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These five words will hold you back in your business – they're absolute poison, and they'll stop you dead in your tracks. (And everyone is guilty of this at some point or another, but here's how to fight it.)

Let me know what you think and leave me a comment below!

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71 Replies to “Five Words That Will Kill Any Chance of Success”

  1. So true! I find myself saying those five words all time. When it’s clear that something is working well for other people I doubt it will work for me. Usually the only thing that stops a successful model working for people is that they don’t take enough (or any) action, and I’ve certainly been guilty of that.

  2. Thanjk-you for your reminder to draw on good examples that inspire our authentic expression in business.

    • Rick Roesler

      Reply

      I think the 5th word is “but” .. “but my business is different”. I wondered the same thing.

    • Tim, I hear you! I love the video content, but I spent much of it waiting to hear the 5 words he was talking about because “My business is different” is, indeed, only 4. This guy is really smart and I know he can count. Perhaps, it’s some sort of marketing tool to get people to really concentrate and listen in… 🙂

      • And sorry I am publicist so I catch stupid things like that !
        4 words verses 5 who cares… but you are really great at what you do. I am a big fan!

          • Jeff is a genius! Because he didn’t say, “The five words are, ‘but my business is different.'” I listened to the whole video waiting for the specific five word phrase rather than hearing it and quitting the video early. I processed the content more by trying to “count out” the five words (which he didn’t specifically articulate) than I would have had he told me specifically that “but” was the first word. Tip of the hat to you, Jeff!

    • David Yeomans

      Reply

      That doesn’t work for me. 5 words. Does that work for you? 🙂 ciao

  3. Yes Definitely I feel this is true. I was doing the same thing and was dragging launch incessantly. But I guess I should begin applying the strageties now!! 🙂

  4. Thanks for posting these Jeff. I watch every one of them and always look forward to a new insight or piece of inspiration.

    Btw, is there a date yet set for PLF Live?

  5. I love how natural you are Jeff & it is so true that we need to really look at how things can work for us by accepting our uniqueness … Feeling inspired x

  6. Thank you Jeff, I love your book and this video I really needed to hear. I almost thought that your product launch formula didn’t work for my business and that was even after trying to do it but I’m reviewing what I did wrong and what I did right by going through your book again. Thank you so much!

  7. Is this about subconscious beliefs and attitudes that keep us from succeeding? Do you mean limiting beliefs, such as “I’m not good enough, I’m not smart enough, people with money are bad,” and that sort of thing? I know I’ve been working on clearing such old stuff out of my system and seem to be doing better now. I’m getting ready to launch my three-part video series to sell my novels and want to thank you for all your help and encouragement. I always get a big lift from your videos and enjoy connecting with you. Thanks for your shining light.

  8. Completely agree. I think the key phrase Jeff said was “you may have to tweak it a little bit”. In other words, a strategy being sold may not work unless of course your open and willing to adjust it to make it work.

    Great content as always Jeff!

  9. Thanks, Jeff! This really struck a chord with me.

    I have a friend/teacher that will likely top the 90K mark this month. When he told me this news my first reaction was, “Wow!” My second reaction was, “Well, yeah, but my business is different than his.”

    Becky

  10. Great information Jeff! Thank you for taking the time to share. I love the point that you made about values. Growing your business by keeping within your value system truly makes a difference. Excuses be gone, Take action, Rock on.

  11. Ricardo Rodriguez

    Reply

    the word “no” is not in my vocabulary, I look and study all venues that pertain to making my business growth, your videos are great,

    thanks

  12. Jeff that video quality is amazing. What camera are you using these days to shoot these? gotta be a DSLR but whats the brand/model?

  13. Thank you so much, Jeff.This information, as you deliver it, has the power to open receptive minds to a belief which, when acted upon can be transformative in the most welcome of ways: ideal results.

  14. Thanks Jeff, your videos are always useful and entertaining, and today is the best.

  15. I agrree. and the interesting thing is that our clients do the same.
    I’ts our challage to explane to every one that we can help theme.

