Some people say you must love your work. I agree that this is desirable, but it’s not always realistic. Pursuing this ideal could cost you a great career.
Author Larry Winget says you don’t have to love what you do, but if you accept payment to do a job, whether you love it or not, you have a moral obligation to do it well.
Let’s face it, a sales job is tough. When you first start this career, chances are high you’re not going to like it, or at least not every aspect – prospecting for example. But this is irrelevant. Like the task or not, some tasks are essential to success and longevity – prospecting for example!
When you start, you make a lot of mistakes. Failure is a necessary step in the learning process, and a necessary step in the success journey. I often say, “It’s hard to love something you suck at”. So it can be in the early days of a sales career.
But don’t quit too early because you don’t love it. Given time, study, practice and a high level of the right actions, success will come. And with success, love for the career will blossom.
I don’t want to sound like an incurable romantic, but I do love Sales. But I didn’t when I first started.
How did I turn doubt and distress into love?
- Study – continual study. To master Sales you must know it. There is a lot to learn.
- Practice – knowledge is essential, but without practising what you learn, it won’t turn into skill.
- Goals – Know why you are doing those tough actions and putting in the hours: you’re working towards a better life.
- Plan – there are too many drifters in Sales. Don’t waste time working on the wrong actions.
- Large amounts of the right actions – those that lead to results.
- Written Affirmations – to help you focus and get you thinking ‘success’ thoughts.
- Mix with winners – buy breakfast for people you admire. Learn from them.
Do these things and success is assured. You will begin to see successes – firstly small ones, then larger successes as your skill builds.
And from these successes you may come to love your work. Sure, you won’t like every aspect of your work. Who does, honestly? But just as it’s hard to love something you suck at, once you stop ‘sucking’, it’s hard not to love a career that gives you so much opportunity to help people and earn a high income. Remember, good things take time.
It all begins with not sucking!