CLARITY OF PURPOSE

People often stumble over the question of their purpose in
life, but in business there can be no question. There is
absolutely no room for confusion on this issue. The purpose
of any business is precisely this: to serve a well-
satisfied customer.
Sure, you want to make a profit. Of course, you want to
serve your customer in ways that are convenient, satisfying
and (obviously) legal and moral. But the bottom line is
always the same, to serve a customer.
So the first and primary question for any business is: 
What exactly do you do FOR your customers?
Some restaurants provide meals that are fast or
inexpensive, that have particular ethnic or nutritional
styles, or that are conveniently located. No restaurant can
be all things to all people, but every restaurant has one
main purpose. McDonald’s provides predictability and speed.
The Four Seasons provides elegance and memories. Ruth’s
Chris provides fancy steaks. Dominoes delivers pizza in 30
minutes or less.
Recently in North America, we can see this is the cell
phone industry. AT&T emphasizes “more bars” and fewer
dropped calls. That’s how they intend to serve their
customers and distinguish themselves from other providers.
Verizon, on the other hand, has emphasized their network
and service.
Your business has only one primary purpose. When you are
clear about that, and clearly communicate it in every
message you send, your business is likely to grow.
Many businesses are confused about how to do this or,
perhaps even worse, about how to communicate it to
potential customers. You want to be absolutely clear in
your messaging about what, exactly, you can do to make your
customer's lives better, faster, easier or more convenient.
Once again, an outside coach or consultant can help you and
every employee define and communicate your message clearly.
When you do, your profits will soar!

THE STEPS TO GREAT ACHIEVEMENT

One-third of the year is over.Valentine's and Easter,
are in the past. The weather is warmer and the days are
longer. So, how are you doing on your 2014 goals?
I know, it's a question coaches and mentors ask at the end
of every month. It gets old. But mostly, of course, it gets
old if you know you aren't where you should be. And if
other people--your MasterMind group, your coach, your boss-
-or your spouse--know you are not on-budget and on-
schedule, well, then the question gets really old!
But it's a serious, life-changing question. If you are on-
track and on-budget, take tremendous pride in that! Pat
yourself on the back and brag a little! You deserve it, and
others will appreciate using you as a role model. Give them
that chance! They need you as an inspiration!
And if, deep inside, you know you are not where you thought
you'd be, it's time to ask some good, smart, hard
questions.
Fundamentally, there are only a few reasons not to be on-
schedule regarding your most important goals. Is the
problem bad planning or poor scheduling? Were the costs or
difficulties greater than you anticipated? Has someone been
opposing or frustrating you? Or did you get sick, have an
emergency, or change your mind?
Or, is the problem, basically, you? A lack of focus or
self-discipline, a lack of patience, or a lack perseverance
or persistence, or even good old-fashioned laziness can
explain your lack of progress. While few of us take pride
in such things, the good news is that all of these things
are fixable!
If you are behind schedule, one of the most important
questions you can ask is whether your 2014 goals were
really and truly GOALS, or something less. If they were
hopes or dreams, or fantasies or vague possibilities, be
honest about that! There's no shame in having big dreams
and keeping them out there, in the future, as dreams to
inspire you. Some people are confused and honestly think
they have goals, when what they really have are hopes or
wishes or visions of what might be, someday.
Nothing wrong with that! In fact, I think there's something
wonderful about having big dreams! But dreams are not
goals.
To be achieved, all goals require a three-part foundation:

