Self-determination leads to success

In psychology, self-determination is an important concept that refers to each person's ability to make choices and manage their own life. This ability plays an important role in psychological health and well-being. Self-determination allows people to feel that they have control over their choices and lives. It also has an impact on motivation—people feel more motivated to take action when they feel that what they do will have an effect on the outcome (verywellmind.com)

This concept has been applied to a variety of work areas: education, parenting and even business. It is not surprising that among the many qualities and attitudes you need to develop for your career in direct selling, self-determination definitely tops the list. Several research theories that are actually capable of explaining consumers’ motivations have been surprisingly ignored in the marketing literature. As stated in the research paper titled ‘The role of self-determination theory in marketing science’, ‘self-determination theory’ (SDT) is a leading theory of human motivation that has been proven effective at identifying the contingencies that affect motivation and behaviour. 

Here are 4 tried and tested methods that you can follow that will prove how self-determination leads to success:

Dream big and develop massive goals: A primary way self-determined entrepreneurs and direct selling executives push themselves ahead in the game is by using the power of goal setting. As author Dustin Wax explains, ‘According to the research of psychologists, neurologists, and other scientists, setting a goal invests ourselves into the target as if we’d already accomplished it. That is, by setting something as a goal, however small or large, however near or far in the future, a part of our brain believes that desired outcome is an essential part of who we are -- setting up the conditions that drive us to work towards the goals to fulfill the brain’s self-image.’ This science behind goal setting is a clear indicator of how the simple task of setting a goal can be a successful driving force in your direct selling career.

Take initiative, always: Initiative is the ability of someone to effectively take advantage of opportunities as and when they come their way. It is natural for one to think twice or hold back but in most cases it might be too late. So, it is important to think on your toes, think things through, weigh the pros and cons and take the right decision for you and the business. Therefore, taking initiative can be looked at as a combination of courage and good risk management. The latter is important for identifying the right opportunities to consider that have the appropriate level of risk for you, and the former is a quality that is needed to overcome the fear of the unknown.

Surround yourself with the right kind of people: Direct selling is a people-centric business and having the right people skills comes with surrounding yourself with the right kind of people. We all know that being with like-minded people channelises self-determination so find the right set of people to interact with. Follow learned and influential marketing pioneers online, stay in touch with like-minded colleagues and build a client circle with those whose values resonate with yours. There are tonnes of online resources available too: videos, podcasts, articles, blogs, vlogs, etc. that you can consume on-the-go. As Kimanzi Constable writes on entrepreneur.com, listen to what the entrepreneurial greats who are doing what you’re working to do have to say about taking action. When you feel down, hit "play" and get an instant boost of inspiration to keep going. You’ll be surprised by what a simple video or article can do for your mindset. 

Track your growth and use it to channel confidence: Merely working and calling potential clients in direct selling is not a great way to work. You also need to track your progress. How do you do this? Look into your performance over the last six months, look at your metrics and numbers, compare this to earlier periods and get an idea about how far you have come. Experts say that if you want to achieve anything, it’s your responsibility to focus on that thought and feed it. Another way to track your progress is by asking others to give you feedback - constructive or negative, it will always help. Also, look into your negatives and work on turning them into positives. Creating a chart that tracks your work is a great idea.

So, give these four methods a try to remain self-determined and successful in your direct selling business.

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