Successful People Do What Others Do Not
If that wasn't true, everyone would be successful.
The last post was on personal growth. I wrote about focusing on doing things that only you can do. I ended by writing about doing things others don’t want to do. That is where the difference between successful and unsuccessful people lies. It helps to believe in what you are doing.
My grandfather was a successful life insurance salesman. He won awards. He sold a policy a week. If he sold it on Monday, he took the rest of the week off. Sometimes it took all week. It is my understanding that at one time he held the record at the American Home Life Insurance Company for the most consecutive weeks of selling a policy.
When I worked for IBM, The American Home Life Insurance Company was in the building next to IBM. After my father died, I walked over to find out what I would have to do to redeem his policy. I introduced myself to the receptionist and she immediately said, “Just a minute. Someone will want to talk to you.” The vice president of the company came out and escorted me to his office. “Your grandpa trained me. If you ever want a job in insurance, just let me know.”
Grandpa was a door-to-door salesman. How many of us are willing to knock on doors and talk to people? It is something you can do that many will not.
Grandpa believed in life insurance. He gave each of his grandchildren a policy soon after we were born. Grandpa paid the first month premium. Dad said it didn’t cost Grandpa anything. He just lost the commission. I believe he did it because he thought it was important. I still have that policy.
The most financially successful people are often in sales. I find it difficult to market a product that I don’t believe in. I remember my cousins coming for a visit. They were selling candy as a fund raiser. I was probably ten years old. My cousin and I set out to sell candy. We lived near a couple of gas stations and grocery stores. We would just talk with people as they were leaving. I sold all of the chocolates. I like chocolates.
Right now, I’m sitting in a house my son remodeled. We’re holding an open house from 1 – 4 pm. It is a small cabin. I had some questions. There are hot and cold-water hookups upstairs. It has new cabinets, but appliances are not included. A spot for the dishwasher seems too small. I called him. It will fit an 18-inch dishwasher and clothes washer, and dryer can go upstairs. He also told me about different bed configurations. Now I’m ready. I often sell houses at open houses. One of the reasons is I believe in my son’s work.
One of my chiropractic colleagues has always struggled in practice. I started a few years before he did. One day we work working together at the county fair. The county chiropractic association used to have a booth at the fair and we would take turns checking posture and talking to people about chiropractic. I heard him talking with a man and recommending that the man see someone other than him. When the man left, I asked, “Why did you send him to someone else?” He said, “He lives closer to the other doc.” I said, “If you can’t find a reason why you are worth driving across town to see, you will never have a practice.”
The first question many now ask healthcare professionals is, “Do you take my insurance?” Although many patients ask that question, there are doctors who manage to build large practices that only take cash. The other reasons overcome the insurance objection.
For example, a Canadian was in town and called us to inquire about being adjusted. We talked for a bit and told her what we did and how we differed from the chiropractor she had been seeing. She decided to become a patient. She paid cash. She had to drive over two hours to see us. The entire family became patients. Sometimes competence beats everything.
If you are the business, why should people see you? It all begins with you. Are you closer, more convenient, cheaper, better, more diversified, more focused, faster? You must believe in your business. If you are an employee of a business, what do you do that is worth more than you are being paid? Few employees think about that. We’d all like to have our pay go up. Can you talk with your employer and make a case that you deserve to be paid more? You must believe in yourself. Even better is having data to prove your worth.