What's behind your motivation?

Ever heard the Rocky Balboa song in your head as you are preparing for a task, as you are preparing for a sales call? What is our motivation ? What drives us to do? To seek? To achieve?

Not very many people have the answer to this very philosophical question , you might do things without knowing , you might seek things without thinking about it.

The answer is complicated , we as sales people must always stay motivated , our internal balloon needs to be pumped every day , what happens when that balloon loses air? We fall apart right?
We think that the world is coming to an end when a prospect has the audacity to say NO , ah but how incredible it feels when everything we do turns into sales into YES , then we walk with a swagger , we get our mojo back , nothing can stop us , what a feeling baby !

In life , everything we do , is tied together , I’m sorry to tell you that bubba , but is true , our personal life is tied to our professional life inevitably .

The first thing we must have in place is our philosophy , without this very important piece in place it is impossible to move ahead , what are you all about? Why do you do the things you do? What is the motivation behind it all? I’ve said it before in previous writings that is not only about having goals , you must need to know why you have them , in order to reach them you must have a clear view and understanding of why you want/need to achieve them , without this in place bubba , you will always fall short.

Actions are the second part of this equation “just do it” Nike has said this for 23 years , does it work? We all know what we have to do , we just don’t do it right? Procrastination is the cause behind the won’t do , not the can’t do , Gerald Ford said “if you think you can , then you can , if you think you can’t , you’re probably right” , so spring into action today , do what you are supposed to do everyday , go out everyday with the attitude that everything MUST happen today , have a clear goal in mind as to WHAT is supposed to happen though , what is your daily bucket list?

Results are the direct reaction of your actions , whatever we do has a result , good or bad , if you chose to stay home and watch TV while eating your Cap’n Crunch during prime selling hours, then your results will follow , I wish I could sit here and tell you that just by wanting something we will achieve it , no no , we must strive to get it , we must act as if our life depended on it , and after all …..doesn’t it?

Your lifestyle depends on your results right? Are you comfortable with your lifestyle? Would you like a better car? longer vacations? a bigger house? a house in a better neighborhood?
If you are not happy with your lifestyle, look at your results , if you are not happy with your results, look at your actions , if you are not happy with your actions look at your philosophy……the answer lies between this elements.

Evolving

I have gone through many transformations , from being a little child to being a stupid teenager , to a stupid adult , to a grown man.
My grand father always use to say “getting old is mandatory , growing up is optional” powerful stuff, I’m going to miss that man , he is not gone yet , his mind doesn’t work the same , in fact his mind is very slow , that is such a sad thing to happen to such a remarkable man , I have said good bye to him , I did that 6 years ago when he had his first aneurism , and found also alzheimers , it was the longest good bye , it lasted for a year , and in that year I spent so many days with him just talking , listening , jotting down notes on his thoughts , his feelings but most of all , his business philosophy , as I said before , I come from a Family of Lions.

I evolve everyday , of course my daily change is not as noticeable as the big changes that I have consciously made in my life , in the way I think , in the way I conduct myself , I am true to myself , I know who I am , and where I want to go , for the most part I know the way , the course changes from time to time and that’s ok , at different stages of my life , different things have been important to me , I didn’t understand why , I did not have the reason behind my dreams , I did not have a clear understanding of why I wanted the things I wanted , therefore I rarely attained them.

Today I know the why , my last two changes were difficult , I chose to make a much better living over keeping my body extra fit , don’t get me wrong , I am fit , I am strong , I am fast , it just means that I went from riding and running 6 days a week , to running 4 days a week and riding 2 , have I gain weight? Sure I have , are my workouts harder? You better believe it baby , I ride in 2 days what most riders could only hope to ride in 4 weeks , and what most “avid riders” do in a full week of riding , is 175 miles a lot for 2 days? Yes it is , is 32 miles a lot for 4 days of running? I sure hope so . it feels like 100 miles.

