Once again I draw inspiration from the one and only Harvey Mackay. It was he, well over 20 years ago that  got the ball truly moving in the right direction for me. Having landed my first outside sales position, a manufacturer’s representative provided me  two cassettes which  I have played over and over. I became an immediate fan of the Go-Giver from Minnesota of all places. I started putting his ideas to work and the little successes started to grow almost immediately into far bigger successes…

However you measure it,  success is sweet but is doesn’t happen overnight! Many times I liken the career path of a professional sales rep to an adventurer taking the road less travelled.  It’s a journey or a process and not a destination. Are there bumps in the road? Absolutely plenty of them which can derail a successful career and lead you down a path of negativity. Discouragement, disappointments, even occasional failures… It’s all in how we either dwell on them or use them as a learning experience. I believe it was Dennis Waitley in the early “80′s that used to tell all that would listen to call them temporary setbacks or learning experiences  – reframe it.

Look back on past successes and achievements. Don’t forget to include what you feel in your heart of hearts what your yet untapped potential is! Goal setting is huge. You here it time and time again but so few undergo the actual process of committing  these goals to paper. Once done what is your plan with a proposed timeline to achieve them? Be specific as possible – not vague. If you aim high you may miss your mark however aim low and you hit the target every time!

Instead of being overwhelmed by failure, be inspired by success! Hang out with positive sales leaders either in your firm or industry where possible. Seek out those rare leaders that take the high road and use integrity as their moral compass. Remember too that is all about ensuring you give service and value to the clients you serve. If the primary motivator is only about commissionable earnings the successes obtained in most cases will not be sustained over the long haul. I’m not saying that profit is a bad thing – anything but! At the end of the day if you’re not making a profit you are simply practicing working (a famous Kit Grant line). It is a by-product that should happen naturally as a result of delivering value (products or services). In my particular case it’s about being passionate about assisting clients live their lives in financial comfort. Having a firm belief, no,  a strong conviction in what I do is not just important but of paramount importance. For me it’s all about of being of true service to those I serve.  By doing the right things and at the right time, the law of reciprocity kicks in – that simple.

Rethink your strategy (hopefully you have one) if necessary. Surround yourself with positive people who will provide the encouragement that will help you realize what is possible. We all have friends like this close at hand. In my particular case people like  Stuart, Bob, Chad, Jordan, Jass, Mike, Kirk…very cool.

Re-evaluate your goals (what are they – are they written down and read daily). Are these goals realistic, achievable, specific and measurable? All these components are necessary in the measurement of your success. How else will you know if you have succeeded?

Focus on improvement not perfection. You can always do more, achieve more, get more. Track your progress so you can see how much closer you have come to reaching your goals and ultimate success.

Be proactive. Create your own opportunities by working on what you can control instead of what is beyond your reach. We crawl before we walk, walk before we run…

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Put your ideas out there and give them a chance to succeed and learn from the mistakes made. Think and Grow Rich (a classic must read) by Napoleon Hill is full of stories of how splendid successes resulted from colossal failure in business history. Make history repeat itself!

Instead of being overwhelmed by failure, be inspired by success. 2012 is around the corner have an outstanding year.