Why Personal Development Is Critical to Success By Jim Rohn

We generally change ourselves for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation. Well, the late Jim Rohn aimed for the inspiration, always emphasizing the importance of taking responsibility for self-improvement and showing people how to reach for bigger, better lives. Who inspired him? His mentor, Earl Shoaff, who told him this: If you want to be wealthy and happy, learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. And so began Jim Rohn’s belief in the importance of self-improvement. In his classic book, 7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness, Jim Rohn wrote an essay entitled “The Miracle of Personal Development” in which he explains why working on yourself is a never-ending pursuit: Ever since Mr. Shoaff woke me up with that statement, I worked hard on my own personal growth, and I must admit that this was the most challenging assignment of all. But understand, this business of personal development lasts a lifetime. You see, what you become is far more important than what you get. The important question to ask on the job is not, What am I getting? Instead, you should ask, What am I becoming? Getting and becoming are so closely intertwined—what you become directly influences what you get. Think of it this way: Most of what you have today you have attracted by becoming the person you are right now. I’ve also found that income rarely exceeds personal development. Sometimes income takes a lucky jump, but unless you learn to handle the responsibilities that come with it, it will usually shrink back to the amount you can handle. If someone hands you a million dollars, you’d better hurry up and become a millionaire. A very rich man once said, “If you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was before.” It is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development. So here’s the great axiom of life: To have more than you’ve got, become more than you are. This is where you should focus most of your attention. Otherwise, you just might have to contend with the axiom of not changing, which is: Unless you change how you are, you’ll always have what you’ve got.

4 Straightforward Steps to Success by Jim Rohn

I’ve said it before, that success is the study of the obvious—but sometimes we need someone to remind us and show us the simplest way to get there. Here are four simple steps to find your way to more success than you could ever imagine: 1. Collect good ideas. My mentor taught me to keep a journal when I was 25 years old. It’s the best collecting place for all of the ideas and information that comes your way. And that inspiration will be passed on to my children and my grandchildren. If you hear a good health idea, capture it, write it down. Then on a cold wintry evening or a balmy summer night, go back through your journal. Dive back into the ideas that changed your life, the ideas that saved your marriage, the ideas that bailed you out of hard times, the ideas that helped you become successful. That’s valuable, going back over the pages of ideas you gathered over the years, reminiscing, reminding yourself. So be a collector of good ideas, of experiences, for your business, for your relationships, for your future. It is challenging to be a student of your own life, your own future, your own destiny. Don’t trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down. Take the time to keep notes and to keep a journal. 2. Have good plans. Building a life, building anything, is like building a house; you need to have a plan. What if you just started laying bricks and somebody asks, “What are you building?” You put down the brick you’re holding and say, “I have no idea.” So, here’s the question: When should you start building the house? Answer: As soon as you have it finished. It’s simple time management. Don’t start the day until it is pretty well finished—at least the outline of it. Leave some room to improvise, leave some room for extra strategies, but finish it before you start it. Don’t start the week until you have it finished. Lay it out, structure it, put it to work. The same goes for the month ahead—don’t start it until you have a plan in place. And, the big one, don’t start the year until it is finished on paper. It’s not a bad idea, toward the end of the year, to sit down with your family for the personal plans, to sit down in your business for the professional plans, to sit down with your financial advisor to map out money plans. Plan out your calendar, your game plan, for all of life’s moving parts. The reason why most people face the future with apprehension instead of anticipation is because they don’t have it well designed. 3. Give yourself time. It takes time to build a career. It takes time to make changes. It takes time to learn, grow, change, develop and produce. It takes time to refine philosophy and activity. So give yourself time to learn, time to start some momentum, time to finally achieve. I remember when Mama was teaching me a little bit about the piano. “Here is the left hand scale,” she said. I got that; it was easy. “Here is the right hand scale.” I got that, too. Then she said, “Now we are going to play both hands at the same time.” “Well, how can you do that?” I asked. Because one at a time was easy… but two the same time? But I got to where I could play the scales with both hands. “Now we are going to read the music and play with both hands,” she said. You can’t do all that, I thought. But you know, sure enough I looked at the music, looked at each hand, a little confused at first, but finally I grasped it. Then I remember the day when Mama said, “Now we are going to watch the audience, read the music and play with both hands. Now that is going too far! I thought. How could one person possibly do all that? By giving myself time to master one skill before we went to the next, I got to where I could watch the audience, read the music and play with both hands. Life is not just the passing of time. Life is the collection of experiences and their intensity. 4. Change yourself. Learn to solve problems—business problems, family problems, financial problems, emotional problems. The best way to treat a challenge? As an opportunity to grow. Change if you have to, modify if you must, discard an old philosophy that wasn’t working well for a new one. The best phrase my mentor ever gave me: “Mr. Rohn, if you will change, everything will change for you.” I took that to heart, and sure enough, the more I improved, the more everything improved for me. You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.

