Southwestern Sales Talk

I read this once: The chief cause of failure in life is sacrificing what you want the most, for what you want at the moment.  Think about this.  Most of our failures stem from poor choices we make.  In the sales arena, my third summer with The Southwestern Company brought this reality into my own experience. 

I was selling in Maine that summer, and from the outset I violated this principle.  When I was scheduled to work the first week I instead chose to “get organized.”  This threw me off (in Southwestern Company parlance it’s called “off-schedule”)  Sales were a bit slow; I attributed that, in part, to fatigue, so…I took short naps in my car (I know I’m not the only salesperson in the world who’s done this).  Next, I noticed that my tires were going a bit bald from the long trek to Maine.  Poor decision #3: the purchase of two new tires-safety, right?!  I rationalized this too.  This pattern continued and my sales reflected it. 

So what about those things we want the most: recognition, better pay, a feeling of accomplishment-of doing your best?  More often than not, salespeople opt for those things we want in the moment-we sacrifice our long-term goals for our short-term desires.   Perhaps for me it was “call reluctance”–call it what you like, but this tendency to rationalize our goals away is deadly in sales & in life.  

How do you handle these decisions at critical junctures?  The first time you cheat on a test, it’s difficult–the tenth time, it’s not so tough.  How do you prioritize your life?  Remember, the chief cause of failure in life (sales) is sacrificing what you want the most, for what you want at the moment.  

I welcome your strategies which help you stay on purpose!

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