When my daughter Lynn turned 18, I wanted to impress her with some fatherly pearls of wisdom, something she would remember and cherish the rest of her life. This is what I told her. "Honey, now that you are an adult, from here on in nobody cares about you." She was crestfallen. She said, "Wow, Dad, that's harsh." My point is this and it applies to all of us: Other than your parents, who really cares about your personal success or hardships in life? Nobody. Who cares if you are the CEO of ME Inc. or picking bottles off the street? Nobody. Yes, your manager has a corporate interest in your performance but if you do not perform, you're fired. Your spouse may love you today but if you do not commit to the relationship, it erodes and you're divorced. Your coach may support you but if you do not contribute to the team, you're traded, and so it goes. Nobody cares other than the few people who may express sadness and sympathy for your plight. It's a rather sobering message to tell a daughter and to share with readers but, unfortunately, life is not very tolerant of those who do not take ownership and responsibility for their decisions. Lynn did not particularly appreciate my little gem of advice, but she understood it. It was a big bite out of the reality sandwich. However, the good news is this: By practising these five attitudes that lead to success, sales entrepreneurs can expand their confidence in their abilities. These high achievers will emanate positive energy and display a high level of commitment to their personal life and to their profession.
The best time to develop a lasting, positive attitude is during the good times. Consciously build on the five attitudinal pillars and use them as a catalyst to heighten your success. Don't find yourself reacting to bad times, struggling to combat low self-esteem or low self-worth. Consider this Chinese proverb: "Dig the well before you get thirsty." Or give this some thought: "The best time to fix a leaky roof is on a sunny day." Something else to consider: If you think you have it tough, spend an afternoon visiting the burn unit or the cancer ward at your local hospital. It's a rather sobering, shocking experience. Trust me, it won't take long before you quickly appreciate how good things really are. Quit taking the good things for granted. Bad times tend to wake us up to the good things we weren't paying attention to.
Your power exists in the now. Harness it and make decisions today that will positively impact your tomorrows.
Congratulations on completing Step #1 of the Sequential Model of Professional Selling. The Attitude Step is your springboard into the other nine steps. However, attitude must prevail throughout the Sequential Model. Attitude is a prerequisite to all other steps. You have now graduated to Step #2, Planning and Preparation.
I close with this quote from George Bernard Shaw:
A master in the art of living knows no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labour and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself he always seems to be doing both."
What I Told My Daughter
It Begins with YOU
When you pass away, an autopsy will never reveal your attitudes. They are human qualities that are very personal, very subjective, and controlled entirely by you. Attitude not only determines your final destiny in life, it also determines what kind of journey it will be. The bottom line is that you are where you are in life because of the choices you made. Your job, your income, and your spouse are all a result of your choices. The only things you can't change are your parents, siblings, taxes, and death. Take ownership of yourself and start living life to its fullest. We need to stop rehearsing our excuses and accept total responsibility for ourselves. Life sometimes resembles an iceberg: We only realize maybe 20% of our potential and we shortchange ourselves by 80% of a great life. Our life is so abundant with opportunity, we just don't realize it. When we nurture these attitudes within ourselves we naturally increase our capacity for meeting just about any challenge with energy, optimism, and a positive outlook.
It's sad to see the number of people who surrender their lives to mediocrity. I recently read on a flower shop sign, "Treat each day like a gift, that's why it's called the present." It all begins and ends with YOU: Your Opportunities are Unlimited.
What I Told My Daughter
Silver Platter Syndrome
One of the better sales videos I have seen presents the silver platter syndrome. Although the video is probably 20 years old, the message remains powerful. The premise of the silver platter is that the average sales representative gives up after only three or four calls to a potential customer. However, we know that 80% of sales calls are closed after five calls, but only 10% of representatives ever make the third call. The silver platter works like this: You make the first call and the second call, generating some interest from the customer. After the third call the customer may not be sold yet, but is probably interested. You have piqued their interest to maybe 80%. However, having made your two or three calls you give up, moving on to the next potential customer. Once again instant gratification prevails and sabotages the sale. Your competitor shows up shortly after you have abandoned the customer, or you simply gave up. The customer, still at an 80% level of acceptance, now entertains your competitor's proposal. How much selling did your competitor have to do? Only 20%. Gottcha! You just handed that sales opportunity to your competitor on a silver platter. He or she should send you a thank-you note saying, "Thanks for giving up. I only had to do 20% of the sale. Have a nice day."
My question is this: How many potential accounts are you working on where you may be exposed to the silver platter syndrome? Better check it out. How often have you given up on a customer relationship but later discovered that your competitor, who was more persistent, got the sale? It's frustrating and unnecessary. The attitude of persistence will not eliminate the silver platter syndrome but it will certainly help minimize it. Stay focused on the accounts that will truly contribute to your business, even if it takes a year or two to close them.