Currents in the Stream by Stephen R. Covey

When I talk of the "stream," I mean the external forces and the powerful, deep currents that influence all we do in business. Changes in technology have totally revolutionized our world. The instant communication and rapid transfer of knowledge along the "information highway" have altered everything. The media have aroused expectations, and created various models and images in people's minds. All of this turns the social wheel, which then turns the political wheel, which ultimately affects the economy and international wheels. The powerful social, political, and economic currents have created a white-water environment for everyone in business. Some leaders like to think that "the problem" is in the stream and that, "if we only had more (or less) government regulation, more protection, a better social climate, better schools if only the stream were different then we'd be more competitive." Changeless Core While conditions might always be better, I focus on the need to have a changeless core so that I can flow with the changes and trends in the stream. People without the changeless core are often at the mercy of all these influences. They're buffeted and tossed by every wind of policy and practice. They're distracted by what's floating on the surface or by what's blowing in the wind of their industry, profession, or company. They become opportunistic and jump at situational opportunities that are very attractive at the time, even if that means leaving their "knitting" or abandoning their primary profit centers for a time. We're tempted in our own company toward that trend. We've done some surveys to determine what clients want. They want us to get into implementation. But if we move into that, we would leave our knitting paradigms and principles. That's a very attractive thing. It's seductive. But eventually it might pull us away from our essential mission. At both the individual and corporate level, you need both the stability of product line and some entrepreneurial spirit. In a small firm, you have to resist the temptation to do "anything for a buck." In a large firm, you have to have eyes for new opportunity. It takes that same balance on an individual and corporate level. The key is the alignment between the changing streams and the changeless, principled center. That becomes the strategic path that you have to develop. When you have a framework that comes out of both the awareness of the changing environment and the essential function or purpose that you're trying to serve, you will think and act long-term. As Peter Drucker says, "Plans are worthless, but planning is invaluable." Complementary Team That duality of short-term opportunism and long-term stability might be found in one dynamic leader, but it usually it takes a complementary management-leadership team. Only a few very dynamic leaders understand both. Typically it's either one or the other; they're either predisposed to surfing and riding the waves, or to developing this deep changeless core. They either get caught in ruts and routines or live in the world of dreams and idealism with little practical, pragmatic sense about them. We need courage balanced with consideration. Consideration includes an awareness of the stream of realities. And courage includes steadfastness toward your vision, mission, and values. I once consulted with the leaders of a large organization. They had a changeless core, but no dynamic vision. They were woefully out of touch with the stream. The president had spent most of his life in the roles of professional, technician, and producer. Because he enjoyed production, he spent half his time personally answering calls and letters and micro-managing. After we talked for a while, he could see it clearly, and he said, "What have I done? I've pulled away from my vision!" That experience taught me the supreme importance of imagination over memory. If people live out of their memory, they're bound to the past if they live out of imagination, they create opportunity. Peter Drucker said that effective executives are opportunity-minded; ineffective executives are problem-minded. Effective executives focus on the future. Ineffective executives focus on the past; in fact, they see the present through the past; effective executives see the present through the future. Imagination is more powerful and significant than memory. As Einstein said, "Imagination is greater than knowledge." Be Proactive This balance between the changing stream and the changeless core is one of the clearest manifestations of the primary habit of effective people be proactive. Proactive people see opportunities everywhere, and they adapt to the stream. They have the power to adapt because they're coming from something that does not change. They're very creative in their minds and innovative in their methods. They're not hung up by forms and structures and old modes of thinking and ways of behaving. Reactive people are constantly reading the political pulse, and their social radar is so deeply attuned to what is happening, and they're so responsive to it, that if those forces are in any way adverse or contrary to what they're trying to accomplish, they are quickly and completely filled with the blaming spirit. They get into what I call "spiritual and emotional cancers." They compare the past or the way it used to be with what is. Criticizing and complaining are their full-time occupations. Economies have to be based on a solid foundation of proactive and innovative behaviors in management, manufacturing, and marketing. The book, The Spoiled Child of the Western World, essentially says that the western world, starting in Greece, has been pushing further to the west until it gets right to the outside edge of a country where all the flakiness of the culture distills in one place. Some might think that analysis fits California or Hawaii, but I suggest that it fits anyplace where people want to "ride the surf" to prosperity. Hedonism may bring short-term pleasure but not long-term prosperity. If the economy of an area isn't growing, but the population is or if people are not inventing, designing, making, and marketing products and services of substance then we can expect an economy based on "pizza and videos." And that simply doesn't cut it. Many executives I talk to believe that "the answer" is to "move out" of what they perceive to be a hostile business environment and seek a better stream, an operating environment more conducive to business. They feel that they are defenseless victims against the powers of the stream. I've been in many situations where executives talk about the "uneven playing field" and about how "government is strangling business." While I understand why they are frustrated, I often perceive in their talk and walk a reactive spirit and a tendency to absolve themselves of responsibility for optimizing the present situation. They want to have something or somebody take care of them rather than respond proactively to make their opportunities grow. I honestly think there's never been a time of greater opportunity. There's more opportunity today than ever before simply because there are so many new niches, so many new needs. That's why a country in crisis can go to the extreme right or the extreme left so easily. When an individual or a country loses this principle-centered, changeless core, then the person or nation rather quickly sinks to the depths of irresponsibility in social will. But when you're starving to death, none of the political promises have been kept, and no one's taking care of you like they used to, you can see why that happens. Two Cab Drivers When I was in Germany, I remember talking with two cab drivers. One was an older gentleman, and the other was a young man. The older cab driver was longing for the old days. As he drove us around Berlin, he described the awfulness of all this so-called "new freedom," and how he now has much less opportunity. The younger cab driver looked at the same exact world, and yet he was excited about the opportunities. He was thinking creatively about how he might improve his condition. The other was trying to maintain the old position. These two cab drivers are like two executives one accommodating the new realities, and one opposing all change. One leads a young company that's aggressive, fast, and opportunistic; the other leads an older company that is time-bound, filled with archaic structures and systems, and blind to new opportunities. Cultures tend to flow from the reactive or proactive tendencies of the leadership. Organizations tend to be shadows of their founders and current leaders. The childlike leader with a proactive nature might see adversity as an opportunity for adventure, play, fun, and freedom, whereas an old leader might see it as potential risk, disaster, or death. In a snow storm, the child sees a time to play, but the father the person in the ultimate seat of responsibility is often weighed down by the realities of having to shovel the walks and put chains on the tires. That's why it often takes a complementary team to lead and manage. After President Clinton gave his speech on NAFTA in front of George Bush, it was then the former president's turn to speak. When he got up, he just gave a very authentic expression, "I now know why you were elected and I was not." It's that ability to speak enthusiastically about seizing the future the excitement and glory of change, of celebrating change and loving it. Genuine excitement over change can only come when you have a deep sense of who you are, what you want to accomplish, what your agenda is, and how you feel about things. We need to have the attitude that the future is here, and that things are going to change. We need to recognize and run with opportunity and exercise the proactive spirit that we all have inside us as long as we don't abandon our changeless core principles.

