Dec 14

Camera Lenses, Much Ado About Nothing!

Discussion about camera lenses for #Pentax are much ado about nothing!

Camera Lenses

Camera lenses don’t make the photographer. There are 151 lenses that are compatible with all three of my Pentax cameras and there is no way I could use them all. The decision to go with Pentax when I re-engaged in my photography hobby was based on the fact I could continue to use my old lenses and I was comfortable with how they worked. For the record, my cameras at this time are:

  1. K-1ii
  2. K-5iis
  3. K-S1

My mother purchased my first camera for me in 1979, a Pentax ME Super. I still have a few of my original lenses in my arsenal!

Pentax Lenses v Third Party Manufacturer

Pentax has had the best glass in the business for as long as I have been shooting. I’m a #Pentaxian so no bias here! That being said, don’t limit yourself. Especially if budget is an issue. Third party lenses are high quality and every lens has its unique characteristics. Some have better bokeh while others may be sharper or allow you to get closer to your subject.

Pentax Lens

Pentax-F 100-300

The Pentax-FA 100-300mm has beautiful bokeh and can also be pretty sharp. Let’s set aside the discussion of zoom versus prime for now! I don’t think any zoom lens will ever be as sharp as a prime but isn’t the key to get the shot?

The photo at left was taken on a nice sunny day in the Bruce-Grey Peninsula using the Pentax-FA 100-300 on K-1ii. Thanks to the great light, I was able to shoot at ISO 140 and f9.5. With this lens I sometimes feel a little restricted with the short end at 100mm. Zooms like this aren’t the best for shooting landscape so mine don’t get much use. The 30mm difference between it and the Sigmas below may not seem like much but it truly is. I’ll write a comparison some time of some of my Pentax 55-300 and 75-300 glass.

Sigma Lens (Pentax K Mount)

Actually, I’m going to show you three versions of the same Sigma lens:

  1. Sigma 70-300 DL Macro Super
  2. Sigma 70-300 DG Macro
  3. Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro
Photo of a chipmunk

Sigma 70-300 DL Super Macro

Sigma DL 70-300mm

The Sigma DL 70-300mm is an older lens dating back to the film era. The photo at right was taken with this lens on my K-1ii. It wasn’t as bright a day as I would like when using a longer lens like this. 1/60 sec at f5.6 ISO560 at 300mm.

I think that little critter was waiting to see what I was up to. Nice of it to pose while I took a shot!

Sigma 70-300 DG Macro

The Sigma 70-300 DG Macro has identical reach as the DL but has coatings maximized for digital cameras. The photo at left was taken with my K-S1 on a sunny day in Toronto at the bottom of Spadina Avenue at the lake.

This was at 133mm, f8 ISO 100 and 1/320 sec. Luckily I shot him before he started dive bombing me! They are particularly protective during mating season.

Sigma 70-300 DG Macro APO

Photo at night in Barrie

Sigma 70-300 DG Macro APO

The Sigma 70-300 DG Macro APO is supposed to be a better lens than the two above. The APO coating is better at minimizing chromatic aberration(CA).

The photo at right was taken with my K-1ii on tripod. 70mm at f11. 30 seconds exposure and ISO 140.

What Lens Should You Use?

Unless you are a “pixel peeper”, you will find that when you view the photos above, they are all pretty good. Keep in mind that I’m not a professional and adjust your expectations accordingly. If you are looking to find deficiencies, you will. In any lens.

Photo of a chipmunk

Sigma 70-300 DL Super Macro

 

Sigma 70-300 DG Macro (non APO)

 

Photo at night in Barrie

Sigma 70-300 DG Macro APO

 

 

Arguments are often made that you should match the manufacturer lens to the camera body. When a camera is new to market, that’s likely true. Fast forward a couple of years and the third party manufacturers actually come ahead in some cases. There is also a difference when you move away from “consumer” lenses like those above and into “professional” lenses like the HD Pentax-FA 150-450 or Sigma’s famous 50-500. You get what you pay for but why pay if you don’t need to?

