7/29/2019

It’s Supposed To Suck!

It’s supposed to suck! You are creating something out of nothing.” -Brian Hicks

The first time I heard Brian Hicks say this I nearly snorted water out of my nose. (Important safety tip: When listening to Brian speak, time your drinking with care.) I laughed and then realized this was no laughing matter. It was literally a matter of life and death. Maybe not to your existence on this planet, but the life and death of your business.

Perhaps you came into a career in sales understanding exactly how hard it was going to be to get your business up and profitable. You may have been completely ready for the rejection and noes you were going to receive. You may have fully understood that when the prospect said no, they were just saying no, not now. You may have had so much money in your bank account that you weren’t worried that you were 90 days in and still hadn’t made a sale. But after 22+ years of hiring and training commission-only salespeople, I have yet to meet someone like that. They may exist, just like Sasquatch and unicorns.

Spoiler Alert

Ramping up your business is brutal. You most likely started with no accounts, no customers, no solid leads, no product knowledge, no understanding of the companies sales process, no clue as to how to organize your time, and no way of knowing where to start. (Are you discouraged yet?)

I don’t want to go off on a religious rant here but I believe that we were made in the image of God. It is my belief that God spoke the world into existence out of nothing. I also believe that you have that very same power to create something out of nothing. Maybe not the universe, but you certainly have the power to create a long-lasting, profitable, rewarding career in sales.

As I look back on my life, I realize that I am really bad at a lot of things. I was never going to be a world-class athlete or musician. I can’t spell to save my life (thank GOD for spell check!) I lack patience. I think everything is a contest and losing at anything literally makes me sick to my stomach.  I could go on but I don’t want you to lose all respect for me…

My One Super Power

I do have a superpower. I have learned how to create something out of nothing. Across multiple careers, inside and outside the VB arena, in different states, with multiple companies, holding different levels of responsibilities and with varying levels of leadership, I have always been able to create something out of nothing. Perhaps you find this braggadocios, and maybe it is, but that really isn’t my heart. I tell you this to give you hope! If I can do it, so can you! Trust me…

If you understood the journey I have been on, you might wonder how I was successful. The truth is that somewhere along the way I started to believe that I could effect change. I knew that I could envision success and set out to achieve the goals and objectives that would allow for that success to be realized. I never knew in advance what all the obstacles and challenges were going to be, but I had faith that I would figure it out on the way. It was only through looking back that I realized how I had been creating something out of nothing my entire life.

Spectacular Failure and Unmitigated Success

Listen, I have had some spectacular failures. Some of these failures can be attributed to allowing myself to stagnate in my pursuit of the ultimate goal. Sometimes I allowed challenges and problems to paralyze me. Often I allowed myself to become comfortable and/or lazy. More than once I buried my head in the sand hoping things would just get better on their own…. They never did.

On the other hand, every successful endeavor I have pursued, I remained diligent at creating the next thing for my business. Creating something out of nothing doesn’t just happen once in your business. You create that next customer by prospecting, You create that next sale by learning how to overcome objections. You create financial success by creating a budget (including setting aside money for retirement) and sticking to it. You create your life or you let life create one for you, and I promise that is not going to end well.

Choose Wisely

Every day you have a choice: Are you going to allow someone else determine your life or are you going to go out there and create something out of nothing? My hope for you is that you will decide today that the hard work is worth it. You possess the ability to create a business out of nothing. Get to work! Your future lies in the balance.

Please encourage someone else by sharing a time when you pushed through discouragement. Just leave a comment below.

Tim Martin

Tim has spent the last 22 years in the VB sales world. During that time he has recruited and trained over 2,000 agents to get people to do what they should, but wouldn't do if we didn't come along. In addition to his leadership rolls at the two largest VB carriers on the planet, Tim has worked with outside organizations through consulting and sales coaching. His energetic and humorous key note addresses have also inspired and electrified audiences throughout the United States. Currently Tim is also working on his first book "Success Is Voluntary." Tim and the lovely Dizzy D reside in Peoria, Arizona. They have been married for 30 years and are the proud parent of two gorgeous grown young women, Brittny 29 and Victoria 26.

Category: Blog Posts
Posted on: Monday, July 29, 2019

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