What Are The 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do

We all make mistakes and some salespeople seem to make a lot of them. What scares the hell out of me is that most salespeople keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Now in my book - that's just plain STUPID! Maybe this list will serve as a helpful reminder. Maybe it won't. But at least you're curious to learn what these blunders are or why would you keep reading this? Okay - maybe you just wanted to subscribe to m No-Brainer Selling Tips newsletter, which you'll start getting with the very next issue. In any case here's my list of the 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do: 1. Relying on one relationship to protect your account. Why in the world would you put all your eggs in one basket? Excuse me - with one person. It doesn't make any sense and the bigger the account is the more vulnerable you become. There are five reasons why you should develop more than one relationship in all your accounts, especially the major ones: First retirement - people do retire. Second is death - yep some people actually die at their desk. Sure it's not common, but it does happen. Third is resignation - people do leave for better opportunities and that happens more than you might imagine. Fourth is termination - some people actually get fired. Finally - and sure this is a long shot - some people win the Lottery. Action-step. Build and cultivate a network within every major account you have. The biggest Rolodex usually WINS! 2. Putting your fate with mid-level managers instead of starting with the top gun. The worst thing you can do is to follow your instincts on this one. Your instincts tell you to start at the easiest point of entry in any organization. Why - because it's easy! Once you gain access at this point your instincts continue to give you bad advice. Soon you'll be thinking you can't go over the head of the person you currently have the relationship with. Here's my advice and it works. Your first call should be to the CEO or president of the organization. Simply ask them, or their assistants, for their help in directing you to the right person. If you're doing this over the phone you should also ask them to transfer you to this key decision maker. Action-step. Make your first call to the CEO. It's easier to let him direct you down the organizational chart then to have some mid-level manager try to take you up the same organizational chart. 3. Telling prospects/customers that you’re NEW. I know this is a big one because I hear it all the time. Sad to say many years ago I even used this same mindless introduction. Imagine walking into an account and telling your prospect/customer that you are the new sales REP for your company. For a moment let's switch gears. Imagine boarding an airplane scheduled to fly from Chicago to San Francisco. Imagine also hearing the pilot welcome everybody on board and announcing that he is new at flying the 757 you are seated on. Also imagine your dentist refers you to a specialist for your very first root canal. And imagine that the specialist lets you know he's a recent Dental School graduate and you're his first patient. Now, how does that make you feel? That's how everyone feels when they're working with somebody who announces they are "NEW." Action-step. If you're new to sales or are an experienced sales REP just getting started with a NEW company give some thought how you will introduce yourself. Just don't say that you're "NEW." 4. Doing price-driven quotes instead of value-structured proposals. If you're in sales you're likely to get requests on a daily basis for product quotes. Somebody wants you to quote on a particular product or a particular service. So, like someone following the Pied Piper you do exactly what they ask, namely you send them a quotation. Then you go ballistic when you lose the deal because you did not have the lowest price. Look Bubba - when you send somebody your quote all you are really doing is sending them a price to look at. If you don't like that approach get out of the quotation business. Do sales proposals. Load them with value. Make your sales proposal scream value and always include a benefits page. Your benefits page should be positioned ahead of your pricing page. Action-step. If you don't know anything about sales proposals I strongly suggest you do a search on Google.com and Amazon.com using the keywords "sales proposals." This is too important to be flying by the seat-of-your-ants! 5. Making sales calls like a tourist. Anytime you show up on a prospect's/customer's doorstep without written sales call objectives you are nothing more than a well paid tourist. I think you'll agree most people most of the time are too busy to waste their valuable time. When you show up planning to touch base, catch up, check up, and see what's going on - that's called "Wasting time." To get you started in the right direction, here's an example of a written sales call objective for an account you're calling on for the very first time. Simply stated your sales call objective could be written as follows: "My objective for this sales call is to establish rapport, build some credibility, ask 3-5 open-ended questions, attempt to identify one common interest we have, and if the person is qualified to secure a confirmed follow-up appointment. Note how numbers make this objective even "More specific." Action-step. Never leave home without written sales call objectives. The key word is "Never!" 6. Getting mugged by your own mouth. This is a very easy trap for a salesperson to collapse into especially if you're extroverted and talkative. If you're not careful with the language you use, you run the risk of sounding like the "Mediocre majority." For example, you should avoid using these phrases: I think, can I be honest, can I ask you a question, I know you're busy so I won't take up much of your time, how soon do you need it, I agree with you - But, what do I have to do to earn your business today, so - what do you think, I was wondering etc. I hope you get the picture and recognize that these phrases aren't inherently sinister. They are however over-used by the salespeople who are in the "Mediocre majority" category. Avoid them like the Plague! Action-step. The more you prepare what you'll say and how you'll say it during a sales call the less likely you'll end up getting mugged by your own mouth. 7. Making the sales call a virtual “Improvisation.” The way my twisted mind works is there are only two types of sales calls. One is prepared and the other is a total improvisation. Let me concede right out of the chute, it's inconceivable to totally prepare for a sales call - the way I define the word prepare. It should also be inconceivable to you from this point on, that your sales calls should be a 100% improvisation. In this example, when I use the word prepare, I mean in writing. Here's a short list of what I recommend you thoroughly prepare - in writing: Prepare how you call for appointments. Prepare your elevator speech. Prepare at least 12 open-ended questions. Prepare how you will segue into your presentation. Prepare how you will deal with the price objection. Also prepare how you will ask for the customer's commitment to order your product/service. Action-step. Prepare in writing the words you will use in each of these key steps in your selling process. Preparation always sounds better than improvisation. Always! 8. Forgetting to develop the “Brand Called You.” One of the cardinal sins I observe salespeople making is your complete reliance on the branding of your products and your company. Please remember this. Most people don't buy the product. Most people don't buy the company. Most people buy - because they buy the relationship with the sales professional working with them. I just ordered the autobiography written by PT Barnum. I can't wait to get my hands on this book. If you want to be remembered you have to be memorable and PT Barnum wrote the book on this topic. Marketing will win more sales than selling ever can. To be a success today, and in almost any business, you have to be an extraordinary marketer! You might want to buy Peter Montoya's book, "The Brand Called You." Action-step. I believe everybody is unique. Discover your uniqueness and parade it around your sales territory. Forget about being boring, bland, and benign. Blending in is out! Standing out is in! Do everything you can to be different in a memorable way! 9. Playing the win-lose instead of the win-win game. This point is easy to say and hard to do because it involves a dramatic change in your thinking. In some cases, it may involve a lobotomy! Never offer a price concession without getting a concession from your prospect/customer. To do so means he wins and you lose. Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned game of win-win? What happened to it is quite simple and very easy to fix. When ever someone asks you for a better price - ask them for a better deal - which could mean a larger quantity, something else added to the order, an extended contract etc. Action-step. This one takes courage. Do you have what it takes to do what it takes to make your selling game a win-win game? 10. Putting your families on the veritable back-burner. Most people don't think bad things can happen to them. I think it's called the theory of self-exception. Maybe it's because you're so optimistic. You think you'll live for ever. You think your families will live for ever. Take it from me it doesn't always work out that way. Now rest assured, I hope it does for you and your family. I just don't want you to bank on it. You see stuff happens: My first wife Louise died when she was 34 from cancer. My brother John died when he was 46 from a brain tumor. My brother Ray, a New York City firemen, was killed on 9/11 at the age of 46. Enough said! Action-step. When you put your family on the back-burner you're risking life's biggest regret - "I wish I had spent more time with my family." To avoid this potential tragedy make your calendar the centerpiece of your life and make sure every member of your family is on your calendar. 11. Living life in the multi-tasking lane. This thing called multi-tasking isn't what it's cracked up to be. Sure it looks impressive to a casual observer to see you driving your car with a headset on and nibbling on your morning egg McMuffin. How many tasks can you do at the same time and do them equally well? Some people, notably researchers writing on the subject, are now saying that tasks completed by the multi-taskers are losing out in the quality department. Hey - it's a No-Brainer - how many things can you do at the same time and do them all exceptionally well? Go figure! Two months ago in the men's room of one of my major clients I heard someone behind that closed door, and presumably in a seated position, talking on his cell phone, munching on what sounded like potato chips and flushing at the same time. How do you explain that to a customer? Would you actually say you're passing through Niagara Falls, thus accounting for the noise in the background? I think you get the point and I'll leave the rest to your imagination. Action-step. This one is so easy it hurts! Start every day with a written list of what you want to get done during that day. Using numbers, be sure to prioritize your list. Do one thing at a time. Do the most important thing first. Don't do anything else unless it's more important than the next most important thing on your list. I told you this was easy - easy to say and hard to do. 12. Giving a “Gazillion people” your cell phone number. Man do I get a lot of heat when I talk about this in my No-Brainer Selling Skills Boot Camps and sales training programs. I've heard all the reasons why salespeople give every body their cell phone number. I know why people print their cell phone number on their business cards. I know why salespeople do this but I'm not sure it makes any sense. Well it does make some sense if you're the kind of salesperson, who after giving 50 or more prospects/customers your cell phone number, goes immediately to a tattoo parlor and has 24/7 tattooed across your forehead. Maybe it would make some sense if you had the only cell phone in your sales territory. That would be a clear advantage for you. Whenever you give somebody your cell phone number it becomes the default number which people use to call you. The more people you give your cell phone number to, the more people will dial your cell phone number every time for every minuscule reason they want to talk to you. You may like it this way but I sure don't. I have two cell phones- one in my car and one in my briefcase and I use them exclusively for making outbound calls. Until you experience this - you won't realize how much control over your life you give up every time you give someone else your cell phone number. Action-step. Here's a suggestion. Get a stamp that allows you to print on the back of your business card the times during the day you check your voice mails and e-mails. Tell your customers, except for two or three of your biggest, you're disconnecting your cell phone number because it's taken over your life. My guess is you'll get some well deserved empathy and sympathy

Judge

People

Inch

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow." -- Doug Firebaugh

Being Honest With Yourself 2.0

Lying to yourself is one of the worst lies we can tell. First, when we lie to ourselves it affects our attitude and our ability to communicate with others. Second, acting like ourselves is more powerful than trying to act like someone else. That’s why honesty is more effective than mirroring personality profiling or other strategies that seek to forge a false bond with clients.

The top 10 percent of salespeople know how to steer clear of dangerous assumptions and lies that the mediocre tell themselves in business. 90% of sales people fall prey to dangerous lies that keep them from succeeding. That’s why I’ve itemized the 4 most lethal lies I’ve witnessed salespeople telling themselves. Some items on the list may seem obvious to you. And that makes them worse.

Treating Prospecting as Something You’ll Outgrow Eventually

After hitting their targets again and again, some find it tempting to start looking at prospecting as something they don’t need to do anymore. Incredibly, sales trainers often hear stories about seasoned salespeople who say they’re too experienced to prospect… or that cold calling is beneath them. That’s crazy! Prospecting is the lifeblood of a successful sales strategy. It’s how you constantly cultivate new business opportunities and grow your client base. Without including this as a fundamental component of your regular business habits, you could be putting your career at serious risk. Everyone needs to prospect… no matter how successful they are. To be effective at prospecting, you need to have more than a system for attracting qualified buyers. You also need a sales funnel that’s three times larger than what you need in sales. Stuck for ideas on where to find prospects? Check out Chapter 4: Exhibit 4.1 for 16 ideas that will keep your funnel full all year long from Honesty Sells (Visit www.HonestySells.com to get your copy)

Believing in the Adage “Nothing Personal… It’s Just Business”

Big mistake. Successful sales professionals will tell you that in business, everything is personal and further we believe that if you are serious about your career you should take it personally! People buy from people they like and trust. And that’s personal! It’s true. In essence, when a client chooses one salesperson over another, what they’re really saying is that—other things being equal—they like one better than the other. Great sales records are built on likeability and trust. Likeability is personal. Establishing and maintaining great personal rapport is how you build trust between yourself and your clients.

Treating Any Prospect as if It’s a Sure Thing

Remember Benjamin Franklin’s sage advice—nothing is certain in this world other than death and taxes. In sales, no matter how great a particular prospect may look to you, things can change in a hurry. Even after a contract is signed, a sale can still fall through. I once saw more than $60,000 vanish into thin air in Plano when a tornado blew through the Texas headquarters of my prospect… while the contract was still being finalized by the legal team. In sales, the most volatile time is the time between when you receive a verbal go-ahead from a prospect and when the contract is received. That’s when anything can happen. So count your deals only as 100 percent in your pipeline once you have a signed contract and a purchase order.

As a buyer, my husband Chris and I have had two real estate contracts fall through in the last year after they were signed, but before the closing dates. It’s never over until the money is received.

Believing “My Success Is Unrelated to My Attitude”

Tennis pro Chris Evert was once quoted as saying:

“The thing that separates good players from great players is mental attitude. It might only make a difference of two or three points over an entire match, but how you play those key points often makes the difference between winning and losing. If the mind is strong, you can do anything you want.”

