My previous job was a Sales Rep for a health/wellness company. I sold supplements to independent health food stores. If you know anything about sales you know that building relationships is essential. Your first motive in any territory is to develop the relationship. Then you show them a little bit about what you know, and slowly educate them on why your product is the only product their store should carry. Easy enough, or so I thought.

About a year into my territory my director and I were riding together talking about the territory, my sales, and my accounts. At this time my territory wasn’t performing so well and we were devising a plan to get sales back to where they needed to be. This guy said something to me that I will never forget. We were going through a mini-SWOT analysis (Strengths-Weakness-Threats-Opportunities) Apparently my pitches were perfect and my ability to develop the relationship was among the best in the company. But what he said to me really struck a nerve of resounding truth.

“Jason,  you know what your problem is? It’s not your pitches or your relationships, it’s that your Too Good”

With a dumbfounded smile I looked at him and replied “What do you mean?” He said “you’re too good and you rely to much on that.” “You’re too good at building relationships and too good at telling the account what they need to hear.”

What he was saying was to not rely so much on what came natural and to dig deeper into the more intricate and laborious aspects of the job. Dig deeper into the elements that made a top sales person. Such as the story behind the company and it’s products (it’s always about telling a better story), expanded knowledge about a product that goes beyond that needed of a pitch, the planning, the preparing, knowing the ins and outs of my territory.

He was telling me to put in the work. Hustle. Get after it. Work harder than the next guy because that next guy is going for a bigger payoff. The more you put in now, the more you get out of it later. Too often we get comfortable and complacent and miss out on achieving true greatness. Miss out on the opportunity to become legendary because we get lazy. I’m thankful he spoke those words into my life, it was an awakening….an awakening to be legendary.

Someone is always trying to out hustle you. Work like that’s impossible. Don’t rely on what you know. Sometimes it’s not enough.

Anyone else guilty of working in the comfort of their skills? Or am I all alone on this transparent tirade?

Some interesting facts around the “holiday” of love, St. Valentines Day. Facts of love and what it will cost you to love for 1 day of the year. Oh yeah, and there’s a really cool timeline of Valentines Day.

Enjoy and Happy Valentines Day.

Infographic by Overstock.com

Going into this new year, Donna and I wanted to assure we were focused with what we were dedicating ourselves to for the next 365 days and what would define this year. In the same way we measured 2010, we wanted to try and gage the year ahead of us. With the beginning of each year, we sit down with a very practical list of questions that stir memories, experiences and thoughts of the last year; and asks questions that cause us to dream, communicate and envision what we want out of the year ahead.

With that, comes a question, it is actually the last question on the sheet.

A question that, for us, requires some thought.

What one word would describe the theme of 2011?

Our answer: DISCIPLINE

Going into this year we are focused on our discipline to be healthier, to be more active, more disciplined to pursue our passions, disciplined to live a life of vision, focus, and love…for others and of course, each other.

So I want to know, What one word would describe your theme for 2011?

Before each year gets started, Donna and I like to pick a word/theme that we would like to describe the year ahead of us. As if to say this is what we will focus on for the year, what we will dedicate ourself to for 365 days. But this year, our 2010 follow-up had us describe the year that was. 2010 was full of surprises. We faced them all head on and embraced the changes and turns. We moved to a new place that caused us to fall in love with a new city, Donna started a new job in a new field that will lead to a new career for her, I stepped away from the industry I had been a part of for four years, and began moving towards a industry I knew very little about but was becoming very intrigued with, and now working in.

If I had to sum up 2010 with one word, I would say it has to be PROVING.

We proved to ourselves that we were not only able to embrace transition but fluctuate inside of it. I proved to myself that I can chase a passion and work within that passion. We proved that we can pursue a dream and live within that dream.

We proved my Dad’s old adage of “You can do anything, if you put your mind to it.”

What will 2011 hold for you? What do you need to put your mind to? Do it. You won’t regret it.

Came across a toy I used to have as a boy this week. I’ve searched ebay trying to find them. I wanted about 35 of them for a Press Kit I was working on. I couldn’t find 1 set. Once I find one, I’m buying it. And I’ll be a famous drummer once again. For now, enjoy this blast from the past!

Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to meet some very interesting people with intriguing accomplishments. Some of these people have been willing to meet or talk regularly to offer advice and mentorship and some I’ve met with once over coffee or briefly at a function. I learned early on that if I go to a scheduled meeting with an influencer, to have discussion topics ready to keep the conversation progressing. It shows you value their time and you are truly interested in learning all you can from this person, giving them the assurance that their accomplishments mean something to you.

Many times I’ve tried searching online or looking through books to discover new questions to ask influencers, questions designed for influential answers. Questions that lead to answers that lead to action and ultimately lead to success.

This is part of an ongoing project I have been working on inspired by a scene in “The Patriot.” Mel Gibson and the militia had just taken over one of Cornwallis’ platoons that were carrying all of his personal materials, some of which included trunks of his journals and war procedures. After reading through the journals Gibson puts the book down and says “I’ve just been inside the mind of a genius.” If you’ve seen the movie you know how the rest of the movie plays out and how the Continental Army changed the way they fought in the final stand off between America and Britain. The insight we can gain from those who are successful in their efforts can exponentially change our future.

I believe something like this could be an invaluable resource available for future leaders. For those that are proactive with their passions. Those that seek out influencers to become the next generation of influencers.

A Maven is an expert. In order to become the best, we must be in front of the best. The Mavens. Take advantage of your moments with them. Below is a list of questions I have assembled with some of my friends who seize every opportunity they have when with a Maven, those who one day themselves will be Mavens. We would greatly appreciate you adding to the list, sharing the list and incorporating it into your moments with Mavens.

Where do you begin to develop something so colossal as what you have built?
Taking something from merely an idea to a reality.

What are some practices that differentiates yourself from everyone else?

What are some of the learning experiences you remember that have led to your development?

If your life was a book, what would you consider the most important chapter?

Do you ever feel inadequate? How do you overcome?

How important is networking in your field?

How do you gauge a successful event?

How is your staff managed? What is the model?

What is it that your organization does better than other similar organizations?

Why start a program like this? What was the passion behind it?

Would your organization be any different if it was in a different part of the country?

Where do you see your industry going creatively? What’s one approach you see changing?

What are your 3 most influential books?

I hope you find this list helpful and at times I hope you find yourself using it. I would love to include your questions to the list and know how you maximize your Moments with a Maven. If you have answers to any of these, please feel free to answer in the comments. Otherwise, go find your Maven and make the most of the moments.

I lost track of time and forgot to write today’s #30blog. So I’m writing it now at 1:15 a.m., before I go to bed.

The reason I’m still awake? Passion, excitement and anticipation of what is to come. A lot of momentum is currently being generated in my world. A lot of really fantastic opportunities are happening. With momentum comes excitement and with excitement comes willingness. The push effect. When there is no momentum, there is stress and with stress we get burnout and misery. The pull effect. I have experienced both ends of the spectrum. I’ll take momentum any day. After all, it is easier to push an object than it is to pull.

What I am saying, is that I am still awake and working at 1:15 a.m. because I want to be, because I am enjoying it, because things are happening. And when things are about to happen you push. You push with eager expectation.

Are you working with momentum or misery? What are you currently pushing?