I have understood for a long time that our place in this world is our choice but it wasn’t until recently that I truly understood that we really are responsible for our complete situation in life!
All of our relationships, all of our decisions result from how we view our place in the world. If our relationships fail it is because, at some level, we want them to fail. Human beings are not stupid – we are all brilliant – but many of choose to act stupidly.
My life is selling and few activities have such a clear connection between cause and effect than selling. I know from years of experience that if I make enough cold calls I will get more meetings, I know if I prepare and practice for meetings that I will get better results – luck has nothing to do with anything!
A big part of my daily activity is finding quality salespeople for businesses – again luck has nothing to do with it!
First, businesses get the salespeople that they deserve. A business that has clearly defined sales processes, a quality brand, and strong sales supports will attract the highest quality salespeople. Good salespeople will always have a choice of where they work and good businesses will always have a choice of the best salespeople.
Second, salespeople get the careers they deserve. If a salesperson not working this screams the question, ‘why?’ Of course bad things happen all the time – recessions, bankruptcies and even entire industries can disappear almost overnight! The best salespeople, however, have invested in skills, contacts and made themselves valuable – they are rarely unemployed for long.
The vast majority of my recruiting activity is finding great, employed, salespeople and pitching them on my client’s opportunity. I avoid unemployed salespeople!
Every morning we wake up we make a decision on how we are going to face the day.
Are we going to invest in relationships that we know have little value? Are we going to make choices that value our health and security? Are we going to look for reasons for happiness or depression? As we reach for the donut, the cigarette, or the drink what choice are we making? When we decide to watch the late movie on television or get a good night sleep, what choice are you making? When we decide to cheat on those we love – either mentally or physically – what choices are we making?
We see the world we choose to see!
When I first understood completely that every failure in my life – financial, physical, emotional or spiritual had been mine own choice I was rather depressed. It upset me to understand that my failures were entirely my own creation. Slowly, however, I realised that the other side of that was the power to choose differently and get entirely different results. If I own my life then I become powerful!
Luck? Well, I suppose there are circumstances beyond my control but the way I choose to feel and the actions I take are always under my control!
That, I think, is very good news!