Last night I watched the Finals in Women's Beach Volleyball. USA won again. There are plenty of stories and applications to our lives that we can learn from these games and the stories behind the athletes.
This Week's Tip:
Michael Phelps And You
Greetings,
You're not going to get any opening statement ideas,
questioning tips, voice mail suggestions, or closing
lines in this email today.
But you could get something that can have a
tremendous impact on your performance, life, and
income, far beyond any technique I could present.
If you're open to some inspiration and an attitude
adjustment, read on.
I am constantly amazed by, and have tremendous
respect for people who excel at things I could not, or
would not want to do. (Which is really, most things,
now that I think about it. Especially anything involving
tools.)
Architects who design massive structures. The people
who build them. Nurses. School teachers. Most of the
workers on "Dirty Jobs." And certainly, as I have the
TV on in my office while I write this, Olympic athletes.
As I watch the gymnasts glide, bounce, tumble and flip,
I just shake my head.
And Michael Phelps. Are you kidding me? Get this:
He was interviewed the morning after his record-breaking
eighth gold medal and was asked, "So what next?"
He said,
"I don't know...probably try another event, one that I
really haven't worked on."
Here's the most decorated Olympic swimmer ever, owning
more medals than most countries, able to cash in hugely
on his success, and he says he needs to find a new
challenge he can master!
THAT, fellow sales pro, is the kind of attitude rarely found
among most people. Then again, it's not surprising,
since it what makes extraordinarily successful people-
the top 2%-who they are.
The attitude drives the work, which drives the continued
work, which produces the results.
The reason I say that excellence attitude is rare is because
I see the opposite of it so often.
You would think that in sales, a profession that can provide
a lifestyle beyond the reach of most employees performing
regular jobs, you'd have more people going for their own Gold.
Yet, I regularly see and hear about sales reps who are "veterans,"
and have been in sales for x number of years. So does that mean
they are performing at high levels. Quite often, not. Many times
they are coasting. Downhill.
Longevity does not mean excellence. Hey, I have known how
to swim for 40 years. That does not mean I could race in a
competition. In fact, my arms would turn to bungee cords and
I'd probably choke up a lung 50 yards into it.
Many sales reps are not motivated to attend training, invest
in themselves, listen to audios, read books, newsletters or
other online information, practice, or God forbid, put in the
little bit extra time after-hours and weekends to go to the next
level. But it's there for the taking. So few squeeze out every
drop of potential. Or squeeze at all.
Sure, many people would like to make more money. That's
why gambling, the lottery, and get-rich-quick schemes are
so popular. But they are not willing to do the real work that
it takes to actually succeed.
I'm often amused that after training programs I've presented,
and this usually happens at a large national convention with
several hundred people in the audience, someone will come
up to me and say, "You know, I've been in sales a while.
I could do what you do."
I always enthusiastically respond, "You should!", knowing full
well that most would never try. Not ashamedly, I can say that
I can make talking before 1000 people look easy, and deliver
solid content in an entertaining, engaging way. What people
do not see is the thousands of hours of work that preceded
that presentation. What drives it is an insatiable desire to get
better and smarter, and the work ethic to make it continue
to happen.
The great news about personal performance is that it is
100% our choice, and responsibility. At any time, anyone
can make the choice to begin going for their own Gold.
Or resuming the quest.
And as the financial guys say, "Past performance is no
guarantee of future results." Meaning that if someone has
been a total screw-up to this point in their life, that has
nothing to do with the positive choices they make moving
forward.
Over the past 25 years in my business, and a few before
that in corporate life, I've learned one thing to especially
hold true and I see it validated every day: your attitude
about sales, and your subsequent actions are a greater
contributor to your success than any other factor.
What are you doing, right now, to in pursuit of
your own Gold?
Have your best week ever!
______________________________
Contact: Art Sobczak, President, Business By Phone Inc. 13254 Stevens St.,
Omaha, NE 68137, (402) 895-9399. Or, email:arts@businessbyphone.com
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