This is the last full week of work for 2022. From now till the end of the year I will be pretty much in a non-work mode. Sure, I will be reading and writing a bit but no client interaction and no training, consulting or coaching. These next two weeks will be spent with family and friends just kind of hanging out and enjoying life. I hope you do the same.
As we near the end of this year, I encourage you to think of just how great you are. You are where you are not because of some blind luck but because you worked your butt off to get here. Never sell yourself short and give anyone credit for your success and never attribute your success to circumstances. Our society is way too much about placing blame, and about being humble as virtue, about confiscating someone else’s excess rewards. All of these are symptoms of a diseased culture that promotes the mindset of, “it ain’t my fault”. Don’t fall for it. Everything you have achieved or failed at is the direct consequence of your behavior. Period!
The scripture tells us that we have choices and can exercise dominion over ourselves and our lives. Something the Occupy crowd evidently doesn’t get. As cruel as it may seem, Gingrich had it right when he said, ‘what those people need is a bath and a job”. Contrary to the press there are jobs to be had and the unemployment numbers do not accurately reflect the true nature of the availability of gainful employment.
My gift to you this time of year is to encourage you to reflect on your own awesomeness and the power you have within you for greatness. You are intellectually and emotionally superior to most of the mass of humanity walking on this planet. You are in sales and you have the ability and opportunity to achieve things that most people never dare dream of. You are more determined and more disciplined than the average bear. You possess great responsibility for you, your family and your business – a characteristic that is in very short supply these days. Look around at the holiday parties and you will see just how much better you are than the fat, lazy, dumb bears in the forest. By all means work to make 2012 your best year ever and push yourself to achieve beyond what you thought possible. But never forget how far you have come or what obstacles you have overcome to get to where you are now. We in sales are the leaders. Without us there is no economy. To paraphrase Zig Ziglar, if we don’t sell something America starves. He called selling “the proud profession.”
Stand tall. Be proud.
Have a great holiday and I will talk with you in 2023.