    1.  Specificity. Goals must be measurable and
attainable. They must be feasible and realistic. They need
a time-frame or deadline, and you have to know exactly what
you're after! To be "fit" is an aspiration; to run next
year's Boston Marathon in under four hours is a measurable
goal.
    2.  Planning. Goals require budgets and schedules, and
one of my favorite words, sequencing. "First, I'll do this,
then I'll do that." Who will help you? Who has the skills
you'll need, and will they teach you? Personally, I think
calendars are one of life's most under-utilized tools.
    3.  Emotion. Goals require passion and excitement. Jim
Rohn said, "Reasons come first, ways come second." When you
have enough reasons, you'll find a way! When a child wants
a cookie, even Fort Knox is hardly safe against their
desires! Whether your goal is a new house or the universal
desire to lose weight, determination and drive make all the
difference.
There's an ancient story that I love. It seems a young
woman once climbed a mountain to visit a wise old seer.
Finding the guru, the woman asked for the gift of great
wisdom. Without saying a word, the guru rose and led her to
a near-by lake. Wading in about waist deep, the guru
suddenly grabbed the woman and held her head under water.
As you can imagine, she thrashed wildly, desperate for air.
After a short eternity, the guru let her up and quietly
said, "When you seek wisdom as clearly and eagerly as you
sought that next breath of air, you will find it."
Whatever your goals, seek them as specifically and as
passionately as you would seek one more breath of air. Be
clear about what you want--measure it in dollars or numbers
or whatever is appropriate. Then plan wisely. Schedule your
time, eliminate distractions, cancel whatever might get in
your way. Clear a path to success! Then, give it all you've
got!
And one final thought: Get and use a great coach! Wise
parents teach their children about life, from riding a bike
to budgeting. Wise employers train their employees. We all
do better when someone shows us the way. If your goals are
important to you (and they are important, right?), get a
coach to teach you, to hold you accountable, to encourage
and support you. Success in any great endeavor requires
great coaching.

THE DAILIES OF HIGH ACHIEVERS

I've always wondered why some people accomplish more, get
better results, earn more and leave a huge legacy, while
others work just as hard but never seem to "get it
together." What's the difference between high achievers and
everyone else? Why are some people so happy with their
lives? Are there a few keys that make the difference? And
if so, are they skills or techniques that can be learned
and used by everyone, or are they reserved for the lucky
few?
I'm sure there may be other ways to phrase it, but I've
discovered three big parts of the answer. When I read about
the most admired people in history, or talk with highly
successful people, there are three daily activities that
stand out. Most importantly to me, these three things seem
to make a huge difference in my own life and my own
results. I'd like to share them with you.
1. Positive Self-Awareness. High achievers talk to
themselves constantly and are very clear and positive in
their self-descriptions.
We all have dozens of ways we describe ourselves to
ourselves. We tell ourselves, "I'm a good cook" or "I can't
dance." We tell ourselves we're athletic or smart or that
we "can't carry a tune in a bucket." We all do it and
here's a critical piece: We all have areas where we want to
improve our performance. High performers consciously and
continuously think about getting better in those specific
areas.
This is familiar to those who use affirmations but it's a
bit different from the way affirmations are usually taught.
I'm not talking about "affirming" that you've already
reached your yearly income goal. Far from it! I'm talking
about things that winners can control and change
immediately.
Here are two simple examples. Many people tell themselves,
"I'm a procrastinator." By doing so, they actually affirm
the habit of procrastination. In contrast, winners
consciously decide never to use that phrase again! Instead
they might substitute a positive self-description like, "I
do it now!" or, "I never put off what I can do today."
Then, they repeat that over and over, every day.
Procrastination becomes a thing of the past.
A second example. People who are afraid to fly (or have
similar fears) often focus on their fears and tell
themselves, "I hate flying." Instead, winners analyze their
fear and decide whether (or not) it's statistically valid.
They might ask hard questions about whether the fear is
holding them back in life and decide how badly they want to
over-come it. Then they create an alternative statement
such as, "I enjoy flying to exciting destinations," or
"Flying fearlessly gets me more of what I want in life."
Winners consciously and continuously affirm the person they
want to be. Instead of berating themselves for habits they
want to change, they practice Positive Self-Awareness.
2.  Positive Daily Habits. We all have dozens of things we
do every day. We brush our teeth, read the paper, walk the
dog, eat dinner and so forth. What sets winners apart is
that they also have a few carefully chosen, specific daily
disciplines they do every single day to move them toward
the life they want.
Thomas Leonard gave me this idea many years ago, and called
it his Daily Ten. For me, it's become a Daily Eight. The
idea is to develop a short list of daily actions that will
move you forward. I'll share my Daily Eight by way of
example. Every day I so these eight things:
Read, Write, Walk, Work, Nest, Network, Romance and Have
Fun
I've carefully defined each of those words in my own unique
way. They suit me. "Read" is code for actually reading for
an hour every day. "Walk," on the other hand, has a
much broader definition and simply refers to cardio-
vascular activity of some sort, every single day. "Nest" is
code for keeping the house, my office and personal
environment clean, attractive and functional. "Romance" and
"Fun" have broad definitions, and I'll leave them to your
imagination.
The point is that winners are disciplined. They know that
taking simple, daily actions to enrich their lives and move
them toward their goals will, in time, bring results. They
practice their Dailies every single day.
3.  Positive Future Expectations. Winners make clear,
specific, focused choices about what they want in the
future. For some, these are traditional goals with a plan--
to earn $250,000 this year or to visit Paris next summer.
Other people find goals too confining or too limiting. They
might refer to "direction" (my personal favorite), or to
"themes" or even use a word that drives some goal-setters
crazy, "dreams." I don't think the term is important, but
the concept is vital!
Know the future you want and have a strategy or system to
make it happen. Of course, life doesn't always turn out the
way we hoped. But winners are very precise about the future
they want and they imagine it and work for it, every single
day.
Positive Self-Awareness, Positive Daily Actions and
Positive Future Expectations are critical for success. Know
and use these three simple principles to create the life
you truly want. They won't let you down.
Perhaps a fourth key is to take time (and have space and
support) to clearly define exactly what you want in life.
Modern society is not generally fond of pondering. We
rarely sit. We rarely journal or dream. I'm not sure how
often we even pause to be grateful! I suspect that's a
mistake.

