Extracted from the very interesting website www.sellingpower.com a motivational article by Barry J. Farber
It's a question as old as time itself: Are winners born under a special star or do they create their own success? Although I'd love to be able to tell you here and now that I have the definitive scientific answer, I won't lie: I really don't know for sure.
But I'll be happy to bet on one sure thing: A person with a positive attitude will always win out over someone who dwells on the negative.
Volumes have been written about what separates superachievers from the rest of us, but the experts seem to agree that highly successful people share at least this important characteristic: an unsinkable attitude. If attitude is the key to long-term, life-altering success, then we all have superachiever potential.
But before we can release the winner within, many of us have to change negative thought patterns that have been years in the making.
Where do you begin? You can start with the three "D"s - discipline, desire, and dedication - and then make five very important changes that will help you achieve unprecedented levels of success.
Discipline
Success takes more than just talent, according to top boxing coach Teddy Atlas. Atlas, who has trained such stars as Mike Tyson and Michael Moorer, says he looks for more than strength, speed, or power. "The most important quality a fighter can have is discipline. Talent only makes for a good show on the heavy bag if the fighter doesn't have the discipline and the emotional control to execute it under pressure. Otherwise, the talent means nothing." You don't have to be brilliant, charismatic, or otherwise naturally gifted to sell well - you just have to discipline yourself to keep developing the ability you have.
Desire
Desire can overcome almost any handicap. If you want something badly enough, chances are you'll find a way to get it.
If attitude is the key to long-term, life-altering success, then we all have superachiever potential.
When asked what he looks for in a top gun, Lt. Col. Dennis Krembel of the U.S. Air Force says, "I'm looking for a person who wants to do the best he can with the talent he has. If he or she puts forth 100 percent effort, that's what I want. If I look at one person who's got the talent, and another who's got the desire, I'll take the person who's willing to go that extra measure." A burning desire to win helps ensure that you'll work harder to do more, sell more, and achieve more than the competition.
Dedication
Dedication helps the salesperson overcome rejection, pursue the elusive prospect, and make just a few more calls when the day ended an hour ago. Dedication prompted Mary Matalin, television commentator and deputy campaign manager for George Bush in 1992, to fetch lunches, make copies, run errands, and do whatever else was necessary to make the campaign a success.
By dedicating herself to the success of the campaign, Matalin even turned menial tasks into small but important steps on the path to success. To get a 100 percent return on your investment of selling time and effort, dedicate 100 percent of yourself to your goal.
To help you develop the discipline, desire, and dedication of a superachiever, start by making these five positive changes:
If you want to succeed like a superachiever, start thinking and acting like one. Many superachievers haven't always been positive thinkers, but they recognize the importance of attitude and make a conscious effort to take control of their thoughts and their future. To follow in their footsteps, set a goal and dedicate yourself to accomplishing it. You just might realize the superachiever potential you didn't think you had.