Benjamin Franklin
To succeed in this business you must attack your plan of action like there’s no tomorrow. Don’t wait for the right moment. There is no right moment. Right now, today is the best time to make the call you’ve been dreading, organize the meeting you’ve put off, or deliver your first sales presentation. Whatever it is that needs done--and you know what it is--can be done right now.
Procrastination won’t cut it. As General Patton was fond of saying: “A boldly executed plan, however flawed, will win.” Your plan of action does not have to be perfect--forget it--there is no such thing as a “perfect” plan. Take the knowledge you have today and apply it. Get help if need be, but do something decisive immediately.
Years ago, before I owned a car, my wife and I walked to the grocery store two miles from our apartment. Coming home with groceries under both arms was no fun, particularly when the milk ate through the paper bag before you were out of the store parking lot. But when we finally stumbled into the house, the pain of the long walk was history. The long walk was forgotten as we put the groceries away and planned an enjoyable dinner.
A
worthwhile objective
is
worth the
effort.
The point is, your business is the same as my grocery store trips. Sometimes the going is tough, sometimes you may not feel like doing something you know needs to be done, and at other times you are flat out exhausted or mentally distraught. But when you do what’s necessary, and you begin to see your organization grow, and the sales volume build, then those initial, painful steps are forgotten. Race to get beyond the startup stage. Forget the pain by developing an action plan, then implementing it, now.
The key to success is continued effort in the face of failure. Success books are full of anecdotes citing the value of plodding on against all odds and assorted obstacles. The Book of Proverbs even suggests this strategy by advising us to consult the ant for a lesson in productivity. But, in addition to working hard, you need to work smart.
Failure is only helpful if you take the time to analyze the cause of that failure, and what you can do to prevent its recurrence. For example, while attempting to recruit a prospect over the phone you get turned down cold. What went wrong? While discussing the rejection with your sponsor she tells you telephone calls are the wrong place to recruit. According to her, telephone calls are designed to invite a prospect to an opportunity meeting, or get an appointment for a private meeting.
Now, as a plodder you would ignore this information and continue trying to recruit over the phone. But, as one who learns from failure, you stop trying to recruit over the phone, and simply use the phone to secure appointments.
If at first you don’t succeed,
try, try, again.
But next time, add a little smarts to your
plodding.
You are part of a country whose economy and government afford the greatest opportunity for individuals to achieve financial success in the history of mankind. Don’t let failures or setbacks get you down. The power of learning from mistakes is in taking corrective action with the added knowledge of what “doesn’t” work. Learn from failure, and press on.
Take a moment to analyze each mistake. What would you do differently under each of the circumstances you listed above?
Are mistakes in the past influencing your business decisions today?
How can you turn the lessons of past mistakes into a profit in the form of experience or education?
The next time you are confronted with a situation that smells like it may go bad, reflect on your life experiences before pressing forward. Use your painful and expensive mistakes to improve your future.