Positive Thinking Leads To Positive Sales Success
I got the chance to spend some quality time with my 95 year old grandfather over the long weekend. I might be a bit biased here, but the dude is honestly one of the coolest people I know. Everyone likes to ask him what's the secret to his longevity. He says he can name many, but the one thing he continually comes back to is his propensity to go with the flow and to always take the "glass is half full" approach to life. I know it may seem a bit cliché, but he truly does embraces this mindset.
Now, I'm sure there have been a few occasions where his blind “trust” could have meant that he has been taken advantage of on a few occasions, but it doesn’t seem to faze him. Generally he comes out on top regardless. I have to imagine the good karma he built up over the years may have played a factor. Not to mention growing up in the great depression gives you the unique appreciation of everything …and I mean EVERYTHING you have in life. One of his favorite quotes from one of his favorite guys sums it up nicely “I’ve always been an optimist. Frankly, I never saw much use in being anything else.” Winston Churchill.
He took this optimism and applied it to the travelling salesman role he had for years working for a plumbing supply company. (He can give you all the details you need, if interested, year-by-year from 1948-1982). It is no surprise to me that the guy was very successful. I like to think that when he called on a customer they actually were happy to see his smiling face, even if they may not have wanted to buy anything from him.
So what did I learn from 3 days with a wise 95 year old? I could be oversimplifying things here, but his approach to life reminds me that it is our choice to overcomplicate things.
Being around negative engergy at any job will no doubt make the days drag on forever. We all can have legitamate things to worry and complain about, but we need to recognize that there are only so many things that are under our control. Focus on controling the things that you can control, and try your best to roll with the things that can potentially bring you down.
We all can easily slip into the negative nelly-mode, especially in sales. Over the years I’ve certainly been guilty of allowing the negativity to pervade my thoughts when I was going through a rough patch. While it can be easy to end up in negative town, you can’t let those negative thoughts in your head. This too shall pass. Thinking this way will most likely mean a longer and more successful sales career as well as a happier healthier life. Take it from my grandfather.