Have You Achieved Your Real Independence Day Yet?

This month, in the USA, we celebrate "Independence Day"... a day that commemorates independence from oppression and liberation from those who would seek to keep you from setting your own course and controlling your own destiny.No matter where you are in the world, the question raised is:"Have you had your own personal 'Independence Day' yet?"Since you're a subscriber of mine, I hope so.  But if not, you should ask yourself, what can you do to gain more independence, especially using the power of the Internet?However, before I get into that, let's talk about what "independence" really means...To me, "independence" means:-- You don't punch a clock for someone else (your business is simply a "means to an end" that enables you to pursue your passions and dreams instead of being a "wage slave" for another company or person)-- Your time is your own and you spend it how you want (whether that's playing video games, traveling or spending more time with your children and family)-- You do NOT trade time for dollars. But rather you have a business that makes you money whether you show up or not... (No matter what type of product or service you have, the web makes this easier than ever before!)-- Your business and income grows every year without requiring you to work more hours...Properly structured, your business becomes a wealth-producing asset that provides for you.  And also provides for your family if something happens to you and you're not able to take care of them (or can't work for months).Let's face it.  If you're spending all your time responding to emails, answering the phone, putting up mini-sites, calling leads, trying to find new prospects, attending meetings, and "DOING" all the activities IN your business...you have a JOB, NOT a business!That's why it's important at this time of year that you take a step back and take a look at what's distracting you from the big picture of your TRUE independence.A lot of people get into an online business or networking business with the hopes of killing their "day" job, but all they do is trade one job for another (often working MORE HOURS at their new "job" than they ever did on their original job!).One of the reasons that happens is because with the traditional model of MLM, you do NOT have any wealth-producing assets under your control.  (You don't own the company, products, downline, marketing materials, websites, comp plan...nothing!).Truth be told, I know many people who built up nice incomes the "traditional" way...only to see that income vanish when their company changed the rules of the game (or the FTC got involved).So if you want true independence, you need to do the following with your business...#1: YOU NEED A LEAD GENERATING ASSET THAT YOU CONTROL.Beware of people telling you to ONLY do the traditional ways of MLM.If that's working for you, great! But the reality is that 90-95% of the people who get into our industry do NOT have any major success and can NOT make the "usual" ways of prospecting work for them.The main problem of operating with the old-school methods is that you don't have an asset that's working FOR you.  In essence, you are STILL trading time for dollars.  (Yes, you'll get duplication in your team...but if you rely solely on that, you're putting your security and income in someone else's hands again!).BOTTOM LINE: Get control of your OWN 24x7 lead generator (ideally a mini-site) if you want true online independence.#2: YOU NEED TO BUILD A LIST!There are six profit lists you should be focusing on, but you really need to focus on four of them if you want to experience leverage and freedom in your business.The first main list you build is a prospect list - people who are interested in your product or service in general.  You'll also build this list for your lead generating mini-site.The second main list you build is a customer list of the people who get your lead generator above. And also a list of the people who sign up for your company's product or service.Using online leverage tools like autoresponders, you can drip on them on autopilot. Plus this allows you to leverage your message out to hundreds or thousands of people at once.You want to be in control of the relationship - don't let someone else manage that *critical* asset.#3: YOU NEED TO PUT SYSTEMS TO WORK IN YOUR BUSINESS!Why?So you can remove yourself from the processes that actually drive your business!In other words...ultimately your business can't depend on you to DO much of ANYTHING if you want to have a business that is a "real" business.You can start things.You can figure things out.You can get the whole ball rolling.But after that, get out of YOUR OWN WAY!You need people, teams, software, and systems in place so that your business can run without your day-to-day interaction or input.  That's a REAL business.Now here's what to do to have a true "Independence Day" this month...-- Like I've said in the past, take some time AWAY from your business to THINK about what you *really* want from it  If your business is a vehicle, WHERE do you want it to take you?-- If you had a "perfect" business, what would it look like and what would it do for YOU?-- Describe your "perfect" day!  What would you do? Who would you see? How would you make money if there were NO limitations placed on you?I sat down for a few days 3 years ago to answer these very same questions questions, and as a result made some massive changes.  I'll admit the changes weren't super easy (mainly because of getting in my own way), but the result was liberation from everything I disliked...more income...and my life and business became the way *I* wanted them.So get away from your business and computer to do this exercise in the next 24-48 hours.  Be truthful to yourself and the answers - and be willing to make the changes necessary for true independence!