Stop working for free!

Some of you know me for awhile now. And you know how passionate I am about the idea of a "Free Enterprise."

In general, the idea is great. I enjoy all kinds of benefits from it: it allows me to live where I want, do whatever I want, say whatever I want and practice any religion that I choose to practice.

Free Enterprise is good, but it does not mean that I will work for you for free! And I think that certain clients out there lately are trying to abuse a helluva lot of people, using their advantage of the Free Enterprise idea.

And of course it's up to you what you want to do with your free will, but I suggest that YOU SHOULD NOT WORK FOR FREE either.

Why not?

"Why wouldn't I work for free?" - you would ask.

Because YOU SHOULD KNOW THE VALUE OF YOUR TIME.

Because I know the value of mine.

Think about it: everybody has only ONE LIFE. Not two lives, not three, not nine lives like a cat.

ONE.

And everyone has only limited amount of time on this Earth. If you think this way, it means you will only limit your time to only a limited number of opportunities.

So every time you say "Yes" to any "affiliate", "voluntary", "not for profit", "pro bono" or a "network marketing" opportunity - what it REALLY means is that you are agreeing to give your time away (sometimes, hours, months - even years of your time!), you are literally giving your life away to someone or something, without asking for anything back - for free!

I know what I am talking about because lately, due to the recession, massive flaws in business education and lack of public awareness overall I am starting to see this tendency of proliferation of MLMs, Franchises, Affiliate and god knows what other kinds of "Free Enterprise" (read "SCAM") opportunities that are taking over the market by storm and allow companies steal people's valuable lives for free - without giving them ANYTHING back, or paying "peanuts" - something that THEY would never accept as their own income!

What, you don't believe me?

If you think I don't know what I'm talking about - try this:

Go to your bank and tell them that next month you won't pay them for your mortgage because YOU will get paid for your MLM/affiliate/network marketing/"commission only" job ONLY "when" and "in case" you make a sale, or several sales for your opportunity provider.

What do you think your bank's response is going to be? What do you think your landlord is going to say, or your cable company, or your gas company, or your grocery clerk, or...? The list goes on and on.

Will they say to you, "Sure bud, you can pay whenever you can, we will wait because we understand how your affiliate opportunity works."

Huh?!

Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?

What about this: if someone tells you "That won't take long, we only need 5 minutes of your time, that's all."

Should you give it to them?

Of course not! What you SHOULD do is ask them very politely, "What am I going to get for it in return?"

Why?

Because everything in life has to be a FAIR TRADE, that's why!

So, if your friend asks you for 5 minutes of your time - it's a fair trade, because your friend gives you their time as a fair trade.

But if a COMPANY asks you for 5 minutes of your time and offers you an affiliate opportunity in return - it's not a fair trade because the company leverages your 5 minutes, HIS 5 minutes, HER 5 minutes - and hundreds, thousands or millions of other folks' 5 minutes at the same time, in order to create PROFIT for themselves.

So don't be stupid and think that this is a fair trade, ' cause it's NOT!

THEY have a system. YOU don't. THEY have control. YOU don't. THEY have the leverage (doing a LOT with a little).

You don't, you don't, you don't, you don't and you don't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

STOP THE INSANITY!

This is what you should say to them, next time they ask (and THEY WILL, trust me!!!)

EXAMPLE 1.

They say: "Give me your time, and we give you whatever. But later."

You tell them: "I will give you my time if you give me MONEY. NOW."

Not the promise, not "potential opportunity to make...XYZ number of dollars" - no.

"Give me my MONEY for my time. NOW."

EXAMPLE 2.

They say: "Give me your attention, and we give you whatever. But later."

You tell them: "I will give you my attention if you give me a FREE GIFT. NOW."

EXAMPLE 3.

They say: "Give me your skills, and we give you whatever. But later."

You tell them: "I will give you my skills if you pay for my training. NOW."

What, you think it's "Too much to ask?"

Well, let's get back to where we started then:

They want you to give them a part of your life. And you only have ONE...

Get it?

So every time someone asks you for your time, be polite to them, but firm. Stand your ground. Tell them: "Excuse me, but I charge $$$ for my time. X $$$ for my minute, Y $$$ for my hour. Z $$$ for my day. XYZ number of $$$ for my project, etc.

Tell them: "I value YOUR time, and I expect the same in return."

And if we all say "NO" next time THEY offer us to work for them for free - we can change this world. There will be less scams, less pressure trying to evaluate every time if THEY are lying to us or not.

(Here’s the FREE TOOL for you to evaluate THAT, by the way: www.bizsuccessblueprint.com )

The world will be a better place. I strongly believe that we can change it. One Client at a time.

YES, WE CAN!

Please leave me your comments below and let me know if you agree, or disagree, if you had similar experiences, and so on. I will send you a FREE GIFT if you do.

And I'll do it NOW. 

Val Slastnikov, Business Solutions Consultant