For most of us amateurs, pay more attention to learning to use what you have to its best advantage. The reality is you are the artist creating your own vision. If someone likes your pictures enough, it won’t be because of the lens but rather the 12 inches behind the lens. By the way, that’s you.

So, buy what you can afford and use it well!

Make it a great day,

Barry

What am I thankful for today? Ebay, photography groups (great learning resources) and opportunities to shoot! What are you thankful for today?

 

 

 

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/camera-lenses-much-ado-about-nothing/

Nov 01

Through The Looking Glass: Your Lens Matters!

When considering the looking glass, we often forget how much the lens matters. Let’s be clear, I’m a Pentax guy with no experience using other cameras so yes, there is a bias. My references are mostly to Pentax because that’s what I know. That being said, this is a discussion in general terms.

Your Lens Matters

Pentax with Pentax lens beside a Sigma lens.Many of us get caught up in having the best camera. Now there is a big discussion! When my passion for photography was re-ignited, I picked up where I left off and went to Pentax. Not because I thought it was the best camera but because I understood how they work as a result of my past experience (And there was a good deal at Costco at the time!). What I learned over the last couple of years is that I was correct in resuming with what I know but spent a fair bit of time and money trying different lenses. Now I understand how much your lens matters!

When making a budget decision, allocate more funds to the lenses and make those decisions based on what you want to shoot. Spend some time on Youtube and save yourself some time and money. There is a caveat though, there are many differing opinions and at some point you just have to decide. I used Ebay to make some low cost purchases during the time I was trying to figure out what I liked which led to focusing funds a little better over time. Careful you don’t get G.A.S. (Gear acquisition syndrome!).

Does The Camera Matter?

Snowy street in St. Sauveur QuebecIn my case, I prefer landscape but also like to shoot some birds. I love my Pentax K-1ii and for a walk around lens, shooting landscape with my Pentax-FA 28-105 or F 35-105. Great camera for low light with the right lens on it. The photo at right was taken hand held with my Pentax K-1ii and a Samyang 85mm f1.4 lens. The lens is manual but the camera is pretty smart at identifying focus! Good thing with these old eyes.

Dark Eyed JuncoFor birding, I like my Pentax K-5iis for the frames per second. This way I can shoot rapid fire for a little longer period. (I would love a K-3ii but remember that G.A.S. I mentioned?) Besides, because of the APS-C versus the Full Frame in the K-1ii there is effectively a longer reach. To be clear, it’s a perception thing. It seems longer because the image is cropped in camera whereas you need to use a photo editor with a full frame camera to get to the same image. There will be many other camera options for birding. If you know birders, ask them what they use and why!

Be A Joiner!

Join some groups and spend time looking through their posts. As a Pentax user, many of mine are Pentax specific. As a landscape and birding person, I belong to a few groups related to those. Here are some of my favourites (They are closed groups and you will have to ask to join):

To see some of what I shoot, go to my Facebook photography page. I don’t post a lot there because of some FB limitations but have many more photos uploaded to Youpic.

Keep in mind all of the above is my opinion with links to a few others. In the end, you have to decide for yourself. Now get out there and start shooting. Connect with my FB page and show me some of your stuff!

Make it a great day!

Barry

P.S. What am I thankful for? Pentax, social media and God’s green earth! What are you thankful for?

 

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/your-lens-matters/

Apr 14

Politicking in Canada

Politicking in Canada needs a reboot. Time to for our leadership (and the rest of us) to go “Back to the Future”.

POLITICKING IN CANADA NEEDS FIXING!

Canadian FlagWhat do I mean by politicking? I’m referring to someone taking a posture for political gain. For example, today I was listening to a Conservative opposition critic talking about the COVID-19 issues here in Canada. He made many references to the Prime Minister having taken specific actions or having given specific directions to take actions as a government.

