Alex recently noticed that when I take on a new passion, which I seem to do every six months or so, I immediately purchase books on the topic and read them cover to cover multiple times. My gardening library is immense. My cookbooks have outgrown the shelves and the microwave cart. I have more sewing and fashion books than could possibly ever be useful and most of them contradict each other.
But I didn't have very many books on business and sales, which, since that is my new job, seemed a little out of order.
I've tried too. I purchased a couple books about how to make successful cold calls, and it was hard to get through and my brain turned to mush. My trainer, Matt, suggested a great book called 'The Referral of a Lifetime' by Tim Templeton, which he assured me was an easy read and would be life-changing. Friends - I am a READER. I'm the girl that knocked out 7 Harry Potter books in a week! I couldn't read this small 100 page book. I just recently finished it, and I have to do it all again because I now realize that I don't remember any of it. I reach for my self-sufficiency guide and probe it's pages for tidbits of information regarding why my plants are shrivelling up before it ever occurs to me that I might need to be doing some work.
Alex purchased Jeff Gitomer's Little Red Book of Sales Answers for me a couple weeks ago. I carried it around the house, I carried it in my purse, I carried it to meetings....I didn't actually start reading it until a couple days ago and now I wonder why I was such a stubborn little child about it. This is a great book - not just for business, but for life in general!
I'm not goal-oriented. I never was. If I don't achieve my goals, I move on with life and hope for the best. Probably not the best way to be an insurance producer. And Aflac is very goal oriented! They lay out all kinds of goals for us to attempt! $5,500 in the first 5 weeks, $25,000 in the first 13 weeks, etc. With great rewards like free trips and great gear. But I'm not a salesperson.
Looking back, I think about when I was a young teenager in youth group and they would take us out on missions or outreaches. While other members of the group were shoving Jesus down people's throats, I was comforting crying babies, washing little faces, talking to single moms, and giving things to less fortunate folks. I don't think I ever once opened my mouth to spew religious jargon at someone. What reason do they have to listen to me? They don't know me. I think this is why people have such angst and hatred against 'Christians'! No one likes to be sold a line of crap. Someone can preach at you all day long about the great love of God, but in the end, when they walk away, what exactly have they done for you?
This is how I am with Aflac. I am so afraid to open my mouth and spew jargon at anyone I don't know, so I just don't do it. But when it comes to people who trust me, I want more than anything for them to know about this great product that can be lifesaving when it comes to your health.
Actions speak volumes louder than words do. Service builds trust and relationships that go a long way further than cold-calls and begging for a few minutes.
Last night, while reading my Little Red Book of Answers I came across a list titled 'How Do I Do My Best Everyday?'
There are 10.5 simples rules:
1. Wake up early. The early bird does not get the worm. The early bird makes the money while everyone else is asleep.
2. Love what you do. If you don't love it, you will never rise to the top. Love it, or leave it.
3. Dedicate yourself to being a life-long student. How many books did you read last year?
4. Convert anger to resolve. Anger is the biggest waste of energy on the planet. It blocks positive thought. It blocks creative thought.
5. Convert barriers to breakthrough. You may know it as objections. Or even rejections. Stick at it until you win, and you will gain personal, mental dominance.
6. Take every 'no' as a 'not yet'. You don't hear with your ears. You hear with your heart. The way you accept other's words will determine your fate. Gain an attitude of positive acceptance.
7. Watch little or no television. You'll never succeed watching television. Convert TV time to study time. Convert TV time to preparation time. Convert TV time to thinking time.
8. Read for 20 minutes every morning. Reading provides the opportunity for quiet insight. You can reflect on the ideas and thoughts of others, and immediately convert them to your own success formula. You best chance for success is reading. Learn to earn. Read to succeed.
9.Write for 20 minutes every morning. What should you write about? Anything you want! Begin to clarify your thoughts and ideas in writing.
10. Call the people you love and tell them you love them. Love is not motivation. Love is inspiration. To be your best, you must go beyond motivation to inspiration.
10.5. Tell yourself you're the best. Muhammad Ali said "I am the greatest of all time," thousands of times. Millions of people agree that he was the greatest of all time. He began that journey by telling himself first. So can you.
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