Question: Why are YOU successful?
People who believe good events have permanent causes try even harder after they succeed. People who see temporary reasons for good events may give up when they succeed, believing success was a fluke.
— Martin E.P. Seligman
Back in the years when I was a hiring-manager I often invited prospective sales people to tell me about one of their successes; and then I asked them what they attributed that success to… and about fell out of my chair when, time after time, they would tell me, “just lucky I guess…”
Huh? I mean, aside from forfeiting the obvious opportunity to brag, if they truly weren’t aware of what led to their success, how in the world could I expect them to do it again on our sales team?
How’d You Get So Lucky?
Though no longer employed as a sales manager, I still think there’s merit in looking back over recent Continue reading » Just Lucky, I Guess
Have you ever been disappointed at not reaching your goal but somehow found that you were delighted with the outcome anyway?
Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?
— Robert Browning
We recently experienced an extraordinary week of rain here in sunny California. And when the weather forecasters declared an end to the onslaught, I decided to indulge in the luxury of taking my car to the carwash. I had an hour to wait so I went for a walk on the river trail. My goal: To the bridge and back.
Disappointment
I didn’t get as far as I expected. At the half hour mark, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bridge, I pushed on… and then on some more… but the bridge continued to hide “just around the bend.” With time ticking, I realized I wasn’t going to get to the bridge – and, disappointed that I’d missed my goal, I reluctantly turned and double-timed it back to the carwash where my clean car awaited me.
I guess it’s human nature to be disappointed when we don’t get as far as we expected. I remember when, back in my corporate days as a sales manager, one of my rookie sales people aimed to be “Top Sales Leader of the Year”. He really put his heart and soul into it. He came in second.
That’s when it pays to remember: Continue reading » Delight over a Missed Goal
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