Colleen’s father, Ted Francis (a now retired but career sales professional), is noted as saying:

“Suck it up! It’s all in your head!”

Both are true.

Ensuring an honest relationship with your client means starting with yourself and your own attitude.

All top-ranked salespeople share this point of view. If you ask them—as we have, repeatedly—what they do that makes them so successful, they’ll answer: “It’s my attitude!” Successful salespeople love what they do. They love the companies they work for, the products and services they sell, and the clients they serve. They also take personal responsibility for ensuring that all of these points remain true. By our measure, they live by four simple rules for being honest with themselves:

Nobody Can Choose Your Attitude for You

If you’re waiting for someone else to come along and motivate you, you will wait forever. Never let others take control of your thoughts. Only you can develop a better attitude for yourself. In trying times, the only way to improve your circumstances is by adopting a positive outlook. No matter what extraordinary sales techniques you learn during your career, these will fail you if you don't believe in yourself, your products, and your market.

The People Around You Are a Direct Mirror of Your Attitude

Attitude is contagious. It’s amazing how individuals who consistently display a poor attitude are the same people who expect their family, coworkers, friends, or employees to remain upbeat. Remember: You become who you hang out with. Think of it as the law of human magnetism.

Maintaining a Good Attitude Is Easier than Regaining One that’s Lost

If you already have a good attitude, great! Do everything you can to maintain it. Read positive books and listen to motivational tapes. Stay away from the news first thing in the morning and get rid of people in your life who are bringing you down. Sure, it’s not always easy, but you will thank us for this advice when you are celebrating as the top sales rep in your company next year.

On the other hand, if you have difficulty expecting the best from yourself and others, don’t give up. Remember item number one on this list—only you can choose your attitude, so it’s up to you to change it.

To achieve your maximum potential, you must first be honest with yourself. Prove your integrity with your words and actions. Find time to prospect every day. Remember that all business is personal. Take it personally so you improve faster. Don’t treat any prospect as if it’s a sure thing. Nothing’s certain. And absolutely everyday work on your attitude. It absolutely affects your sales results.

Fear

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." -- Marie Curie

57 FAMOUS ALIBIS - By Old Man IF People who do not succeed have one distinguishing trait in common. They know all the reasons for failure, and have what they believe to be air-tight alibis to explain away their own lack of achievement. Some of these alibis are clever, and a few of them are justifiable by the facts. But alibis cannot be used for money. The world wants to know only one thing-HAVE YOU ACHIEVED SUCCESS? A character analyst compiled a list of the most commonly used alibis. As you read the list, examine yourself carefully, and determine how many of these alibis, if any, are your own property. Remember, too, the philosophy presented in this book makes every one of these alibis obsolete. IF I didn't have a wife and family . . . IF I had enough "pull" . . . IF I had money . . . IF I had a good education . . . IF I could get a job . . . IF I had good health . . . IF I only had time . . . IF times were better . . . IF other people understood me . . . IF conditions around me were only different . . . IF I could live my life over again . . . IF I did not fear what "THEY" would say . . . IF I had been given a chance . . . IF I now had a chance . . . IF other people didn't "have it in for me" . . . IF nothing happens to stop me . . . IF I were only younger . . . IF I could only do what I want . . . IF I had been born rich . . . IF I could meet "the right people" . . . IF I had the talent that some people have . . . IF I dared assert myself . . . IF I only had embraced past opportunities . . . IF people didn't get on my nerves . . . IF I didn't have to keep house and look after the children . . . IF I could save some money . . . IF the boss only appreciated me . . . IF I only had somebody to help me . . . IF my family understood me . . . IF I lived in a big city . . . IF I could just get started . . . IF I were only free . . . IF I had the personality of some people . . . IF I were not so fat . . . IF my talents were known . . . IF I could just get a "break" . . . IF I could only get out of debt . . . IF I hadn't failed . . . IF I only knew how . . . IF everybody didn't oppose me . . . IF I didn't have so many worries . . . IF I could marry the right person . . . IF people weren't so dumb . . . IF my family were not so extravagant . . . IF I were sure of myself . . . IF luck were not against me . . . IF I had not been born under the wrong star . . . IF it were not true that "what is to be will be" . . . IF I did not have to work so hard . . . IF I hadn't lost my money . . . IF I lived in a different neighborhood . . . IF I didn't have a "past" . . . IF I only had a business of my own . . . IF other people would only listen to me . . . IF * * * and this is the greatest of them all * * * I had the courage to see myself as I really am, I would find out what is wrong with me, and correct it, then I might have a chance to profit by my mistakes and learn something from the experience of others, for I know that there is something WRONG with me, or I would now be where I WOULD HAVE BEEN IF I had spent more time analyzing my weaknesses, and less time building alibis to cover them. Building alibis with which to explain away failure is a national pastime. The habit is as old as the human race, and is fatal to success! Why do people cling to their pet alibis? The answer is obvious. They defend their alibis because THEY CREATE them! A man's alibi is the child of his own imagination. It is human nature to defend one's own brain-child. Building alibis is a deeply rooted habit. Habits are difficult to break, especially when they provide justification for something we do. Plato had this truth in mind when he said, "The first and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile." Another philosopher had the same thought in mind when he said, "It was a great surprise to me when I discovered that most of the ugliness I saw in others, was but a reflection of my own nature." "It has always been a mystery to me," said Elbert Hubbard, "why people spend so much time deliberately fooling themselves by creating alibis to cover their weaknesses. If used differently, this same time would be sufficient to cure the weakness, then no alibis would be needed." In parting, I would remind you that "Life is a checkerboard, and the player opposite you is TIME. If you hesitate before moving, or neglect to move promptly, your men will be wiped off the board by TIME. You are playing against a partner who will not tolerate INDECISION!"

Sales Coaching - Looking for new students

Things

"What are the things that you can't see that are important? I would say justice, truth, humility, service, compassion, love... They're the guiding lights of a life." President Jimmy Carter

Coaching ...

Coaching is a training or development process via which an individual is supported while achieving a specific personal or professional competence result or goal. The individual receiving coaching may be referred to as coachee. Occasionally, the term coaching may be applied to an informal relationship between two individuals where one has greater experience and expertise than the other and offers advice and guidance as the other goes through a learning process, but coaching differs from mentoring by focusing upon competence specifics, as opposed to general overall development. Some coaches use a style in which they ask questions and offer opportunities that will challenge the coachee to find answers from within him/herself. This facilitates the learner to discover answers and new ways of being based on their values, preferences and unique perspectives. Professional coaching is an ongoing relationship which focuses on the client taking action toward the realization of their vision, goal or desires. Coaching uses a process of inquiry and personal discovery to build the client’s level of awareness and responsibility, and provides structure, support and feedback. The coaching process helps clients both define and achieve professional and personal goals faster and with more ease than would be possible otherwise. 7 Reasons Why Coaching Works Coaching accelerates progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. It concentrates on where you are today and what you are willing to do to get where you want to be tomorrow. Coaching provides a transformative space for you to experience easier and accelerated growth to move you towards your passion and goals. Here are seven reasons why it works: ◦Pattern interruption. The structure and support within the professional coaching relationship serves to interrupt the unconscious patterns of behavior‚ creating an opportunity to stop the business as usual, consciously look at what is happening and perhaps choose differently. ◦Conscious goal commitment. What you focus on expands. If you make a conscious commitment to move forward with a goal or intention, you’ve immediately increased your chances of realizing that goal or intention. ◦Clarity. Coaching helps you to define what you want and how you’re going to get there. Once defined, coaching keeps you moving forward toward the realization of that goal or intention. ◦Chunk down the big goals. An ongoing coaching relationship helps you define and take the first step towards that big goal‚ effectively moving out of inertia. You start to think in terms of, “What can I do today to help me move towards my goal?” Your coach is there to keep you on track all the way to the realization of your goal. ◦Accountability. Making a commitment to your coach increases the consciousness that is brought to that commitment. It is no longer simply something you want to do, but something you have committed to doing. Big difference. ◦Real-time feedback. The ongoing conversation and action plan allow for immediate feedback. New ideas or concerns can be quickly addressed and appropriate changes adopted to keep the momentum going. ◦Inquiry. Questions and answers are at the heart of coaching. Thought and action are inspired through the process of inquiry . . . what do you want?, what stands in your way?, and, how are your going to get there?

