Episode 105 Become a Goat!

Lisa Thal is an Author, Speaker, and Business Coach.  Simplify Your Sales meetings. She wrote the book "Three Word Meetings."  Lisa coaches leaders on simplifying sales and business meetings with fun and interesting 3-word  topics to get your sales team motivated and inspired.  She has over 34 years of marketing, sales, and leadership experience.

 

In episode 105, we learn how to become a GOAT - Greatest Of All Time by Competing Against Yourself!

 

Let's give up for Phil Mickelson. He provided what we love about sports, watching someone special do something special, something unexpected. Phil shared, "That is why he keeps showing up."  

 

I watched a historical moment! Phil Mickelson win at Kiawah Island, S.C. at the age of 50 years and 11 months! You may be thinking, what's the big deal.

 

Phil's ability on a golf course, the body of work he has established over more than three decades in the public eye, has gotten lost or diminished the past few years. That is why winning this PGA Championship, so unlikely because it made him the oldest major champion ever at age 50, means so much.

 

His last win was in 2019 at Pebble Beach and his final major championship trophy in 2013 at Muirfield. Since September, he missed six cuts. In the eight in which he was around for the weekend, he never once finished in the top 20. He had fallen outside the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He needed special exemptions to get a spot in significant championship fields.

 

"The difficulty is when you're not making advancements, and you're putting in the work, and you do not see the results, to stay consistent and to stay committed," Mickelson, 50, shared with reporters. I thought about what he said. You have to be honest with yourself and reflect on where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow, a week from now, a month, or a year.

 

Let's face it as it's hard enough to win when you're competing with the talented golfers in their 30s, never mind in your 40s and now, according to golf, in your senior years. Ouch, as I am in the 55+ crowd. So what I learned from playing golf and watching Phil become a GOAT - Greatest of All-time at the age of nearly 52 is that Phil was competing against his personal best!

 

I understand all of you listening have direct competitors that you compete for business with every day. Is the real learning lesson or takeaway that our focus should be on competing with ourselves and figuring out ways to become our very best? Phil's knowledge of the game and experience is vast. But he had to re-invent himself by not only eating better, building physical strength and mental toughness to compete. By focusing on your capabilities and limitations, you can adapt and refocus your business goals to compete to improve yourself. Taking ownership of the competition internally so you can improve is the best way to create longevity and ride the highs and the lows of business.

 

I had a few thoughts about how we best start to focus on what we can control, which is us!

 

Competition vs. Comparison

Focusing on competing against yourself is the key to a successful mindset because you eliminate the chance to get into the comparison game with others. If we compare ourselves with others, we distract ourselves from our control, such as how the other team members are doing, habits, and daily processes. If we focus only on ourselves, we can work on our strengths and weaknesses to find the most effective and unique ways to connect and sell to our customers. Tracking your progress is essential in taking personal accountability for your circumstances. It's necessary to track your progress. Do you have the energy all day to work with customers? Is your appointment setting improving? How are your conversions to conversations to closes going?

 

Effort is Key

In sales, talent is a contributor to success. The more significant factor is the effort to maximize every possible opportunity. Whether you are at your first sales job and going through the motions, or you already have 34 years of experience, showing up and learning every day is crucial. Planning and managing your activities is a game changer! To become a GOAT - you must focus on your priorities at the beginning and end of each day! Is there an area you need improvement? Be honest and push yourself to start to learn better ways of accomplishing them. You may need to ask for honest feedback from your manager or another co-worker. Remember, learning is earning!

 

 

Invest in Yourself

It starts with working harder on yourself. Are you physically and mentally strong enough to compete against your best? That is what Phil had to do. He learned about nutrition, how to physically push himself, and mentally stay calm in the chaos. Going above and beyond in building your skill, experience, and network means investing in yourself. Continue to add even one percent daily to your professional development, and the results will follow. Building relationships through networking is significant in creating new opportunities. Also, find a greater purpose in why you are doing what you do because it will be a great reminder on the tough days. When things start going bad, break the pattern by doing something that will maximize your future opportunity. People like to work with those who have a winning attitude, even when things are not going to their advantage.

 

Practice makes Perfect.

Phil, like many PGA Pro's, practices every day. He hits shot after shots. Putts all lengths, so when the time comes, he has already built the muscle memory to perform. He has built Mental Confidence! Ask yourself when you practiced what you would say to start a conversation with a new potential client. How about practicing your first meeting to anticipate any objections they may have or practice your presentation. 

 

See, For things to get better, you have to get better.

 

My vision for each of you is to become a GOAT - Greatest of All Time, for yourself. Each day learns something new that will improve your performance. Yes, it's human nature to compete and beat others. But the actual game is won when we Compete Against Ourselves!

 

 

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