The problem once again comes back to human frailties. Human beings crave instant gratification and we pursue it with a passion, seducing us away from the task at hand, compromising our focus and deviating our energies. Why take six months to possibly close account X when I can probably close account Y tomorrow?
No one is immune. Our world moves along at breakneck speed as we satisfy our quest for instant gratification. Businesses compete with cutthroat aggressiveness to deliver their products faster, bigger, and better. Heck, even the beer companies responded by introducing the "big mouth" beer can. We can now drink beer 40% faster. We have drive-through coffee, eating, banking, and oil changes. In California, you can experience drive-through marriages and when you die, friends can pay their respects at a drive-through funeral home. Inarguably, the antidote to instant gratification is patience and persistence. We must be persistent to remain competitive but all the while patient enough to work within the customer's timetable. Even in California, "drive-through" customers do not exist—at least not yet.
Sales representatives and customers are often out of sync during the sales process. Sales representatives are guided by their agendas whereas the customers are guided by theirs. Don't let the lure of commissions, bonuses, or quick sales sabotage your patience. Don't close the deal on your timetable in the interest of a fat paycheck. It's all too common for sales representatives to sell what they need to sell versus what the customer needs to buy. This is further fuelled by corporate incentives: "One more sale and I win the TV," or "I might win the parking spot for the month." Sales managers put additional pressure on representatives by demanding they hit month-end or year-end targets. A huge gap is created between the sales representative's selling agenda and the customer's buying agenda.
Attitude #5: Patient Yet Persistent
Patient yet persistent: an oxymoron? Not necessarily. As a sales entrepreneur, one of the biggest obstacles to your success is lack of patience. Statistics suggest that less than 5% of sales are made on the first call and over 80% are made on the fifth call. However, only 10% of sales representatives ever return for the third call. They quit and go back to the adult day care center to hang out with other frustrated sales representatives.
Look around you and you will see mostly quitters. Maybe there is one in your mirror. Consider this: The average person who takes up a musical instrument, quits. How many people do you know who play a "little piano" or "a few chords" on the guitar? They tire of it quickly, as results come too slowly. They go on to look for something easier. Likewise, many people who start night school, fitness programs, or sales careers quit. The examples are endless. Many of us are great starters but poor finishers.
This is great news for those of us who truly desire to be successful. It means that if we stick to it, we will be ahead of the pack. Jack H. McQuaig, a pioneering psychologist, claims that the one defining factor of success in sales is persistence. There is lots of room at the top. History is alive with classic examples of persistence. Thank goodness for the likes of Edison (10,000 tries before the light bulb worked), Einstein, Bell, Michelangelo, the Wright Brothers, and Alan Hobson and Jamie Clarke. They never gave up. On May 23, 1997, Alan and Jamie finally reached the top of Mount Everest on their third attempt. Alan said this from the summit, "If there is a lesson in all of this, it is that if we persevere long enough, we can do the dreams."
If you call a potential customer once a year, are you persistent? What about twice a year? Once a quarter, once a month, once a week? Are you persistent? The answer to all of the above is yes. Even by calling once a year you are demonstrating persistence. You are saying to the customer: "I'm still here, I'm not giving up." Harvey MacKay talks about how he has not met a qualified customer he hasn't sold. Some took a while—two to three years—but he sold them. Persistence. When do you give up on potential customers? When they die! Even then, introduce yourself to the new person!
Silver Platter Syndrome
It Begins with YOU
What I Told My Daughter
How To Stretch: Two Methods
I offer two strategies on how to stretch your comfort zone. Some stretches are planned, others are spontaneous (unplanned/impromptu).
Planned.
Plan to engage in a new activity. "I will set a goal to do X by the end of the week." This gives you time to prepare and visualize your success.
Spontaneous.
See an opportunity and go for it. Don't wait around thinking about it or hoping it will come back another day.
I like to be spontaneous, although I did plan the skydiving. I "Just Did It!" Another suggestion is to experience mini-stretches to start, slowly building your confidence to stretch. Don't feel you have to jump out of an airplane tomorrow.
Let me share another real-world example of how the "Just Did It!" attitude coupled with SMART goals worked in harmony to achieve the desired result of stretching the comfort zone. While facilitating a customer service seminar, I used the example of bungy cord jumping as a classic comfort-zone stretch and asked if anyone had experienced it. The only response was from Lawrence, aka "Slim." He said he intended to do it but was too broke (using the financial angle to procrastinate). A bungy jumping facility was available only minutes away. My cofacilitator agreed it would be appropriate to take Slim and the group on a little field trip. The rest of the group and I kicked in the cash required for Slim to make the jump.