A Sense of Urgency Is Tremendous by Charles "T" Jones

Perhaps my findings are not the only solution, but with all my heart I believe the fires of greatness in our heart can be kept aglow only after we develop a sense of urgency and importance for what we are doing. I mean a sense of urgency to the extent that we feel it is a matter of life and death; and it is a matter of life and death, for in growing we are alive and in quitting we are dying in a sense. If you don't believe this, talk to anyone who has lost the sense of urgency of getting things done and has been drifting in complacency, mediocrity and failure. If you are without a sense of urgency in your work, you know what I mean. A sense of urgency is that feeling that lets you know yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow never comes. TODAY is in your hands. It lets you know that shirking today's task will add to wasted yesterdays and postponing today's work will add to tomorrow's burden. The sense of urgency causes you to accomplish what today sets before you. Thank God for the sense of urgency that can change a dull, shabby existence into a sparkling life. Right now, ask God to give you a sense of urgency. Believe that He did, and then act accordingly.

Leaders by Brian Tracy

There are two important, motivational and inspirational leadership qualities of great leaders that you already have to a certain degree. You can develop these leadership qualities further to stand out from the people around you in a very short period of time. 1. Great Leaders Have Vision One of the most important leadership qualities of great leaders is vision. This is the one single quality that, more than anything, separates leaders from followers. Great leaders have vision. Followers do not. Leaders have the ability to stand back and see the big picture. Followers are caught up in day-to-day activities. Great leaders have developed the ability to fix their eyes on the horizon and see greater possibilities. Followers are those whose eyes are fixed on the ground in front of them and who are so busy that they seldom look at themselves and their activities in a larger context. The best way for you to be motivational and inspirational to others is to be motivated yourself. The fastest way to get others excited about a project is to get excited yourself. The way to get others committed to achieving a goal or a result is to be totally committed yourself. The way to build loyalty to your organization, and to other people, is to be an example of loyalty in everything you say and do. These all are applications of the Law of Indirect Effort. They very neatly tie in to the quality of vision. One requirement of leadership is the ability to choose an area of excellence. Just as a good general chooses the terrain on which to do battle, great leaders choose the area in which he and others are going to do an outstanding job. The commitment to excellence is one of the most powerful of all motivational and inspirational techniques. All great leaders who change people and organizations are enthusiastic about achieving excellence in a particular area. The most motivational and inspirational vision you can have for yourself and others is to “Be the best!” Many people don’t yet realize that excellent performance in serving other people is an absolute, basic essential for survival in the economy of the future. Many individuals and companies still adhere to the idea that as long as they are no worse than anyone else, they can remain in business. That is just plain silly! It is prehistoric thinking. We are now in the age of excellence. Customers assume that they will get excellent quality, and if they don’t, they will go to your competitors so fast, people’s heads will spin. As a leader, your job is to develop leadership qualities that exude excellence as your own individual, to be the best in your chosen field of endeavor. Your job is to have a vision of high standards in serving people. You not only exemplify excellence in your own behavior, but you also translate it to others so that they, too, become committed to this vision. 2. Great Leaders Have Integrity The second most important of all leadership qualities is integrity. Integrity is complete, unflinching honesty with regard to everything that you say and do. Integrity underlies all the other leadership qualities. Your measure of integrity is determined by how honest you are in the critical areas of your life. Integrity means this: When someone asks you at the end of the day, “Did you do your very best?” you can look him in the eye and say, “Yes!” Integrity means this: When someone asks you if you could have done it better, you can honestly say, “No, I did everything I possibly could.” Integrity might be one of the most challenging of the leadership qualities because it means that you, as a leader, must admit your shortcomings. It means that you work to develop your strengths and compensate for your weaknesses. Integrity means that you tell the truth, and that you live the truth in everything that you do and in all your relationships. Integrity means that you deal straightforwardly with people and situations and that you do not compromise what you believe to be true. Thank you for reading this post on developing motivational and inspirational leadership qualities for management success. Who are your favorite great leaders and what qualities do they have that you can develop to inspire greatness in others? Please share and comment below! Brian Tracy

Figs, Jesus and Sales by Jim Rohn

Jesus walked along one day with his disciples....and saw fig trees. Interesting story. And as Jesus looked suspiciously at this fig tree, and said to his disciples. "Does that fig tree have any figs?" Do you think that’s an important question? I’m telling you for a fig tree, that’s the entire important question. ....does it have any figs? His disciple said to Jesus said..." No Jesus for all the trees you picked, this particular fig tree doesn’t have any figs .. (the story said that Jesus had lost his cool) [one of the few times Jesus has lost his cool] "WHY?!" I think--- to make a POINT! A fig tree without figs?! It is unacceptable. Jesus swiftly said....: I suggest that, if that fig tree doesn’t have any figs. I suggest you promptly take it OUT!" and He added, "...why let it take up the desk … I mean the ground?" So you have to get all your folks together every once awhile and say "TODAY WE'RE COUNTING THE FIGS, [what for?] To see who gets to stay. [Why?] It's the name of the game. Jim Rohn

Conducting a Personal Inventory of Your "Knowledge Resources" by Denis Waitley

Self-knowledge has always been the key to preparing for competition. Knowledge of your attributes, abilities, interests, strengths, weaknesses, and traits is essential to riding the front end of the wave of change into the new century. To fully assess your own talents, realize that studies confirm that what we love and do well as children continues as our latent or manifest talent as adults.

Examination of your weekend or evening interests might reveal a gem of potential you can apply to your vocation. I strongly suggest you don't unthinkingly relegate what you love to do for yourself solely to hobbies. You might make it, or at least integrate it into your life's work.
The acquisition of knowledge, which is the new global power, is a life-long experience, not a collection of facts or skills. Not long ago, what you learned in school was largely all you needed to learn to secure a career. With knowledge expanding exponentially, this is no longer true. Hundreds of scientific papers are published daily.

Every thirty seconds, some new technological company produces yet another innovation. Your formal education has a very short shelf life. Life-long learning, once a luxury for the few, has become absolutely vital to continued success. Continue gaining expertise and avoid thinking like an expert.

Action Idea: An excellent benchmarking exercise is to spend a weekend with key associates or family members and dust off your childhood memories. Remember what you really enjoyed and wanted to do most as a child. The next activity in assessing your interests is considering your current ones. What do you most enjoy after work? What do you most want to do on weekends and vacations? What are your hobbies? Can you bring more of what you enjoy into your business life?

Action Step - Increase Your Reading, Writing and Vocabulary Proficiency. One of the most important qualities of successful leaders is an ability to express thoughts and knowledge. Research by management and human resource experts confirms that no matter what the field of employment, people with large vocabularies - those able to speak clearly and concisely, using simple as well as descriptive words - are best at accomplishing their goals. Well chosen, carefully considered words can close the sale, negotiate the raise, enhance relationships, and change destinies.

In a world of e-mail, fax dispersal, voice mail, sound bites, concise reports, business plans, and meeting briefs, the individuals who can articulate their goals, substantiate their claims, and support their visions, will own the future. In the 21st Century, literacy will be the major difference between the haves and have-nots.

Why do fewer than 10 percent of the public buy and read nonfiction books? One reason is that many would rather get home than get ahead. They are motivated to get by and get pulled along by the company, the economy, or the government.

Another reason is that many individuals believe that information found in books, computer programs, and training sessions has no value in the business world. How self-deluding!
As the new tools of productivity become the Internet, the Digital Versatile Disc, direct digital download of text, audio and video, and the combination of the interactive computer with telecommunications, the people who know how to control the new technologies will acquire power, while those who thought that education ends with the diploma are destined for low-paying, low-satisfaction jobs. In almost the blink of an eye, our society has passed from the industrial age to the knowledge era.

Increase your reading by 100 percent. Decrease your television watching, and that of any children in your family by 50 percent. Surf the Internet and subscribe to book summaries, or download free chapters from different sources. By reading book summaries, you can gain the essence of all the top business books in a very brief period of time.

Action Idea: Read at least one book each month, and listen to at least one additional audio book during commute or down time. One of the best sources for business audio books online is MP3audiobooks.com.

