I receive emails every week that thank me for keeping hope alive, and enthusiasm flowing in a positive direction. After all, that is what I do.
Having always considered myself a realist, I have a few thoughts to share about “throwing in the towel.” And, make no mistake about it, the day is coming when those exact four words will enter your thinking process.
I fear the day when you are going to feel the full brunt of all your apparently useless efforts is coming, and you will want to call it quits and “throw in the towel.” This will not be the action of a sore loser, but as a conscious decision from a hard-working, good-intentioned entrepreneur who feels their efforts have all been for naught for the past five months.
The term “emotional intelligence” just flashed across my mind, but that is not what I want to talk about today. I also will avoid repeating what you have been hearing from a hundred other “know-it-alls” when all this started. In the interest of time, and in an attempt to protect my reputation for “shooting from the hip,” I will simply say what I want to say.
When the going gets tough (and it really doesn’t get any tougher than this), there is not a man, woman, or child alive today who will not entertain the decision to give up – cry uncle, turn the page, roll the dice in a new direction – and quite simply, “throw in the towel.” I would be less than honest if I said I have not tussled with this decision myself on a number of occasions the past few months. I often feel I am “spinning my wheels.” I guess there is something to the statement, “We are all in this together.”
For some of you, if the truth were known, “throwing in the towel” would prove to be a wise and prudent decision. Many “travel advisors” joined our industry for the love of travel. They are not, have not, and will never pay the price for true service professionalism. The game board has been altered significantly, and I am afraid only the cream will rise to the top.
But most of you (and I do say most), do provide a valuable service, and will continue to do so when this pendulum starts swinging back through some semblance of “normal.” I wish I could tell you when that will be. I can’t.
I have no idea of your financial position, or your relationship with your clients and loved ones. What I do know is:
- Your homerun may be coming with the very next pitch. (A single, double or triple would also be welcome.)
- What you are dealing with at the moment is not strictly confined to you.
- You did not get this far in life by accident.
- That brighter days lie ahead.
- And I think I know that throwing in the towel, although a luring option at times, and perhaps one appearing more and more attractive, may not be the right move at this time.
I can’t help but believe that your client’s pot is approaching the boiling point and, when the time comes for them to rid themselves of cabin fever, your career will once again begin to blossom. But in order to “blossom,” you must be ready, eager and able to spring into action. Your job to educate your clients and help them make better travel related decisions will once again be in demand. One of these days.
Hold on to that towel for just a little bit longer.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club. Send for details.
