In over four years of writing a daily column for Travel Research Online, I have never done what I am about to do. (Don’t you just love the suspense.) Today, being Friday, this is as good a day as ever to try something new—Curve Ball Friday.
No, I am not going to write this article while riding an elephant naked down Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida. (I’m just wondering after reading that last sentence, are you envisioning a naked elephant, or an old guy with no clothes on? Just wondering.)
No, I am simply going to share a few of my favorite quotes with you. A few words of wisdom that have me pausing in reflection before moving on. This is a first. I hope you will find it to be as exciting and worthwhile as I do. (Probably not.)
“If I am not practicing and my competitor is, when we meet, they will beat me.”
– Merlin Olsen, Former NFL Football Hall of Famer
Old Merlin hit the nail right on the head with this one. Practice, repetition, trial, and error is the name of the game, if you want to gain entry into your personal hall-of-fame. The good news is that most people do not and will not have the discipline to continue practicing when it is time to stop practicing.
“It is amazing to me how many people in the oil business fail to get the message, in order to strike oil you have to dig a hole.”
– Tom Peters
Tom Peters, the co-author of In Search of Excellence shared this poignant reminder. Most people talk about it, plan about it, think about it, dream about it, brainstorm about it, and do everything they can to avoid doing something about it. If you want to find oil, dig a hole. If by chance you hit an empty hole, dig another one.
I have no intention of insulting your intelligence, so I will leave this message up to you. I will give you a hint. Less talk – more action.
One more…
Howard Cosell once interviewed Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder (a lawyer and a odds-maker). When asked what he liked best in life, Jimmy quickly responded with,
“I like to win.”
The follow up question was, “What do you like second best in life?” Just as quickly Jimmy said,
“That’s easy Howard. I like to lose.”
What “The Greek” said with clarity that day was he liked the action. He knew he would sometimes win a bet. He also knew he would experience his share of losing. But it was “the action” that kept him going.
Are you too focused on winning at all times at all cost? Or are you finding “The action” your drug of choice?
I can hear some of you saying, “That was very interesting Marchev, but I would have preferred the elephant scenario.” Maybe next Friday.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club. Send for details.
