Do or die

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It’s February 1. It’s the day to get off your tailbone and start putting yourself in front of more customers and prospects. Stop over-analyzing. Stop over-preparing. Stop over-organizing. Stop the long lunches. Stop chatting in the hallways with co-workers. Act like you mean it. Now.

Do you realize that YOU are what’s holding you back from next-level performance? Not your marketing department. Not your company’s pricing strategy. Not your sales literature. And not your sales manager. You.

You may have bad habits holding you back that are easily cured , or your challenges may be more deep-seated. But overcoming them starts with finding your purpose, setting appropriate goals, and committing wholeheartedly to them. You must develop, intense, burning desire to succeed in life. And as far as 2006 is concerned, it all needs to kick into gear NOW.

In fact, I believe you’ve got to be committed to a minimum of 110% performance. Achieving your sales plan is only fulfilling your obligation. But hit 110%, you’ve got job security. You’re likely in the top 1% of your company.

So talk to yourself. Remind yourself who you are, what you want, why you want it, why you DESERVE it, and why you’re going to get it. Do this every morning. Say it with passion and energy.

Then hit the accelerator, never relenting. Make it do or die. As Thomas Henry Huxley once said, “Do what you can to do what you ought, and leave hoping and fearing alone.”

And finally, forget about the obstacles you think are holding you back. You’ll never hear the most successful people in your field waste time talking about what’s in the way of them performing at a higher level. They don’t bemoan obstacles. Why? They know we’ve all got them. No one’s immune. You don’t have a corner on the adversity market.

Some people show up for work having fought with teenaged children. Or with a faltering marriage on their minds. Or health concerns. Or massive financial woes. But you’ve got to put your issues behind you and kick it into gear when you step on the “court.”

Successful professionals never let external obstacles become reasons for failure. Imagine a yellow penalty flag flying in whenever you get caught up whining about your obstacles.

A fast start to 2006 is still in your hands. But it will take committed, disciplined action every day. Are you ready to fully engage? Are you ready to really lock in?