When we were at Amway, one of the things we were told was that "if your dream is large enough, the facts don't matter." What I interpreted this to mean was that no matter how overwhelming the odds appeared to be, you have to keep going in order to be a winner and go diamond in the rough. There were certain tapes and CDs that I heard that "this and that" had made the decision to go diamond. The facts, after all, are what important, regardless of what anyone says or decides.
A diamond group consists of at least 6 downline sponsored groups that qualify at the platinum or direct distributor level. When I was an IBO, we were required to take orders over the phone, pick them up, and then distribute the products to customers. We also had to keep track of sales volume and distribute bonus checks to our direct reports. Things have gotten a lot easier in that sense now that Amway sends products directly to you and provides checks to certified IBOs. In this aspect, the task of an IBO is far less difficult.
But let us take a closer look at the facts. A PV of 100 corresponds to around $300 in product purchases. A distributor who is unable to sell enough product in order to qualify will be forced to purchase the necessary volume on their own behalf to qualify. That is why so many independent business owners (IBOs) accumulate debt and are frequently stuck with things they cannot utilise, despite what many people believe to be a generous return policy offered by Amway. And the fact is that Amway products are of generic quality, but they are extremely expensive. That is a difficult problem to resolve. People are not interested in paying a higher price for everyday items such as food and clothing. It's also one of the reasons WalMart has been so successful.
Sponsoring individuals is a difficult task. The vast majority of people never sponsor somebody. It's also possible that even if you sponsor someone, they will accomplish nothing and eventually give up. Anyone attempting to start a business in these conditions will be challenged. Products are too expensive, you must meet a minimum quota in order to qualify for a bonus, and recruiting others to help you grow your business is difficult or impossible given Amway's poor image. These are unassailable facts. Even if your desire is very enormous, it is improbable that you will be able to overcome such formidable obstacles.
Because your dream is huge enough, it doesn't matter what the facts are, according to the statement. A ploy designed to persuade individuals to persist and persevere even when the facts simply do not add up, as is the case in this case. Like Amway is some sort of lottery ticket, people are drawn into the system under the impression that success is just around the corner or that they will succeed if they don't give up too soon. However, the reality is that Amway is viewed by some as being similar to a person who has a gambling addiction. Instead of getting better, they will only get worse and will not get better until they quit or their funding are taken off. In business, the only thing that matters is the truth.
Please allow me to reiterate. Only the facts are important in business. Your hopes and goals are wonderful, but they must be tempered with a healthy dose of common sense. For example, I can "dream" of one day playing in the National Football League. However, if I'm 5'7" and I run a 5.1 40-yard dash, that desire will remain a pipe dream, no matter how much I wish it were otherwise. The verifiable facts lead me to believe this. It's no different in the Amway organisation.
I'll conclude with a humorous anecdote. Once upon a time, an IBO approached me and stated that his upline diamond made more money taking the morning poop than I did in a year. I refused to accept his wager. The fact is, when we did the arithmetic (and the facts), his upline's one hour didn't even come close to what I make in a year. I was nice in allowing his upline the full hour to take a crap. That is a proven fact. Of course, the IBO never made good on his promise. LOL
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