Our politicians have fallen into the defensive trap. There is a natural instinct for “fight or flight” when we feel trapped. I don’t think politicians are any different than a husband and wife trying to resolve an issue. When communicating effectively, they can overcome any obstacle. They don’t initially have to agree and sometimes need to agree to disagree. When one attacks the other, we revert to an instinctive reaction. Fight or flight. When politicians are fighting each other, no one wins. When they lose, the whole nation loses.

HISTORY

talking headsI remember a time when watching political discussion or debate and it wasn’t acceptable to point at an individual literally or figuratively. In Canada a discussion was more likely to sound like “The Liberals have done nothing to support Canada’s oil industry and have constantly blocked efforts to move Canadian oil to the east coast”. Or “The Conservatives are only interested in supporting their cronies in the business world at the cost of the working class Canadian”. 

In those days society as a whole had way more respect for each other and were more likely to recognize that when it comes to creating national policy, there isn’t any one individual that dictates the outcome. Yes, leaders exert influence within the party but they were chosen as the leader for a reason. Within parties, there was private healthy debate before presenting a unified public face. The leader would then either present the policy publicly for debate or assign a minister responsible for the affected ministry to do so. Parties long outlive their leaders so who is ultimately responsible?

POLITICKING TODAY

ment fighting

Today, politicking is at its worst! It’s more likely that today’s politician would use the personal name of the leader of the respective parties in order to discredit the individual and probably in the hopes it would fracture the opposing party as a whole. We have sunk to the worst level possible. As much as I have always Canadians need to stand up for themselves, I never believed we should be attacking others to raise ourselves up.

Can we change politicking today? COVID-19 has brought the whole world to a crossroads. We are in a time that will lead to renewal. Just as a forest fire cleanses the earth allowing for new growth, we will have the opportunity to make drastic changes to how we behave as a society. 

POLITICKING TOMORROW

We better have learned from the past. I would like to see our country go “Back to the Future” and take some of those mores and bring them to the future with us. I’m not saying we should go back rather, I’m saying let’s bring some of the old forward. 

circle of peopleI’m proud of our progress on diversity. We are approaching equality of the sexes, still a long way to go but much improved. The same can be said of Canada’s melting pot. There are so many new cultures that have been introduced over the last 50 years. We have so many differences to draw on to create our new Canadian identity if we can stop fighting rather, we should be engaging in healthy debate before presenting a unified front to the world.

Let’s bring some decorum from the past and add it to what we have learned over the years to create a more collaborative politicking future. Tell your local politicians to stop politicking and start doing the business you elected them for.

Make it a great day!

Barry

P.S. I’m thankful for the right to vote, the right to speak my mind truthfully and civilly and for our diverse country.

What are you thankful for today? 

GVO, your one stop hosting shop!

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/politicking-in-canada/

Mar 14

Leadership In Challenging Times

Leadership is something everyone is capable of and important in these challenging times.

Leadership

Photo of army officer

Leadership isn’t something that just comes naturally. It comes easier for some than others but the best leaders work hard at it. What we choose to say and how we say it can matter.

I remember an old saying “stick stones can break my bones but names can never hurt me”. We were so wrong! When we call someone stupid or criticize how they feel, you might just as well have hit them. We always told our kids to use their words but I hope we taught them to use them with caring and kindness. In challenging times like today, we need to show leadership in how we not only behave but how we use our words.

Challenging Times

person running away

With COVID-19 society is facing fear and a very challenging time. Leadership now will be important in the recovery process. The past few days have shown evidence through things like the hordes of people in the stores busily trying to make sure their families will be OK. In the process, many have been left without and there was even an incident in a large metropolitan centre in Canada where there was a shooting over groceries for God’s sake.

We can either focus on all the negative stories about looting type behaviour and slam each other for whatever approach each takes or we can show leadership by making the choice to focus on the positive and what we have control over.

This is the time for leadership. Are you up for it?

Leadership Challenge!

Will you be a follower or a leader?

sad and smile face

We all have a choice to make today. Either we will follow the hysterical crowd or we can assume a leadership role and help those people find their way back to some semblance of normalcy, whatever that is!

