"Opportunities are not offered. They must be wrested and worked for. And this calls for perseverance..and courage. "

When times are good, people will act out of convenience, but when times are tough, you find out who really cares. The value of relationships to success in sales will never diminish. In fact, some might argue that they're only becoming more valuable. Your job is to strengthen as many relationships as you possibly can. Be honest. Be a good listener. Be helpful. Be there. Go the extra mile and stay in touch with people who change companies. They may be able to open new doors for you.

In 1904, steel magnate Charles M. Schwab solicited advice from public-relations pioneer Ivy Ledbetter Lee about how managers could manage their time effectively. Lee sent Schwab the following four-point list and requested a check for whatever Schwab thought the advice was worth: 1. Make a list of the most important things you have to do tomorrow. 2. Arrange them in order of importance. 3. The next day, work on the most important task until it's completed. 4. Tackle the other tasks in priority order. How much did Schwab pay Lee? $25,000. Even today, these points are worth their weight in gold.

"Happiness is only a byproduct of successful living."

"If you're not having problems, you are missing an opportunity for growth."

"Education is of no value and talent is worthless - unless you have an unwavering aim. Never find yourself without a compass."

Are your sales less than they should be? Perhaps it is because, over time, you have succumbed to the dreaded "follower" virus. The follower virus festers within healthy, productive salespeople until finally they're reduced to mediocrity. Once infected, salespeople lose their edge, because their approach to selling dulls. Stop following others and reinvent yourself as a value-added salesperson who wants to help make others successful. Don't forget, however, that the follower virus can return without notice – especially wherever complacency runs rampant.

"Do more than is required. What is the distance between someone who achieves their goals consistently and those who spend their lives and careers merely following? The extra mile. "

Achieve your true potential. Take into account your best possibilities and opportunities and your ability to execute on them. You know your strengths and weaknesses. Build your potential plan by relying on your strengths. Where you sense weakness, plan ahead to minimize it. Be sure you understand your plan thoroughly. Get the technical training you need to respond to possible challenges quickly and effectively. Finally, rely on your support network for help whenever you need it. In these ways, you'll reach your true potential.

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

Negotiating is a two-way street. Before you start the process, determine what you expect in return from others if you give them what they want. Simply be so good at what you do and what you offer that there isn't any room for negotiation. The more credibility you have, the less you have to negotiate. If any one relationship takes an inordinate amount of your time, is hindering your effort on more promising opportunities, and is high on the "pain" meter, it might make sense to walk away.

Be prepared to be challenged in all areas of life. The more you anticipate a challenge, the more confidence and leverage you bring to the table when it's time to face it. And the more knowledge you have, the better able you are to think outside the box when creating solutions and dealing with the curve balls life will throw at you. Be proactive, anticipate challenge, and you'll put yourself in the best position to overcome a challenge when it rears its head.

"Life isn’t about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself."

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heav'n of hell and a hell of a heav'n."

Changing your life for the better is a difficult journey. Truthfully evaluate yourself to find out why you're down and what you have to change in your life to get what you really want. Resolve to change. Remember that if you continue to do what you've always done, you'll continue to get what you've always gotten. Start fresh. Remember that, usually, the turning points in our lives occur in times of adversity.

"Don't be afraid to be unique or speak your mind, because that's what makes you different from everyone else."

Determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds doesn't come naturally. It is an acquired characteristic. Many people have exceptional talents, a stable background, an excellent education, and assets anyone could want, except the one characteristic that could make them winners: the ability to fight hard when hardest hit. Self-discipline requires that we push ourselves beyond what is comfortable. As we keep exercising self-discipline and stretching and strengthening our abilities, we develop the power to persist under the most difficult circumstances. By trying hard enough, we can become determined enough to win.

"If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want."