My point here ( besides the obvious ego boost) is that we have to adapt to our situation , we have to “make it work” , no I don’t like to ride 110 miles in one day every Saturday , but we all have to do what’s best for us , I don’t like working 50 hours a week , and I will be working at least 10 more hours a week with my start-up business , I made a conscious decision that yes , in order to achieve my goals personal and professional , I have to work my ass off , nobody is going to hand me the money that I need , nobody is going to wave a wand and make me fit , I chose financial success over fitness , I punked out I know , but do you want to know a secret? I have had them both , and certainly financial success feel better , and when you achieve financial success , you can have all the time in the world to run , ride, swim or whatever you want to do , no point in being a broke fit guy, I have been that as well and it sucks.

I am a salesman , I sell for a living , if I don’t sell , I don’t eat , if I don’t sell , my daughter doesn’t eat , “ You think you are a good father? Fuck you , go play with your kids and starve with them “ (Alec Baldwin , Glengarry Glen Ross) selling is for winners , coffee is for closers , to the brave the spoils right?
So let me ask you , how brave are you? How tough are you? And no I don’t mean if you could carry yourself in a fist fight , I mean how big is the fight in you ? how much heart do you have? How many times have you fallen and got up again? How many times has life punched you in the face ?

Simple formula , E+R=O EVENT + REACTION = OUTCOME , everything in life has an outcome right? What if I tell you that you have the power to change the outcome of a situation? You cannot change the event , you can’t change what happens , you can only control what you do with it , you can control your reaction , you can control your attitude , therefore you can change the outcome.

Go ahead change , change is in the air , change is good , embrace it don’t fight it , remember that you can adapt to anything except for not eating or breathing , be bold without being a bully, be humble without being timid , be strong without being cocky, be exceptional , be memorable.

When you were born , you cried while your world rejoiced , live your life so that when you die , the world cries while you rejoice.

what ladder are you on?

Everyone is climbing a ladder. The only question is which rung are you on? Ever thought about it? It’s a way bigger thought than, “Is my job safe?” But if that’s what you’re thinking, it’s probably not.
Asking yourself “Is my job safe?” is an indication that you’re thinking in the wrong direction - diving in a hole instead of crawling out of a rut.
At the moment, many people are falling off the ladder, or being pushed off the ladder.

There have been more than a million people fired, laid off, or put out of a job because of the state of the economy, and with government trying to “fix” the situation, I doubt the present condition will be better any time soon. I hope I’m wrong, but I’ve read Atlas Shrugged.
You may be one of the unfortunate. Or are you? You may be one of the FORTUNATE. To hear our leaders and the spoken media talk of the present situation, you might believe there’s little hope.
They paint gloom. “We’re in a deep recession,” they say. The word is not recession – the word is opportunity. You and I are at the crossroads of that opportunity. The only question is who will take advantage of it?Now is not the time to worry, or wait. Now is the time to self-evaluate. Take stock. Do an inventory. Total your assets. And come to grips with who you are, and who you want to be. Then take action.I have written that turmoil is the best time to make change, and accept change. Yes, we’re in the crapper, but it’s way better to focus on the opportunity, your opportunity, that this downturn presents.

There’s a big question you need to ask yourself. Is now the best time to climb a few steps?To help answer that question, here are some “take inventory” questions you must ask yourself to gain a realistic view of who you are, where you are, and what you have achieved:
What have you done?
What are your achievements?
What is your strength of character?
What is your reputation?
What are your career skills?
What are your personal skills?
What are your strengths?
What expertise have you gained?
What is your passion?
What is your present financial condition?
What are your financial obligations?
What is your tolerance for risk?
On a 10-step ladder, which rung are you on?
How high do you want to climb?
How much do you love what you do?

These are tough questions. And I recommend that as you read them, and think about them, that you take 30 minutes out of your life to write down the answers.
Writing leads to clarity and allows you to think of the questions individually rather than as a group.
These questions transcend, “Is my job safe?” And let me give you a clue Sparky, nothing is safe. People who took a job at a bank to be “safe” are now on the street. One hundred thousand of them. All rules of the game are off. It’s like Manhattan in a snowstorm; anything goes, and every man is for himself.The answers to the “take inventory” questions will give you the most realistic picture of yourself you have ever had. They will also clarify where you have the potential to go. Or should I say grow. Now that your assets are defined and you present situation is clear, write down what you (really) want to do or become – and assess the path you’re on now.
Are the paths aligned? Are you on the right road?
OPPORTUNITY IS KNOCKING BABY:
Whether it’s moving up your present ladder, finding a new ladder, or even buying your own ladder, now is the time to do it.Or you can wallow in “what is” until someone else makes it happen.