All kinds of reading and listening to fiction and non-fiction will increase your vocabulary, writing and presentation skills. Incredibly, a mere 3,500 words separate the average person from those with superior vocabularies.

Keep a dictionary beside you when you read and look up every word you don't fully understand. Doing that on the spot helps make the word part of your vocabulary forever. And don't depend on your computer's spellchecker for your spelling. Not all e-mail service includes spell check. Also, you may be called upon to write longhand notes, memos, or information on white boards or blackboards at meetings. You not only want to use the right words. You also will want to spell them correctly.

A great way to increase your literacy is to engage in Internet conferences and to read summaries on the web from services like Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers. The more interactive you become in communications and the less you indulge in prime-time television, the more successful you'll become in all areas of your life. Knowledge is the new power. And literacy is the door to knowledge.

Bouncing Back from Tough Times Part 2 by Jim Rohn

Where the Miracle Begins

Sometimes, defeat is the best beginning. Why? Well for one thing, if you’re at the very bottom, there’s only one way to go—up. But more important, if you’re flat on your back, mentally and financially, you’ll usually become sufficiently disgusted to reach way deep down inside yourself and pull out miracles. Pull out talents and pull out abilities and pull out your desires and determination. When you’re flat broke or flat miserable, you’ll eventually become so disgusted that you’ll pull out the basic essentials required to make everything better.

It’s in the face of adversity that things begin to change, that you begin to change. With enough disgust, desire and determination to change your life, you’ll start saying, “I’ve had it. Enough of this. No more. Never again!”

Here’s where the miracle begins. “I’ve had it. Enough. No more. Never again.” These words and these thoughts really rattle the power of time and fate and circumstances. And these three things, time and fate and circumstances, all get together and say, “Okay. Okay. We can see that we have no power here; we’re facing some major resolve! This guy’s not going to give up. He’s had it. He’s done with all this nonsense. We’d better step aside and let this guy get by!” Inspiration through disgust.

A lot of people don’t change themselves. They wait for change. These poor unfortunate folks accept their defeats and wallow in their self-pity. Why? Because they refuse to take control of the situation. They refuse to take control of their life, their career, their health, their relationships, their finances. They refuse to take responsibility and get sufficiently disgusted to change it.

If you are disgusted, if you are in need of some change, if this book finds you in the middle of your own personal slump, then I have some words to offer. Your present failure is a temporary condition. It is only a temporary condition. You will rebound from failure, just as surely as you gravitated into failure.

One time, when I was in the midst of a bout of failure, somebody suggested that I should tell myself, “This too shall pass.” I firmly believe that you’re only given as much as you can handle, as much negativity, as much failure, as much disappointment. This too shall pass, if you grasp for a new beginning. You need to pull yourself up and move back into the world with a plan.

As foolish as it might sound, you should be thankful for your current limitations or failures. They are the building blocks from which to create greatness. You can go where you want to go. You can do what you want to do. You can become what you want to become. You can do it all, starting now, right where you are.

A father talks about his daughter. She’s gone through some pretty tough times, and as he tells it, she’s a pretty tough person. He has a unique way of describing his daughter’s situation, though. While most parents would be frantic, even for their kids who are grown and gone, this man just smiles and says that his daughter is like a frog in a jar of cream: She keeps kicking and kicking and kicking, and pretty soon the milk will turn into a lump of butter and she’ll be able to jump out. That’s an interesting illustration of tenacity, because that’s how it really works. You’ve got to keep trying and trying and trying. You’ve got to have enough resolve to do it until.

Some of the most inspiring success stories have started with failure. Longfellow started in failure. Michelangelo started in failure. Lincoln started in failure. Rod Serling wrote 40 stories before he had one that was accepted. Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper that felt he had no talent. Richard Byrd crashed his plane on his first solo trip before he became one of the world’s greatest explorers. And the success stories continue.

Be grateful for your adversity. At the same time, make sure that it’s working for your future, not against you. Make your failures give birth to great opportunity, not prolonged agony. Make your disgust lead to inspiration, not depression. The world will willingly sit by and let you wallow in your sorrows… until you die broke and alone. And here’s what else the world will do. The world will step aside and let you by, once you decide that your present situation is only temporary. The doors will open once you decide to get back on your feet and make your mark.

You have to care. In your own enlightened self-interest, give a run at adventure. Keep your eyes firmly set on achievement. Don’t settle for mere existence and self-pity. Make a commitment to excellence. And remember, it is your challenge, your own personal challenge, to use all your gifts and skills and talents and knowledge to survive and succeed.

10 Characteristics of Successful Salespeople by Kelley Robertson

What separates successful sales people from everyone else? I believe that most successful sales people, in virtually any industry, possess the following characteristics: 1. They are persistent. Selling or running a business for a living requires a tremendous amount of persistence. Obstacles loom in front of us on a regular basis. But it’s what you do when faced with these barriers that will determine your level of success. I believe it was Brian Tracy who once said that a person will face the most challenging obstacle just before they achieve their goal. The most successful people in any industry have learned to face the obstacles that get in their way. They look for new solutions. They are tenacious. They refuse to give up. 2. Successful sales people are avid goal setters. They know what they want to accomplish and they plan their approach. They make sure their goals are specific, motivational, achievable yet challenging, relevant to their personal situation, and time-framed. They visualize their target, determine how they will achieve their goal, and take action on a daily basis. 3. Great sales people ask quality questions. The best sales people ask their clients and prospects plenty of quality questions to fully determine their situation and buying needs. They know that the most effective way to present their product or service is to uncover their customer's goals, objectives, concerns and hesitations. This allows them to effectively discuss the features and benefits of their product and service that most relate to each customer. 4. Successful sales people listen. Most sales people will ask a question then give their customer the answer, or continue to talk afterwards instead of waiting for their response. Great sales people know that customers will tell them everything they need to know if given the right opportunity. They ask questions and listen carefully to the responses, often taking notes and summarizing their understanding of the customers' comments. They have learned that silence is golden. 5. Successful sales people are passionate. They love their company and they exude this pride when talking about their products and services. The more passionate you are about your career, the greater the chance you will succeed. The reason for this is simple—when you love what you do you are going to put more effort into your work. When you are passionate about the products or services you sell, your enthusiasm will shine brightly in every conversation. If you aren’t genuinely excited about selling your particular product or service, give serious consideration to making a change. You are not doing yourself, your company or your customers any favors by continuing to represent something you can’t get excited about. 6. Successful sales people are enthusiastic. They are always in a positive mood - even during difficult times - and their enthusiasm is contagious. They seldom talk poorly of the company or the business. When faced with unpleasant or negative situations, they choose to focus on the positive elements instead of allowing themselves to be dragged down. 7. Successful sales people take responsibility for their results. They do not blame internal problems, the economy, tough competitors, or anything else if they fail to meet their sales quotas. They know that their actions alone will determine their results and they do what is necessary. 8. Successful sales people work hard. Most people want to be successful but they aren’t prepared to work hard to achieve it. Sales superstars don’ t wait for business to come to them; they go after it. They usually start work earlier than their coworkers and stay later than everyone else. They make more calls, prospect more consistently, talk to more people, and give more sales presentations than their coworkers. 9. Successful sales people keep in touch with their clients. They know that constant contact helps keep clients so they use a variety of approaches to accomplish this. They send thank-you, birthday, and anniversary cards. They make phone calls and schedule regular ‘keep in touch’ breakfast and lunch meetings. They send articles of value to their customers and send an email newsletter. They are constantly on the lookout for new and creative ways to keep their name in their customers’ minds. 10. Successful sales people show value. Today’s business world is more competitive than ever before and most sales people think that price is the only motivating buying factor. Successful sales people recognize that price is a factor in every sale but it is seldom the primary reason someone chooses a particular product or supplier. They know that a well-informed buyer will usually base much of her decision on the value proposition presented by the sales person. They know how to create this value with each customer, prospect, or buyer they encounter. We all have what it takes to become successful. Are you ready to make it happen?

