Enthusiasm Breeds Success
If you want a successful sales career, you must be enthusiastic about your company, products, and services. No one wants to buy from someone who lacks a belief in and enthusiasm for what they represent.
When I was going into ninth grade, my friend Glen and I decided to play football for our school. Glen was enthusiastic about playing, while I just wanted to be identified as part of the team. One summer morning, Glen showed up at my doorstep. As I came to the door eating a Twinkie, he told me it was time to go running. “What for?” I asked. “We’re playing football in three weeks and we have to get in shape!” he told me. I answered, “OK, I guess I’ll run, but I just want to play the game.”
It should be no surprise that I spent only one season playing football. Glen, on the other hand, played three years as a starting safety.
You must have enthusiasm for whatever you pursue in life, if you hope to achieve it and have a great attitude in the process. “If you were to give me the choice between a great attitude or a great aptitude, I’ll take attitude every time,” was sports legend Michael Jordan’s philosophy. “I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.”
We need to have a childlike enthusiasm for what we go after. Can you remember as a kid getting ready to go on vacation? Your enthusiasm and excitement was incredible. Having that enthusiasm can make any salesperson or team unstoppable. When we have enthusiasm, we don’t hold back. There is no fear! The only goal is to win and be the best we can.
In your career and personal life, evaluate what you are genuinely enthusiastic about and go for it. You don’t really enjoy something you do without passion and enthusiasm. Ask yourself: Are you playing to win, or just playing not to lose? There is a big difference. Playing to win is going all out, without fear; playing not to lose is being cautious and fearful in every step you take. That’s no way to enjoy a sales career or any aspect of life. The choice is yours!