Slim jumped willingly. He "Just Did It!" It was great to watch discomfort of discipline in action. Within two hours of Slim's mentioning he wanted to do it we removed the barrier and he did it. We returned to the seminar and of course Slim didn't learn a darn thing the rest of the day. He was bug-eyed and as high as a kite, intoxicated by his new experience. He got the T-shirt (and the video). He couldn't wait to share his new experience with his wife and friends. He was so proud to say, "I Just Did It!" The same type of opportunities are open to you.
What makes experiencing a stretch so attractive is that my informal research suggests that approximately 90% of the time people respond to their new experience by saying, "Wow, that was great. I'd do it again." Most people do it again because the next time is simply repetition, replacing the initial fear with enjoyment. What Slim and countless others have learned is this: Fear dissolves by way of participation. There is no other way. Nonparticipants live with fear, anxiety, stress, and well-rehearsed excuses. This baggage spills into your career, eroding your enthusiasm, your drive, and your commitment. There are no limitations to the frequency of stretching and experiencing new things. All you need is permission from yourself. My next personal comfort-zone goal is scuba diving. I don't feel particularly comfortable under water but it's something I plan to pursue. My son Stephen is a certified scuba diver and he tells me, "It's awesome." After all I have a 90% chance of enjoying it.
Attitude #4: Comfort Zone—Stretch It
As two caterpillars were returning from a day of fun in the sun, they noticed a beautiful butterfly overhead. One caterpillar looked at his friend and said, "Gosh, look at that. You'd never get me up there."
This classic comfort-zone syndrome is familiar to most of us. We go through life living within our limited range of experiences, our comfort zone, hesitant to explore new experiences and venture into the discomfort zone. The discomfort zone is unfamiliar territory outside of our existing inventory of experiences. A comfort zone includes life experiences that feel natural, safe, and normal to us. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
To further our understanding of the comfort zone we must discuss our subconscious minds. No doubt you have some awareness of the workings of your subconscious, as hundreds of books discuss the subject. My interpretation of the subconscious mind is that it represents an inventory of all our life experiences, a warehouse full of perceptions, beliefs, and self-images. Our subconscious mind is our comfort zone.
All our conscious thoughts and daily experiences, positive or negative, contribute to the building of our subconscious mind. Our subconscious mind thinks in pictures. We become what we see. If we think failure, we get it. If we think success, we enhance our chances of achieving it. Henry Ford said it best, "Whether you think you can or can't, you are probably right." Our subconscious mind's impact on our behavior is so all-embracing that it becomes the single biggest barrier to growth, to stretching. Our subconscious rules! We minimize stress and anxiety when we act within what is appropriate to our subconscious. If we see ourselves as losers, then we are. But as Zig Ziglar says, "Failure is an event, not a person." Remember that.
Most of us are risk averse—we are constantly searching for security, content to live within our established comfort zones. These life experiences or behaviors have been repeated for a long time; we take comfort in the predictability of the outcome. We respond within our established repertoire of behaviors—our comfort zone. Stretching our comfort zone involves embracing a totally new activity, something never before experienced: bungy jumping, skydiving or, for some of us, making cold calls! It must be a totally new adventure, never before experienced, to qualify as a stretch. I'm not talking about going to a new restaurant—that doesn't cut it as a stretch. As the saying goes, even a turtle has to stretch it's neck out to get ahead.
Venture into the Discomfort Zone
How To Stretch: Two Methods
Two Types of Knowledge
Every day we are bombarded with new information, new technologies, and new and improved products, all representing new knowledge. But in fact, where we are today, technologically, is comparable to where the aviation industry was in 1950. We ain't seen nothin' yet. I like the statement from author Warren Bennis: "The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog. The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment." Again we must unlearn as much as we learn. One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is to learn how to learn.
My theory is that there are two types of knowledge: core knowledge and peripheral knowledge. During our lifetime, we acquire core knowledge (math, science, language skills) which remains constant throughout the centuries (eg., 2 + 2 = 4, and will never change). Peripheral knowledge is the stuff we learn that reflects current technologies and current philosophies. Peripheral knowledge is perishable; it comes and goes. We appreciate that it may very well be obsolete in ten years. Newly acquired peripheral knowledge should come with a "best before" date stamped on it: "For best freshness, utilize this knowledge before the year 2010." Just as we clean out our refrigerators, we need to purge our minds once in a while. An example of peripheral knowledge is keyboarding, a skill currently taught in high schools. Keyboarding is a classic example of peripheral knowledge that is already becoming obsolete. Keyboards are being replaced with voice recognition and voice-activated computers already on the market. Many products we enjoy today are vulnerable to technological obsolescence as the lifespan of products continues to shrink at an alarming rate.