STAY AHEAD OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA CURVE

 

Social media has and will continue to have a strong impact on the way we interact with one another —one popular business networking site is reporting growth at a rate of two new users per second—but also as a provider of essential insights to prospects, clients and the competition.
 Organizations employing best practices often integrate social media- and other Web-based search tools within their CRM systems in order to receive the latest up-to-date status of the prospect or client. In terms of active clients, sellers gain a leading edge from these resources by having access to sometimes essential information—which can then be used as a Valid Business Reason to make that next important face-to-face or telephone interaction so crucial for maintaining a customer-focused relationship.
 Staying ahead of the curve means knowing not only what’s working, but what’s working better. For instance, some LinkedIn members may not have yet ventured past the basic features that are available within the site’s search function. The basic (and free) entry-level membership offers a range of helpful information for researching that all-important executive. By using the “Advanced Search” feature and then refining your search to “sales vice president” or “CEO” for the company or market segment you are looking for, you can instantly create a list of people who may have influence over an opportunity you are pursuing.
 If you aren’t already employing social media—with the unprecedented amount of information and tools it offers for investigating current and potential opportunities—you are already behind the curve.

DUPLICATE YOUR SUCCESS

A recent client of mine developed a wonderful business
model. I won't give away the kernel of his amazing system,
but I will describe the principles that make it work.
1.  His business has a very low start-up cost. Most
professionals are surprised at the actual costs of
equipping an office and launching a new business, and start
out under-capitalized. This client developed a business
model can be set up for under $20,000 so he can afford to
do it right and create momentum from the very beginning. A
fantastic way to start!
2.  His products are low cost, quickly consumed, and
standardized. In other words, he makes lots of repeat
sales. Think McDonalds restaurants, gas stations, or
dentists. His customers appreciate the predictability and
reliability, and when they need more, they come back and
make repeat purchases. The cost of sales goes down, while
volume and profits go up. Good system!
3.  Finally, because the business is modular, he can easily
duplicate himself.  Once the bugs are worked out, he can
either establish more offices and hire people to run them,
or franchise the idea, or follow a number of other plans. 
The key is duplication.
Unless you can duplicate yourself, no matter how well you
are paid and how fancy your title, you are basically
working for wages. A surgeon may earn thousands of dollars
per hour, but she only gets paid when she operates. 
To increase your earnings, duplicate yourself. Find a way
to "modularize" (is that a word?) your business model and
let other people make money helping you make money. You
really can't do it all yourself!

