One of the medical miracles that I find most amazing is not a new discovery. The recent sequencing of the human genome, the discovery of new disease markers and antigens, the clinical applications of gene splicing and recombinant DNA are all mindboggling. But, frankly, the one that bowls me over every time is the good old “placebo effect.” This is where, say, 100 patients are given a white pill to cure a medical problem. Fifty patients get the real medicine and the other fifty get nothing more than white powder (the “placebo”). Yet, some significant percentage of the placebo group (sometimes well more than half) will show symptom relief or even get cured.
This proves, beyond any doubt, the staggering importance of the mind and a person’s attitude. If a positive attitude can cure a medical problem without medicine, what can it do for a “sales” problem?
In the next few days (via my daily memos), I am going to tackle some of the more common problems relating to attitudes which I find among travel professionals today… attitudes which can have unintended, destructive consequences on their sales effort and client relationships.
(Note: I do not like to dwell on negatives, and it may seem like I am unduly focused on negatives. Unfortunately, that comes with the territory when pointing out problems. Remember, we are trying to deal constructively with mental processes which may need some adjustment and realignment for the sake of a sales career.)
I plan to address 10 such mistakes in the next 9 days. Let’s kick things off today with number one:
(1) Are You Thinking That The Mission Is To Change Other’s Attitudes?
Have you noticed any associates or prospects who walk around day-in and day-out looking as if they have just lost their best friend? These people seem to communicate to the world that life is, and will continue to be, an unfair experience. Daily existence appears to be a total drag to them — life offers nothing to them in return for their “showing up.”
If you happen to know one or more of these people (and I’m betting that you do), let me suggest that you avoid trying to improve the disposition of anyone engaged in a continuous exercise in self-pity.
Don’t think for a minute your job is to get these people singing from the right side of the page. Your job is to get your thinking straight, in gear and firmly positioned for greater things to come. Here is a thought that I have grown quite fond of:
You can’t change the world, but you can change YOUR world.
Your job is to light a fire under your own backside and make certain that you don’t come across looking like you are marking time between now and the hereafter. People are attracted to people who are alive, energetic, and happy — who have ideas and crazy notions about life — who have kind things to say about others.
So, if you truly want to be the exception, pick a game… any game… and then get into the game. Become a player… today!
