It’s interesting, it seems that the first step to success almost always includes some sort of mental clarification of your desire.Not schooling, not textbook ideals of being smart first then applying the knowledge to the chosen career path.It starts in your mind.
It begins with a thought.
So says author of How To Be A Sales Superstar: Break All the Rules and Succeed While Doing It, Mark Tewart.He is just one of many sales experts that would say success begins with the right attitude.
Tewart begins his philosophical teaching with a look at the person’s state of mind.He says the first step to becoming a sales superstar includes making a personal declaration to become successful.The second step is to remove the mental roadblocks that keep success at an arm’s length.Essentially, the mind of a sales superstar must first be created.
Mental roadblocks are what keep many people from attaining the lifestyle they want to achieve, no matter how educated or seemingly self-confident they are.But, a lot of mental roadblocks are fear-based and can be overcome, as Tewart explains in his book.People subconsciously set up their own roadblocks to success because of the fear of failure.
Identifying your roadblocks is the first step to destroying them.You can do that by understanding what has kept you from being successful already.Tewart suggests writing down the setbacks you’ve experienced in life, anything bad or negative that has happened.For example, not reaching a goal you set or being embarrassed when you failed at something.Go as far back as you can remember, into your childhood.
After listing as many as you can think of, he says to examine them to see if you can detect a pattern.This is the pattern you need to break.Most of us are pattern-repeaters thanks to the Law of Familiarity, which renders us helpless as we enter the autopilot stage, he explains.
Tewart offers the example of the salesman who hangs out at Starbucks, waiting to make that big sale but in the meantime is checking his e-mail, text messages, MySpace, making personal calls and reading the daily newspaper.Essentially, he is avoiding the necessary actions to take to make that big sale because of fear.It’s a roadblock.
Once you identify your setbacks and patterns, you can begin to correct them.Become consciously aware of them so you can break those patterns.Resolve to write down your daily activities and check them off as you go, this will keep you on track.Check your e-mail twice a day, at a set time and give yourself 10 minutes to do it.
Tewart also challenges readers to list all of their fears.Be honest.Everyone has fears, from spiders to failures.And to conquer those fears, he offers a visualization technique.“If these fears came true, what is the worst that would happen? What would I stand to lose?” he says to ask yourself.
Most people have built their fears up to be insurmountable forces, yet even if the worst happened you most likely would survive.
“If you worry about not making a sale or not hitting your quota, that is exactly what will happen, because you are bringing these thoughts into your reality,” he writes.“All images and messages you send out from your brain, both good and bad, will be answered.
Practice visualizing scenarios that you see as results of your success.Take five minutes a day to feel the sun beating on your skin as you lay on the beach taking a well-deserved vacation.Or feel the brisk air blasting past as you high-tail it down the slopes in Colorado.Perhaps you are writing a personal check to your mortgagor, making that final payment on your house.How about seeing yourself making that big sale, shaking hands affirmatively with the dealmaker after a successful business meeting?
Whatever you choose as your definition of success, remember it begins with a thought.
For a more in-depth review of "How To Be A Sales Superstar: Break All the Rules and Succeed While Doing It" visit: CloserBlog.com.
“Surround yourself with smart people,” a smart friend recently said. That is, if you enjoy learning, boosting your intelligence and finding your way through a successful career.
This suggestion jogged the memory of a prophetic phrase I read some time ago.
“You are the summation of the five people you surround yourself with most.” Let me rephrase it in more absorbable terms. Your personality, aspirations and skills are a reflection of the five people with whom you spend the most time.
Of course, bear in mind there are those who haven't had time to acquire “smarts,” yet require a lot of your time. Those are the wee-ones who are just learning to color inside the lines or perhaps drive a car – but they have their part in our lives, like teaching us patience. They remind us that not everyone thinks as we do, and that our communication lines need to be open to every sort of intellect, or lack thereof.
So, for all intents and purposes of this article, we shall stay focused on our choice of friends, colleagues and other things in the sphere of influence in which we surround ourselves. Lately, I’ve become friends with a daily e-mail newsletter, Early To Rise, which offers expert and intelligent articles about becoming healthy, wealthy and wise. They publish smart and practical examples of what to do and where to find success. Best of all, it is free.
Apart from my daily dose of ETR, the source of intelligence I find myself most with is, of course, my husband. Naturally he is smart – he asked me to marry him. We share intelligent conversations about life and family matters. I also share similar conversations with my father, who has become a great friend, now that I am older and can appreciate parenthood. He is wise, understanding and retired, which means he has a lot of time to devote to advising his daughter long-distance over the phone.
The last two sources of intelligence are business associates with whom I work. Both successful in their own right. Internationally known, one a motivational speaker, Michael Angelo Caruso and the other, Sam Garcia, publisher of MortgageDaily.com, a respected and well-read publication. Though I don’t spend a lot of time “with” them, I spend time reading, proofing and writing intelligent information because of them.