  16. Thank you Jeff.
    By the way, “My business is different”, that’s 4 words.
    So your business is different if for you it’s 5 words.
    LOL

  17. Great message (5 words). I am so guilty. Going to reprogram my thought process to; how can what they do in their business work for me in my business, regardless of the differences. Thank you. Kathy

  18. Great reminder Jeff. Solomon said it best, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” We just have to find a way to apply the tried and true principles already out there to our businesses or ideas. No need to reinvent the wheel so to speak. Love your thoughts and insight. Continued success for you and your venture.

  19. Thank you, Jeff, for your insights. I see the value in what you’re saying, and I’m going to start looking at others who are successful to see what they’re doing that I can modify to work for me.

  20. hey Jeff. thanks!! my business is NOT different and I sell a very strange unorthodox product- nondual spiritual awakening. BIG QUESTION- you email on sundays at the crack of dawn. I’m thinkin this isn’t a coincidence. I’m thinkin- open rates are very high for you at this time…because no one else is emailing on sundays…at the crack of dawn. Am I correct about this?? thnx…

  21. Thank you for your tips and awakening.
    Love the place you live in:) one of my favorite places.

    Bliss
    Kohava

  22. Hey Jeff,

    That’s 5 super powerful words that have the potential to ruin your life. In fact, I first observed this when I was into this Network Marketing business. I jumped in and went around prospecting people. Every one of them said the same “my case is different from yours”. It was the same when I somehow managed to take them to some of these webinars. And the answer was “my case is different from theirs”.
    Gradually over a period of time, I started feeling the same and eventually I quit.
    These words are powerful and contagious as well and you could find yourselves doing the same thing. One of the best ways to keep yourself away from this is by not being around people who think that way.

    And I liked that “What can I take from their business that I can implement in mine?”. Nice tips.

    Cheers!
    DK

  23. You could almost shrink this down to 1 word; “BUT”

    It amazes me that those kno know nothing seem to know so much about what won’t work.

    I try to get people to have a process blueprint for their sites and to fit everything into it. If something doesn’t fit, which is rare, then you can discard it. Then you just need to do it.

  24. I’m just starting my online biz, so great to hear it’s not just me:) It’s just a lot of work! Thanks! And I think your view is better than beach views:)

  25. I hear this phrase from my partner and it’s confusing to me because he’s the one who introduced your system to me seven years ago. But if there is a difference, I think it’s in the spirit in which you conduct your business; I’m guessing you’re more focused on helping others succeed and less on mechanics, that you’re less shy about putting yourself out there, you communicate with and reach out to others, bringing them a sense of hope and motivation. You seem to transmit enjoyment in living.
    I would guess there is in fact a difference and it’s in the kind of contagious enthusiasm you transmit. The rich become richer they say, and the poor become poorer. If a person starts out rich in spirit, even though money may be scarce, they probably have a better chance of doing well in the world.

  26. For all of you that think it’s 4 words….it’s in the details. But….my business is different. is five words.

  27. I like the message of this video but personally I can not get over the fact that I hate my voice when it is recorded and I can not get over my own self image, meaning I am over weight and I am self conscious about being in front of a camera.

  28. Wait, but your business is different.

    My dad used to say about excuses. “Excuses are like rear ends (he was more specific), everyone has one and they all stink.”

    No excuses.

    Your business, my business, his business, her business, thank God they’re all different. Otherwise you’d already be doing what I want to do and there’d be no room for me.

  29. Another invisible and impossible to quantify difference is the difference between those who use the laws of attraction and those who are simply indulging in magical thinking. It seems to me you know how to embody the energy you–and all of us–want to attract. Wishing, hoping, visualizing, pasting images on your fridge may in fact be narcissistic magical thinking, whereas living so as to keep your personal energies at a high vibration–however you may do that–may be much more effective because it keeps alive a sense of connection to others. People feel that and are drawn to it.

  30. Hey Jeff,
    Teo in Aracaju Brazil here. I received yr book at home! So happy.
    ABOUT THE VIDEO… it all.comes down to MINDSET & POSITIVE THINKING…cause even handling a barnof gold to someone in need can cause second thoughs or excuses and not receive it, and will argue that the bar is some other metal just for the simple reason that he/she is not ready to receive it. Great things to happen in reality need to happen first in the.mind of the.people.
    cheers
    Teo

  31. Great advice, Jeff. Sometimes it seems easier to find the reasons something won’t work than to see how a few tweaks can make it work.

