A Man Hears.

"A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."
The Boxer ~ Simon & Garfunkel.

The young salesman looked his manager square in the eye and said:

"What do you do when you can't go on any more?  What do you think about when you really just want to quit? ~ How do you keep going?
The old sales manager smiled and replied ~ "Let me tell you a story." 

When I first came to America I was a very young boy. I got off the boat in New York and found that it was a brutally cold place for a child who didn't know a soul. I had no money, no friends, and every single day I wanted to go home. To get away from this hostile, and challenging, new place where every thing was uncomfortable, difficult, and foreign.

The voices in my head were telling me to quit and go home with my tail between my legs. But those voices made me feel sick and ashamed.

"I had to play mind games with myself", the sales manager said.

Movies and music helped. I found that I had to convince myself that I wasn't a quitter. That I was a fighter. A boxer who would keep getting up ~ No matter what. ~ You see... It's all about what we tell ourselves.

Every day we choose songs, voices and people to listen to. When things get tough these songs, voices, and people, don't whisper  - They scream. Who do you want to listen to? ~ What do you want to hear?

"A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest."

Say It.

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." ~ G.K. Chesterton.

They are just a couple of little words. But when the sun goes down, And the day is finally done. ~ We all have so many reasons to say

 

Be Grateful ~ Say Thank You.

Your Reference.

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."
~ Henry Ford.

There comes a time when we're used as a reference. What do we say? Do we stick to the safe stuff? Do we just go with the dates and duties?

All of us have got things we need to work on - stuff we can do better. None of us are perfect. If we've worked with anyone for some time we know what their weaknesses are - and we know their strengths. Do we go with the soft "really nice guy" and a few generic kudos or elaborate?

We want to do the right thing - for both the candidate and the company asking. So each of us ends up making our own decisions on what, and how much, we say about the good, the bad and the ugly. But really every reference call comes down to one simple question doesn't it?

One question that could cut through all the crap. Quiet Professionals ask it all the time. Most others don't. ~ Why? ~ Because the question puts us on the line much more than the person we're talking about.

So what's that question?

"Is He Any Good?"

References aren't about the candidate - they're about us.

Silence.

"Silence is a source of great strength" ~ Lao Tzu.

It has to be one of the most admirable qualities of human beings. The internal strength that a few stoic souls share. The willingness to learn and grow through immense challenge and adversity whilst others complain and whine about their most trivial discomforts. They are the embodiment of still waters that run deep. Maybe it's simply black and white. Some choose to whine and complain while others recognize that

"Silence is a source of great strength."

Freedom.

"A man is as free as he chooses to make himself."
~ George MacDonald.

The young salesman was frustrated. He wasn't doing as well as he wanted and the sales just weren't happening. Our prices are too high he thought ~  Maybe I should go into another business ~ Should I find a different company? ~ Move to a new place? ~ Perhaps I shouldn't be a salesperson at all? ~ I'm just not free to...Thoughts of greener pastures bounced around in his mind. He felt that all the problems were things beyond his control.  So he went to speak to his boss.

Now his boss was an old soldier, and he understood frustration, so he told the young man a story. "You know sales is a lot like soldiering" he said ~ "You've got to win hearts and minds to be successful". But you know the very first thing you've got to do? ~ What's that? He asked.

The first thing you have to do is win your own heart and mind.
Because ~ Wherever you go, whatever you do, there you are.

A man is as free as he chooses to make himself.

Suo Gan.

"Sleep in peace." ~ Suo Gan.

What's the most valuable thing any human being can give to another? What does a parent strive to give their child ~ A salesperson to their customer ~ A soldier to his brothers ~ An employee to their boss?

What do people really want?

Peace Of Mind.

Put aside all the other tips for a moment and focus on just one thing. Give someone the confidence and comfort of being able to sleep knowing you've got things covered and you will also ~ Sleep In Peace.

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Dreams & Action.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." ~ Henry David Thoreau.

We all have dreams. I'm not talking about the dreams we have at night. I mean the aspiration type dreams. The dreams we have of becoming, experiencing, having and being. Some call them goals, others wishes, but they're all dreams. When we talk about our dreams, goals, or wishes we reveal a lot about ourselves. We reveal what kind of person we are. Dreams define dreamers and doers. We either drift into warm, gentle, amusement, entertainment, fantasy and wishful thinking or...
We visualize, plan, and act upon our dreams. Our dreams drive

Amusement or Action.

About the only thing better than accomplishing ones dreams is to help someone else accomplish theirs. The visualization, sharing, pursuit and realization of a dream is a priceless experience. Supporting someone we care about in that endeavor is truly one of lifes joys.

But recognize the dream shared for amusement. The fantasy of these dreams is like wanting to win the lottery without buying a ticket.

A dream without action is like a warm, comfortable, bed ~ It's easy to fall into and hard to get out of. Without Action ~ It's Just A Dream.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams ~ Take Action.