"I will study and prepare, and someday my opportunity will come."

From cell phones to voicemail, there's a lot of information to keep up with. Technology helps salespeople make great strides, but it can also disrupt and distract. Gadgets fuel expectations of instantaneous response. They invade personal time. The marvels of technology should help sales professionals stay connected, serve customers better, and produce more. Give yourself a little room. We're in a period of information overload. You'll never know it all. So control what you can. Control your attitude.

"Miracles are always there,
look around and you will find them."

"To be successful, you have to be able to relate to people; they have to be satisfied with your personality to be able to do business with you and to build a relationship with mutual trust."

Trust is a critical ingredient in sales; people don't buy from a sales rep they don't trust. So how do you establish trust in a world of skeptics? Start by focusing on your credibility, and admit weakness. Prospects know your company and product are weak in some areas. You boost your credibility when you admit to those weaknesses rather than try to sweep them under the table. Even better: turn a perceived weakness into a desired benefit. For instance, if your software doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a competing product, point that out. Then point out how the simplicity of your product boosts usage and data-entry accuracy.

Use the power of the Universe by intending before every car trip that the traffic will flow effortlessly, that you will be relaxed and happy, and that you will arrive in perfect time.

Happy driving.

"Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get"

"Worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due."

"Skill and confidence are an unconquered army."

Self-knowledge is a key to power. Personal awareness is just as important for professional success as technical competence. Self-knowledge gives you the ability to match your working style with those of the people you work with day in and day out, not to mention the styles of the people with whom you're trying to establish relationships. This lets you take responsibility for the effect you have on other people and learn how to change it if the effect is not what you desire.

"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."

"Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else."

"Miracles don't happen. You make them happen. They're not wishes or dreams or candles on a cake. They're not impossible. Reality is real. It's totally and completely under my control."

Purposeful storytelling is the ultimate tool for closing the sale. Stories are game changers, because they engage a listener's emotions. Typically, emotion, not logic, causes people to act. Stories resonate within us, which is precisely why people are far more likely to remember information embedded within a story than information that was presented to them in facts or figures. If you tell a story with authentic emotion, people will respond.

The conditions necessary to foster personal accountability in the workplace are similar to those needed in a family or classroom: Develop a climate of trust, openness, good humor, and respect; then, with honesty and respect, inspect what you expect. Make sure that subordinates know you hold yourself to the same standards of ethics and diligence that you expect from them. It may be easier said than done. Openness and clarity of mind will be required. This stresses both you and the system, but courageous individuals manage to tread these waters every day.

In times of great financial success, people confuse capital gains with brains. In times of economic slowdown, people deceive others because they are unable to admit that managers – even those at the top – are vulnerable. They rigidly cling to the illusion that they can singlehandedly change the world. A boom makes average performers look brilliant; a recession can make people who took credit for easy pickings look like fools. No matter what state the economy is in, the secret to success is to appraise reality objectively.

" If you don't see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner."

Today is a day to celebrate all the amazing fathers of the world. The men who sacrificed time out of their lives day in and day out to raise us and create the men and women we all are today.
The man who worked 9 hour days to come home and throw the ball out back with us. Or the man who spent weekends playing with us in the backyard or taking us out for ice cream. Whatever fond memories you have of your father or father figure in your life, today is a day to let them know you appreciate everything they did for you.
And whether it’s your father, or simply a male role model you had in your life growing up, today is the day to reach out to them and say thank you. Thank you for the long days and late nights. Thank you for working as hard as you did to put food on the table, and thank you for being the man and friend that you were.
I hope everyone has a GREAT day today, and I hope it’s spent with the people you love :)

"An enterprising person is one who sees opportunity in all areas of life."

"Keep your sense of humor. There's enough stress in the rest of your life to let bad shots ruin a game you're supposed to enjoy."

"People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds. It is something one creates."

"Gauge your success by what you gave up to achieve it."

Common worries about selling can become distractions that stand in your way. Salespeople who want to take steps to improve the way they relate to customers must remove these mental obstacles. Start by focusing on what you want to get out of each individual interaction with a client or prospective buyer, instead of focusing on what might go wrong. Such thoughts as, "If I don't get this sale, then I'll miss my quota," will only get in the way of your ability to relate to customers and assess their needs.

"Ambition beats genius 99% of the time."

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

"It is impossible to win the great prizes in life without running risks."

Persistence and determination together are omnipotent. You never fail unless you quit. Successful individuals have clearly defined game plans, which they review constantly. They know where they are going every day, every month, and every year. Things don't just happen in their lives; they make them happen. Don't let anything stand in your way. Your level of persistence in the face of adversity and disappointment will be a measure of belief in yourself. Associate with people who share your goals and work habits. You must follow the leaders who are the best at what they do.