OLD and BROKE

I was surprised (and dismayed, even horrified) at the number of people who took advantage of the short holiday to take time off and do nothing so close to the year end close, like you all have so much business in the pot you can afford to do so! – WTF? Being a success in any business including sales is about Hard Work and Sacrifice if you’re NOT prepared to do both you will never see the success you claim to desire If you learn about successful people (I guess most of you don't), there is a pattern to achieving success, if you cant see that or are not prepared to do what it takes, then you don’t belong in business There is NO ‘Price for Success’ its fun and its easy, but there is a ‘Price for Failure’ – its called OLD and BROKE Get yourselves focused, get organised, stick to the system (it works), stop pretending to be cool when you’re not, stop lying to yourself and do what you’re supposed to do! Or quit, get out of the way and make room for the guys who will do it

Marketing vs. The Sales Process by Brian Tracy

Marketing and the sales process are two separate activities. Marketing is the process of lead generation. Marketing embraces everything you do up to the point of sale. The design, development, and determination of the exact product or service that you are going to sell are the first part of marketing. The second is to think through every element of the marketing mix before you begin. These elements are product, price, promotion, packaging, positioning, and people. Product/ Service What exactly is your product or service? What does it do for your customer? How does it improve his or her life or work? What products or services are you going to offer? Any changes in the product or service offered can dramatically change the entire nature of your business. Price How much are you going to charge for your product? Will you sell wholesale or retail? How do your prices compare with those of your competitors? Are they higher or lower? How do you justify your prices, whatever they are? Place Where exactly are you going to locate your business? Where are your customers? Do you sell from a retail storefront or by telephone and Internet from your offices? Promotion How do you advertise and attract customers? Once you have attracted potential customers, what is the specific sales process that you use to convert those prospects into customers? What systems do you use for developing and maintaining successful sales process to get customers to buy from you? Packaging What do your product or service, place of business, and every other visual element of your company look like to your customers? Customers are extremely visual. They form their first impression about you and your company within four seconds of seeing you for the first time. Looking from the outside, is every part of the customers visual experience with regard to your company excellent in every way?   Positioning- Part of The Marketing Mix How are you positioned in the minds and hearts of your customer? The words your customers use when they talk about you and describe you to others is all part of the marketing mix. If your name were mentioned in a customer survey, how could customers and non customers refer to you and your business? Presenting to Potential Customers Who exactly are the people who interact with your customers? What do they look like? How do they dress? What do they say? What kinds of personality do they have? How do they dress? What do they say? Prospective customers are largely emotional. They make most of their decisions based on the way they are treated by the people in your organization. What kind of “people experience” do customers have when they deal with you? How could it be improved? Develop a Proven Sales Process Determine what you will have to do to get your customers to give you a nine or ten score on the question, “Based on your experience with us, would you recommend us to your friends and family?

Jim Rohn’s Lessons on Wealth & Financial Independence

Jim Rohn grew up a modest man—on a farm in Idaho. After attending a year and a half of college and marrying a “beautiful young lady,” he realized his decision to quit on his education might have been a mistake. He started to struggle with bills, and he wanted to turn his life around. As if it were fate, Jim met a businessman by the name of Earl Shoaff, who hired the farm boy. Working with this entrepreneurial-minded man, Jim was inspired and took his mentor’s philosophy to heart; he embraced it and practiced it—to turn his life around. In Lessons of a Lifetime, Volume 3 with Jim Rohn and Darren Hardy (June 2013, SUCCESS), Jim gives us his perspective and philosophies on how people can build wealth and become financially independent, which he defines as “the ability to live from the income of your personal resources.” Once you have mastered the investment and earnings strategy to reach that independence, you can work for accomplishment, pleasure and pure joy—not out of the requirement to support yourself. Here are some of Jim’s personal tips for turning your own life around, to get you on track for building wealth in order to achieve the ultimate goal of financial freedom: Attitude: “Don’t become a victim of yourself… be aware of the thief in your mind that’s after your promise.” “Each person’s personal philosophy is the major factor in how your life works out… [it] is the major factor in your paycheck, it’s the major factor in your health and your future, it’s the major factor in your career.” His mentor wisely told him, “If you will change, everything will change for you.” “It’s not what happens, it’s what you do…. What can you do, starting tomorrow, that’ll make a difference?” Philosophy: “Think like the rich. Invest your money first, then spend what’s left. Don’t spend your money and invest what’s left.” Don’t wait to put together a financial statement with a list of your assets and liabilities, the time to figure out where you are and where you’re headed. “Now’s the time to fix it.” “Life is accumulative. Our errors either accumulate into what we don’t get or our wise decisions accumulate into what we do get.” “[Relationships are] one of the fundamentals for wealth and happiness. You gotta associate with the right people.” It’s the power of influence.

The Vault Door Is Open! by Darren Hardy

Until recently only the elites atop corporate ivory towers had the keys to the vault of the world’s wealth. Power, thus wealth, was controlled by access—access to knowledge, technology, capital, resources and distribution through print publications, broadcasting, cable and store shelves. Now the vault door has been blown off, and everyone has direct and unlimited access to all the wealth they want by becoming entrepreneurs. I co-founded an Internet company in early 2000. We raised several million dollars to get started. Building the website, the software to run it and servers to deliver it cost nearly $1 million. Today that website could be built for less than $5,000. We spent the other millions to hire experienced tech talent (we paid a high price because of limited supply) and on marketing in the days before Google AdWords, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. The business failed. Do you know how many times I could have launched with the same effort, time and money today? Guess.564! Do you get the point? Today your chance at entrepreneurial success is 564 times greater than just 13 years ago. And my calculations don’t even consider newly available… Knowledge: (Khan Academy, the OpenCourseWare Consortium, Academic Earth, iTunesU) Open-source technology residing in the cloud (Apache, Linux, Perl, SugarCRM) Crowdfunding (Kickstarter, WeFunder, Startup Addict, Quirky, StartSomeGood) Merchandise supply (Alibaba, Made-in-China.com, GlobalSources.com, TradeKey.com) And customer access (a global market of 2.4 billion people on Google, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn). Need help? Hungry freelance talent is all around (Elance.com, oDesk.com, 99designs.com, fiverr.com). Today’s entrepreneurs can positively impact millions of people and bring about change on a scale that was impossible before. In short, there has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur. It has never been easier to create something extraordinary from nearly nothing, take control of your future and experience lifestyle freedom. The vault door is open. Create something valuable and take all the wealth you want. You have plenty of chances to get it wrong, and the rewards are awesome if you get only one thing right.

Time-Management Mastery by Chris Widener

One of the great things about life is that we can realistically be or do anything we choose to. This includes being a good time manager! We must believe that we can be a good time manager—that we have the potential. Unfortunately, many people say, “Well, I am just a poor time manager,” as if it were ingrained in their DNA. The truth is that anyone can be a great time manager, if they choose to go from potential to performance.

So, how do we do this? Here is a simple seven-part process:

1. Believe that you can become a good time manager.

2. Inventory where your time is currently being spent.

3. Determine what your life values are—what do you view as important, what do you want to accomplish?

4. Set time priorities that will move you toward living out your values.

5. Develop a system of scheduling that works best for you, not a time-management conglomerate.

6. Learn to say no to things that are not part of your priorities moving you toward your values—exercise your power to choose.

7. Do what is in your new schedule.

These simple steps, if you apply them, will take you from having the potential to be a good time manager to true time-management mastery and performance!

From Bill ...