Those are the five people and sources of information that I surround myself with daily. It would be very different if I worked in an office outside of my home, I am sure. For most people, that is the case. So what five influences do you have in your life?
Please do not say you are searching for success while spending a majority of your time with the office gossiper, the guy who lives for the weekend binging drink fest, or negative Nelly who is always bringing you down. I’m not saying you should forsake any one person, but lessen your time with them and gravitate towards those who have your mindset.
If you are at a loss for smart people to associate with at the moment, remember, books can be your friends, too. When in need of a pick me up, I resort to my library. I can spend time with Zig Ziglar, Donald Trump or even Warren Buffet.
Indeed, you are the summation of the five people or information sources you are surrounded by the most.
Career choice is definitely a key factor in business success. You have to like what you do to truly be successful at it. If you are just moving into a new career I suggest you take a career survey and make sure you were built for that type of position. And if you are making a career move, you should know the reasons why.
At any level, you need to be honest with yourself before moving on to ensure your success. If you want to leave the job you’re at now, ask yourself why you aren’t happy there. Are you in the right profession for you? Is it the people you work with, or is it you? Do you prefer less responsibility or perhaps more? Are you looking to make the move because of external influences or is it something your heart tells you to do?
As unemployment rates rise to just over 6%, I imagine there are many job seekers wondering what their next move should be. Fortunately, today’s technology allows for an online job search that provides the convenience of searching from the comfort of your home or office.
There are many job boards you can place your resume on, some 50,000 different sites, according to RealMatch.com executive Rafael Cosentino. Noting that the more exposure the better for a job candidate, Cosentino recommended beginning your search by first checking out the top 10 employment sites at About.com.
One benefit that RealMatch.com offers both recruiters and job seekers is that it only displays the most relevant matches for both. So, instead of just searching a job title, you actually build a profile and the system matches candidates with potential employers that are looking for someone just like you. In addition, it is free for both parties to use, and you are alerted when there is a match – on average about five a month, Cosentino said.
“What are employers looking for in an employee these days?” I asked Cosentino. He said that “critical thinking and experience” tops the list.
“Degrees used to be what an employer wanted to see when hiring a candidate but a degree doesn’t get the job done and that’s something every hiring manager and recruiter has learned firsthand,” he said. “Employers want people that either have experience and can hit the ground running. If a candidate does not have experience and the employer is willing to train, a candidate must at least demonstrate that they have critical thinking.”
So, don’t forget due diligence when it comes to the company with whom you interview. Educate yourself on every aspect, the industry and its customers. Google the person you are interviewing with, show them you are a critical thinker by being able to discuss the latest merger, industry trend or business news that affects the company. Be ready to share examples of how your critical thinking helped solve a problem in your current or past position.
But, don’t make a move until you are sure you are doing it for the right reasons. And remember the grass isn’t always greener, unless of course you use organic fertilizer.
Of all the keys to success, attitude is by far the greatest factor that can be controlled. There are many moments in life that standout as epiphanies or “aha” moments, if you will. One such moment for me was when I was reporting on a seminar given by Michael Angelo Caruso, entitled How to Give Killer Presentations: Sell Your Products, Services & Ideas.
During the seminar, someone had mentioned that they could not stand their boss and it was really taking a toll on their work and their attitude. Caruso gave them a secret to handling difficult people. He said to put all feelings aside and find something you like about someone you don't like. Are they straight-forward? Perhaps a bit too brazen, but honest? The point was, if you could find just one or two good qualities about that person to focus on you’d be more apt to get along with them. (And if that doesn’t work, then consider seeking new employment!)
Hearing of that plight hit me like a ton of bricks because I realized this person, like most of us, was letting someone else control their attitude, without their conscious permission. We’ve all had a boss we didn’t like; they were too gruff, too strict, too demanding, the list goes on and on. But we don’t always stop to think of why they are the way they are; they could just be misunderstood. This goes for anyone with a negative impact on our lives – bosses, clients, spouses or friends. Why do we let their moods affect us?
The answer in one word is – ego. Our ego tells us that we cannot be treated in such a way that it demeans us or makes us feel less worthy than we are. Even Dale Carnegie addresses these issues in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People – a great read I picked up when I began interviewing local celebrities and high-ranking executives.
“When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic,” Carnegie wrote. “We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.
“Instead of condemning people, let’s try to understand them. Let’s try to figure out why they do what they do. That’s a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance and kindness,” Carnegie concluded.
As soon as we can find the good in everything, we shall always have a pristine happy-go-lucky attitude that shines through. If you can see the perfection in everything, you’ll never be disappointed.
Make it a game of sorts to try to find something good in everything that happens, just for one day. Maybe you lost a sale or had an important client reschedule, or perhaps it was just a flat tire. Hopefully you can say, “At least I wasn’t traveling 70 mph on the freeway when it happened” or “I’m glad he chose not to do business with us, I can’t stand his negativity anyway.”
