And here we go! Well, Kentucky begins the first phase of reopening our economy tomorrow morning. While we are far from where we hope to be by the end of the month, it is good to see things start to happen. Many of you in other states are a step or two ahead and others are behind. There seems to be one thing for sure we will be seeing for weeks and maybe months, and that is a mask.
Listen, whether you agree or disagree, the mask is not going away. We might as well embrace it! Not just that we must wear it, but the opportunity that lies within it. Today, I offer up M.A.S.K. as an acronym. Instead of allowing it to create negative energy in our lives, let's use it as a chance to get better. Imagine if we approached the mask like this...
M- Motivate Yourself...What if we wake up everyday focused on motivating ourselves. Let's focus on maximizing this mighty opportunity to show our clients we do business differently. Listen, everyday is a mental battle. We must challenge ourselves daily to fend off the negativity. It is all around us. Our clients need, and deserve, us to show up with a positive spirit. So, feed you soul with something positive. Your thoughts create your emotion. So, focus on positive thoughts and share that energy with others!
A- Always be planning and preparing...I have a saying that I want each of you to say to yourself every morning. "No one is better than me when I plan to be great!" It is true. We all desire to do better, to do more, to find that extra level of success. The problem is we rarely prepare and plan to give it a chance to happen. Plan your morning. Plan your day. Plan your week. Set goals for the now and the future. When we take off on a road trip we run directions to get us to our destination. We fear we might get lost if we just charge out without knowing where we are going. However, we often do not treat our careers the same. Run the directions! Follow the plan! Stay on course! Enjoy the journey, today, tomorrow and beyond.
S- Seek over sell...Too many salespeople will charge back out and immediately begin selling what they have. They will be the world's greatest peddler. THIS DOES NOT WORK! We must seek before we sell. We must ask the questions to learn what our clients need to best recommend a solution. Covid-19 has changed our world, and our clients. They may not need what they did before. Take the time to ask, listen and learn. But, seek first, then sell.
K- Keep getting up...Let's be real for a moment. This stuff is hard. Our world is a mess. It is going to beat us all up at times. It is going to knock us on our, well, you know. Expect it. Be prepared for it. Know that it is normal. There is not a book for all of this craziness. So, when it knocks you down, JUST GET UP! And keep getting up. It does not matter how many times life knocks you down, keep getting up. Success or failure is often determined in who keeps getting up. Keep getting up! Please, just keep getting up!
We have a choice on how we approach the days and weeks to come. We can let all this beat us up or we can decide to recognize there are blessings in this storm. I know this is scary, but I also believe it can lead us all to a stronger place. Winston Churchill once said, "Fear is a reaction, courage is a decision." It is time you had the courage to live the life you deserve. Don't fret the mask, use it to give you purpose. Use it to give you motivation. You got this! We got this! I'm rooting for you!
Swagger On friends!
Written by Derron Steenbergen, President of the Swagger Institute.
The Swagger Institute is a business development company specializing in sales and leadership training, motivational speaking, customer service training and organizational development.