A combination of core knowledge and peripheral knowledge is the key to personal and corporate survival. As I mentioned earlier, the competitive arena demands acquisition of knowledge, and constant investment in career development. We must continually search for any intellectual advantage available. The acquisition of new knowledge fuels self-esteem. However, I caution you, knowing is different than applied knowledge. In Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich, he makes a good point: "Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end." One of my national accounts, Dun & Bradstreet, has a great expression: "Knowledge allows you to play, applied knowledge allows you to win."
Stay in school by becoming a lifelong student of your profession. Unquestionably, knowledge is the currency of the future, and today's world takes little pity on those who remain lazy about learning. Lifelong learning is a form of personal insurance. Protect your future.
Three Ways to Build Self-Esteem
To fuel your self-esteem, I offer three suggestions.
Creative Visualization.
Use mental imagery to see yourself successfully engaged in sales situations or personal situations, embracing new behaviors. When you see yourself actually acting or thinking in a new way, you begin to let go of old programming. A new reality starts to take shape. For your reality to change, you must picture and accept yourself taking on the new behavior. Some mental preparation is required prior to thinking positively. The goal of visualization is to make the mental practice similar to the physical practice. We must think positively before we can act positively.
Visualization means "seeing success before it happens." See yourself on the podium prior to the event. By visualizing success, top achievers actually increase the chances of it happening. We move toward what we picture in our minds. A flushing of negative, self-defeating thoughts must occur before the mind can receive and act on new images of success. Athletes have been using the advantages of visualization for decades. They visualize the end result prior to the event itself. They develop a mental blueprint to get a clear image of what needs to be done. In his book, Advanced Selling Strategies, Brian Tracy talks about the value of a "mental rehearsal" prior to the sales call. He suggests that "Top sales athletes can use these same techniques as well to dramatically improve their performance in selling situations."
One of my earlier experiences with creative visualization was when I was teaching my daughter, Lynn, how to water ski on one ski. Her earlier slalom attempts had met with frustration and disappointment. She had fallen several times. (Not to mention that the gas gauge in the boat was falling as well.) We took a break and sat down on the dock and I asked her to close her eyes. I then walked her through a mental picture of success where she could see herself up on one ski. I had her confirm aloud what she saw and how she felt about it. Well, you guessed it. On her very next attempt, she got up on one ski. It worked! We were both elated. In fact, she almost fell again as she was filled with excitement and momentarily forgot what she was doing. As Lynn and countless others have discovered, creative visualization elevates your readiness to perform. Give yourself a competitive advantage.
Balance.
A balanced life is another way to foster self-esteem. Goals should not just be set in the area of business. No one has ever said on his or her deathbed, "I wish I had spent more time at the office." Top achievers set goals for all aspects of life. If not, they get out of balance and forget about other dimensions in their lives. The six components of a balanced life are family, health, work, spiritual, intellectual, and social. Examine each one and make time for the things and people that really count in your life. Successful people have come to appreciate the big picture and make a conscious commitment to personal development. They have learned that becoming a well-rounded person has as much to do with pursuits outside the office as with professional development. Success means having "passion pursuits" such as hobbies, personal interests, sports, or other extracurricular activities outside of work. These make for a well-rounded salesperson who doesn't live life as a couch potato, a mouse potato, or a spectator, but as a participant.
The downside is that without a balanced life, we fall into an activity trap, constantly on the go. We lose our perspective, our energy, and our sense of humor. Life is not that serious; let's take humor more seriously. Humor prevents hardening of the attitudes. Consider the mantra: Think fast, live slow.
Work complements your financial goals. To develop your financial goals I suggest you read David Chilton's book, The Wealthy Barber. He delivers excellent strategies to achieve your financial goals, all the while endorsing the KISS principle. David's book will also help you get out of financial quicksand. I'm sure everyone with maxed-out credit cards can relate, they spend themselves to wealth.
Read, Read, Read.
My final suggestion for maintaining high self-esteem is to read, read, read. Read other resources and materials, listen to audiotapes, attend seminars, and learn from successful people. You simply do not have enough time in life to make all the mistakes yourself. Learn from observing others. Don't go through life learning and training by trial and error. It's too expensive. As a friend once said to me, "Do as I say, not as I did." Consider this: if you think professional training is expensive, try ignorance. We cannot learn in isolation. The more intellectual inventory you acquire, the more resources you can draw on, and the better you will deal with daily challenges and stress. Strive to become mentally fit by feeding your mind with highly nutritious mental foods. Feed it mental protein instead of mental junk food like mindless television shows and radio gibberish. The average North American spends upwards of 22 hours a week in front of the television and 5–10 hours on the Internet. It wouldn't take that many hours with a good book to distance oneself from the pack. Many adults continue to live on a diet of mental pabulum, only digesting what is absolutely necessary, nothing more. What you take in today transcends into the person you become tomorrow.
