So many will never reach their potential because they are not willing to do the work required. Success means work. Mark Twain was to have said, "Tell me what you want and I will tell you how to get it. The problem is, most people don't know what they want."
I looked that quote up on Google and could not find the exact quote. I don't like misquotes but even if Mark Twain did not say it; it is still a good quote and a good idea. Still, it is not enough. The reason it is not enough is because so many will eventually determine what they want and know how to reach the goal but don't put in the work required to reach the desired result.
The bell curve is well in every measurement and the old 80-20 rule is alive and well; 20% of the sales people get 80% of the business. Back to the bell curve; I observe out of 100 sales students, perhaps 20 are willing to do the assigned class work and perhaps 5 are willing to do the class work with enthusiasm.
Back to the problem. So many never determine exactly what it is they want. In October, 2007 I spent time in Hawaii and it took me more than two weeks to set my 2008 goals. It can take a lot of time and thought to really decide on your goals. Now, the second part. Twain says, "I will tell you how to get it." We have thousands of self help books and hundreds of excellent motivational guru's who are giving us good ideas of how to get it, once we determine what it is.
The real problem. Of the 100 who take a sales or motivation class, most continue to take class after class. They are hooked on classes. They are hooked on sitting in a class but they are not hooked on their own success. Fifteen of the hundred will try some of the ideas some of the time and improve a little each time. The five percent will listen, will apply the ideas and will work until they have reached their goal. Teachers are always excited when they find this 5% population.
In truth, most sales people never have to take another sales or motivational class. They only need to do the work but that is not glamorous. Want to really succeed? Then take the time to determine your true goals and make the commitment to do all of the work that is required to reach that goal.
If you are willing to do the work required, you will succeed.