I have seen so many posts lately on Facebook about toilet paper in short supply and everyone being so fearful of something we can’t really control. What we CAN control is how we act, react and treat others. Sure, it’s prudent to practice safe living like washing your hands and making sure you aren’t the one to make others sick but it’s also prudent to find ways to infect others with positivity. For example, a friend’s daughter passed away at a very young age and she came to me to talk because she knew I had lost a son at a similar age. I made it very clear at the time that if she was looking for a pity party, I’m not the one to turn to. This was about four years ago and she comes for a morning hug to this day. She knows that coming to me will result in reassurance that life goes on and it’s up to us to show our families that life is for the living, not to get stuck wallowing in self pity.

No pity parties for me!!!

My challenge to everyone is to make the decision to be a leader and help others understand we will survive and there will be life after COVID-19! It’s a choice.

Make it a great day!

Barry

P.S. What am I thankful for today? I’m thankful my parent’s taught me good hygiene, respect for others and to lead by example. What are you thankful for today?

 

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/leadership-in-challenging-times/

Sep 05

Pentax Lenses and My DA 18-135mm WR

Pentax lenses and cameras may not be mainstream but I’m an addict! My first SLR was a Pentax ME Super and when I bought a new camera, it was natural to buy a newer Pentax because I can still use my 40 year old lenses!

Pentax Lenses

Pentax camera and bag with lensesI believe even photographers that use other kits will admit Pentax makes great lenses. Pentax was the first to use Super Multi Coating on their lenses. This helps minimize dust sticking to the glass and really makes the difference in colours in the final pictures.

Over my lifetime, Pentax has continually developed new and improved lenses and yet maintained backward compatibility. Between the camera technology and lens technology, I’m glad I am still a Pentaxian. Search Facebook, we’re out there. Way out there!

There have been a few series of Pentax lenses:

  • K and M series are Manual.
  • FA series are more automatic and controlled by the camera body with the ability for most to be used manually if desired.
  • DA series are specifically designed for crop sensor cameras. They don’t have a manual aperture ring.
  • D FA series are automatic but optimized for digital cameras, both full frame and crop sensor. They have a manual aperture ring but can be controlled by the camera as well.

Like I said, I have had my Pentax lenses 40 years and own some of each of these.

eBay for Lenses (and cameras)

Pentax K-5 camera with Tamron 28-200mm lensWhen I broke one of my cameras, I wanted a backup while I had it fixed. I thought I would check eBay and lo and behold, there is a plethora of equipment available on eBay. I decided to take a chance on some really affordable options. My replacement camera, my Pentax K-5, turned out to be better than my main camera, the K-S1. Go figure!

  • Pentax 50-200mm 1:4-5.6 ED SMC DAL Telephoto Zoom Lens $19.92CDN
  • Lot of Two (2) SMC Pentax-F 35-80mm F4-5.6 K Bayonet Mount AF Lenses $1.31CDN
  • Lot of Two (2) SMC Pentax-FA 28-80mm F3.5-5.6 K Bayonet Mount AF $4.32CDN
  • Sigma 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 Aspherical-Macro Lens for Pentax $7.37CDN
  • PENTAX Pentax SMC 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 DC Lens $190.43CDN

These are only a few of the lenses and the last one is the first time I spent over $100. Any one of these when they were new would be many times what I paid. the 18-135mm new is about $500.

PENTAX Pentax SMC 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 DC

This Pentax lens has turned out to be my favourite walk around lens on my K-5, the backup camera that is now my main squeeze!

Photo of Pentax Lens 18-135mmAlthough this lacks the aperture ring, I love the range and the ability to work with reasonably low light. As long as the camera isn’t having issues controlling the lens aperture (that would be the f-stop), you can shoot just about anything with this lens. I’m looking forward to getting back out to Ontario Parks and taking more pictures with this lens.

Why is this my new favourite Pentax lens?