Build your personal development library at a rate of one new book every month. I suggest you start by reading Dale Carnegie's classic, How to Win Friends & Influence People. It's a "must read" for people in all walks of life. To earn more, learn more.
Attitude #3: Self-Esteem: Sell Yourself to Yourself
Libraries offer a host of publications on self-esteem, all offering various definitions. In the interest of clarification, I offer you my definition: "Self-esteem is the conscious appreciation of our own worth and importance, the reputation we have with ourselves. It is an attitude of acceptance versus envy." Accept who you are and what you have rather than what you don't have. Learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue what makes you truly happy.
Self-esteem not only empowers you to feel better about yourself but it allows you to live better. The level of your self-esteem has profound consequences for every aspect of your performance and your existence. Without question, self-esteem is the most important of the five attitudes. Self-esteem goes far beyond that innate sense of self-worth that presumably is your human birthright. It is about confidence in yourself, confidence in your ability to think, confidence in your ability to cope with life, and the confidence to recognize your right to be successful and happy. To trust your mind and to know that you are worthy of success and happiness is the essence of self-esteem. When you trust your mind, you reinforce your worth and you will more likely persist in the face of difficulties and daily challenges. Research suggests that individuals with high self-esteem persist at a task significantly longer than individuals with low self-esteem. This reinforces trust in your mind. If you distrust your mind, you are more likely to be mentally passive, to bring less awareness than you need to your activities and to be less persistent in the face of difficulty.
Personal Self-Esteem and Career Esteem
Three Ways to Build Self-Esteem
Two Types of Knowledge
Dynamics of Motivation
To further stimulate you toward action, let me share some thoughts on motivation. Much has been written on the subject of motivation. Sales managers are always searching for the elusive magic formula to get their representatives fired up and motivated. But only you can motivate yourself, no one else can. Motivation must come from within. Your manager or spouse may be able to light a fire under you, but only you can light a fire within.
Motivation is understanding and appreciating the dynamic relationship between career goals and personal goals. Many people feel that our personal goals are the most important aspect of motivation. I challenge that. It is through the success of our career goals that we are able to pursue our personal goals. It's called a paycheck. How else, except for winning a lottery or receiving an inheritance, can we realize our personal goals? If we view our careers as a vehicle to achieve our personal goals, then we are motivated. If not, then we are saddled with the, "I have to go to work" attitude versus, "I choose to go to work." In terms of personal goals, I'm not suggesting money is our ultimate goal but money does allow us to pursue what makes us happy. Let's face it, money is important. In fact, I put it right up there with oxygen. (Another upside to money is it keeps the kids in touch.)
Life only rewards players, not spectators. There is no admission charge for players, but there is always a charge for spectators. The spectators of life pay a high price for their admission and don't even realize it. Life is not a spectator sport. If you are not motivated by your career, then get one where you are.
Motivation has two faces. We can be motivated away from something such as a bad job or bad manager (negative stress); or motivated toward something such as a promotion or a new career (positive stress). As Abraham Maslow theorized, we all live guided by a hierarchy of needs. Once lower-level needs such as food and shelter are satisfied, a person moves up to higher-level needs, such as esteem and friendship. However, Maslow also tells us that satisfied needs do not necessarily motivate us to move up to higher-level needs. We become content with what I call the FDH syndrome: fat, dumb, and happy. Satisfied needs do not motivate. We must take responsibility for ourselves and set SMART goals to stimulate motivation. Accomplishments and achievements are more satisfying than living with routine and monotony.
This is part of Attitude #2, next you should read :
Attitude #3: Self-Esteem: Sell Yourself to Yourself
Attitude #4: Comfort Zone—Stretch It
Attitude #5: Patient Yet Persistent
Valuable Benefits of Setting Goals
There are several important benefits of goal-setting. The process:
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sets a destination, daily or otherwise
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clarifies purpose
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motivates you to action
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delivers a sense of accomplishment
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provides a benchmark of success
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validates that you are successful
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builds self-esteem
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provides a clear commitment
Well, most people feel safer in a twin-engine plane. They figure if one engine quits, you have another one to keep you up. But consider this. It takes a lot more pilot skill to keep a twin-engine aircraft flying with one engine out. It's terribly unbalanced. It's especially tough in bad weather. Worse, if you have to make a forced landing in bad weather.
But pilot skill is only part of it. The real reason you may want to consider a single-engine airplane safer is this. If that engine quits, the pilot is totally committed to land that bird. There is no other option. Total attention, skill, and effort are concentrated on bringing it down as gently as possible. No distractions.
A twin-engine pilot, no matter how skilled, isn't applying all of that skill to the one critically important task. A twin-engine pilot's mind is going back and forth struggling with a dilemma. Should I keep it up? Should I bring it down?
