One of the things that keeps some IBOs going is the "harsh reality". What I mean by that is for some IBOs, once you have been in Amway for a while, it can be hard to quit. You were possibly recruited with dreams of lifelong residual income and walking on all of the exotic beaches of the world. Retiring young and spending that time with your wife and family. To quit means an IBO would have to face the reality that these dreams will not come true, at least not with the Amway busines. The fact is that the Amway opportunity probably would not have delivered those dreams anyway. Even a diamond more than likely cannot afford those dreams. In fact I would estimate that most diamonds, if they flaunt some excessive lifestyle, are near broke or in heavy debt as a diamond income cannot sustain a jetset lifestyle, save for a founders crown ambassador or something similar. I believe the prominent WWDB triple diamond bankruptcy shed a lot of light into the finances of an upper level pin and it wasn't as impressive as I would have thought.
But what really is the harsh reality? It's working hard only to drift between 100 and 500 PV. It's finally sponsoring a new IBO only to have a downline quit. It's talking to people about Amway and getting laughed at or getting rejected. It's your upline or sponsor pushing you to do more. Possibly your upline is one who questions your manhood if you aren't working hard enough. It's your upline or sponsor reminding you that a winner doesn't miss functions, especially the major ones. It's staying up late for team meetings or nite owls when you need a good nite's rest to do your job the next day. It's driving the miles to show a plan, only to have your prospect not show up. It's having to be deceptive about what you are doing. It's skipping functions with family and friends so you can be core to the business.
As IBOs, do you see any of this? I saw some of this during my involvement. While I have not been an IBO in some years now, I still see many testimonies and comments by more current and even some active IBOs to indicate that a lot of this still goes on. While Amway defenders will deny it, I see no reason why any of this would have changed over the years since Amway has made no significant changes to stop abusive uplines. If Amway did make any changes, they are not immediately apparent and the continuous string of comments and testimonies do not confirm that any clean up has been done.
For active IBOs or prospects, these are the harsh realities that may be attached with the Amway oppportunity. Much of it is because of motivational groups such as WWDB, but if you are seeing these traits in your group, ask the tough questions. If you happen to decide that the Amway opportunity is not for you, take heart! There are other ways to achieve your financial goals and dreams and there are moe efficent ways out there. Sometimes, quitting something that isn't working is a wise business decisions and sometimes you can lose more by not quitting. Good luck in whatever you decide.
I've taken the following seven points from a website dedicated to distributing information about cults, especially how they recruit members and operate. Can anyone deny that all seven of them are perfect fits for Amway and its various LOS subsystems? Consider:
ReplyDelete1. No legitimate group needs to lie or mislead you about what they practice or believe.
2. Character assassination is a sure sign of a cult.
3. Cult members are usually very fearful of disobeying or disagreeing in any way with their leadership. Healthy organizations, however, are not threatened by openly debating issues.
4. Beware of "instant friends." Remember that true friendships develop over time.
5. Beware of a group that tells you who you can or cannot see.
6. If you are instructed by a group not to read information critical of the group, then that is a sign of a cult.
7. Never-ending compulsory meetings and tasks are the sign of a cult.
OK, compare the following:
Point #1 - Amway freaks always try to hide the fact that they are in Amway, or that the "opportunity" they are offering you is connected with Amway. They also lie to you about what membership will cost you in the long run.
Point #2 - Your Amway up-line will abuse and degrade you endlessly if you don't do exactly what he tells you to do.
Point #3 - Amway IBOS are typically terrified of disobeying their up-line, or the holy Diamonds they encounter.
Point #4 - You'll be "love-bombed" by Amway freaks to get you into the scam, and they'll express their undying "friendship" for you.
Point #5 - Amway up-line always tries to prevent you from having connections with anybody who might be a threat to your Amway commitment.
Point #6 - Amway up-line forbids you from looking at any printed or on-line information that is not specifically approved by Amway.
Point #7 - Amway is obsessed with meetings, meetings, meetings! There's an endless parade of get-togethers and night owls and of course the stupid "functions."
Amway has all these seven signs of a cult.
Thanks, great information and certainly applicable. I'll add in sleep deprivation. They keep you up all night at meetings and functions and call it "paying the price of success".
DeleteI appreciate this post because it is a compassionate point of view of what happens to nice people entangled in scamway and whatever additional motivational group is bleeding them dry.
ReplyDeleteLorikeets, thanks for your comment. Your comment is why I keep blogging. I am hoping that information seekers who may be nice people, can find this blog and find useful and truthful information that can be used in making a sound decision about the Amway business.
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