Get MAD for 21 Days To Improve Your Career

I am sure you have heard it said if you want to break a bad habit or make a change in your life you need to work on the new behavior or skill for a minimum of 21 days. Unfortunately, many people seem to think if they can quit smoking for 21 days they will never smoke again. The same goes for losing weight or making other changes in your personal life or your career. Not true!

Go to any gym in January and see how many people made the New Years resolution to lose weight. Now go back in February and count the number of people who are still hard at work. The gym where I coached for 20 years would see over 90% of these new members gone within the first 45 days of starting the program. Most of them would quit before the third week.

Spending 21 days trying to change your behavior is not enough. What you need to do is get M.A.D. for the 21+ days to ensure your success. By M.A.D I mean you must be Motivated, take Action and be Determined to succeed.

This same principle applies in your career. As sales trainers we constantly hear sales people claiming they are committed to making changes to further their career. More time prospecting, upgrading skills, one more sales call every day or a myriad of other promises we make to oneself or the boss.

If you really want to make the change for the better then you need to first identify three key factors in making meaningful changes.

1) Motivation: What is the long term benefit of making the change and why am I going to try and change? (WIIFM, What’s in it for me?)

2) Action: Am I prepared to take the necessary steps to change regardless of what confronts me in the next 21 days and then moving forward? You know the old saying, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

3) Determination, Drive, Desire, Dedication, All great words which highlight the need for you to be willing to commit to making the necessary changes for success.

Just look at any high performance amateur athlete. It may be a high school “jock” trying to get to the next level or a national athlete working to compete on the world stage. They are motivated, take the action required to be the best and are determine and dedicated to doing whatever it takes to be the top of their sport.

Remember the 80-20 Rule: 80% of the sales are made by 20% of the sales people. The choice of which group you want be in is completely yours.

Aim Higher!

Robert J. Weese
B2B Sales Connections Inc.