| Get Disciplined! | | | | In my experience, “help” is one of the |
| How to Learn from Your Successes – and | | | | most influential words in the English language. Most |
| Your Failures | | | | people love to help and will respond generously if |
| By COLLEEN FRANCIS | | | | they are approached. Be frank, and ask them for |
| If I were asked to pick one essential skill that the | | | | advice, referrals or business ideas. |
| majority of today’s sales professionals lack, it | | | | Their willingness to respond might just surprise |
| would have to be discipline. | | | | you. |
| Discipline impacts almost every aspect of our | | | | Step 2: Build on your triumphs |
| jobs, from making calls to practicing presentations | | | | Success! |
| and incorporating new ideas into our daily routines. | | | | It is amazing to me how many sales people can |
| For underachievers, a lack of discipline can affect | | | | be successful in the short term and yet suffer |
| the way they prospect for new business, how | | | | from a serious case of long-term failure. I believe |
| they handle their existing customers – and | | | | this happens because very few people learn how |
| especially their mediocre sales results. | | | | to be truly gracious about their success. Their ego |
| Now, no one is saying that getting disciplined is | | | | takes over, and they are unable to “get over |
| easy. In fact, discipline can be one of the most | | | | themselves” and appreciate what their clients |
| challenging skills to master. Then again, maybe | | | | and partners did to contribute to their success in |
| that’s why only one in 10 sales people | | | | the first place. |
| consistently perform above their quota. | | | | It’s fair to say that we all fear ending up living |
| So ask yourself – is the extra effort it takes | | | | under a bridge. Yet every self-made millionaire |
| to get disciplined worth it, if the reward is earning | | | | I’ve ever met has been broke at least once |
| a place among the Top 10% in your field? | | | | in their lives. Personally, I’m hoping to be the |
| Step 1: Learn from your mistakes | | | | exception that proves that particular rule. Still, |
| There are two key turning points in every sales | | | | there’s no denying that, for many successful |
| person’s career when discipline can make the | | | | people, failure can be much more effective than |
| difference between becoming a star and getting | | | | short-term success as a driver towards real |
| stuck in the middle of the pack: when we succeed | | | | wealth. |
| and when we fail. | | | | Don’t believe me? Just consider the following |
| If handled correctly, both success and failure can | | | | colossal failures, each of whom clearly never went |
| drive your career to new heights. Handled poorly, | | | | on to make anything of their lives afterwards: |
| they can seriously impede your ability to achieve | | | | Colonel Sanders had 1,005 rejections. |
| the results you want and deserve. | | | | Thomas Edison went broke four times. |
| When you’re just starting out, it can | | | | Michael Jordan was cut from his high school |
| sometimes feel like no one wants you to succeed. | | | | basketball team. |
| As a result, it can be tempting to just stop asking | | | | Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper for |
| for help. Then when you do arrive, offers for all | | | | having no good ideas. |
| the help you no longer really need suddenly start | | | | Einstein's parents and teacher urged him to quit |
| pouring in whether you asked for them or not! | | | | school because they felt he would never amount |
| This irony reflects the nature of reciprocity, in | | | | to anything. |
| which like attracts like – success brings more | | | | Steven Spielberg dropped out of high school in his |
| success, while failure earns more failure. Put | | | | sophomore year. When he was persuaded to |
| another way, whatever you accept from life, | | | | come back, he was placed in a class for students |
| good or bad, will become part of you. | | | | with learning disabilities. He lasted a month before |
| Mediocre sales people resist seeking assistance | | | | dropping out of school forever. |
| from those who can actually help them realize | | | | |
| their goals. The best sales people, on the other | | | | Step 3: Make just one more call |
| hand, know that the pictures we form in our | | | | In my experience studying scores of both |
| imagination become our reality. As Napoleon Hill | | | | mediocre and successful sales people, I have |
| said: “Whatever the mind of man can | | | | discovered that the most reliable key to enduring |
| conceive and believe the mind of man can | | | | success is discipline. |
| achieve.” Top sales people use this as the | | | | Discipline to provide just a little bit better service |
| inspiration to keep on trying until they succeed. | | | | than your competitors offer or your clients |
| Most highly successful people I’ve met even | | | | expect. |
| go so far as to refuse to accept anything from | | | | Discipline to make one more call, attend one more |
| life that they don’t want. Sure, they | | | | networking event or block an extra hour in your |
| experience their fair share of defeats. After all, no | | | | calendar every day to do business development. |
| one can close 100% of the deals 100% of the | | | | Discipline to document the objections you receive |
| time. What sets top performers apart is | | | | and create responses to deal with them |
| persistence and a mental attitude that accepts | | | | consistently and effectively. |
| those losses as temporary stepping stones on | | | | And discipline to practice your sales presentation |
| the way towards improving their situation and | | | | one more time, every time you head out the |
| growing their sales. | | | | door to meet a prospect or close a deal. |
| With the right attitude and a little discipline, every | | | | Discipline is the one sure way by which poverty |
| failure can be converted into a success. If you | | | | may be converted into riches, failure into success |
| want to achieve success faster, reach out to | | | | – and short-term success into a winning track |
| mentors and clients who are already ahead of the | | | | record that will last throughout your entire career. |
| game. | | | | |