“The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might and force of habit. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires.” J Paul Getty-Founder of Getty Oil Company.
That statement right there is very important to understand. What are your habits? Are your habits helping you, or are they hurting you? As you look at your life do you find yourself doing the things necessary to move you forward or are you getting in your own way? I want us to really think about this as we move forward and grow this company and grow our careers; we must look at ourselves, examine our lives and help ourselves. If you’re not where you want to be, there is one person you need to look to get you there, and that person is you. There is no one out there looking to give you the golden ticket and if they did, it would not be a source of satisfaction anyway. You must evaluate yourself and determine the habits that you must create to move you in the direction of your dreams.
I have learned one very important lesson about success and that is this-Success is simple, but it is not easy. What I mean by that is that a lot of people believe when they look at massively successful people (and I am not just talking about success in terms of money) that there is something magic about what they do. There is no magic; as a matter of fact you are a massively successful person yourself, you maybe have just not realized your potential yet. In order to realize your potential, you will need to implement habits of the most successful people you know, and you will have to fall in love with those habits, so that you continue to do them consistently forever. I know, forever is a long time! It is, but it is your future, are you up to the challenge?
When you look at a sales organization like ours, what are the habits that will help us to realize our potential?
1. Phone calls-In order to be a great sales organization, we have to make calls-lots of calls. Whether you are part operations or you are a salesperson, we have got to be making outbound phone calls as a habit daily. As an operations person, you should be contacting all of your clients at least once a week by phone to just touch base and let them know you are there. Communication is key in sales and we have to be great at it. As a salesperson, you need to also be contact with all of your clients, by phone at least once a week. You need to also get in the habit of asking them for referrals of others who might need your service. Of course then you also need to be calling prospects as a habit, your sphere of influence, past clients, and others that need your service.
2. Education-You have got to make your education a habit. Personal growth is a key component of all successful people. In all of the people that I see making a big difference and taking drastic steps in their lives, there is one thing they share; a passion for growth. They have chosen to become a lifelong learner. Chosen to become and expert in their field, and in their life. As I said before success is simple, but not easy, and finding time for your education will not always be easy (late nights, early mornings!), but it will be necessary. You should be growing in your expertise always, not only reading inspiration and motivation, but keeping up with your industry. Becoming a market expert for your product and service. You want to be looked at as an expert don’t you? Education is a key habit of successful people.
3. Planning-Do you know where you are going in life? Do you have a plan? Do you know your purpose and your mission? The greatest organization and the most successful people in life take time away from their busy lives to make plans for the future. I remember the first time I was introduced to the idea of a business plan, and I bought in fully. I had to actually take time away from selling homes for four hours, and it was tough to do; but it changed my life. After creating that first plan, my life and our company changed forever. I now had written solid goals that I could look at daily, and I had steps that I could take to realize those goals. The most successful people have a plan for their lives and they constantly look at that plan to make sure they are on track.
Well, I’ve gone on long enough for now. These are just a few of the habits that we should all be implementing in our lives, there are a lot more. Take these first steps and we will see our company grow and thrive. You will see your life grow and thrive. There is no stopping us as we work to realize our dreams, together. Now let’s get do it. There are no limits!
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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