I recently heard myself say it again. “I can’t motivate anybody. You have to find something that motivates yourself.”
For nearly 45 years, I have been promoted as “Motivational Speaker.” The fact is, nothing could be further from the truth. What I am, and what I always was, was a speaker who got paid to share many of life’s experiences in an effort to “stimulate” others to action.
After hundreds of audiences and thousands of wide-eyed attendees, I would like to believe that there were a few who connected with my message and found some internal motivation to make a change or two in their life for the better. I will never know since the majority of my presentations were properly categorized as “one-and-done.” I suppose this is what made my career the cleanest job imaginable. I managed to avoid much of the baggage that most people have to endure throughout their careers.
Turning back the clock some 40 years to a warm summer day, I vividly recall what I have referred to as My Spinnaker Story. Allow me to reminisce.
I was working for a large New Jersey-based travel agency at the time and was the proud co-owner of a 27-foot sailboat named The Mirage. One day I decided it would be fun to buy a third sail for my boat… a spinnaker. This is a large billowing sail often used when sailing downwind in racing conditions.
I had another idea. I would ask my boss to challenge me to a sales goal where the award would be, you guessed it, a spinnaker. I remember sweetening the deal by offering to embroider his company’s logo and name on the sail itself to serve as free advertising every time I flew it. I was excited at the thought. To me this was a “no-brainer.” To him, however, it was reason enough to throw me out of his office threatening to fire me if I did not get back to work. Retreating from his office somewhat forlorn, I remember uttering a four-letter word to myself …….DUMB.
This businessman, who probably considered himself a “genius,” probably was drafting up a sales competition of his own with the prize being a day off … or an office with a view … or the use of the owner’s parking spot for a week. (DUMB).
Money, views, time off, parking spots, or any other so-called attractive spiff did not have my attention. I WANTED A SPINNAKER and was willing to bust my &%% for one.
I’ll say it again. You can’t motivate anybody but yourself. (Your children come to mind.) The secret is to identify exactly what does in fact motivate you and begin to focus on the steps required to accomplish the task. You need to headline “your” spinnaker and look for the consistent stimulation to help you succeed.
If I can help, give me a call. 848.702.1009.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club, mike@mikemarchev.com.
*** You want more to think about? Check out my weekly podcast (Miked Up Marchev). Also listed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, and iHeartRadio.
