Archive for January, 2008

What is “harmony” and how does it relate to the power of inner marketing?

One definition refers to a pleasing relationship of the elements that make up the whole. In music, it’s a combination of tones that have order and a consonant relationship. In just about everything (art, architecture, design, landscaping, etc.) harmony is a balance that brings concord and congruity. Harmony is a unity among things or persons that especially seems “just right” to be put together at the same time.

Disharmony suggests violence — you have elements clashing against each other. True, sometimes in music this works for a certain atmosphere. But in our lives, disharmony produces stress, illness, unhappiness, loss. It can also motivate us to seek deeper meaning and unity.

We can do several things with disharmony. First, we often try to ignore it. We accept it as a fact of life. Second, we may try to fit it into a bigger scheme and thus try to lessen its impact on our lives. If we can, we accept it as something we have to live with, but we can color it with a bigger concept. We lessen its power through “a positive attitude.”

When you choose the business you’re going to develop, or your life’s work, you’ll face plenty of challenges. The more congruent you are with the elements of your business and how they harmonize with your inner self (your purpose in life), the better you’ll be able to meet those “disharmonies” you’ll face.

Your purpose has to be big enough to carry you through what appear to be disappointments – the prospect or associate you really counted on who didn’t come through for you. Or interference by regulatory agencies that delay certain cutting-edge products from reaching the market. After all, what we often are introducing to the world are revolutionary concepts. And those always engender strong opposition.

At first the status quo opposed the music of Mozart, the art of Gaugin, the preaching of Martin Luther…and the discoveries of medical pioneers like Jenner and Linus Pauling.

So if you want little or no opposition to what you’re doing, stick with the ordinary, the established. Support the medical establishment and the corporate world. Don’t stick your neck out with new products that upset the tried-and-true pharmaceuticals.

In short, don’t get excited. Listen to “elevator music” and enjoy the ride that goes only two places – up and down.

You may not find the kind of stimulating harmony that comes from new combinations of elements. But, then, you’ll not find much disharmony either. You will, guaranteed, be bored with life and with your purpose.

You’re reading this, so I know you’re ready for the power of true harmony, the oneness that arises from your inner self. You want to accomplish something good for yourself and others.

You’re ready and able to create sweet music in your networking world.

We can find lessons about the “secret for life” in endless places. One of these is in music.

I just attended a two-hour workshop on teaching the piano, led by Dr. Martha Baker-Jordan, a renowned professor of music pedagogy for 28 years at California State University at Fullerton, California. She’s an excellent clinician, teacher and lover of the piano.

Now, I’m not much of a musician, and certainly not a music teacher of any kind. Yet, I’ve been intimate with good music for over 40 years. You see, I’m married to my own Martha, an excellent musician and the harmony of my life. All three of my children are musical. And their four kids are displaying musical talent at an early age.

As I thought about what I learned at Dr. Baker-Jordan’s workshop, a concept clicked. The four basic skills of learning music well can also help us better understand the ingredients of powerful INNER MARKETING.

Take HARMONIZATION. You know what “harmony” is all about. You tune into it when you listen to a group of musicians performing together. “Sweet harmony” describes music like barbershop quartets, choirs, bands, etc. It doesn’t mean they’re all playing the same chords – but notes and chords that complement each other and sound like “togetherness.” Such music pleases your spirit.

Do you feel “in harmony” with what you’re doing in life? Of course, there are times when we have to endure some disharmony. But we continually strive for congruence, a convergence of all parts of our life coming together into harmonious symphony. We are meant to be whole, not a bucket of pieces (no apologies here to the movie, “The Bucket List.”)

The more harmonization you find between your inner self and the work you’ve chosen, the less you work – and the more you accomplish. That’s because your work flows out of you, energizes you rather than drains you. That’s why, when you choose a network marketing company to promote, you need to see how it harmonizes with who you are.

It’s not about the one that pays the best money, or has the hottest product, or the most powerful leaders. It’s about the one you feel most “one” with. It’s certainly not about gimmicks, sales tools, promotions, contests.

So much of what passes as motivation is an appeal to the ego – to our selfishness. That does not produce sweet harmony.

Harmony – or disharmony — is about the feeling you get when you internalize what you are offering to others. Does your product/service really bring more to consumers than what they pay for it? Does it really benefit them? Does it offer them an improved lifestyle?

So many people fall into the trap of promoting “money-making opportunities.” If that’s our main focus, how does that harmonize with our inner spirit? Earning good commissions is fine, of course – if that money is a gauge of how much good we’ve brought to others.

If you’re involved in marketing, spend some quiet time about the connections you feel with the nature of that company. Most selling is not a head-thing; it’s a heart-thing. That’s where we feel harmony…or disharmony. Actually, we often feel it in the pit of our stomach. I’ve walked out of a few motivational meetings where there was so much manipulation that my stomach churned.

It’s very important to consider WHY we have such reactions, good or bad. What about feelings in our eyes? Have you ever felt tears of joy well up when you consider what you have — for yourself and what you can offer others? There is power…and danger…in such powerful feelings.

Besides testimonials, you need to have solid business, nutritional, and/or scientific bases to the claims made for your product or service. Testimonials are powerful; but they can also be deceptive. What worked for one person doesn’t mean it will work for others. So also balance your feelings with facts. Never over-claim.

There is much more to consider about achieving harmonization in our life. That’s coming. And then we’ll see how it ties in with the musical skills of transposition, improvisation, and composition.

Big words. Big concepts.

Thanks for joining me on this musical, inner-marketing journey.