Copyright
© 2008 Billy Cox
The All Star Sales Book
http://www.billycoxinternational.com/
The
economy is bad. Nobody is buying homes. The recession's coming. Every time you
turn around Economists predict doom and gloom. That's enough to get you into a
great depression, if you let it.
The reality is 'Negative
news sells' and way too many salespeople, business owners and leaders believe
that the "sky is falling" and eventually it becomes a self fulfilling
prophesy. If you think about it, one of the worst situations for your peace of
mind is to hang around negative, depressed salespeople, business owners, and leaders.
The
good news is, as Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker, author, and salesman, once
said, "Economists have accurately predicted something like ten of the last
two recessions." Even better news is that top performers understand one simple
concept: Business is either good or bad in your own mind. Even in the Great Depression
of the 1930s many people became wealthy.
Depression is nothing
more than focusing on what's wrong in your world instead of what's right. It's
allowing fear to take control of your life. I can assure you that if you think
about it long enough, you can find something wrong in any area of your life. On
the contrary, if you look hard enough, you can also find the good.
Those
who take massive action today with the right attitude and positive expectancy
towards the future prepare themselves for greatness tomorrow. On the other hand,
those who sit around fearful of the future and feeling sorry for themselves and
waiting for the perfect economy or for the stars to line up will never succeed.
Why, because there is never a perfect time for any thing and the stars never stay
lined up for long. Business is what you make it.
I recently
attended a real estate seminar where one of the top real estate agents in the
nation talked about the current housing market and how over 400,000 agents nationwide
will exit the profession. He thought this situation was great! He was excited
because fewer agents translate into more market share for him. One of the reasons
he is at the top of his profession is that despite a market downturn he is already
positioning himself today to take advantage of the next real estate boom that
is already on its way.
Unlike top performers, too many people
sit around waiting for someone to call and give them some good news; and then
they'll go to work. They say something like, "When the economy turns around
I will really, really get in the game." These people will never succeed.
I
have an old shirt that I sometimes wear when I workout. It has a picture of a
Rhino curling his bulging bicep saying, 'Quit your crying; only the strong survive.'
I've
been in sales and marketing for over 22 years and the media has always got some
type of hype going on. There's always going to be boom and bust. During the boom,
save a little and enjoy it while it lasts. During the rough periods, it is time
to bust out of your comfort zone and get creative. Some of the best marketing
ideas have come about because of challenges. Leaders always emerge during challenges.
While people in general sit around waiting for circumstances to happen to them,
leaders create their own circumstances. While some predict doom and gloom, others
take massive action because they understand that today's actions equal tomorrow's
results.
Think about it, smart investors buy when the housing
market is down because they know it will come back. It has to, because more people
are born today than pass on and the demand for housing will eventually exceed
the supply.
Take time today to write down three items that
create challenges in your world. Then, ask yourself "Is there anything I
can do to change this circumstance?" If there is, then take massive action
and make the necessary changes immediately. If there is nothing you can do, then
ask yourself, "In one year, two years, or five years from now will these
challenges even matter or will they be something I'll sit back and laugh about?"
Chances are you will look back and laugh about your circumstances because they
don't really matter. Either way, forget about it because there is nothing you
can do. And, 90 percent of what we worry about never even happens. They are minor
issues that will get you all caught up in the moment and they will hold you back
if you let them.
Now write down three good and positive
opportunities that are present in your world. If you will focus on the good in
your life instead of what you can't change you will see a tremendous difference
in your attitude and your performance. People will react to you differently and
you will experience positive results.
Another action step
you can take is to guard your mind from negativity. We can control what we watch
and what we listen to. If you surf the Internet, watch TV, listen to the news
or read the newspaper, you have the ability to turn the channel, turn the page
and read something uplifting.
We can also control the thoughts
we allow to dominate our mind. Successful people learn to recognize when their
thinking is negative. When negative thoughts start to come into your mind say
the word "Cancel" out loud and replace the negative thought with something
positive. Why, because what you focus on the most is the direction you will head.
If you drive a car and you focus on the ditch where will you end up? You're going
to into the ditch.
The best part of life is that you have
a choice each and every day. You can guard your mind from negativity and consciously
shift your focus to what's right in your world instead of the minor wrongs that
may be temporarily. The people that focus on what's right guarantee their future
success.
The choices you make today will determine your
ultimate destiny. The reality is there is more opportunity today than there has
ever been in the past. There are more options, more ways to learn, and more opportunities
to produce positive change in your life than ever.
You see,
the greatest depression didn't happen in the 1930s, it happens every day in people's
minds who allow their outside circumstances control what goes on inside them.
Therefore, the mind controls their thoughts, actions, reactions, and ultimately
their future.
So, when situations look impossible or you're
tempted to go through the day negative and depressed, that is when you have to
step up and change your belief level. Expect good to happen. Expect to rise above
your challenges. Expect victory!
When those around you predict
doom and gloom for everything from the economy to your goals and dreams, remember
that success is mostly a mental game. Your thoughts will drive your results, your
success, and even your destiny. So defend your mind against the negative, proactively
focus on the positive, and expect to win. You have the power to guard your mind,
choose your thoughts and control your attitude. Therefore, you guarantee that
the greatest depressions for some will be your greatest success. It's all up to
you.
Believe in yourself….Raise the bar….Move
Mountains!
