Shifting into the millennium what personal gear are you in?
How are you developing and maintaining the winning edge? How will you stay one step ahead of the competition? Well, if you've ever heard someone say "shift into high gear," you're close. Shift is the operative word.
Just shift from one method of operation or philosophy to a better one. Identify what needs to shift, and go for it day by day and gear by gear. Shifting is easier than changing. And shifting is a prerequisite for success in this new century.
There are the fundamental business, sales, customer service, and personal shifts to be adopted. Presented below are the personal shifts. These are the hardest to make happen. Business, sales and customer service is about "it" easy. Personal is about "you" big difference. Read on and get uncomfortable.
Shift from "the world" to "your world." The world is television that does not impact your success and watching things you don't affect. Your world is family, children and self-examination. The world is watching news; your world is making news. Which world is more important? Your world, of course. Which world do you spend more time in? For most people it's the world. Your 21st century challenge is to at least equalize the time spent in each world.
Shift from making others happy first to making yourself happy first. To be your best for others (family, friends, co-workers, customers), you must first be the best for yourself. Concentrate on making yourself great.
Shift from blaming others to taking responsibility. Once you realize who is responsible for your success, you stop blaming others for your failure. It's easy to shift the wrong way, from responsibility to blame, and make others look bad to save face. But doing this will never earn you the success and fulfillment you've worked for so hard.
Shift from knowing to doing. Salespeople already know everything; the problem is they don't do it. The key to getting from knowing to doing is self-evaluation. Instead of saying or thinking: "I know that!" say and think: "How can I improve my skill level at that?" Not "I know it," but "How good am I at it?"
Shift from a "9-5" mentality to 24-hour focus. Be alert for opportunity that can strike at any moment. And be ready and willing to seize it when it appears.
Shift goals from material to personal. It's easy to set a goal for a big house or new car, but the real goal is to be the best at what you do. When your goal is to be the best, the house and car suddenly appear.
Shift from taking to giving. It is better to give than receive. Try it; it works better than any single success strategy.
Shift from immediate gratification to delayed gratification. Put away 20% of your earnings and invest them. Don't spend them.
Shift from making money to earning money. This is a subtle but powerful shift. The more you strive to earn money, the more money you'll earn.
Shift from inside the box to outside the box. Get creative in every aspect of life. Creativity stretches your mind and expands your adventure and fun factor by a million.
Shift from no sweat to sweat. Complacent people get passed over; ask any hare. Have your internal passion for achievement set on high. Rest once in a while for rejuvenation, but don't rest on your laurels.
Shift from follower to leader. Even if you don't want to be a big-time leader, lead something so you can understand (and better relate to) how leaders operate.
Shift from ego-based to self-based. Love what you do, not what someone else wants you to do. Love what you think of yourself, not what someone else thinks of you.
Shift from imbalance to in balance. A physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, and financial balance will ensure a steady path to success and fulfillment. If any one of the five is out of balance, the ship will tilt, or sink, depending on the weight of imbalance.
Personal shifts are the most difficult to read, because they hit home. Personal shifts are the most difficult to achieve because they mean a change in lifestyle. Now, I'm not telling you to employ all these shifts. I am saying others are. It's your choice.
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of "The Sales Bible" and "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless." President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts training programs on selling and customer service. Inquiries should be faxed to the WBJ at (48-22) 646-0576 or e-mailed to salesman@gitomer.com