  32. Mitchell Alperin

    Reply

    I just want to thank you for these sessions and what you share. THANK YOU!!!

  33. Hey! wow yes that is so true. Plus we tend to think everyone else has all the pieces of the puzzle and we are somehow inferior. No one or maybe 2 people in the world – really have it all figured out. Technology changes on a daily basis.
    Learning and keeping our momentum going is all we can do. As well as not thinking we need to grab onto every new shiny object.
    Thanks!!

  34. The frustrating thing is that I AM looking laterally, outside the box, seeing what others do BUT ( yes here is the “BUT”), it is the time taken to implement these external learnings that is the issue. Can we try to follow to many people, gather to many ideas….?
    In the video that followed, Jeff, said about analyzing your time and how it is spent…. focusing on what we are good at and outsourcing the rest… all very wise and true. Question is that a small business that IS tying to grow and implement, is usually cash strapped and cant afford the outsource costs, the time to train someone how you want the job to be done, how the book keeping needs to compliment the existing tools or programs etc…So what do we do….try to do it all ourselves!!
    Where do we get to?…we go round and round, looking for that one big break, that one big order that will cut us loose and allow us to implement what we know and learn and see others do.
    I would love a team, have put the feelers out, have some possibilities, we all need that one “break”, that one source that will trickle along and finance the costs and allow us to do as Jeff rightly implores us to do…
    My take is that, yes “my business is different”, different from the rest, because we strategically made it different, NOT that we switched off, didn’t listen and gave up, because ” Oh, my business is different”.

    Thanks Jeff for the reminder, in this and the other videos…..

    One point…. you love to have our feed back and comment… how about answering them? Many many marketers request comments AND then take time to respond and create an opportunity for others to engage and help each other…. right now it is a one way street…. or “is your business different”?

    Many thanks

  35. That’s so true! I remember back when I worked as a Store Manager I would often hear other SM say those exact words even though we were all part of the same chain of stores. Difference was they lived in different cities… So it wouldn’t work for them.

    I do admit that I have also said those five words about my own business, but I’m constantly working on becoming better. It’s an excuse to not go out of your comfort zone. But to become better at something that’s exactly what you have to do.

    Thanks for sharing Jeff!

  36. well, my business IS different, but so what? One of the things my father taught me was to take things that seem to be different and find out how many ways you can make them work for you. It creates tons of new ideas and opportunities and it teaches you to see things in and out of context and figure out how you can make what appears to be a liability an asset. If something is a liability in one way, it is usually an asset in another way. Thanks, Jeff, for your great vids.

  37. The mindset of “My business is different” is contagious, and I, too, have been guilty of it. Love your informal teaching style, and especially that you make it personal. And yes, you have an amazing, fabulous view! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

  38. I always felt like I should do what the experts do until I achieve their success then I’ll try something different! Great video!

  39. + Good reminder, to look for examples in other industries and not to be close-minded

    + lol re dialogue on 4 vs 5 words (like piano vs guitar)….Really?

    + biggest constraint for me is a values-based one, though I’m an industry leader we don’t run big affiliate launches because most of the IM type in my industry (trading) that do them are slimeball hucksters, phony-gurus, who’d want reciprocal emails, and I refuse to promote bs to my lists. There’s probably some solution. I do very well w/seed and internal launches, however not playing ball w/most others in my industry is a launch constraint…

    -ken

  40. Great video–and reminder of how easy it is to say these words….out loud or internally.

    I do like your filter questions…..and I never noticed if I counted 4 words, 5 or 10!! Your message was spot on.

  41. DEFINITELY happens in my work mentoring entrepreneurs.

    Especially when I hear, “But no one else in my industry does that this way…” I say, “Well, now you HAVE to do it. It will be your differentiator!”

  42. I’m sharing this video with my clients and my team right away! Thanks for the great message Jeff… so important for all of us to remember!

  43. Great video. My take aways; Don’t reinvent the wheel and look for the similarities, not the differences.

  44. Jeff, another fantastic video with great info.Thank you. I’m putting it out for my twitter followers so they can watch it. Keep it up.

    Terry

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