Secure your Oxygen mask first

I flew today from San Diego to Boston and it reminded me of when I use to travel to Mexico City with Nicole my daughter , I was on a flight traveling with her some years back , and to set a good example, I told her to listen carefully to the flight attendant’s safety instructions. While talking about the oxygen masks, one flight attendant made a point to come to me to reiterate: “Make sure you secure yours before helping with hers.” I smiled politely, but inside I sneered, “Yeah right. Think of myself first before helping her? No way.”
Then I looked at the elderly couple across the aisle and the child traveling alone in the row in front of me. I visualized needing to assist all these people in the event of an emergency (it’s amazing how the mind starts dramatizing a scenario). I realized if I couldn’t breathe, I might not be able to help anyone around me. I then realized that securing my own oxygen mask was the most selfless and helpful thing I could do for everyone else. But this is too often not how people live their lives. Instead, they run around helping everyone else with their oxygen masks (errands, requests, obligations, etc.) and eventually run out of oxygen themselves, becoming stressed, tired, unfit and unhealthy.
When I ask people the order of their priorities and core values, I often hear an order like this:1. God
2. Family and friends
3. Business, customers and employees
4. Well-being, personal interests, etc.
This order will eventually cause you to run out of oxygen. You are no good to God, your family, your company or anything/anyone else if you are rundown or you get sick or drop dead of a heart attack. You cannot give what you do not have. If you want to give more, serve more, contribute more, build more, create more, you have to be stronger and more vital, have more stamina and vigor. You need to make you your first priority so that you can give more, be more and do more for others. Jim Rohn put it this way: “You take care of you for me, and I will take care of me for you.” My suggestion is to take out your calendar and schedule you first. Schedule your exercise, meals for proper nutrition, enough sleep, mental relaxation and recreation for recovery. Then go down the rest of your priority list and start adding family, business and social obligations
who is the most important person in the world right? you must help yourself in order to help others.
What have you done so far this year in order to achieve your goals so that you can help other people achieve theirs?

why can't you achieve your goals?

Got goals?Millions of words have been written about goals. I've written thousands of them. Ninety-nine percent of the words focus on "how-to" set and achieve them in one form or another. Books, articles, videos, seminars, online courses, and of course, classic classroom learning. Everyone sets goals. Some people set them on their own -- others have them set for them (sales goals, sales plans, sales quotas). Some people make elaborate game plans for goal achievement, others write them down in their day planner, others just cut out a picture from a magazine depicting something they wish they had, but don't (car, boat, house, vacation).Me? I post my goals on my bathroom mirror. In plain sight.Many passé seminar leaders and motivational speakers claim, "Less than four percent of all people set goals." Baloney. Everyone has a goal, or many goals. If you're looking for a category that fits the four percent number, it's the people that actually achieve the goals they set.Ever set a goal you failed to achieve?Ever stop in the middle of a goal?Ever fall back to your old ways?Ever miss your sales goals?Of course you have. Everyone has.Want to know why?On Alii Edwards Web site, www.aliedwardsdesign.com, she shares her thoughts, and what she's learned from others, when she asks her readers (me among them), "What are your intentions?" It was a WOW!, an AHA!, and a HOLLY CRAP all at the same timeGoals and intentions are linked. Intentions actually precede goal setting. If you fall short of intention, you will not likely achieve the goal you set. What a simple, powerful concept. And, what a truth.Ali simply asks: What are your intentions? What do you intend to do? And the rest of the actions to achieve it will follow.Goals or intentions - which are more powerful?You may have a goal, or you may have been given a goal, but your intentions will dictate the outcome of the effort (or lack of it).What do you intend to do?Think about these questions:What do you want to do?What do you need to do?What do you have to do?What do you love to do?How much do you love what you do?Do you dislike what you do?Now, maybe you can better answer, what do you intend to do?What you intend to do are the thoughts behind your actions. Intentions are the justification behind your words and deeds. If you intend to manipulate, your words and deeds will follow. If your intentions are pure, your words and deeds will follow. If you intend to achieve your goals, or a specific goal, your words and deeds will follow.I believe that love and intentions are connected more passionately than fear and intentions, or greed and intentions. There's an old quote that says, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I wonder how true it is. Personally, I believe the opposite. There are types of intentions. The easiest to define are "good" and "bad." To intend to do the right thing, or to intend to do the wrong thing. Sometimes your intention to do the wrong thing is justified by the way you feel. You believe someone "deserves" what you're about to do. I believe that's the "hell" intention.Whatever your intentions are, they form the basis for your actions, the foundation for the achievement of your goals, the manifestation of your desires, and ultimately the fulfillment of your dreams. Maybe you need to write down your intentions BEFORE you write your goals. Start each sentence with, "I intend to."or even bolder, "By the end of the week I intend to." Timing your intentions makes them much more real. Simply put, what you intend to do is what you actually do. Goals notwithstanding, it's all about your intentions.An easy way to make your intentions clear is to categorize them. Organize the categories - then write the words to define them. Single words for categories, and sentences to define your intentions.Categories like personal, career, job, study, read, business, life, family, money, fun, travel, and passion. You get the idea.Then write what you intend to do, and by when. "I intend by this date."
Short spaces of time are the best - this year - this month - this week - this day - this minute.What do you intend to do?