  • When I am doing street photography and can’t get back from a building, it is wide enough in most cases.
  • If I’m catching a shot of birds, not too far away, this has pretty good reach.
  • IF, Internal Focusing. The lens doesn’t turn on the outside and it’s ultra quiet. It won’t scare those birds! 
  • I love the colours when shooting natural landscapes, particularly skies with character.
  • On the K-5, the whole kit is weather resistant! 

camera wet with rainYes, I can stand in a rain storm and not worry too much about the camera or lens. A little common sense here, don’t be zooming while wet, the vacuum may still draw water in while it’s wet.

So, if you like to be outdoors and not worry too much about the weather, WR series Pentax lenses on WR camera bodies like the K-5 are a great combination.

If you want to see more of my photos, check out my Youpic site! Photos are all taken with Pentax cameras but lenses vary. Check the info on the photos for the lens and camera used.

Make it a great day!

Barry

P.S. What am I thankful for? Pentax, eBay and Amazon! What are you thankful for today?

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/pentax-lenses-and-my-da-18-135mm-wr/

Apr 14

Photography and Taking Pictures – What the “f”?!

Photography can be quite a challenge. One of the ones I think I figured out recently is the “f”.

Photography

Photo of Drive-in screen

Photography isn’t just taking pictures. It’s deciding how to take a picture that triggers emotions. Otherwise, it’s just a snapshot of a moment in time.

I was travelling through the countryside last week and came across an old drive-in movie theatre. It had obviously been abandoned for some time leaving me feeling sad and nostalgic. I wanted to share that feeling. I like to think the photo to the left achieved that.

In order for people to feel what I did, I needed to frame the scene so that the viewer could sense the passing of time and the nostalgia that I was felling. I tried a few different angles and decided on the one here.

To see other photos taken that day and get a sense of what it took to decide, click this link.

Now, photography and what the “f”?!

What the “f”?!

When talking about photography and I say what the “f”, i’m talking about the f-stop on my camera.

Now that I have chosen my lens and how to frame my shot, I need to decide how to set the f-stop or otherwise known as aperture. The aperture is the opening in the back of the lens that controls how much light gets through to the sensor on the camera. Now, I haven’t reached that stage yet where I set the f-stop manually on a regular basis. I usually set the ISO and let the camera do the rest. That was the case in the shot above.

Early morning photo of train station platform.
GO Station, Barrie South

Recently, I purchased a Pentax DA 50mm lens, f1.8. This means the “lowest” f-stop, or largest aperture is 1.8. Go figure, the lower the f-stop, the bigger the hole for the light to come through! What this means for me is that I can take pictures in lower light and/or take a shot that obscures the background more. In the photo to the right, I was able to take a handheld shot at my commuter train station at 5:30am, 1/15th sec, ISO 1600 without the assistance of flash by setting the camera manually to f1.8.

Lenses like this are often referred to as a “fast” lens because of the ability to use a much faster shutter speed. This is because of the extra alight allowed to reach the sensor by the larger opening (aperture).

(Photographylife.com has a great piece explaining more detail on how to take advantage of aperture).

Summary

So, to summarize, photography is the art of being to create (not just take) a photo that causes the viewer to feel something and that “f” I referred to, is what determines how much or little light you need and also how much detail is shown throughout the whole picture.

To see more photos, there are a few places you can follow along as I continue my learning journey:

I hope I haven’t confused you as much as I was!

Make it a great day,

Barry

P.S. What am I grateful for today? I’m grateful for Pentax, eBay and a patient wife. What are you grateful for today?

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/photography-what-the-f/

Feb 12

My GuruShots

Gurushots is a fun new activity for photographers, professional or otherwise!

What is Gurushots?

Visit my page to take a look and if you enjoying taking pictures, join me!

Photographer

Once you have uploaded a number of photos, it starts to make suggestions for challenges to participate in and insert photos for you. You don’t have to accept as is, you can make changes or go to the challenge directly and upload photos there. You will start to make new friends and get both positive feedback and constructive criticism.

The block of photos below are some of the ones I used in challenges. It’s free and fun.

