7 Magic Words to Happiness

(My entire life I’ve been a student of Peak Performance — how is it that some people are so productive, while others are not?

One of my mentors is Ted Nicholas. He taught me, as an entrepreneur through his books. As well, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time with him and his life companion Claudia at dinner one evening in California.

I had received this email from Ted back in 2006. I and am sharing it with you in the hope you find it as inspiring as I did.)

7 Magic Words to Happiness

The Success Margin Sunday, March 26, 2006

There is a definite link between happiness and success in this sense. The happier you are, the more successful you are likely to be. In this issue of The Success Margin I will further clarify this point.

Are you ready to accept the greatest gift I or perhaps anyone else has ever given you?

Today, dear reader, I’m going to offer you some magic words that have the power to change your life. I know that’s an incredible promise. And if you are skeptical, I wouldn’t blame you. But I can assure you the magic words I will give you, if -used, will bring you a lifetime of happiness. And nothing less!

As long as I can remember I’ve been intrigued by `he mystery of how to achieve happiness. Some would even say I’ve been obsessed by it. Why? I have always wanted to become a happy, positive person myself.

What intrigued me was this simple observation. Nearly everyone I’ve ever met, including my friends and family, is sad and unhappy most all the time. Indeed, the most popular conversation amongst all people I’ve been with consists of complaints and negativity about life.

Think about your own life. I’d bet the truly happy people you could point to are few and far between. If you’ve known more than a handful of such people, I feel you have been truly blessed.

Individuals who are happy, optimistic, positive and self-confident are definitely the rarest of humans.

Does happiness come from achievements? Or special events in life?

Clearly, happiness does not come from business success. Material possessions. A certain amount of money in the bank. A terrific family. Or even a super romantic relationship.

I know millionaires and billionaires with every blessing imaginable who are depressed and unhappy. And a few individuals who have almost nothing resembling the above who are happy, content, and optimistic.

You can be miserable in a huge mansion. And happy in a modest apartment.

What, then, is the secret to happiness?

I’ve pursued my own happiness with diligence. I’m going to reveal the most important lessons I’ve learned.

I submit that all happiness is a result of our –self-talk. Our internal dialogue is the key. It’s all in the words we use.

It matters not what happens to us in life, but in the words we use silently to “frame” it in our minds.

Just emotional state–happiness, depression, anger, joy, etc.–follows from the words we use with ourselves.

The subconsci

Why Some Salesmen Top Out Below Where You Think They Can?

If this isn’t the oldest question in sales management, it’s the second oldest for sure.

How is it that some sales hires are so perfect in every way – they are persuasive and present themselves well – yet they never seem to make the big monthly numbers?

These are the ones we Sales Managers dedicate ourselves to – training them and cajoling, challenging and mentoring them.

Look back over your results with salespeople like this over your career as a Sales Manager

Tell me what you see? Did you get them to break out and really go for it? Or did they stay so average or slightly below average that you don’t really want to look that closely?

I bet the later because those kinds of salespeople are exhibiting values that people with low money or power scores in the AHS ValuesMatrix™ are likely to show.

Mr. and Ms Sales Manager, it is not your job (nor is it possible in most cases) to change another person’s values.

When Auburn’s line coach Tracy Roker recruited lineman Nick Fairly he was recruiting top talent. He invested time and energy in his recruiting strategy to get the kind of result that gets him a Vince Lombarbi Trophy Ourstanding Lineman.

There is no excuse for a bad sales hire.

So, in answer to the question “Why Some Salespeople Top Out Below Where You Think They Can?” the answer is because the Sales Manager hired the wrong person.

How to fix it? Spend more time mastering your sales recruiting system and you’ll get the salespeople who constantly meet and exceed your expectations. Anything less simply won’t get you want you really want as a Sales Manager.

Why A System to Hire Sales People Slowly Makes Sense

A series of messages with client Stuart Prentice of First European Ltd in Scotland prompted me this message. I had asked him for his impression of business conditions in the UK. He responded:

“Alan the business and general environment are poor and in my opinion will get worse. Property values still need to fall into line with incomes and when that happens properly there will be far more pain. The stock market is pumped up by low interest rates and governments printing money. Ireland. Portugal and Spain will almost certainly default on their obligations at some point and I would think and then the Euro comes into question.

How these things will play out who knows but they all add to a lack of confidence and well being that we used to have in our professional lives. We have scaled our business down, are taking less risks and lowered our costs. I’ll take people on however I haven’t employed anyone for 6 months despite the fact I run ads and go through testing. I have 4 people in my bank who I would employ if I was more confident but I am doing as you suggest and making recruitment an ongoing programme rather than a reaction to a problem.

I have been enjoying your blogs about the run training. Everything you say is bang on. I do triathlon and much of my mental strength from the last few years has been taken from my sport. People talk to me about triathlon and ask how I can do it. They seem amazed that at man at 47 years old can compete in long distance triathlon events. To be honest compared to running a business I find it incredibly easy. I wish business was as simple as getting up in the morning to do some training !!”

There’s an old sales manager’s adage “Hire Slowly, Fire Quickly.” In today’s rocky environment you don’t want to have to rush to a sales hiring decision. In fact, in any environment moving systematically is something that makes sense. Since the beginning we called it Advanced Hiring System for a reason.

But there’s a caution here – it’s “Hire Slowly” not “Never.”

We’re a bit perplexed and we think some sales managers have put sales hiring on indefinite hold. In fact, our surveys show that quite a few are making no effort to recruit new talent.

This is going to bite those sales managers who are not recruiting in the butt in a couple of ways.

1. Growth in a sales team encourages new ways of thinking. New sales blood finds new ways to sell the market. Stop looking for new sales talent and face “sales idea stagnation.”
2. If the economy starts to take off you want some momentum going in your sales department. (Believe me, if a $1.5 Trillion U.S. Government deficit doesn’t cause some growth in the near future we’re all royally screwed)  When the stimulus from the deficit hits all the other sales manager who’re sleeping is going to start to try to hire salespeople, they will all be fighting for the second rate salespeople.