Does my body show my age?

I have a few more creaks this year than last. I guess at 40 some small aches are to be expected. But I didn’t expect them. Nor am I willing to accept them.There are things I can do to help myself “not creak.” And I am doing them. running, eating less (or trying to he he), drink no soda, take a few more vitamins, and other actions personal to me and my age and health that will help me both improve and prevent. I keep myself well oiled, so I can speed up rather than slow down.Here’s what I have found to be true: The more I age, the less I am willing to “just accept it,” and I am certainly not willing to “settle.”, I can tell you that at 40 I’m stronger and faster than most guys younger than me , and I’m working on getting stronger , faster and leaner…not only physically ,but mentally , financially etc..Everyone is on their own journey.How’s yours going?Not the wealth journey, or the hunt for buried treasure. I’m talking about a WAY BIGGER journey. Your “learning journey.” How’s that going?I have been an adult student for more than 22 years. Like you, when I was young, I knew everything. Then I traveled to Europe for a year, and I suddenly realized I knew next to nothing. From there I resolved to learn something new every day. That was more than 18 years ago, and I’m still on that journey.I hope you are, too.The older I get, the more I want to learn and the more I want to accomplish.Some people want to relax, or watch TV every night, or want to retire, or are looking forward to retiring. Not me.I am on a mission. I have a few more lofty goals that are backed up with intentions:• Write 10 books. (working on my first, stay tuned)• Deliver more speeches.And there are a few other major personal goals to achieve and places I plan to see before I pack it in.What are you doing right now to identify, intend to, and achieve your lofty goals? Or are you “waiting to retire” to get or do what you really want? I have found that most people who want to “retire” don’t love what they do at present. Not me.When you love what you do, you can’t get enough of it. I hate sleeping – biggest waste of my time. I wake up early. I go to sleep late. People say they need balance.Not me – I don’t need balance. I love what I do.And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need balance – you need money. Which would you rather have – balance or money?BIG QUESTION: What are you “accepting” right now that you might be able to change if you took a few more risks, or were willing to put in a bit more (or a lot more) effort?BIGGER QUESTION: What are the three of four things in your life that you “wish” were different than they are now? And what the hell are you waiting for? Don’t you hate waiting? Traffic. Late flights. Long lines. On hold. Slow service. You do everything you can to avoid a 10-minute or 60-minute wait, yet you’re willing to wait YEARS to achieve your life’s desire. Not me. I’m not waiting for anything or anyone. I don’t accept waiting, either in a doctor’s office or in life.BIG ANSWER: Here’s the cool part. By taking daily action toward what you really want, at some (undefinable) point, you create your own momentum, your own path to achievement, maybe even your own path to fulfillment.BIGGEST QUESTIONS: What are you “just accepting”? What are you willing to do to make things happen in your life?BIGGEST ANSWERS: If you’re constantly talking about what was, you’re robbing yourself of what will be. Complaining about life? “In my day things were different…” Take note: candy bars are no longer a nickel. If you’re sick of waiting, if your sick of just accepting your present lot in life, maybe it’s time to take action.