Most discussions about how to be successful in sales include the essentials of technology and process and skills. How to leverage all three to funnel prospects into closed opportunities.
From leads to lots of revenue.
But that discussion is misleading (in fact, quite damaging) to an organization and especially to the newest members of that team.
Because it leaves out the most important elements to being successful.
It’s the personal stuff most of us don’t talk about much. The deep, nasty secrets that we try to pretend don’t exist.
And so we tap-dance around the edges of success, flirting with the “big deal” that will probably never happen.
When we could have looked fear in the eye and grabbed hold of the success that we really want.
1. Your future is what you make it.
Nothing could be more true than this simple statement. No one is going to help you. No one cares about what you want for you like you do.
Deep within your soul, you have to pull yourself together and care deeply about what you want to do. You are creating your future. Your future is the series of decisions that you make today, tomorrow, and next week — when you get up, how much effort you put in, how honest you are with yourself, if you’re tough enough to cry because what you want for yourself moves you.
It’s an empty canvas right now. And with the right mixture of color and passion and patience you can make something beautiful…
2. It takes massive effort to be successful.
Look around at the people watching TV and playing video games. They are the people making excuses. You are going to have to work harder than you have ever imagined to be successful.
Don’t let schmucks convince you that they have an easy way figured out. Anything fast or easy is for losers. That’s the truth. Avoid easy like your life depends on it – because it does. Start talking to yourself now. Start telling yourself that you are going to work until your eyes bleed and then you are going to keep clawing your way toward your goal until your fingernails tear off.
Nothing can stop you if you won’t be stopped…
3. Your attitude is your most important treasure.
The “5 inches between your ears” is what determines how amazing you become. You need to feed your brain. Who cares about college. If you go, go. If not, spend the rest of your life with a chip on your shoulder learning everything you can get your hands on.
Stop pretending you have it all figured out. Ask for help. Your attitude determines our outlook. Is the sun shining through the rain or did you only notice the showers? And that matters because you’re going to get rained on — not just your parade, but the rehearsal, and the after-party. Someone somewhere will be in charge of making fun of what you are trying to do.
Your attitude is body armor for your destiny… Wear it with a smile.
4. Ignore the Crowd. Be a Maverick.
Conventional wisdom is the banner cry for those who demand mediocrity. You’ll hear things like -” that’s what we’ve always done” or “that’s how it has to be”. And the reality is that the crowd is always wrong. ALWAYS. They may be louder than you right now. They may look meaner. But the crowd lacks something that you can deliver. They need a leader.
Behind the chest-thumping are persons — weak, pained persons. And so because they lack the stomach to stand on there own, they look for acceptance. They join the ranks of the “almost did something amazing” and bitterly shout for you to join them.
And you’ll never know that in spite of the rants and jeers, it’s them who respect you for your bravery.
5. Fail boldly.
Mortgage your house, sell your car, live on rice and beans – in pursuit of your goals. Don’t half-ass it. Put all the chips in.
What’s the worst that can happen to you? You’re not going to die. Heck, you might start living. So what if life kicks the crap out of you. Stand back up.
You won’t amount to much in life without extraordinary failures. You’ll fail at love. You’ll fail at making money. You’ll fail at a million different things. But failure isn’t an event, it’s just a step closer to success.
Were you a failure as a baby because you couldn’t say “Dada” fast enough? Hardly — you were trying with all the resources at your disposal to get out the words. And trying eventually turned into success. That’s what trying is all about. And that’s you can never stop trying.