ILLUSTRATION: THE ATTITUDE OF NEGOTIATION AND PROBLEM SOLVING

A father left 17 Camels as an Asset for his Three Sons.
When the Father passed away, his sons opened up the will.
The Will of the Father stated that the Eldest son should get Half of 17 Camels,
...

The Middle Son should be given 1/3rd of 17 Camels,
Youngest Son should be given 1/9th of the 17 Camels,
As it is not possible to divide 17 into half or 17 by 3 or 17 by 9, the sons started to fight with each other.
So, they decided to go to a wise man.
The wise man listened patiently about the Will. The wise man, after giving this thought, brought one camel of his own & added the same to 17. That increased the total to 18 camels.
Now, he started reading the deceased father’s will.
Half of 18 = 9.
So he gave 9 camels
to the eldest son.
1/3rd of 18 = 6.
So he gave 6 camels
to the middle son.
1/9th of 18 = 2.
So he gave 2 camels
to the youngest son.
Now add this up:
9 + 6 + 2 = 17 &
This leaves 1 camel,
which the wise man took back.
MORAL: The attitude of negotiation & problem solving is to find the 18th camel i.e. the common ground. Once a person is able to find the common ground, the issue is resolved. It is difficult at times.
However, to reach a solution, the first step is to believe that there is a solution. If we think that there is no solution, we won’t be able to reach any!

7 PRINCIPLES OF AN EAGLE

Eagles were the symbol of almost all conquerors be it Caesar or Hitler the reason is!! Read on…..

  

1. Eagles fly with Eagles

• Eagles fly alone at a high altitude and not with other smaller birds
• No other bird goes to the height of the eagle.
• Eagles fly with Eagles, never in a flock.
• Even when Moses (Old Testament Bible) went to commune with God on the mountain, he left the crowd at the foothills.

Principle: Stay away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with eagles


2. Eagles have strong vision

• Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air.
• When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it.
• No matter what obstacles come, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

  

Principle: Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle you face and you will succeed.


3.  Eagles have a Fresh Look

• Eagles do not eat dead things. He feeds on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals but not eagles.
• Steer clear of outdated and old information.

Principle: Do your research well always.


4.  Eagles Love the Storm

• The Eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited.
• The eagle uses the wings of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher.
• Once it finds the wing of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings.
• In the meantime all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees.

Principle: We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.


5. Eagle Tests before it Trusts

• When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her.
• Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases until he reaches it and has to catch it before it falls to the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle.
• The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude, and then drops the twig for the male to chase.
• This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment, then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her!

Principle: Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

  

6. Eagles prepare for training

• The female and male eagle identifies a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach to lay eggs.
• The male picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then collects twigs which he lays in the intended nest.
• Again he picks thorns and lays them on top of the twigs. He then picks soft grass to cover the thorns, and then files to pick up rugs to put on the grass. When this first layering is complete the male eagle then plucks his feathers to complete the nest.
• The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders.
• Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts.

  

Principle:

• The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes;
• The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success;
• Being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result in our not experiencing life, not progressing, and not learning at all.
• The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest, and move on. We may not know it, but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns;
• The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push  us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.

7.  Shed Habits of No Value

• When the Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out.

Principle: We occasionally need to shed off old habits, things that burden us, or add no value to our  lives.

COPING WITH OVER-WHELM

Every business owner or manager has far more to do than
anyone can accomplish in the time available. We all have
marketing and research to do, meetings to attend, people to
supervise or a website to build. It's easy to feel over-
whelmed.
What's a leader to do?
Failures succumb. They let themselves get over-whelmed and
have the feeling that it’s "too much," or that they "can't
do it all."
Winners, on the other hand, accept reality. Of course you
can't do it all! No one could! That's the way life, and
business, is. You can't fight it.
Winners employ three simple steps, and I highly recommend
them.
1.  They say, No! They understand that some of the have-
to's are simply unrealistic and they say no, even if it
would be nice if they could do it all. Some of the things
on any manager's list simply won't get done, at least not
today. Delegate or out-source as many things as you can.
When necessary, just say No.
2.  They Sequence. This is another word for prioritizing. A
few things must be done now, or soon. Others must be done,
but can wait until tomorrow or next week, perhaps even
until next year. Do the things of most importance, leave
everything else until it's turn.
3.  They Focus. Successful leaders do one thing at a time,
and each individual item, at that critical moment, gets
their full attention. When you're in a meeting that you've
decided is the most important thing at the moment, BE
THERE! Pay attention. Be alert. Stay focused.

