- February 21, 2019 -
Ever hear of a guy named Earl Nightingale?
Your parents or grandparents probably knew him during the early 1950's as the voice of Sky King, the hero of a radio adventure series.
Later, his motivational mantra "We become what we think about" became his calling card.
But as a business man (and a contrarian one at that) this quote in particular struck a chord:
...Ray Kroc looked at the McDonald brothers’ thriving hamburger stand and thought: "duplicable."
...Clarence Saunders, the Piggly Wiggly Man, changed the way people buy groceries with the thought "self-service."
In thirty years of selling, here are a few random "thoughts" that have stuck with me:
1. You can't help anyone by giving them stuff for free.
2. You -- and only you -- set your price.
3. Whatever you're doing manually to find and convert prospects...replace with a system or process.
4. You only need a small bag of tricks to do what you do better than your competition. Keep those tricks to yourself.
5. There are naked emperors everywhere you look.
I was watching an old NCIS episode where Gibbs is recovering from surgery after a near-fatal gunshot wound.
His doctor is suggesting that he take some time off from the stresses at work to heal...and invest some time in therapy.
You'd thought he'd suggested hot yoga classes.
Gibbs said, "The only therapy I need is my job."
To which his doctor replied, "Be sure to put that on your tombstone."
Takeaway people?
We all love what we do. I get it.
But at the end of the day...the work does not define us. It's a part of us, not the whole of us.
In my old age, I don't give a rip what others think about me if I know I can look myself in the eye.
I'm done pontificating for the day. (Geez, I love that word!)
Now go sell something. Or you can just let us do it.
Later,