Obviously, they will try to up-sell you to achieve greater rewards. It’s up to you to make your choices. That being said, let’s see what you are made of!

Use this link to check it out! https://goo.gl/1eiy7d

Make it a great day!

Barry

P.S. What am I thankful for today? Pentax, Gurushots and a beautiful country. What are you thankful for today?

GVO, your one stop hosting shop!

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/my-gurushots/

May 31

Fair, Firm and Friendly. Are we forgetting the three F’s?

When I first went into management, my manager at the time gave me a piece of advice I never forgot. He said “always remember The Three F’s: Fair, Firm and Friendly. In that order.

Fair, Firm and Friendly

This approach really applies to all areas in life. Whether dealing with a partner, children or staff, being fair firm and friendly builds trust. Trust leads to more open minds. Open minds lead to agreement and acceptance.

Fair

Two people and scalesBeing fair doesn’t mean giving in to unreasonable demands or expectations.

This is where communication skills can be critical. If someone were to approach you saying that you were mean and unreasonable in a situation, it’s likely you would become defensive and the fight or flight response would kick in. I would bet that most in a position of authority will lean to “fight” mode. When we are in fight mode, it’s difficult to “hear” the other person. We become focused on winning rather than finding a fair place of compromise. By the same token, always conceding doesn’t mean the resolution is fair and/or balanced.

Being fair means being willing to listen to your “opponent”. There is the root of the problem. I don’t believe in problems, just challenges. Rather than treating the other person as an opponent, treat them as a partner you are collaborating with to resolve a challenge.

What if instead of hearing “you were mean and unreasonable”, you chose to hear “my feelings are hurt and I don’t understand why you said or did what you did”? The words are just the words but think about what message the other person is trying to convey. Yes, it take two to tango but someone has to lead. Are you a leader?

Firm

Firm womanBeing fair doesn’t mean being soft in your position. People need to know what your values are and where you stand. It can sometimes be difficult to separate yourself from the role you need to play. When we are in the role of manager, there are expectations that have to be met. As long as you have been fair in establishing expectations, it’s reasonable to be firm in a resolution process.

When expectations and appropriate penalties or resolutions are agreed upon up front, there is a need to follow through. Now, let’s make sure to apply fair to the circumstances. Sometimes, there can be mitigating circumstances but if there are none, it’s fair to be firm. It’s not fair to let people dump their garbage all over you.

Friendly

Advisor shaking hands with clientThrough all of this, it’s important to be “friendly”. We are all people and have feelings. When you approach someone with a challenge and an honest intent to find an equitable solution, it promotes a feeling of safety and leads to more open dialogue. I’m not saying you should be best beer buddies, just approach discussion with honesty and integrity. Collaborate to seek a fair solution without being mean about it.

Being friendly is not the same as bowing down to someone in deference. It’s really about being respectful of others as individuals and valuing their thoughts and opinions whether you agree with them or not.

Always remember fair, firm and friendly. In that order!

Make it a great day!

Barry

P.S. What am I thankful for today? I’m thankful for my mentors. I’m thankful for opportunities to grow. I’m thankful for each new day. What are you thankful for today?

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Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/fair-firm-and-friendly-the-three-fs/

Oct 30

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM): Why You Need to Love the “Onesie, Twosies”!

“Onesie, Twosies” are critical for the success of your MLM business. This is where the bulk of your numbers will come from.

MLM and the Numbers

funnel

As with any type of sales organization, successful sales strategies are all about the numbers. You need to fill the funnel to get results. How do you do that? By sharing. Tell stories that resonate with people so that they will want to know more about your product or service and maybe even join you in your business.

The more people you get into the funnel, the more opportunity you have to find the “onesies and twosies” that may be interested. Who knows? You might even stumble upon a superstar along the way.

Love the “Onsie, Twosies”!

Many of us get caught up in finding superstars to work with us. Be careful, you could miss the forest for the trees! Your next superstar may be the person you meet that is currently involved in another MLM opportunity that is only producing one or two sales a month. Worse yet, these future stars may already be in your organization and you are ignoring them because they are a “onsie, twosie”.

