Inside Sales Advice: If You Bet on Yourself, You’ve Already Won
This coming August, I will have been part of the AG Salesworks team for 10 years. It has been far and away the most time I've spent with any company in my career and also has been far and away the most challenging and enjoyable.
At that time 10 years ago, I thought it was a risk. We were six people crammed in a small office above a cookie factory. You would think that it would be pleasant, but mostly our clothing stunk of baking soda and vanilla extract. I think it's safe to say that every day has been worth it since.
I came across a commencement speech from one of my favorite characters on television, Charlie Day from “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Needless to say, I was intrigued by what this guy would say. What nuggets of wisdom could this weirdo possibly share with a crowd of soon-to-be graduates? Recognizing that his unconventionally kooky slant on the world may not be something everyone would be on board with, I was pleasantly surprised by his ability to relate his own experiences to the college graduates he was speaking to, but also to the crowd as a whole.
Here's the speech:
For those of you who don't want to take the 20 minutes to watch (and I think you should), here are my takeaways from what he was trying to get across:
1) Don’t be afraid to fail… especially when you’re trying something that you believe in and that you're passionate about. You do not have to be fearless; just don't let fear stop you.
2) Don't be afraid to take the rougher road rather than the path of least resistance. You'll learn a lot more that way.
3) Bet on yourself.
So for those of you who are graduating or entertaining the thought of different career choices, don't be afraid to take the perceived risk. Charlie Day stuck it out and look where he is today. I didn't have any clue what AG Salesworks was going to be 10 years ago but I believed in the vision of the people who started the company, and most importantly, I believed in myself. Ultimately that is what really matters. And you know what?
I haven't looked back since.