LEARNED PESSIMISM OR INTENTIONAL OPTIMISM

The 19th century philosopher and psychologist, William
James, wrote that, "The greatest discovery of my generation
is that a human being can alter his life by altering his
attitudes of mind." Hundreds, if not thousands of leaders,
teachers, gurus and philosophers have pointed to the same
truth.
It runs through Napoleon Hill's famous book, "Think and
Grow Rich" from the 1930's. In the 1950's, Earl Nightingale
made his famous recording (on old, 78 rpm records!) called,
"The Greatest Secret." In 1962, Normal Vincent Peale wrote,
"The Power of Positive Thinking." In the 70's and 80's, my
mentor, Jim Rohn, and his colleagues and competitors, Brian
Tracy and Zig Ziglar built entire careers on this same
"discovery." The list of folks who have discovered this
"secret" goes back to Aristotle and continues to the modern
discovery of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy.
But, and this is important, there are at least two major
groups who are getting rich with an alternative point of
view. Specifically, I'm thinking of the billions of dollars
spent (and made) with "hip-hop" and "rap" music on the one
hand, and the modern news media on the other.
One group glorifies a wide variety of dead-end activities,
from drug use to brutal misogyny, criminal behavior and
narcissism. Some of their lyrics and message are truly
awful, evil and destructive. Fortunately, however, I
suspect they are not a major source of entertainment for
most of my readers.
I consider the other group to be even more destructive. We
are bombarded with 24-hour news and what passes as
entertainment. Most American households receive multiple
24-hour cable news channels. We receive news and opinion
via Twitter, newsletter, websites and on our phones.
All day long, our minds are flooded with ads to buy gold
and silver because our world is about to end. We hear about
wars and epidemics, the danger of a thousand daily dangers,
bad medicines ("Call now!"), and of course, there's the
issue of climate change that will kill us all, if radiation
from our cell phones doesn't get us first.
In the midst of this, we try to "climb the ladder" and "get
ahead" through hard work, dedication, innovation and
personal discipline.
We try to have "hope for the future" while a thousand
voices tell us to "be afraid, be very afraid." We try to
focus on our values and our priorities, while alarm bells
and buzzers scream in our ears and good-looking,
authoritative news anchors tell us the sky is falling and
we're all about to die.
And yet, in the midst of all this noise, "The greatest
discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter
his life by altering his attitudes of mind." What's a
person to do?
I've been a "news junkie" all my life. I started reading
the daily paper in grade school (my Dad quizzed us at the
dinner table). I take exaggerated pride in knowing about
Putin and Ukraine, about the mudslide in Washington, the
missing jet in Malaysia and the tragedy at Fort Hood. Some
people follow sports; I follow politics and economics. And
everyone follows the Kardashians!
Well. Here's a news-flash: Turn it off!
No, I'm not suddenly in favor of ignorance, but I am in
favor of controlling the "stuff" that goes into your mind.
I believe in the old saying "GIGO"--"Garbage In, Garbage
Out."
If we let our thinking be dominated by the latest "breaking
news" or "bright, shiny object," we can't help being
distracted, confused, anxious or even immobilized. Instead,
I suggest reviewing your goals, every day. Read something
inspiring or listen to motivational audio programs. Every
day. Hang out with positive, creative, loving people. Every
day. Consider and re-write your top values and most
important priorities--every single day!
We inevitably become, and our lives reflect, what we think
about all day long.
A while back, the Apostle Paul put it this way:
"Finally…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think
about such things." (Phil. 4:8) Seems like pretty good
advice!

HOW TO OVERCOME THE 4 MAJOR OBSTACLES TO CLOSING

If you are in sales, you might know the difficultly and stress that comes with the end game of selling. But do you know that there are several reasons for why it is?

