I will copy it across to there. I just wanted to inform everybody how miniscule the REAL success rate in MLM is. Nobody else will tell you that - especially the king-pins (the 0.3%)! Will they tell you that? NO! Gary Simpson. ======================== You asked me to get out the flak jacket and helmet. OK, I'll dust 'em off, clear the cobwebs, brush off the dried blood... Just let me make this PERFECTLY clear... WINSTON DID THIS! As the Governator would say: "I'll be back!" ... with full metal jacket! Gary Simpson

Just thought I would put the actual topic title back in its rightful place. :)