Here are some strategic self-evaluation questions to which successful people always know the answers: 1) What is life's purpose for you? 2) What do you want out of life? 3) What makes you happy? 4) Can you overcome the competition? 5) How can you prepare yourself so that your goals prevail? If you answer these questions, pretty soon a clear picture of what you really want and are good at will begin to emerge. Then you'll be able to choose where you will go with your life and how you will get there.

"If the power to do hard work is not a skill, it's the best possible substitute for it."

"Man was created as a being who should constantly keep improving, a being who on reaching one goal sets a higher one."

"See yourself living in abundance and you will attract it. It always works, it works every time with every person."

It might sound odd, but money is not the root of great motivation. We all share a desire to get better and better at something that matters. Whether you're a great artist, athlete, software developer, or sales professional, you need room to grow. The best way to tap into intrinsic motivation, according to author Daniel Pink, is to take the issue of money off the table and put the focus on the work itself: "The more prominent salary, perks, and benefits are in someone's work life, the more they can inhibit creativity and unravel performance."

Sales can be a tough business. Potential customers can be impolite or even downright mean. We face it all the time, don’t we? The sad truth is that we often also need to learn how to handle negative coworkers. If you’re in outside sales, you might be able to simply limit the amount of time you’re around them. If you’re in inside sales and they’re in the cubicle next to you, that’s another story.

The important thing to realize is that you can’t control them. You can only control your response to them.
There were a few Negative Nellies in my real estate office. They’d always be sitting around chatting when I’d come into the office after prospecting or showing properties. Knowing that I’d be within range of their negativity, I would mentally visualize zipping myself into a positive shell before walking through the door. I’d smile and say hello, and something like “what a great day this is” but avoid responding to any of their negative chatter. I’d simply gather my messages and head straight to my desk. Picking up the phone was a great deterrent of these people. They were professional enough not to interrupt business calls with their negativity.
Unfortunately, there were times when they’d plop themselves down in my office and start venting about something or another. When this happened, the first thing I would do would be to look at my watch. I’d then tell them what I was working on, “Hi, Joe, I’m in the middle of putting together a comp that I promised to deliver at 2 today. I’d be happy to chat with you after 4:00.” And, guest what happened? Most times, Joe would not pop back at 4. He would have either vented on someone else, gone to a meeting of his own, or gotten over whatever was bothering him at the time. Try that strategy of scheduling your time with negative people if you can’t avoid them entirely … and limiting it to not more than 5 minutes. “Joe, I’d like to help you if I can. Give me a 5-minute overview of what’s bothering you. If I can help you, I will. But if I’m not in a position to help, then we haven’t wasted a bunch of time for either of us.”
If you’re in a situation, such as sharing a cubicle, where you feel you do need to speak with another about his or her attitude, realize that some people aren’t aware they’re being negative. Others know they’re speaking negatively but aren’t aware of the impact it has on others. When you point it out, kindly and gently, some will appreciate the head’s up and work on their attitudes on their own. They don’t want to be known as a Debbie Downer or a Complaining Carl. Others may think you’re wrong or being controlling and not want to hear it.
My point here is that you don’t have to accept negativity into your life. You can and must control you how respond to it. Don’t just react. In fact, I challenge you to invest 5 minutes right now thinking about how many ways you can protect your mental health the next time you encounter a negative co-worker. (Hint: Start with a smile because you know life is good and sales is a killer career!)

"Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat"

"It's not what you do once in a while; it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference."

Any words you speak have a frequency, and the moment you speak them they are released into the Universe. The law of attraction responds to all frequencies, and so it is also responding to the words that you speak. When you use very strong words, such as “terrible,” “shocking” and “horrible” to describe any situation in your life, you are sending out an equally strong frequency, and the law of attraction must respond by bringing that frequency back to you.

The law is impersonal, and simply matches your frequency. Do you see how important it is for you to speak strongly about what you want, and not to use strong words about what you don’t want?

"I never won anything without hard labor and the exercise of my best judgment."

Be true to yourself. Respect for yourself comes from standing on your own two feet and making your own decisions and mistakes. Instead of living or working for someone else's approval, do it for yourself and a sense of accomplishment. Practice honesty with yourself in all you do. Set high standards of performance and conduct for yourself, and live up to them. Even if your ethics and independence make your road to success a little rougher, you'll be stronger for having traveled it on your own.

"The most common cause of executive failure is inability or unwillingness to change with the demands of a new position. The executive who keeps on doing what he has done successfully before is almost bound to fail."