First and foremost is the fear of failure experienced by the prospect. Because of negative buying experiences in the past, over which you could have no control, prospects are conditioned to be suspicious, skeptical and wary of salespeople and sales approaches. They may like to buy, but they don't like to be sold. They are afraid of making a mistake. They are afraid of paying too much and finding it for sale cheaper somewhere else.

Fear of Criticism

They are afraid of being criticized by others for making the wrong buying decision. They are afraid of buying an inappropriate product and finding out later that they should have purchased something else. This fear of failure, of making a mistake in buying your product, is the major reason why people object, hesitate and procrastinate on the buying decision.

Fear of Rejection

The second major obstacle to selling is the fear of rejection, of criticism and disapproval experienced by the salesperson. You work long and hard to prospect and cultivate a prospective buyer and you are very reluctant to say anything that might cause the prospect to tune you out and turn you off. You have a lot invested in each prospect and if you are not careful, you will find yourself being wishy-washy at the end of the sale, rather than risking incurring the displeasure of the prospect by your asking for a firm decision.

Customers Are Busy

The third reason why the end of the sale is difficult is that customers are busy and preoccupied. It isn't that they are not interested in enjoying the benefits of your product. It's just that they are overwhelmed with work and they find it difficult to make sufficient time available to think through your recommendations and make a buying decision. And the better they are as a prospect, the busier they tend to be. This is why you need to maintain momentum throughout the sales process and gently push it to a conclusion at the appropriate time.

Inertia is Hard to Break

The factor of inertia is the fourth reason that can also cause the sales process to come to a halt without a resolution. Customers are lazy and often quite comfortable doing what they are currently doing. Your product or service may require that they make exceptional efforts to accommodate the change or a new way of doing things. They perhaps recognize that they would be better off with your product, but the trouble and expense of installing it hardly seems to make it worth the effort. They see no pressing need or urgency to stop doing what they are doing and start doing something else with what you are selling.

Everyone Buys at the Same Time

The good news is that everybody you meet has bought and will buy, new products and services from someone, at some time. If they didn't buy from you, they will from someone else. You must find the way to overcome the natural physical and psychological obstacles to buying and then hone your skills so that you are capable of selling to almost any qualified prospect you speak to.

Action Exercises

Now, here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, recognize the normal fear of making a buying mistake experienced by the customer. Give him every reason you can think of to be confident in dealing with you.

Second, accept that everyone you talk to is busy and you are interrupting. Always ask if this is a good time for him to give you his undivided attention. If not, arrange to see him another time.

 

MARKETING WITH ATTRACTION

This week, I was reminded of a quote from one of my
mentors, Thomas Leonard, who observed that, "People love to
buy things, but almost no one wants to be sold."
Thousands of people are eager to buy what you sell. They
want the benefits, the convenience, the comfort or prestige
that you can provide. Human beings are an acquisitive
bunch. We want stuff!
Of course, consumerism can be abused, but buying and
selling is the process that creates the life (and the
lifestyle) we all want. The desire to acquire goes deep,
and it’s a good thing.
So, if you aren’t making as many sales as you would like,
let me suggest that the problem is not with your customers,
but with you. The problem is likely one of the following:
1.  Not enough potential customers know about you or that
your product could enrich their lives. This is a marketing
problem, and as a business leader it is your job to solve
it. Get out there and get in the game!
2.  Or, the other possibility, is that you’re trying too
hard to sell.
Personally, I have a deep-seated aversion to being sold
anything. I see websites that seem manipulative or
dishonest. I see sales techniques that fail to build trust
or credibility, and they do not attract me.
But people are eager to buy benefits! They buy solutions to
their problems. They buy things that make their lives
better, easier, simpler, healthier or more comfortable.
They buy stuff that makes them happy. And they buy from
people they know and like and trust.
If enough people "know and like and trust" you, they will
listen when you offer a product or service that will make
their lives better. If they "know and like and trust" you,
they will flock to your door and you’ll make all the sales
you need.

