Are Your Beliefs Launching You to Success or Holding You Back?
Are Your Beliefs Launching You to Success or Holding You Back?
The following post was originally written for The Ruby Group – Sandler Sales, an Ohio sales training organization, and is shared with permission.
As I was taking a walk through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park recently, I ran across a vine of some sort. It was something I had never seen before. It was kind of squiggly, like a pig’s tail. It was hard, yet pliable. When I snapped it open, I discovered it had an inner core and an outer skin of sorts. For someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time exploring outdoors, I was pretty impressed with this living wonder.
But, the most amazing thing about it was the liquid that oozed out of it. After breaking it open, a little bit of it dripped onto my knee. And, although I had jeans on, I could feel a weird sensation through the fabric. It was like something was penetrating my skin and muscles and bones, not in a painful way, but in a miraculous way.
I’ve struggled with knee problems for as long as I can remember, and when I stood up, I felt a complete freedom from the pain that typically hinders me. The last time I stood up from a squatting position had to be 20 years ago, or more. What was this potion? What in the world had I come across on a random walk in the woods?
I looked around to see if anyone had witnessed what had just happened. I found no one. But, what I did see was what seemed like a never-ending sea of this vine…this miracle vine! How had no one discovered the potential in this little creeping plant?
Okay...sorry; I'm just making this up!
Maybe I had you, or maybe I didn’t. But, either way, the point is this: if I had truly found a miracle vine that cured arthritis, there’s no way I would hold that back. I would take that vine to everyone I knew, especially those that suffered from joint pain or a bad back or migraines. Nothing would stop me from telling people about this vine. Not jokes. Not slammed doors. Not competitors.
The same should be true for us as salespeople and business owners. In Sandler, we often refer to “having the cure for my industry’s cancer.” In other words, my product or service is here to save the day. If I walk into a prospect’s office, and I hold the key to his or her success, I’m going to let them know about it. I’m going to be confident in the results it brings or the money it saves or the help it provides.
And, if someone decides they don’t want or need this miracle vine, then I’ll move on to the next person who will. But, that won’t stop the vine from curing someone else’s pain.
On the other hand, if I’m frustrated because the economy sucks, or I’m not 100 percent confident in my production department’s ability to deliver, or I know there are some defects in the latest run of my product, then that’s exactly the way things will go…it’ll suck, you’ll miss delivery, and your product will break down.
Your ability to succeed is heavily dependent on your beliefs.
If you don’t believe you have the cure for your industry’s cancer, neither will they. If you believe the economy will keep you from prospering, it will.
Go back and tweak the story I opened with, and embed your own company, product, or service as the “miracle vine.” On your commute in this morning, you discovered a product or service that your clients cannot wait to use! It’s going to change they way they look at _______________ (fill in the blank).
If you genuinely believe you can help your prospect/client, if you believe there are possibilities out there to be had, there’s nothing that will keep you from succeeding!
How can I help?
Give me a call (330) 819-1528. I would love to hear your story and see how I can help share it with the world!