Col. George Washington Goethels, the man who completed the Panama Canal, handled criticism effectively. During the construction he had numerous problems with the geography, climate and mosquitoes. Like all mammoth projects, he had his critics back home who constantly harped on what he was doing and predicted that he would never complete the project. However, he stuck to the task and said nothing. One day an associate asked him, "Aren't you going to answer the critics?"
 
"Yes," Goethels responded.
"How?" he was asked.
"With the Canal," Goethels replied.

I know that some of you may be surprised to learn that Robin's ideas are sometimes controversial and often times doubted.  Some of this is because he always talks about things as if they are certain when maybe they haven't happened yet. Part of this is because he is often unwaivering in his conviction that he is correct.  While I may not always like the methods, I have to admit that, for the most part, he is right.  Did he get there the way I would have--no way!  Did he say it the way I would have--no way!  If you doubt what he says does he beg for you to believe him--absolutely not!  He definitely operates on the same principle as Col. Goethels.  Maybe it's a military thing, but I think it is more than that.  It is something that most of us have a hard time doing--the absoulte, unwaivering belief that what we are doing is correct and that what we are doing is going to get us exactly where we wanted to be.

As most of you know, life down the network marketing road has not been a bed of roses.  Bad companies, bad advice, financial issues--the whole nine yards.  I will be the first to admit that I have been angry, disappointed, resigned, in a panic, and frustrated in spite of all his assurances that things would be alright.  I have had my friends and family think that everything was just a scam and fake.  That we did was ever going to amount anything. 

At one point, Robin said to me, "You don't have much faith in me do you?"

I looked at him and said, "I may not have faith in the company you are working with, I may not have faith in the system, and I may not have faith in myself right now, but I always know that the things that you say will happen will indeed happen--in time."

That time is about to come for us and those that believed in what could be a stuck with us in spite of past disappointments in a way that is so big that none of us could have ever dreamed it--except maybe Robin.  The canal is almost done and the critics will be answered. 

Thanks for reading!