There are two key reasons not to ignore these people.

  1. Treat them poorly and they will take a lot of your organization out.
  2. This is were the bulk of your sales and recruits come from.

Finding Their Stride

Everyone finds their own stride in MLM or any business. Yes, we all have “systems” that should work for everyone. Eventually. The challenge for many is finding what fits and how to make that work for them. This is a people business and, as challenging as it is, we are people. That means we carry baggage from the past and the feelings that go with that.

Your job is to help them identify what they can make work for them. That may mean you have some things to learn before you can help them. For example, your recruit may have a greater technology expertise than you and want to incorporate those skills into their marketing strategies.

Rather than insisting this is a “belly to belly business”, take the time to understand that you actually both agree and help your recruit to develop a strategy they can be comfortable with that results in meetings with actual people and sales. By the way, you may need to understand that “belly to belly” should translate to “face to face” and that doesn’t necessarily mean in physical proximity. We are in a global community today. Learn to communicate in a way that people understand.

Who knows? Your recruit may actually teach you something, if you let them.

Mentoring quote

Created using Canva and Brainy Quote. Click graphic to learn about free tools.

Why You Need “Onsie, Twosies”.

Very few associates are likely to produce high numbers on a consistent basis. Yes, we all need at least three across and we will find them over time. In the meantime, most will produce next to nothing, many may produce one or two a month. This is just a reality in sales, whether MLM or otherwise.

If you need 25 points in a month, and you are not doing all the sales yourself, it’s most likely that one or two might produce 5-10 and you can only hope that 10-15 others might produce one or two. That means “onsie, twosies” can make or break you!

It’s very tempting to turn your focus to “the producers”. Be careful how you define “producers”! Remember to be inclusive with regard to your “onsie, twosies”. First, one of them may be your developing superstar. Second, you need the numbers to fill the funnel.

Can you demonstrate leadership by letting your recruits teach you what you need in order for you to teach them?

Make it a great day!

Barry

P.S. What am I thankful for today? I’m thankful for my GVO tools. I’m thankful for true leadership. I’m thankful for people willing to “listen” to my rambling.

What are you thankful for today?

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/multi-level-marketing-mlm-why-you-need-to-love-the-onesie-twosies/

Jan 03

Fake it until you become it.

Fake it until you become it. Confidence isn’t something you are born with. It’s a learned behaviour. What are you willing to do to become more confident and successful?

Confidence

Confidence is the feeling that you can do something well or succeed at something.

Fake it!

Success quoteMelanie Pinola gathered some great TED Talks in a post on lifehacker.com. The first one, number 10 at the top of the post is by Amy Cuddy and she does a great job of discussing the importance of “faking it” for as little as two minutes and how it can change your life.

There are many books on personal development with great suggestions on changes you can make that will lead to a change in you. All require you being willing to “fake it” until the behaviours become part of you, or fake it until you become it. Many people spend so much time debunking these authors and I believe it’s because they fail to “fake it” with any consistency.

Here are 5 of my favourite books:

  1. Awaken The Giant Within, Tony Robbins.
  2. The Leader Who Had No Title, Robin Sharma.
  3. Start With Why, Simon Sinek
  4. The Secret Language of Leadership, Steve Denning.
  5. 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John C. Maxwell.

None of these books are the definitive answer. Each of these books have great suggestions. It’s up to you to find those nuggets of information that will help you become the person you want to attract.

Don’t fake it until you make it, fake it until you become it! Whether it’s to attract people to your business or that special someone into your life, the change starts with you. What are you willing to do?

Become that person you want to attract into your life.

Make it a great day!

How much justice can you afford?

P.S. What am I thankful for today? I’m thankful for four seasons. I’m thankful for the people in my life. I’m thankful for opportunity to grow.

What are you thankful for today?

Permanent link to this article: https://barryclermont.com/confidence-fake-it-until-you-become-it/

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