Legendary basketball player and coach John Wooden said something years ago that I have adopted as a life philosophy:
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
Living by this philosophy has enabled me to accomplish much in my life, and it was the spring board to transitioning to top performance in sales.
For example, I used to complain about leads. “The top closers get all the good leads,” I use to moan.
Then my sales manager pointed out that the top closers started with the same pool of leads I had; they had just put in the time to cull through them, diligently, and after months of extensive work, they discovered, converted, and cultivated a great list of prospects and clients.
What I found out is that I couldn’t call their “great leads” but I could develop a list of my own-by working more hours, making more calls, and diligent hard work of my own.
And I did.
When I learned that the secret of getting better was listening to my calls, I found that my company didn’t record calls. So, I couldn’t do it through my company.
What I could do was go to Radio Shack (this was years ago-any of you remember Radio Shack?), and I could buy a black, rubber suction cup with a wire that connected into a cassette tape recorder. When I made a call, I pressed the “play / record” buttons.
So, I did. I tripled my income in 90 days.
When, as a busy consultant years later, I wanted to write my first book, I didn’t have the time I wanted to write (mornings).
What I could do, however, was diligently write a weekly blog and organize it so I would write a little bit of the book each week. Two years later, I had enough material for my first book.
We all have limitations in our lives. But we can all do something right now to work toward and achieve our goals.
Want to get into shape but don’t have 2 ½ hours a day to work out in the gym?
What can you do today?
Eat better (less calories), walk or jog or ride your bike home? Go to the gym for ½ hour today and an hour on the weekend?
You see, all top producers-in any area of life-don’t think about what they cannot do. They focus on what they can do.
And then they do it.
And you can, too.
Write today’s quote on a 3X5 card and post in on your cubical at work, on your bathroom mirror at home, and on the dash board of your car.
And live with the attitude of, “What can I do today?”
And then do it.
If you do that, you’ll achieve anything you set your mind to.