May We Have Your Attention, Please?

Did you know that about 40,000 books are published each year? It would take around 20 years—reading 24 hours a day—to read all of them! A really interesting book in our library is called Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout. It has some fascinating statistics about the constant stream of information that battles for our attention. Books, magazines, TV, Internet (yes, even reading this blog adds to all that competes for your attention), and cell phones that do much more than allow two people to talk to each other—there truly is, as Ries and Trout write, a "traffic jam on the turnpikes of our mind."

So, how do you ever manage to get anyone's attention long enough to share the truly valuable 4Life message? The book suggests that people will remember what you have to offer if you keep your message simple and if you are the first and best at what you have to offer. We believe that 4Life succeeds at getting and keeping people's attention all over the world because we qualify in those area the authors suggest.

We have a simple message: we truly believe that we have the best immune system-supporting products on the planet and the best opportunity to achieve financial independence. We were the first company to bring the science of Transferceutical^™ products to the world. We are the Transfer Factor Company^™. And, we are the best at using our science, success, and service to build people.

So there you have it. Have a simple message, be the first in line, and be the best at what you do.

Now that is something worth remembering.

Ries, Al and Trout, Jack. Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind. The McGraw Hill Companies, New York: 2001.

2010 Silver Dollar Award Winners

The 2010 Silver Dollar award winners at BIG Convention 2010

One of the personal highlights of BIG Convention 2010 for me was the recognition of the Silver Dollar award winners. I get rather emotional when this award is presented because it brings back a lot of memories from my youth. As many of you know, the Silver Dollar award is based on an experience I had in high school. After looking for a way to earn some extra money, my friend and I purchased paint and number stencils and looked for neighborhoods that did not have home addresses written in very visible places. I obtained permission to paint house numbers on the curbs. After I did each individual home, I would ring the doorbell and let the homeowner know what I had done. I told the homeowner that there was no charge, but if he or she would like to make a donation, it would be greatly appreciated.

I will never forget the sweet elderly woman who gave me six dollars. I still have those six dollars today. Her sweet gift symbolizes the principle that in life and in business, people appreciate when we identify a need and then take the initiative to fill that need by providing a product or service. Those silver dollars remind me that true entrepreneurs seek new and creative ways to meet people's needs, even before that need is recognized or articulated. Many people in the world don't yet know that they need 4Life Transfer Factor^® products and the 4Life financial opportunity. Silver Dollar award winners seek new and creative ways to meet people's needs and help build their lives through the 4Life opportunity. They truly are Together, Building People.

Congratulations to the 2010 Silver Dollar award winners!

Aleksey Egorov
Russia

Angela Crist
Ohio, USA

Ángels Muñoz Estape
Spain

Guillermina Miramontes
México

Gustavo Adolfo Moreira
Costa Rica

Islian Véliz & Jaime Martínez
California, USA

Jung, Kwang Rae
South Korea

Kevin & Courtney Moore
Utah, USA

Lorena Daza Castillo & Dr. Armando Segovia
Ecuador

Rafael Vasconcelos & Paula Vasconcelos
Portugal

Rasid Kamisan & Hasrunita
Malaysia

Renaldo & Lymari Sánchez
California, USA

Dr. Samuel Pahm
Philippines

Mr. & Mrs. Tan Peng Teck
Malaysia

Yesid Franco & Blanca Murcia
Colombia

Yuko Fukizawa
Japan

BIG Convention 2010 Stories

We have been really pleased to hear some of your BIG Convention 2010 stories. We are grateful that so many distributors attended convention and we're excited to hear about the inspiration you gained that will influence your life in the weeks and months to come. Below are just two of the great stories we have received at the Home Office.

"I attended my first 4Life convention in September 2007. Then, I went to illuminate '09 in Orlando with my life Lily. We attended BIG Convention 2010 together with our two daughters. A convention has to be lived in order to understand the wonderful feelings that you experience. It was exciting to see so many people together from around the world, witness the success of distributor leaders, participate in selfless service activities, visit the 4Life Home Office, learn from Keynote Speaker Chris Gardner, and enjoy closing party performer Kelly Clarkson. This convention has motivated us to achieve the next level in our 4Life business. We have returned with even more motivation to impact the lives of others. We are thankful to have this opportunity in our lives and help others understand that they can enjoy better futures. Thanks, 4Life!"
César and Lily de Orbe García, 4Life Presidential Diamonds
México"This is the second convention I have attended, and it was amazing, beautiful, and magnificent. The word 'love' became a reality in the convention center in Salt Lake City, Utah. It's difficult to pick my favorite convention moment because the whole experience was so indescribable. Everything throughout convention helped me understand how much I want to achieve Platinum International Diamond, provide service for others, and be a force for change in society. After coming back home, many people have noticed something different about me. Attending convention has changed the direction of my business. When I speak with people now, I'm better able to help them 'wake up' to this beautiful life that I've discovered with 4Life. I don't want to ever miss another convention. Philadelphia is waiting for me!"
Francisco Lora, 4Life distributor
Dominican Republic

Good Works Through Good Nutrition

Since the inception of 4Life, we have looked forward to the time when we could provide a product that would benefit the distributor who purchased it and also offer help for a worldwide humanitarian need. The recent introduction of 4Life Fortify^™ does just that. Each 4Life Fortify meal pack provides 12–24 high-quality meals of rice, lentils, and beans, along with a nutritional complex of vitamins, minerals, and 4Life Transfer Factor^®.