I am sure many people drift through life like that. They never fully commit to a specific goal. They dabble in this and that, not doing anything very well. Don't simply try something, commit to it. Success requires unshakeable commitment: Commit your full attention, your energies, and your skills to fulfill your goals. If you only try something, it becomes a very trying experience. Be passionate, not merely interested. Don't be like the kamikaze pilot who flew 17 missions. Get focused.
I recently set a personal SMART goal to lose 15 pounds within 90 days. The goal kept me focused, kept me on course and ensured that I did what was necessary. Goals keep you focused regardless of whether you like the necessary activities. I didn't particularly cherish the thought of dining exclusively on cabbage soup and veggies, but those activities were necessary. The discomfort of discipline.
Set personal and professional SMART goals frequently.
Ask: What are my personal and professional SMART goals for today, for this week?
Next: Dynamics of Motivation
Read More..
How To Set SMART Goals
With an eye to simplicity, I offer the SMART approach to developing your goals. Don't let the apparent simplicity of the SMART theory prevent you from using it. It works. Just ask your mentor or anyone you know who is experiencing success. By the way, if you don't have a mentor, get one.
The SMART Approach:
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Specific (dates, numbers, times, etc.)
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Measurable (end result)
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Attainable (to me)
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Relevant (to me)
All five criteria must be in place in order to achieve your goal. Don't be overzealous. Be realistic and set goals that are relevant to your environment and to your future. Don't be guided or influenced by the goals of other people such as family, friends, managers, or coworkers. The SMART approach to goal-setting provides a way to articulate what you need to accomplish and where you are going.
The following example illustrates the simplicity of a SMART goal: I will save $500 by December 20, starting June 1. This goal satisfies the SMART criteria, including when it starts. Note that I didn't state, "I want some extra cash for Christmas." I stated a very specific goal, a SMART goal. Now I have a destination. My next step is to set short-term goals to ensure I reach my destination of $500 by December 20.
Goal-setting is most effective when goals can be accomplished within a reasonable period of time. Many people associate goals with a large window of time, five to ten years into the future, but goals are not reserved for long-term thinking only. Long-term goals are only achieved by setting daily, weekly, or monthly short-term goals. Few people appreciate that goals can become a daily exercise. What's my goal for today? You must think of daily or weekly goals as stepping stones that eventually lead to your longer-term goals. Perhaps Charles Noble said it best, "You must have long-range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures." The feeling of accomplishment is highly rewarding. This feeling fuels your motivation to remain focused on your short-term goals, en route to your ultimate long-term goals. Without goals, we periodically experience accidental success. It's called a fluke. Consider a professional sports team. A hockey team doesn't win the Stanley Cup by winning one or two games. Victory stems from a series of wins during the season and post-season, one game at a time.
Next: Valuable Benefits of Setting Goals
Reasons Not to Set Goals
Dynamics of Motivation
This is part of Attitude # 2: Set Goals
Reasons Not to Set Goals
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No forward thinking is required.
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You will always be successful—no accountability, no disappointments.
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Your week is already full. Maybe you'll set goals next week.
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You have already reached your destination. Life has little more to offer.
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It gives you a good reason to keep buying lottery tickets.
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You can hang out with other aimless drifters. Like-minded people love company.
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The 95% of North Americans who don't set goals can't be wrong. They may be mediocre or very average, but not wrong.
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You'd rather live by other people's goals. It's easier if they set them.
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No goals = no failure.
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To-do lists work just fine for me.
Now, of course I am being silly, but these reasons to not set goals are scarier than you think. I certainly hope you didn't highlight any of them. Unfortunately, many people do buy into this mentality.
Goals offer a host of benefits and the one that impresses me the most is that goals provide a destination. How do you know where you are going in life if you don't have a destination? Most of us spend more time planning our weekend, holiday, or party than we do our own lives. We don't plan to fail, we fail to plan. You have probably heard or read these ideas many times before. That's because they are true. Once again the path of least resistance and the pain of regret prevails.
I recently visited my brother in Toronto and I noticed an advertisement in the apartment building elevator that I'm sure you will appreciate. The ad was posted by a financial services company and in bold print asked the question, "Where will you be in five years?" It then offered four choices: (a) Driving a new car? (b) On a vacation? (c) In a new home? (d) In this elevator? I cracked up. Not only was the ad amusing, it delivered a powerful message. Unfortunately, given that only 5% of us have written goals, financial or otherwise, I'm sure "d" is the answer in most cases.
Valuable Benefits of Setting Goals
Dynamics of Motivation
This is part of Attitude # 2: Set Goals
Attitude #2: Set Goals—Daily Destinations
The second attitudinal characteristic found among top achievers is that they set goals. They take advantage of the numerous benefits goal-setting offers. Most of us view goal-setting as a laborious exercise fraught with uncertainty. Did you know that only 5% of North Americans are committed to written goals? I'm not talking about writing a to-do list scribbled on a Post-It-Note or a napkin. I mean a clear, concisely written goal. The to-do list simply represents a shopping list of activities, chores to be performed throughout your day. As a sales entrepreneur, you must get into the mental habit of thinking in terms of end results rather than being satisfied with "busywork."
