Have you ever stopped and examined your attitude about sales? About having to be a salesperson?
When someone asks you what you do for a living, are you embarrassed to say you’re in sales? Do you find that demeaning?
I used to. I used to harbor a belief that I was better than being just a salesman.
For years, I was waiting to go back to school to get my graduate degree so I could start my real life. See, I was smarter, better, had more to offer than just “sales.”
My real attitude was that sales was a pushy occupation for people who couldn’t do anything else. I could always feel the underlying frustration from someone trapped in a job they didn’t like-sales.
Weird to say, but that’s how it seemed to me too. I was better than what I was forced to be doing for a living.
And I didn’t know I felt that way until my manager challenged me to examine my attitude about sales.
And that’s when I also realized that my attitude was costing me the success I so dearly wanted.
My attitude was holding me back from excelling and enjoying this profession.
And that’s when I reframed what I was doing. I embraced sales as a profession-not just a temporary “job.”
I realized that as a sales professional, I was in a unique position to help a lot of people.
As a sales professional, I could fulfill an essential position in the business world and help companies and people grow and get the things they needed to excel and lead better lives.
And once I realized the value-the true value of being a sales professional-my attitude changed, and I committed to being a top producer in my company.
Oh-and I also realized that as a top performing sales professional, I had the ability to make far more money, and provide a much better life for my family than I could if I went back to school to become a (whatever).
Plus, I’d enjoy better hours, have more vacation time, drive better cars, enjoy a better retirement, etc.
Once I changed how I felt about sales, I was able to commit fully, apply myself totally, and experience unimagined success and fulfillment.
I’ve made millions in sales, had great times, provided for my family and given them the best life, and met and worked with-and helped-thousands of people.
But I almost missed it-because I never stopped to examine my underlying attitude about sales. Never stopped to see what was holding me back from attaining the success I saw others attain.
But then I did; I changed my attitude, and I embraced this wonderful profession.
And I’ve lived the best life.
I hope that today, you will take some time and examine your own beliefs about sales.
And that, while you’re in this wonderful profession, you’ll give it your all; you’ll choose to be the best at it you can be-before you move on and try something else.
If you do, you may find-like me and other top sales professionals-that you’re already in the profession that can enable you to live your best life.
And that’s sales.
by Mike Brooks