Recently, 4Life President Steve Tew, Foundation 4Life^® Director Tracie Kay, and Senior Director, International Latin America Rich Decker traveled to Tegucigalpita, a remote community in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. They went to Tegucigalpita to make the inaugural donation of 4Life Fortify meal packs to hungry kids at a feeding center sponsored by Feed The Children. Feed The Children will ensure that every child who visits the feeding center receives 4Life Fortify, a tortilla, and greens—a well-balanced and nutritious meal.

Fueled by the great generosity of our 4Life family, this product is already in the hands of thousands of children who now enjoy better nutrition because of 4Life Fortify. It is truly a win-win situation. You can earn Life Points when you order the product, and Feed The Children helps deliver it to the children who need it most. Feed The Children is a U.S.-based non-profit organization that distributes food and other essentials to people in need around the world. Because of this partnership, we are able to make sure that the children who need 4Life Fortify the most can benefit as soon as possible.

Together, we truly can do things that we could never do alone. It is such a joy to be involved in making the world a better place. Thank you for continuing to inspire us with your leadership and generosity.

Click here to watch a video about the Honduras visit!

Steve Tew and Tracie Kay pose with some of the kids at the feeding center in Tegucigalpita.

A boy enjoys eating 4Life Fortify.

Lessons Learned from Chris Gardner

One of the the highlights of BIG Convention 2010 was the chance to listen to and learn from Keynote Speaker Chris Gardner. Those of us who have seen the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, know how distressing it was to watch Chris and his young son go from a bad situation to a worse one, eventually becoming homeless. At one point, they had to take shelter in a restroom at night while Chris trained during the day to fulfill his dream of working in the financial industry.

It was fascinating to hear the story from Chris's perspective. In the movie, Chris Jr. is portrayed as a five-year-old boy, when in real life he was 14 months old at the time they went through these trials. That makes a big difference, doesn't it? Chris told us that the only daycare facility close by required that children be potty trained. So, Chris sat his toddler down one day to have a "little talk" about potty training.

During his presentation, it really struck us that much of Chris's focus was on his relationship with his son. As successful as he became in the world of business and finance, and as an author and motivational speaker, it was easy to see that Chris's main motivation has always been his role as a father. This role has expanded to Chris's involvement in helping children everywhere improve their life circumstances as well. Meeting Chris backstage was also a treat. He was so personable and warm. Chris was impressed with the enthusiasm of our 4Life distributors. He said that great things happen when people are that excited to learn. We truly believe that great things will happen as we take all of the great lessons we learned at BIG Convention 2010 and apply them in our lives.

BIG Stories of Sacrifice

It's been truly amazing to hear stories about distributors who sacrificed so much to be with us at BIG Convention 2010. Here are just a few:

Sabino and Abigail Quiñones

International Diamonds Sabino and Abigail Quiñones from Mexico coordinated everything so that more than 50 distributors could travel to convention by bus. Planning for the excursion took over six months, with Sabino and Abigail organizing the bus rental, hotel reservations, food, and logistics. Most distributors in their group had to save for several months to afford the trip. Many shared hotel rooms and ate at less expensive locations to save money. Sabino and Abigail have said they make this huge sacrifice because attending convention—the speeches they hear, the friendships they make, and the motivation they gain from executives and leaders—helps them recharge their strength and better build their business.

In addition, many Muslim distributors attended convention. They traveled from several different countries around the world—some as far away as Singapore and Malaysia. We learned that convention took place during one of the most important Muslim holidays, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadhan. During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, family and friends celebrate together at home and in their places of worship. They prepare special foods, decorate their homes, and give and receive presents. We were touched to find out that so many of our Muslim distributors chose to come to convention and forgo spending this special time with their families.

Thank you to all of you for the sacrifices you made to attend BIG Convention 2010. We're sure you know by now that it was well worth the effort!

An Open Letter to All of Our Amazing Distributors

Our hearts are full after seeing so many of you at BIG Convention 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah a few weeks ago. Once again, we were so impressed by the caliber of people in our 4Life family. We were truly touched by your expressions of love and support. We met some of you after convention on our flight to New York and also on our flight back to Europe. We are grateful that so many of you came from so far to be with us. We always thoroughly enjoy the chance to meet our 4Life distributors in person.

A few of you that we met asked to take a picture with us. For the most part, we were able to fulfill these requests, but unfortunately, in a few instances, we weren't able to make it work. Please know that in these cases, we either had to get to a meeting or there were just too many people to accommodate everyone who wanted the opportunity to take a photo with us. Having to turn down any requests is our least favorite part of convention. We are thankful that we were able to meet so many of you, hear your great stories, and be inspired by your enthusiasm for 4Life. We have heard several stories about the enormous sacrficies that many of you made to be with us. Next week, we would like to share a few of these stories on the blog.

We are already looking forward to the next convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 18–21, 2012!