This need no further explanation ... (I hope)

Three Principles That Lead to Sales Success and Wealth by Jeffrey Gitomer

Many people get into sales to "make money." There could not be a worse reason to enter the profession of selling. The best way to amass a lot of money in sales is to earn it. NOTE WELL: In sales you don't make money—you earn it. The biggest reason sales people fail is the philosophy: "I'm in sales to make money." Or: "I'm in sales because that's where the money is." As a sales professional, everyone wants to earn a million dollars. Each of us for different reasons—but we all need (want) money to achieve our goals and dreams. How do you get the money? By living and executing the three principles of sales wealth building: You earn money by building a strong self-belief system. You earn money by being better than the rest. You earn money by having answers that others don't. Here's a brief overview of each principle: Building belief is having the confidence that you can do whatever you set your mind to do—knowing why you want to earn a fortune and living the dream by having the confidence to take action. How are you building that belief now? Being better than the rest and doing whatever it takes to excel at what you do. Getting up one hour earlier; always making the last call of the day; striving to be the best at everything and not be willing to settle for second place. There is no prize for second place in sales. Learning new answers is exposing yourself to success information that you don't now have but need to have to be the best. Seminars, books, tapes—a plan of life-long learning. There is only one way to get answers—by learning them. It seems simple, just not easy. Some people have to go through failure to get them. Some have a steady diet of exposing themselves to new information every day. The key is learning something new every day. How are you getting those answers now? Have you put yourself in a position to get the knowledge you need—to earn the money you want to achieve your dreams? It's not so important that you want to succeed. It's critical you know why you want to succeed and what has prevented you from achieving your success to date. What belief system and game plan do you need to put in place to gain that success? Warning: If you read the last paragraph and blamed everyone and everything but yourself, you are doomed. Take responsibility for the failure and do something about it. (I'll guarantee when you succeed you'll take the responsibility.) It's easy to lose self-belief, if the one you've got in place is weak due to poor knowledge and lack of determination. It's easy to fail at sales if you have never told yourself (sold yourself) the real reason you want sales success in the first place. Not earning money for money’s sake—but the real reason you want the money, and what you'll do with it once you get it. For example, you may want money for a specific college that you want your child to attend, or it may be to liberate you from a spouse; it might even be to say "HA!" to a sibling or a parent. Whatever it is, uncover it, write it down, post it up (if possible), carry it with you, read it twice a day, and then you will begin to live it. Combine your "why" with the desire and dedication to be the best, and presto—sales success. Some of you are reading this and saying, "Jeffrey, don't bug me with this philosophy stuff, tell me how to make sales." I am. This is the most powerful sales lesson I can deliver. Only a few will get it—the ones who will rise to the top.

Free Your Genius and Success Will Follow by Jack Canfield

There are things that you do incredibly well. There are things that you love to do so much you hardly feel like you’re working when you do them. It is your purpose, your core genius, and if you got paid to do it you would make it you life’s work. You have been developing our core genius and defining your purpose and formulating steps to take to achieve success with it. It is time to evaluate how much time you actually spend doing what you love to do. Successful people believe in their core genius. They believe it holds tremendous value and they put their purpose first. They find as much time to focus on it because they know it is what they are meant to be doing in the world. In order to find more time, they learn to delegate! Are you one of those who does everything yourself? You’ve got a household to keep in order, groceries to get, food to make, phone calls to make, bills to pay, perhaps you’ve got kids to take to school and all of their extra-curricular activities, a yard to take care of, laundry to wash, in your non-working life alone you have got a full time job with daily chores! You might have a job to go to or a business to run, accounting to keep in order, mailings that need to go out, phone calls that need to be made, files that need to be organized, reports that need to be read, and people you need to meet with. There is so much of your day that you spend doing the things that need to be done, but they don’t have anything to do with your core genius. Time spent doing tasks that you don’t really want or like to do is time taken away from doing what you love. Free up your time so you can be focusing on your purpose! Delegating is not easy sometimes. You might be afraid to delegate because it means giving up control. But why waste your time with these tasks that you don’t even like doing when you could double the amount of time you spend developing and practicing your genius? There are people who love to do what you hate to do, and they do it much better than you because they love it! When you know your core genius, you’ve got to find a way to devote yourself to perfecting it. You have got to spend as much time with it as possible. So learn to delegate and delegate completely! When you have found someone to accomplish the tasks that take up your time, let them know exactly what you want and then give them the freedom to accomplish it. There is no sense in micromanaging! Find someone you trust to do the job and do it well then leave them alone unless you are not happy with the results. What are some things that you don’t particularly care doing? How much time do you spend every week doing those things? Imagine spending that time doing what you love to do while someone else is enjoying doing what you used to be doing. It’s a win/win situation!

Inspire Your Team with Engagement

The office should be a place of inspiration and involvement. Do you have a guy in the back corner whose desk no one bothers to stop by for a daily hello or company update? That’s bad news—because if you don’t care, neither will he. Get him out of the corner and into the center of the business and its core purpose. A valued employee and the effects of his confidence will trickle down to valued (aka satisfied) customers—that encouragement, that engagement, will put you ahead in the competitive game. Engaging the Hearts and Minds of All Your Employees: How to Ignite Passionate Performance for Better Business Results (McGraw-Hill, 2009), by Dr. Lee J. Colan, explores the basic needs of employees, how their hearts and minds are interdependent, and how meeting those needs will result in paramount performance. For example, to engage the hearts of your employees, you’ll need to fulfill all three of the emotional needs. And the same is true to engage their minds; you’ll need to fulfill all of their intellectual needs. Dr. Colan says, “Engaged minds build employee performance, and engaged hearts ignite employees’ passion.” According to Dr. Colan, there are 6 basic needs of employees: Emotional: 1. Purpose 2. Intimacy 3. Appreciation Intellectual: 4. Achievement 5. Autonomy 6. Mastery Knowing what employees need to implement their natural skills and achieve the best outcomes in their work, you can transform the work environment from work to inspiration station (cheesy, but true). It’s simple: Engagement will inspire, and inspiration produces passion, innovation and success. Now, go get that guy out of the corner.

Attitude Is Everything by Jim Rohn

The process of human change begins within us. We all have tremendous potential. We all desire good results from our efforts. Most of us are willing to work hard and to pay the price that success and happiness demand. Each of us has the ability to put our unique human potential into action and to acquire a desired result. But the one thing that determines the level of our potential—that produces the intensity of our activity and predicts the quality of the result we receive—is our attitude. Attitude determines how much of the future we are allowed to see. It decides the size of our dreams and influences our determination when we are faced with new challenges. No other person on earth has dominion over our attitude. People can affect our attitude by teaching us poor thinking habits or unintentionally misinforming us or providing us with negative sources of influence, but no one can control our attitude unless we voluntarily surrender that control. No one else "makes us angry." We make ourselves angry when we surrender control of our attitude. What someone else may have done is irrelevant. We choose, not they. They merely put our attitude to a test. If we select a volatile attitude by becoming hostile, angry, jealous or suspicious, then we have failed the test. If we condemn ourselves by believing that we are unworthy, then again, we have failed the test. If we care at all about ourselves, then we must accept full responsibility for our own feelings. We must learn to guard against those feelings that have the capacity to lead our attitude down the wrong path and to strengthen those feelings that can lead us confidently into a better future. If we want to receive the rewards the future holds in trust for us, then we must exercise the most important choice given to us as members of the human race by maintaining total dominion over our attitude. Our attitude is an asset, a treasure of great value, which must be protected accordingly. Beware of the vandals and thieves among us who would injure our positive attitude or seek to steal it away. Having the right attitude is one of the basics that success requires. The combination of a sound personal philosophy and a positive attitude about ourselves and the world around us gives us an inner strength and a firm resolve that influences all the other areas of our existence.

Seeking Out Quality People by Les Brown

It is important to align yourself with what I call OQP, Only Quality People. You should endeavor to surround yourself only with people who will enrich and empower you, people who will enable you to transcend yourself and to grow. This sort of support group, your pit crew for progress in your life, can strengthen you in moments of weakness and bring you up when you are down. Surround yourself with people who share your vision and who also are willing to support you in pursuing that vision. You cannot make it alone in this journey. If you find relationships that are not mutually constructive, if someone brings you down rather than challenges and elevates you, then you must make a decision. Can you transform this into a healthy relationship or do you need to sever it? That does not mean of course that all of the people around you should be your yes-men. You will never grow if you are surrounded by backslapping sycophants. Although I hate being criticized by friends, I do have some trusted critics. These are people who tell me the things I need to hear. I trust their judgment, I trust their vision of me. They challenge me and make me stretch mentally and intellectually, personally and spiritually. I get feedback from them that I would not get anywhere else and even though it doesn't always feel good to hear their criticisms and challenges, I know they care about me and about my growth. So I listen and learn. We all need someone to coach us now and then. We cannot grow in a vacuum. We have to be willing to seek out those with wisdom and say, "I don't know what to do; help me." The fighter and philosopher, "Smokin' Joe" Frazier, said, "All of us are like the blind man at some point in our lives, standing on the corner, waiting for someone to lead us across." You are not joined at the hip with your friends. Be prepared to acknowledge when a relationship has soured and to go your separate way. It does not have to be an angry parting. Just say, "Look here, we are growing in different directions. Our values have changed. Our goals and objectives are different now. Maybe we need to shake hands and say good-bye." Being able to break away from toxic friend- ships can make the difference between living your dreams or living a nightmare.