By Jason Croxford

You know you’re an authority on a few things when Hollywood not only makes a film about you – an Oscar-winning one at that – but a namesake film about you.

You know you’re an authority on a few things when Hollywood not only makes a film about you – an Oscar-winning one at that – but a namesake film about you.

LifeVantage’s newest – and first female – board member spoke at our 10th Anniversary celebration event in Kansas City July 19-20 on a few topics that are near and dear to the heart – and DNA – of LifeVantage. Here are a few key takeaways and excerpts in her own words.

How & Why LifeVantage

I work with Garry Mauro – chairman of the LifeVantage Board of Directors. I’m inspired by him. I’m intrigued by him. I’m most intrigued with his health and welfare. I care greatly about my health and welfare, as we all do. That is what my work has really been about: uncovering something that critically harms public health and welfare. Nothing upsets me more. I also care a little more about my health because I’ve gotten a little older. I’ve noticed changes. And Garry is so active. I wondered what he was taking and doing, so I asked. We started talking about Protandim®, and I said I want me some of that Protandim®.* That is how the conversation about LifeVantage began. I was later intrigued by Garry’s invitation to interview with the Board. What I liked about them, and what I want to talk about today, is they don’t think inside the box. They were willing to work outside the box. They were open. They were accepting. They were transparent. I really enjoyed my time with Darren. I liked the direct sales component as well because it’s about the people and that’s where I’m most comfortable.

Thinking & Working Outside the Box

Most people don’t know that I’m a dyslexic. What bothered me wasn’t that I was different. What bothered me was, because I was different, I got put into a box. I had a teacher who did something for me that was a total game-changer. She was willing to think outside the box. One day, I got another ‘F’ on a test. As I was leaving class, she stopped me and said, “Erin, is there something going on? In class you’re the first one to raise your hand, but when I give you a test you fail.” I told her I had dyslexia. She said, “If I give you this test now (verbally) and I scramble it, will you know it?” I told her I’d know every answer. She gave me the test, and I knew every answer and she gave me an A+. Somebody came out of that box and dared to do something different. She gave me the belief that I could still achieve even though I was different. Just because you are different doesn’t mean you are inferior. Different is good.

“Stick-to-itiveness”

My mom – who was a journalist and had incredible command of the English language – used to tell me “When you’re down and out, you need to find your stick-to-itiveness.” I didn’t know what this word meant, I thought it was some made up word. She came back into the room with the Webster’s dictionary and read the definition: ‘Propensity to follow-through in a determined manner, dogged persistence born of obligation and stubbornness’. Stubborn is my middle name. I am dogged, I am determined, and I am persistent…and frankly, most of us are. I took that word and I became it. A word like that motivated me. Life requires that we have it, and when you apply it, it works.

Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Out

When I got involved in the Hinckley, California case (that resulted in the film)…I knew something was wrong but couldn’t put my finger on it. The more I got involved and the more I learned, the more I started asking questions and the more I started noticing a very similar pattern that I was all too familiar with: being pushed down when I asked questions. Far too often we don’t say anything. Don’t be afraid to rise up and go with what you know and say, “I don’t think so.” That’s what being a biohacker is and I love that we are finally owning ourselves and being in charge of our own health. A lot of people are searching for someone to pass them the torch or give them permission to speak up. If you need permission from me to speak up, you have my permission. People so often forget they have a choice. You have a choice to speak out. You have a choice to get involved.

Logic (the 4 Ls)

I was raised in Lawrence, Kansas. There were days when it was hot and oppressive and you could see the thunderheads building in the background. When the sky goes dark, and the crickets stop chirping, and the birds stop singing, and the tornado sirens go off, I’m not going to stop and call the weather channel and ask if it’s an F5 or an F3. I don’t care because my common sense tells me to run. I have learned that when you use your common sense and follow it, you will logically do the right thing. We have a great set of inner skills that reside in our gut and our heart – it’s our intuition. We are often taught to not use it or not to believe it. Use it!

Leverage

I didn’t do what I did (in the Hinckley case) alone. That would be impossible. When we collectively came together as a people with a common goal and worked together and flowed together, it worked out. Had we not been together, it wouldn’t have worked out. We need to leverage each other – our team, our community. It just makes us that much stronger. In the Hinckley case, when we leveraged ourselves and became 50, and 100, and 200, and 400, and 600, we were seen, we were heard, and they began paying attention to the collective community.

Loyalty

Be true to your cause. When you’re in the game, stay in the game. Be loyal to yourself. Be loyal to your work. Loyalty to the cause is critical.

Love

Do you ever ask yourself what your ‘why’ is? Why I am I getting up again and participating in another rat race? There is so much to do, and so much noise, and so much technology, and so much change. It’s getting really hard to keep up. What is your why? Why are you participating? Why are you getting up? It’s called love. It’s love of work, love of family, love of health, love of country, love of freedom – it is love that gets us up every day, and we keep marching out there and getting it done. And most importantly, love of oneself. We’re so busy giving love and help to our families and everyone around us – and we should – but don’t forget to love yourself and to say ‘I’ve done a good job’ and to be kind on yourself and not hard on yourself.


*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.