Back in the early seventies Dr.
Frederick S. Perls said "What is, is. AND what ain't, ain't, and so
what!"
Of course those were different times and a different generation's
mantra. But, in truth those words have guided me through some of my most
difficult challenges as a professional in the retail automobile
industry. I call it "The absolute theory of reality."
In other words, you can't change what is because it simply is that way.
Wishing it wasn't won't change reality. AND "the converse side of that
coin says "What ain't, ain't", which is equally true. If it isn't that
way, it just isn't.
We're facing tough challenges right now in California. I work with a
number of dealers at both ends of the state and in the middle and the
gloom is like a black cloud hanging over our showrooms.
When I was asked to write this article I sat staring at the word
processor trying to come up with something brilliant that would solve
your problems and make me look like a hero. BUT, truthfully, I was still
sitting there hours later thinking so hard my brain was burning. It was
at that point the Perls quote hit me again.
The answer is we have to maximize every opportunity to do business as
that opportunity presents itself. There is no magic promotion or
technique that is going to immediately open the floodgates until this
crisis passes. BUT, we can do everything we can with everything we get.
The worst thing that ever happened to any of us didn't kill us yet
anyway. You have survived and regrouped with everything that life ever
threw at you and you're still okay-this will pass and we will get
through and it will be good. Your attitude is your most valuable sales
asset.
I am challenging every dealer, manager, and sales representative to get
your mind right. We need to achieve focus and intensity.
Personally, I refuse to tolerate negatives in my life, regardless of
what life is throwing at me.
Starting when your feet hit the floor first thing in the morning.
Don't tolerate hearing anything negative in the morning!
This will destroy good attitudes!
The morning is the time to get your mind right and to focus on the day
that's coming. When you first get to work, get ready for whatever
happens.
At every dealership there's always one, usually another sales person. I
call these people the crabs in your life. It appears that the main
purpose for their existence is to ruin your attitude. They're the one's
who tell you why it can't be done... They're the one who's going to tell
you that the economy is bad and that cars have stopped selling... The
one who's going to try to talk you into giving up...
They're the losers, they are Crabs in your life.
You see, if you put a live crab in a bucket, it can climb out and
escape. There are only two ways to keep a crab in a bucket. First of
all, you could put a lid on the bucket or you could put another crab in
the bucket with the other crab. You see crabs will latch on to one
another and not allow each other to escape. They will pull you back down
into the bucket. Sometimes they're even one of the top sales persons at
the dealership, but; they're still a loser. Their life is out of
balance and something's not working for them...
They're negative
Negative people poison success... Stay away from them. All that comes
out of their mouth is gloom and doom... Poison for your attitude.
When you first arrive at the dealership with the " Rocky " theme music
playing in your head... Don't pollute your mind with the negatives...
You are a winner.
We've talked about winners and losers and the fact that either is a
choice that you make for yourself. More that anything though, winning
is an attitude... a total feeling born of self-confidence.
If you're going to have it, you've got to want it... You've got to
really want it.
In the book "Think And Grow Rich" By Napoleon Hill, there is one
overwhelming theme that most people who have arrived at greatness
understand, and that is...
" Anything that the mind can conceive...
And believe... It can achieve "
If you can think of it, and believe that you can really do it, nothing
can stop you from doing it... Nothing. You control your destiny...
That's what that means.
No one is born a salesman... Everything is learned...
And it all starts in the mind.
This is the time to perfect your professional skills as a sales person
and as a manager. You have to make the most out of every opportunity we
do have. AND, you got to be better than you used to be just to stay
where you were. We have got to devise ways to generate business by
reaching out into the community and prospecting. We have got to look at
the opportunities for sales that are previous customers sitting in the
service lounge's databases of past customers whose loans have reached
equity. This is the time to get aggressive, determined and creative.
We are entering an era of extreme winners and severe losers. What I am
saying to you is that is a choice not a predetermined fate.
Every day of my life, I have a serious talk with myself. Talking to
myself in the shower as I rehearse how my day is going to be. Driving
to work picturing everything that is going to happen... Everything that
I expect to happen. Keeping a positive, aggressive attitude is not
always easy.
I am the best there is at what I do and nothing can stop me from getting
what I want.
This is the attitude of success. If you believe that you are that good,
then you'll do the things that make you that good.
Being good at what you do is a decision that you make. Nobody can make
you do what you learn here. Believe it or not, there are actually some
morons walking around in this world who know what they could and should
do to be successful but they aren't willing to pay the price of actually
doing it. They'd rather be wimps and complain about what life has
handed them than to take control and do what they know they should.
They externalize all of their problems instead of internalizing them
and doing something about it.
I'd like you to take a moment now, and some more time later, to make a
decision. The decision is intensify your vision and energize your
attitude.
Everything starts in your mind with a decision before it becomes a
reality.