There is a parade of excuses as to why people do not set goals. The most common one is, "They don't work," or even worse, "How do I know what I'll be doing in five years?" Instead of creating our future, we have been conditioned to react to the present. Too many people today seek the quick fix, hoping for some rescue fantasy to magically appear and salvage them from their boring life of routine and occasional luck.
In fairness to the goal-setting exercise, recognize there are two sides to every story. On the lighter side, I offer you the top ten reasons why you may choose not to set goals.
Reasons Not to Set Goals
How To Set SMART Goals
Valuable Benefits of Setting Goals
Dynamics of Motivation
Then you shoul read next attitudes:
Attitude #3: Self-Esteem: Sell Yourself to Yourself
Attitude #4: Comfort Zone—Stretch It
Attitude #5: Patient Yet Persistent
Attitude #1: Just Did It! Thought into Action
Top achievers understand that life offers choice; you can be an observer throughout your life or you can choose to be a participant. You can choose to live life or choose to merely exist. The choice you make determines whether you live with results or excuses. No one becomes successful by watching someone else perform, although lots of people try.
Many people appreciate the Nike slogan, "Just Do It." It suggests taking action. To me, it smacks of procrastination. "Just Do It." Yes, but when? Well, soon, someday. Although it can be a good start, "Just Do It" relates more to intentions than to actions. The reality is that too often we judge ourselves by our intentions, whereas others tend to judge us by our actions. The challenge we face as adults is not a deficiency of intentions but a deficiency of action. Intentions are easy. We have lots of them. Sadly, intentions are little more than self-serving feelings of accomplishment. Taking action is the hard part. If we did everything we intended to do we would experience boundless success. Successful people embrace the "Just Did It!" philosophy. They take their thoughts and ideas to the next dimension: action.
People tend to procrastinate. In fact, it is how many of us start our day. We usually swat the snooze button two or three times before we finally drag ourselves out of bed and into work. Adopting the principles throughout the Sequential Model will encourage you to get out of bed because you want to, not because you have a lumpy mattress. The next time you purchase an alarm clock, ask for one without the procrastination option.
Another handicap we face as adults is that we tend to look for the easy way, the path of least resistance. Procrastination becomes our worst enemy, a kind of virus. A dose of positive attitude is the antidote. Life offers another choice; we can choose to experience the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The pain of regret is costly and lasts a lifetime, whereas the discomfort of discipline is rewarding and enhances your life. Unfortunately, pain of regret prevails. I shared this theory with my youngest son, Michael. He thought the concept was pretty cool and has since embraced it himself. The discomfort of discipline continues to enrich his life. At 17 years of age, he began taking lessons for his pilot's license. Six months later, I witnessed his first solo flight. A very proud moment indeed. He is always reminding me to exercise the discomfort of discipline.
My eldest son, Stephen, was equally impressed with the "Just Did It!" attitude. Stephen completed the required training to become a member of the Canadian Ski Patrol System. Focusing on his goal, he persevered through two months of first-aid training, passed his ski tests, and became a fully qualified mountain patroller. At age 18, he became the youngest member of the Canadian Ski Patrol System in Alberta. Quite an accomplishment for a teenager. Another proud moment for Dad.
We don't need to look very far to see how society has validated the impact of the "Just Did It!" attitude. Consider Bill Gates. In 1975, he was working in his basement pursuing his love of computers. His mother said it was always a hassle getting him to come up for dinner. At one point, his motivation was probably financial, but not anymore. What keeps him motivated is the love of his work. My father once told me that the true measurement of your love of the job is that you would do it for free. Initially I thought he was nuts but now I couldn't agree more.
Every business today, large or small, was at one point a "Just Do It" idea with an action plan that came to fruition. The company you work at now is the result of someone exercising the "Just Did It!" attitude. In fact, over 50% of the places where we do business didn't exist five years ago. What about the individuals who thought of Trivial Pursuit and Pet Rock, to name a couple? I'm sure they are now basking on a beach while we toil away.
Here are a few suggestions to encourage the "Just Did It!" attitude. Buy yourself a "thought into action" tool. What's that, you ask? A handheld tape recorder (a microcassette)—an excellent tool to have available while you are driving or at home. You think continuously—great ideas or thoughts can pop into your mind anytime, usually when you are driving or caught in traffic. The recorder is very handy and provides the convenience to capture your ideas. My own recorder has proved invaluable. It has been a constant companion to me, especially during the two years I took to write this book. You will find it pays for itself in no time. However, I caution you, be careful where you leave it. My significant other and I were recently on a weekend ski trip. On Saturday morning she had a bit of a smirk on her face. With a degree of hesitation, I inquired as to the look. She told me I had been snoring. As on previous occasions I proclaimed my innocence by insisting, "Yeah, but I don't snore." She just grinned and said, "You know that annoying little tape recorder you're married to?" With great delight she proceeded to play back several minutes of me sounding like a buzz-saw. Busted!
