Maximizing Your Potential!

Everybody knows you need to promote yourself if you are ever going to really grow your business, however most people don’t really know how to do this and let’s face it, no two individuals are alike. They promote themselves in so many different ways that the newer salesperson can get confused. This confusion leads to inactivity, which leads to little or no growth, and then it’s no surprise when you see that most salespeople fail, quitting their new venture within a year.

There is one key datum that I drum into every salespersons who starts the Sales Booster Program:

Outflow =/ produces Inflow

This simple datum makes all the difference in the world for most of my salespeople.

One thing you must realize is that genuine interest in your client or prospect is your cheapest form of outflow.

The other thing you need to know is that when you slip into desiring the new business or desiring the referrals that you have slipped out of interest and now have your attention on the inflow which cuts the scope and purity of your outflow, therefore reducing the effectiveness of any outflow that you engage in.

Have you ever wondered why one person can make 20 calls and get two appointments yet another one makes 50 calls and gets none? Well, the above certainly plays a roll in that disparity.

Whatever you do, stay interested in your prospect and you will get sales!

Here is another word which is used all the time but is not necessarily fully understood.

It is defined as, “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.”

Now, it would seem that this inspiration comes from an outside source, but that is not necessarily true. It can come from within, after one has read something meaningful or experienced something that moved one.

It is further defined as, “the quality of having been so stimulated, especially when evident in something.” Like noticing it in a friends short story or seeing it in a piece of art work that is better than anything produced by the artist in the past.

Another definition is, “a person or thing that stimulates in this way.” I’d like to think that I have been able to do this over the years for my clients. We have all seen incredible performers who do this through their teachings. Zig Ziglar comes to mind for me, but we probably all have our personal favorites.

There is yet another definition, “a sudden brilliant, creative, or timely idea.” I don’t know about you but I find my best inspiration when I run or drive in the car. One of my friends claims she has her most inspired thoughts in the shower.

The derivation is from Inspire and it is Latin ‘inspirare’ ‘breath or blow into’, from in- ‘into’ + spirare ‘breathe.’

Please, breathe life into your dreams!

I was recently asked to speak at a luncheon on “Motivation.”

Normally, I would just wing it but I decided to actually plan what I was going to say.I love words so I decided to look up the word, motivation in the Oxford Dictionary.

Here’s what I found out… Motivation is, “the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but I realized that it is not necessarily a good thing. It’s rather ambiguous. Interesting.

Then I started thinking about examples, like Joe Blanton, who is pitching for the Phillies tonight. He has a lot of motivation to pitch a great game on the world stage tonight, for himself, his team mates, the fans in Philly, to name a few. But what of the criminal who is motivated to score enough to make his life easier for a day, a week or a year.

Motivation is further defined as, “the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.”

That could be the desire to climb Mt. Everest, lose 10 lbs. or make a sale.

Ah, but here’s where I come in (and where it gets interesting), as a coach, I am hired to ‘Motivate’ my clients. The definition of motivate is, “stimulate (someone’s) interest in or enthusiasm for doing something.”

So, what are we trying to motivate? Ourselves, to accomplish our daily, monthly or yearly goals. The truth is that ultimately it is our responsibility to accomplish our goal.

Here is a quote from Elaine Maxwell, American Writer, which underscores this point. “My will shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man’s doing but my own. I am the force. I can clear any obstacle before me or I can get lost in the maze. My choice, my responsibility. Win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny.”

And, another awesome one is by John Wayne, American Actor. He states, “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes to us at midnight very clean. It’s perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we’ve learnt something from yesterday.”

Hope you make the most of your tomorrow!!!

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last6 you create what you will.”
- – George Bernard Shaw, 1856 – 1950 Irish Dramatist, Writer and Critic

Imagination, which is defined as, ‘the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses.’

It is further defined as, ‘the ability of the mind to be creative and resourceful.’

Still further, ‘the part of the mind that imagines things.’

The derivation is from imaginari, ‘to picture to oneself.

So, one creates in ones mind and then brings it forth in the universe for all to see. Without imagination we would have never made it to the moon, there would be no computers and there more definitely would be no iPhone.

We all have the innate ability to imagine things as we would like them to be. When I was a child I would imagine singing for an audience or flying in a plane. It was fun.

When I have trouble sleeping I imagine that I am on a cruise aboard a luxury liner enjoying a wonderful meal or strolling along the deck. I just start thinking about it and I’m transported to sleep.

Use your imagination to create a completed project at work, the accolades of your co-workers or a raise. Decide how you’ll spend it, if you are going to buy a convertible, picture yourself in the car with the wind blowing through your hair.

Have some fun and imagine some great things today. You’ll be glad you did.

“When we begin to take our failures non-seriously, it means we are ceasing to be afraid of them. It is of immense importance to learn to laugh at ourselves.”
- – Katherine Mansfield, 1888-1923 New Zealand Writer

Boy, is that ever true and thanks to my wonderful husband and fantastic friends I get to laugh at myself practically every day.

Laughter is powerful medicine, it is cathartic. There are laughter clubs that have sprung up in the last few years, similar to comedy clubs. There is also a type of yoga which has to do with laughter.

I love summer days at home/ As I work at home on my computer I get to listen to the laughter and shouts of the kids behind us as they play in the swimming pool or on the swing set.

When they go away for vacation I get lonesome and look forward to when they will be in the backyard again hanging out with their friends in the afternoon or evening.

So, curl up with your honey and watch a little comedy or go out for a night of laughter at the local comedy club or just go to a playground and watch the children as they laugh and play and don’t be suprised if you develop a new found spirit of play.