Sales tips for the aspiring rock star!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

It's not what we get . . . It's who we become!






I was pondering a quote by the great Jim Rohn who once said “It’s not what we get, its who we become in the process” and couldn’t help but wonder if that person we become also loses something in the process?


And no, I don’t mean loss of something that could be easily justified by endless mantras of “no pain no gain” I’m talking about the things we value most. For some its their faith, others it’s family and friends, “me time”, “paying it forward, etc. Guess I’ve just given you a long winded explanation of something commonly known as “values”


Let’s put that thought to the side for a moment because I thought it would be cool if we took a class trip today to a really exclusive resort located just outside the rain forest. When you get finished packing, I’d like for you to pack 5 more things:


The Top 5 Things You Value Most In Your Life Written On 5 Separate Pieces of Paper


Please take a moment to think about them, I’m sure you’ll agree its important we know what we value most in life and besides, I’m not letting you go without these items identified and packed.


So hopefully you didn’t “wuss out” and you’ve packed your top 5 values.
So off we go!


I’ve taken the liberty of chartering a private helicopter for us so we can see the rain forest on the way. We’re off to a great start, some people are enjoying some Champagne, my side of the helicopter is getting loud from the tequila shots Uncle Paul is serving up. Life is good. Until . . .
The helicopter starts swaying left to right, making a crazy noise and we begin losing altitude pretty fast. Suddenly it becomes obvious that we are going down as we brace ourselves for the worst. Then it happens, we crash into the tops of some giant trees and miraculously we are all OK and only have some minor injuries. Note: You didn’t think I was going to kill us off, did you? Any who, there we are, most probably without the tequila at this point, but alive when along comes a local tribe that yells up to us asking if we would like help getting down. After a sarcastic response (from me) of “Ya think?” they inform us they would be happy to but . . . it will cost us each one of those values we packed. Not having much of a choice in the matter we reluctantly agree.


Please decide which value you will sacrifice and place it to the side.


Alright, so they get us down from the tree and now that the shock has worn off a bit, we realize, that our injuries, although minor, need some attention. Luckily, their medicine man is present and is happy to patch us up but . . . the dude wants one of those handy dandy values we packed. After pretending to cough and blurting out “Rip off!” we agree.


Please decide which value you will sacrifice and place it to the side.


Okey dokey, we’ve gotten down from the tree, we are patched up but just as the high fives begin to settle, a nasty storm is quickly approaching (it’s a rain forest remember) They offer to take us to their pimped out village (I took some literary license on the pimped out. Honestly, I can’t back that up) We agree and they give us the old Uno Momento stop sign and inform us that it will cost us one of those quickly dwindling values. Truth be told, we’re OK with getting drenched, but it’s the whole poisonous snake and evil critter thing that has us crapping da khakis so we fork over the value.


Please decide which value you will sacrifice and place it to the side.
Note: Kind of sucks. Doesn’t it? Hang in there!


So we make it back to their village. Several days go by, we are rested, our wounds have fully healed and now we want to make like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, click the heals and vamoose! One problem , we are in the middle of the rain forest and have no idea how to get back to civilization! Guess who does? That tribal leader and the S.O.B. already has his hand out asking us for one more value. And there’s no negotiating either. I mean, how could we get away with giving him half a value?


Please decide which value you will sacrifice and place it to the side.


And so our little class trip ends. Wait, not yet. They all lived happily ever after and became sales rock stars.


But your story, is just beginning because you are staring face to face with the one value that means the world to you. In fact, I bet you struggled at times deciding which value to give up. The more you gave up, the harder it was to give up another.


Now the really hard part (or not) You must remain true to that value.


No success, no money, no “President’s Club”, “Rock Star Of The Year” award is worth the one thing that is most dear to you or worse yet, you becoming something in the process that makes you hate that person in the mirror!


So there you have it, actually not yet . . . do something that strengthens and speaks to that value today.


I just did in writing this!

So what say you? What do you value most?

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Sales Playbook Linkedin Group Update: We're having a discussion on "throwing down" with clients/prospects. Stop by and share your thoughts here http://tinyurl.com/y9da8ya




11 comments:

  1. This one really hit home Paul. To answer your question at the end of your post "What do you value most?" I value my family. They are most important.

    Thank you!
    Nick Milazzo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Top 5
    1)Time
    3)My intention
    4)My health
    4)My parents
    5)Knowlegde

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Nick It hit home for me too amigo! Thanks for stopping by!

    @Anonymous: Those are some fantastic values. If you only could take one with you today, which one would it be?

    Thanks again!

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  4. Highly useful and powerful, Paul. You really have it down to the essence of staring at your navel. Good on ya.

    ReplyDelete
  5. look Matt 5:3 happy are those conscious of there spiritual need that is so important to me because with this I can help make others feel the same way

    ReplyDelete
  6. my daughter (ie my sense of committment)
    my dignity
    happiness
    love
    serenity

    really good exercise, thanks. Though I think I (we) might have seduced (verbally)/reduced the tribesmen into a bargain. As my sense of committment is actually an umbrella value that is at the source of (my committment to) the other four.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Why oh why would you do such a thing to me?? That was a tough one. But...in the end...my family will always be the thing I value the most. If only I could find a way to make that value somehow earn a profit...hmm...anyone in the market for a gently used older brother?

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Hank: Thanks for the input Hank. I always appreciate your contributions to the sales playbook community my friend!

    @jmoore2866: Sounds like you have your value front and center. Well done!

    @Catherine: The first time I did this exercise it was pure torture for me. I'm not in the market for any older brothers right now. Have 4 of my own, although they might be looking to unload me :)

    Thank you all for contributing!

    Respectfully,
    Paul Castain

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good one and a very good story of making us realize to clear ourselves that what is important to us and how much , with respect to other.
    Well written

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you Muhammad.

    I appreciate you stopping by to say that.
    Have a great weekend.

    Respectfully,
    Paul Castain

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for the soul-searching exercise, it was nice to take have few moments to remember what is really important, for me it's my family.

    Have a rewarding weekend!
    Shawn Casey

    ReplyDelete


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Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics (CGX) one of North America’s leading general commercial printing companies. Paul has over 25 years of sales and sales leadership experience. He has trained, mentored and coached over 3,000 sales and sales leadership professionals. An accomplished public speaker, Paul has delivered numerous key note addresses. He has authored numerous training manuals, articles, blog posts and is currently working on his first book for release in 2011. Feel free to email Paul ctstrainer@yahoo.com. This has been a paid announcement by the friends of Paul Castain!

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