I was raised up in the Philippines solely by my sweet mom after my dad left us a year after I was born. Mom was only 17 at that time when was left without any other choice, but to fend for our needs so as to survive. Yes, she was only 16 when she had me and it was the beautiful beginning of our journey.
Pregnancy at such an age when other girls like her would be in gigs and parties, mom took it as an opportunity to be blessed, by all means. In a country where superstitions were just but a common thing, she made her way to turning a seem-to-be problematic situation into a very opportunity-filled year of her life.
“If a pregnant woman asks for a discount, grant her wish and that will bring your business the best of luck,” was the exact superstition that allowed my mom to get discounts, favors, and all sorts of good provisions. This was how she turned the tides from problems to opportunities. This was when she started selling discounted products that made her love to earn a living for both of us even after I was born.
The life she had and the road she took weren’t easy. I am sure you could just imagine, but mom made it a millionaire at the age of 19. From buying things and then selling them, my very young single-parent mom, who didn’t even have the chance to get a degree in college, was able to buy a house we proudly called our own. She became a top-notched entrepreneur at that time – the youngest, one could ever be in her generation brood from the poor, mediocre class of our society.
She raised herself from being poor. She raised me up from poverty, too. Today, I can only be proud of her and grateful for the life she gave to me – so full of lessons to learn and a lot to emulate, too.
I am no longer poor because she is my mom. She is a millionaire, and as her son, I also am!
BUT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED…
When I was 15 years old, a “huge opportunity” came knocking at our doorstep. It was our first encounter with an industry known as Network Marketing. As it was introduced to us and let us see the humungous income potential of a certain amount of money invested, was so great my mom courageously took a ₱2.5M loan and bet on our stake. We both were optimistic at that time. We had that belief and confidence that good luck is upon us since we never faltered to work hard even when we already have a lot of money.
We will become richer. That was our thought. That was our hope.
One morning, we just woke up with nothing but a huge debt. We were scammed. We lost everything!
Were we back to being poor again?
Financially, yes. Yet, once you were taken out of poverty, no one, nothing can take you back there. In our hearts, we were never back to being poor again.
EVERY CRISIS IS ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY
I knew that my mom worked hard with her whole heart and soul to earn that money for me, her, and the whole family. Undeniably, it was harder to accept that we lost all of it.
For the first time, I understood what hopelessness means. I saw that in her eyes. I felt pain on her pretty face. I sensed regret in her smile. I felt like I would lose her at that time.
I can barely watch her that way. I wouldn’t lose her.
That was when I made a deal with myself: I will be a multi-millionaire as soon as possible. I will bring back mom’s genuine smiles on her face. I will wash away her tears. I will never lose her.
How?
I didn’t know how. I was not even sure if I can even do it. All I knew was my desire to become a multi-millionaire and put a smile on my mom’s face again.
The first step I took toward my goal was to start a business (MJ’s Moringa Yema).
I was a 16-year-old young man doing traditional business, and network marketing on the side. I became addicted to work and the joy of earning money. Every day just passed by without me noticing time at all. I was so focused on my goal and was engulfed with the pleasure of having to work and earn.
What became of me?
I became one of the youngest multi-millionaires at that time. Like, mom, I earned my first million when I was 19. I bought my first real estate when I was 21 and earned mastery of the good and bad sides of Network Marketing.
Above all, I brought back mom’s smiles on her face and eased all her pains away!
I HAD A DATE WITH DESTINY
I was born and was raised up in a poor family, and I was destined to be rich.
My story is not one in the world, but it is the only thing I can leave as a legacy to this world.
I was 26 years old when I finally decided to build my own multi-level networking company with a system that was officially launched a couple of years after. From then on, up until I was 29, I received national and international awards and I started creating content at the age of 30.
My journey to success was never luck, after all. That was what life taught me in the years that passed. My achievements weren’t mine to get because I was good and smart. My awards weren’t given to me because I was the best in the field of Networking.
My consistent way of holding on to the “why” in everything I do is a huge part of my victories. My clear purpose in every goal, big or small, that I have is the secret to my happy and successful life.
Was it all about me and for me?
Definitely not.
BEEN THERE; DONE THAT
I started with the goal of making my mom happy and proud. Along the way, it wasn’t just her who became my inspiration to do more and achieve more. I met a lot of people who were struggling to make ends meet and were suffering because of hopelessness, regrets, and pains like what my mom used to be. I knew exactly how it was to be there. Mom and I were there before, and so I had all the guts and confidence to lift others up.
I was able to make it for mom; I can do it for others, too!
My goal is to bring abundance to other people. My purpose is to share the knowledge brought to me by my experiences, training, and education. My happiness is to help others build the mindset and skillset to have their goals and purposes achieved.
These, for me, are the real definitions of a meaningful and fulfilling life.
MJ Lopez is the Executive Vice President of Worldwide Entrepreneurs (WE), an award-winning entrepreneur, a trendsetter in the network marketing industry, and one of the leading life & business coach in the Philippines. For more than a decade, thousands of people have enjoyed the warmth, energy, humor, and transformational power of MJ Lopez’s business and personality development events.
MJ Lopez is a leader dedicated to more leaders. He worked with entrepreneurs and leaders in the industry helping them generate more wealth and fulfillment in their lives, he was able to create abundance in the lives of other people, and transform their lives in the process — from people who have issues with self-esteem to inspirational speakers, from people who are really poor to becoming multi-millionaires, from drop-outs to top earners, from a tough life to a fulfilling and meaningful life.
MJ Lopez is one of the few mentors who actually owns a portfolio of highly successful business ventures. His teachings and mentorship is based on real-life experiences and the great success he has attained. MJ’s mission is to serve and help people like you to create the life that you want, and generate wealth while having a meaningful life.
Start your day with gratitude, MJ Lopez www.MJLopez.ph