Start giving more. One of the best ways to build yourself up is to help others. Giving someone else a helping hand is a sure-fire way to feel needed. Every week or month, schedule some volunteer work at a hospital, nursing home, animal shelter, or anywhere else you might be needed. Spend some time helping a friend or neighbor who is ill or has other serious problems. Giving of yourself to others may help you view yourself in a more positive light and gives the people you're helping a chance to let you know just how valuable you are.

Make a list of your past successes. Your list doesn't have to consist of only monumental accomplishments. Include such "minor" victories as learning to skate, graduating from high school, or reaching a sales goal. If your list is long, good for you. If not, focus on how much you can improve. Review your list often, and as you do, close your eyes and remember the satisfaction and joy you felt with each accomplishment. Remember the special abilities, dedication, and effort required to achieve each success, and remind yourself that you earned and deserved each one.

"I love the man who can smile in trouble, gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection."

Stop putting yourself down. Every time the little voice inside you says something negative about your ability, your appearance, or any other aspect of your life, it reinforces feelings of low self-worth. Instead of dwelling on what you can't do or what you don't have, make the most of your assets. When you stop kicking yourself long enough to focus on the positive, you might find that you have a lot more going for you than you thought. Accept all compliments with "thank you." If you often respond to compliments with, "Oh, it was nothing," or "I just got lucky," you send yourself a message that says you aren't worthy of praise. Recognize that your effort and abilities play a part in the good things that happen to you, and tell yourself that you deserve your success.

The selling landscape can seem overwhelming, particularly these days. Buyers are more demanding than ever, customers are more likely to trust the opinions of their peers than those of sales professionals, and advances in technology happen faster than many sales teams can handle. Sales that used to be relatively easy are now more complicated. The upshot? This is a time when self-responsibility is the only path. The old ways – the tools that helped you to succeed so far – don't work anymore. To keep succeeding, you need new tools and new ways of thinking. To keep from becoming lost in a sea of change, manage your priorities and take one advancement at a time.

"Do a little more than you're paid to. Give a little more than you have to. Try a little harder than you want to. Aim a little higher than you think possible, and give a lot of thanks to God for health, family, and friends."

"Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way. you become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions. "

"If Columbus had turned back, no one would have blamed him. No one would have remembered him, either."

The art of success lies in the power of resistance. It is this power that creates relationships where strangers once existed, as people are naturally resistant to both change and dealing with people they don't know well. Sales professionals must overcome this with resistance to the status quo. If you want the kind of job in which you merely obey the rules and follow the crowd, there's little opportunity for you in sales. A resister goes against the grain and asks, "What opportunities can I create for myself and other people today? Where can I take some positive action that provides value?"

"One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life."

"You can have, do or be anything you want."

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."

Every interaction with someone is an opportunity. The thing is, you never know exactly who you're going to meet, and you never know exactly what that person will be interested in. That's why it's so important to keep up with what's happening in the world at large, in areas outside of sales and outside of the markets to which you sell. What great books have been published recently? What are the most popular articles online right now? What are the headlines for countries around the world today? Be on the lookout for ways to constantly draw new information into your daily routine. This constant stream of information will help keep you agile and prepared for interactions with anyone you might meet.

Many sales professionals are incredibly creative – they just don't realize it. Don't assume you can't do something before you even try. Children are too smart to make this mistake. They're creative because they follow their natural impulses. Adults just need a good atmosphere that promotes their creative power. Humor, books, and exposure to the arts are important aids in building up your creative self. A team that practices brainstorming in a relaxed atmosphere helps enhance creativity. The best salespeople have a great intuitive instinct; that is the same source of creative energy. Be sure to make the most of this creative power.

"He that respects himself is safe from others; he wears a coat of mail that none can pierce. "

"Ambition is the path to success.
Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in."

To achieve your goals, you need to stay focused, even if it means giving up things you'd rather do. When Ron Rice quit his teaching and lifeguarding jobs to found the suntan-lotion company Hawaiian Tropic, he left the beach behind and did everything himself. He mixed the lotion, bottled it, sold it, packed it into boxes, and delivered it to beaches and pool decks along the East Coast. He stayed focused on his goal of making Hawaiian Tropic a household name. Eventually, the other lifeguards who used to kid him about how hard he worked were left on the beach while he went on to great success.

"What will your children remember? Moments spent listening, talking, playing and sharing together may be the most important times of all."

Have you ever had one of those days when you get caught in the middle of conflicting emotions? On one hand, you want to take a certain action. On another hand, the opposite action seems like the ideal choice. If you find confusion to be the reigning principle of your work or personal life, you need to take steps to gain clarity. Seek the advice of your mentor, make a pros-and-cons list, or simply pick one action and follow it through to the end. Don't get caught up in a confused state for too long. Find ways to maintain a consistent flow to stay on the path to progress.