3 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT MONEY BEFORE MAKING IT

Like it or not, you have to deal with money in order to survive in this world. It's part of our culture, and a core part of society. And since the beginning of time everyone and his brother has had “the answer” as to how to make money, lots of money.
The reality? Money is not what people think it is. The majority of people think money is all that matters, even if they don’t admit it. This isn’t just about greed, although that comes up. People who obsess about coupons or endlessly worry about their retirement savings are trapped in the same viscous cycle as those who insist they have a better car than their neighbors do.
That’s why understanding these three basic tenets of money is so crucial to your success.If you're like most people, these three tenets run counter to what you were taught money is about and how to get it.
#1 Money is neutral, neither good nor bad
This literally changed my life when I first discovered this. It’s so tempting to think that those with money are blessed, and that those who are without are cursed.
The truth is money is 100% neutral. That’s why you can take =N=1 and spend it on charity, on a treat for yourself or to gamble on a football game. The naira is the same, what you do with it isn’t. You can think of money as more of a tool, like a hammer. If you hit your thumb with a hammer is it the hammer’s fault? Likewise, if you build a house using a hammer does the hammer deserve all the credit? No, it’s just a tool and one that is neutral.
#2 Money is not the end goal, ever
You will never succeed if money is your only goal. If your goal is to make =N=1,000,000 a year or a =N=10,000,000 million a year, achieving that goal will be meaningless unless the other aspects of your life are in place. Therefore, while you may (and I do mean MAY) be financially secure, if you were depressed, anxious, angry or in any other state prior to achieving the goal you will still be that way. In other words, money isn’t going to solve your core issues.
A famous therapist talked about this in his bestselling book.His client thought that if he made $100,000 a year his life would be perfect (and this was back when that type of money WAS big money). Well, his client achieved the amount and . . . nothing changed. Everything had had felt previously, good and bad, was still with him. The only thing that really changed was he now had a new anxiety of maintaining this high income.
Put simply, the money didn't matter.
#3 Hard work = money? Not really.
Most people were raised with the belief that if you work hard you will be rewarded, especially with money. The reality is quite different. Think about it. You could “work hard” at MTN or CHEVRON for decades and still not make what an A-list celebrity (who is also “working hard”) makes in one month. Mix in things like winning a lottery or picking the right stock, and “working hard” for money makes little sense. Solution? Work smart, but make sure it is work you are passionate about. The money will flow afterwards.
The point is your success comes from everything BUT money — money will always follow if you do what you love to do naturally. Anything else will just create severe blockages in your life.
This isn't to say you need to become some impoverished monk. You only need to become YOU.

ATTITUDE VS APTITUDE

Did you know that a major source of stress in your life is the "fear of rejection" or "fear of criticism?"
This fear of rejection manifests itself in an over-concern for the approval or disapproval of your boss or other people. The fear of rejection is often learned in early childhood as the result of a parent giving the child what psychologists call "conditional love."
Rise Above the Need For Approval
Many parents made the mistake of giving love and approval to their children only when their children did something that they wanted them to do. A child who has grown up with this kind of conditional love tends to seek for unconditional approval from others all his or her life. When the child becomes an adult, this need for approval from the parent is transferred to the workplace and onto the boss. The adult employee can then become preoccupied with the opinion of the boss. This preoccupation can lead to an obsession to perform to some undetermined high standard.
Avoid Type A Behavior
Doctors Rosenman and Friedman, two San Francisco heart specialists, have defined this obsession for performance as "Type A behavior." Experts have concluded that approximately 60% of men and as many as 30% of women are people with Type A behavior.
Don't Burn Yourself Out
This Type A behavior can vary from mild forms to extreme cases. People who are what they call "true Type A's" usually put so much pressure on themselves to perform in order to please their bosses that they burn themselves out. They often die of heart attacks before the age of 55. This Type A behavior, triggered by conditional love in childhood, is a very serious stress-related phenomenon in the American workplace.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to deal with the fear of rejection, criticism and disapproval.
First, realize and accept that the opinions of others are not important enough for you to feel stressed, unhappy or over concerned about them. Even if they dislike you entirely, it has nothing to do with your own personal worth and value as a person.
Second, refuse to be over concerned about what you think people are thinking about you. The fact is that most people are not thinking about you at all. Relax and get on with your life.