Start or Wait…What should I do?

The summer of 2010 I took the StrengthFinders™ test and found my top strength was Learner. This means I feel strong when I’m learning (I also have Responsibility, Intellection, Empathy and Connectedness). As a Learner, I enjoy reading business and self-development books and have found a conflict in the advice from two positions. The conflict is in the mixed message of “Taking Action” and “Delaying Gratification.”

One position is taking action and getting started.  This has always been my axiom from Og Mandino as he stresses it in Scroll IX, “I will act now” from his book the “Greatest Salesman in the World.”  Supporting this position is David J. Schwartz in his book, “The Magic of Thinking Big” as he writes in chapter 10; “The way to combat any kind of fear is action.” [Read more…]

Believing Can Come True if You are Involved in the Believing

“Believing can come true if you are involved in the believing.”

I cannot remember where I heard this quote, but it stuck with me because it reinforces the axiom that your beliefs determine your behavior and your behavior (daily habits) determines the results you receive.  If you are not receiving the desired results in life, no matter the role you are playing, change begins with determining what you are doing and not doing (behavior) and then asking yourself why.  “Why am I doing this”? or “Why am I not doing that?”

Are your beliefs a choice?  Good question.  I guess now that I’m thinking about it, I would have to say YES.  We consciously decide what is true and what we want to believe as fact.  True would mean the means (behavior) justify the desired ends (results). [Read more…]

My Boss Told Me I Should Go – oh joy!

Before opening a seminar, I’ll hang around the registration desk to meet the audience and ask “how did you hear about the event and what made you decide to attend today?”  Two important questions will help me discover a successful source of marketing and uncover the motivation of the attendee.

Sometimes my audience attendees will say, “My boss told me I should go to this.”  At that moment, they have met their boss’ goal, but chances are that anything in their life will change is low. [Read more…]

Time does not play favorites

Ever feel like some people have it better than you?  Whether you are Bill Gates, Warren Buffet or reading this post, one asset we all have is the same amount of time.

Everyone receives the same amount of time each day – 24 hours – with the choice to spend it as we wish.  Some may disagree with me, but I believe time is our most precious asset.  Once it has passed…it is gone. (At the time of writing this, I’ve been alive 17,112 days, none of them can get back or change.) We can only hope we will be given more time tomorrow, but time plays no favorites.  Below are 7 ways to better manage your time. [Read more…]

From the Greatest Book on Sales ever written.

The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino was written in 1968 and has yet to be topped.  If you have never read the book or the 10 scrolls inside, it will change your life.

Here is Og and his story and below a PDF of his 10 Scrolls. Read one Scroll a day and live them for a lifetime. ENJOY!

Click below to read the Scrolls. Here are the rules!
Og Mandino 10 Scrolls

Are you a Decision-Maker?

When you think about the attributes of a decision-maker (DM), would you consider yourself one?  When you consider yourself a decision-maker, you understand your expectations and obligations and you see the same in others – namely your prospects.  Let’s take a look at what makes up a decision-maker. [Read more…]

Commitment!

“The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is not training them and keeping them” – Zig Ziglar.

Occasionally I’m asked if I can guarantee the results of a sales team after they attend a seminar and my reply is, “It is difficult for me to guarantee the application of the content presented and the commitment of a salesperson to their career success and professional development after they attend a seminar.”

Commitment is about applying what we know.  Often we know, but don’t.  We know how to make cold calls, but don’t.  We know we should exercise more, but don’t.  We know we should eat better, drink less, but don’t.

What are we waiting for?  Why can’t we decide to start and just apply what we know we should do now?

It boils down to one word; commitment.  How’s your commitment? [Read more…]

The 4 C’s: Connect and Communicate with Credibility and Commitment

The first impression with the prospect is made within seconds.  This established trust and respect is essential to keep your prospect engaged and wanting more, which makes them willing to give you more.

But what happens when you are not present?  As a salesperson you are encouraged to do research about your prospects to help prepare for the questioning process or maybe to even disqualify them and move on to the next one.  Do you think your prospects are checking you out too, perhaps with the same outcome?

What questions are they asking about you, your company, your service, your record, your process, etc.?  Besides typing your name into Google, they are probably looking you up on LinkedIn.  What do they want to see?  I submit to you they are looking for evidence of your commitment; commitment to your career, company, service, and clients.  Does your LinkedIn profile tell them about your commitment? [Read more…]

You have the right, but do you have the ability to be successful?

The first American woman that flew into space, Dr. Sally Ride, passed away during the Olympics.  That day I heard an interview where a reporter asked another female astronaut, “Why are there not more women in the space program?”  The woman replied with, “Women have just as much a right to be in space as men do.”  I don’t disagree with that, nor do most other people, but a right is not the same as ability. [Read more…]

Pilot in Command

Since I was 11 years old, I have wanted to be a pilot. Unfortunately, I was told I could never achieve that goal because my eyes are so bad. Though the barrier was not true, I maintained that belief until the fall of 1996. At the age of 30, I decided I was no longer going to subscribe to that belief. It was real, but no longer true. [Read more…]