The other "Just Did It!" tactic I use comes courtesy of my father. He would occasionally switch his watch to his other wrist. After noticing this on several occasions, I finally asked him what the heck he was doing. He told me that because it feels so awkward on the other wrist, it was a great way to remind himself to do something. Go ahead, switch your watch, or even a ring. It does feel awkward. Next time you get an idea or think of a must-do item, switch your watch or ring. (Tying string on your finger would look silly.) You can switch it back only after you have taken action on your idea. It works for me.
Next attitudes:
Attitude #2: Set Goals—Daily Destinations
Attitude #3: Self-Esteem: Sell Yourself to Yourself
Attitude #4: Comfort Zone—Stretch It
Attitude #5: Patient Yet Persistent
Attitudes of Top Achievers
To assist you in responding to the daily challenges of professional selling, let's now examine the key attitudinal characteristics—the five pillars of success—practiced by top achievers. A positive attitude is a prerequisite to applying knowledge. This section will not change things for you, but it introduces you to the person who can.
Attitude #1: Just Did It! Thought into Action
Attitude #2: Set Goals—Daily Destinations
Attitude #3: Self-Esteem: Sell Yourself to Yourself
Attitude #4: Comfort Zone—Stretch It
Attitude #5: Patient Yet Persistent Read More..
Attitudes of Success: Five Pillars
Attitude determines your destiny, quality of life, and sales success. The quality of your attitude affects the quality of your life. These are profound statements but true. The proficiencies of today's sales arena go far beyond selling skills. Attitude is one of these proficiencies. Without it, all other skills are handicapped. Attitude is what drives the practice of skills. Attitude has such a compelling influence on selling that this book would be incomplete without a discussion on the five attitudinal characteristics of success. Extensive product knowledge alone affords you little advantage if your attitude is one of indifference or if you lack belief in yourself.
The objectives of this chapter are to share with you the significant role attitude plays in your success and to examine the human aspect of business. This book integrates the human side of business with specifics of professional selling. The two cannot work in isolation. As you develop your sales career, you will be inundated with product knowledge, company policies and procedures, price manuals, and other tools of the trade. People often lose sight of the human side of selling. Why does the sales profession complicate such a fundamental process? We put on our business attire Monday morning, then proceed to divorce ourselves from the human aspect of selling. We become robo-reps guided by a mechanical process. Through a positive attitude, you can refocus and develop a humanized approach with your customers.
A positive attitude will convert an average sales professional into a top performer. It empowers you to achieve new levels of success both personally and professionally. Winners choose to nurture and develop a positive, winning attitude. They understand the importance of a winning edge and use it to differentiate themselves in their own personal life and with their customers. Attitude provides that edge. People prefer to deal with winners.
One of the simplest and best definitions of attitude comes from Elwood Chapman's book, Life Is an Attitude! He suggests that, "Attitude is the way you mentally look at the world around you. It is how you view your environment and your future." I agree. Your field of perception and how you view your environment largely determines your attitude. Is the glass half full or half empty? While looking outside, do you see the beautiful view or do you see the dirty window? Is it a partly cloudy day or a partly sunny day? It's up to you. Who wants to do business with a grump? (Maybe other grumps). Be aware that your nonverbal communication sends a very clear message about your attitude. It comes through loud and clear as either negative, indifferent, or positive. Two of these outcomes are bad. You need to believe that what you mentally dwell upon significantly determines your attitude. If you look for the good, you find it: If you look for the negative, there's plenty of that around too. You are what you think.
In examining the traits of top-achieving sales professionals, it becomes evident that it is not their product knowledge and selling abilities alone that set them apart. Their habits and patterns of behavior reflect certain attitudes
One of the challenges associated with maintaining a positive attitude is this little tidbit: Psychologists estimate that up to 77% of what we hear and see throughout our day is negative. We often experience "mental negative drift," allowing the negative to dominate our thoughts. Take a moment and think about a typical day. How are you feeling by 10PM? It takes conscious effort and energy to remain positive and energized throughout the day. I find it interesting that when asked, "How are things?" or "How are you doing today?" many people respond by saying, "Oh, not too bad." Not too bad? Do you mean that most of the time you are bad, but today you're not too bad? Interesting. Tell people you are having a great day. It's okay, you're allowed to have a great day. Once again, it's attitude.
Next you have to read Attitudes of Top Achievers