BECOMING MORE & HAVING MORE… I attended a Speakers Academy recently for a very inspiring weekend retreat and training session. One of the comments that came out rather offhandedly struck a chord with me. It went like this:
"You can have more than you've got because you can become more than you are".
For me it was one of those simple statements that when you read it twice makes you think. I recall business philosopher Jim Rohn sharing that one of the most meaningful statements he heard in his formative years was, "It's not earning the $1 million that's important, it's the person you become while you are earning it". Everyone has the potential to be greater than they currently are. The key is to tap into that resource.
Here is your ACTION STEP… how do you become more than you already are? How do you stretch yourself beyond what already seems to be unstretchable?Sometimes in the heat of the moment it is not uncommon to be thinking that, "Geeez Bruce, I'm already doing everything I can, some days it seems all I can do is just keep my head above water… I'm not even thinking about trying to do more". Look at it this way, it's not necessarily about doing more… it's about becoming more:
IDEAS ON BECOMING MORE
1. Never compare yourself to others… compare yourself to you. Who are you being?
2. Look at where you are today and where you were five years ago. Guaranteed you will have grown significantly
3. Even if you are in a slump right now, I assure you are "more" than you were five years ago
4. It's okay to look back periodically, just don't spend a lot of time there. Use this mantra in everything you do… "Learn from the past, live for the present, and plan for the future"
5. Make a list of the items you want to accomplish in the next three years. Make it exciting, even a bit scary… that will stretch you
6. Start with one item from that list and create action steps as to how to get there
7. Now follow those action steps religiously, commit to moving forward… Example: let's say you wanted to go after a new marketplace. Some of the action steps would include… understand the size of that market, identify the customers you would call on, learn what their needs are, create a presentation to answer those needs, and… start making regular Sales Calls. Voila!… you are moving to the next level and you are now more than you were when you started!
The basic starting point is to introduce the all important "Stretch Factor" that is needed for you to become more than you already are. Think of it like going to the gym… push yourself and your muscles will hurt a bit. They will then grow to adapt to the demands you have placed on them. It works the same for everything you do. The Stretch Factor works the same way both physically AND mentally. Your mind, your attitude, your expectations… everything will grow because you have taken yourself to another level. You can have more than you've got because you can be come more than you are. Never be stuck in a rut, never let yourself become complacent. The price you pay for growing is much less than the price you pay for staying the same. Isn't that one of the reasons you got into the Sales Business in the first place? NO Excuses.