Today’s headlines will be tomorrow’s punchlines

$1 pack tuna; a house with no stove or fridge; I knew the repo man by name; working 4 jobs I fell asleep on air working the night shift as a radio DJ; I would leave the front porch light on as I left for work in the morning as a signal to see if they’d cut my lights off when I came home that night; the payday loan companies knew me by name- I’d run from one loan company to pay the other; I’ve had income garnishments & was just a docket number where all of your debts are called out loud in a crowded bankruptcy courtroom…

& there are more…

Think back to a struggle- a time it was incredibly painful & was the center of your attention…but today you describe it with laughter. The people you tell the story to shake their head, wondering how in the hell you made it…

But you did…

Remember “Today’s painful headlines will be tomorrow’s punchline.”

The headlines are formative- painful but formative because they caused a stir in you. A wake, shake, rise, or stand-whichever one of those words you want to use they all end with “Up.” Maybe it took many headlines for you to finally dig in, but you eventually got it.

Be grateful as you look back and laugh today. You probably know what it was all for now. You could probably fill in the blank, “Had this not happened ________”

& if you’re in headline moment…keep fighting. It seems like it’s the biggest moment now but will shrink as you move forward. One day it’ll even be a punchline.

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

What’s the LEAST I can do

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When you’re trying to change you tend to look at what’s the MOST you can give instead of the least…

Start by giving the least amount of time toward your new change. If it’s most, something unexpected will pop up, you’ll get off-track & quit.

For years I wanted to start The Sales Life Podcast, but I never did because I didn’t have (what I thought was required) hours to devote each day…

So I never started….thinking one day…

That’s when I discovered the Anchor App. When the App first came out, Anchor only allowed 5 minutes of recording time which was perfect because that’s all I could give!

The “least” time barrier gave me no more excuses to not get started.

Because the time limit was “least” I was able to record a 5 minute podcast every day for a year. I built the consistency and momentum so when the time barrier was lifted I was already rolling.

“Least” takes you out of the If/Then negotiations you have with yourself. “If this happens, then I’ll create/do more…”

Start with devoting the least amount of time toward change…when you’re consistent, you can always add more.

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

You haven’t lost your touch…you’ve lost your flexibility

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Yes you wore deodorant today…

No it’s not because your lucky pen ran out of ink…

You haven’t lost your touch, you’ve lost your flexibility.

In his book, “Think Agile,” Taffy Williams has a great list that you can check against to see where you’ve lost your flexibility.

🔥You hold onto failure too long. Failing can make you paranoid & “me” focused. You begin to think that everyone is out to get you & it’s you against the world. Your correction is in your connection so keep going.

🔥There is no secret sauce. Success is a formula not a recipe. If you carefully follow grandma’s recipe you’re buttery biscuits will taste like hers- but it’s NOT THE CASE when it comes to your success. The formula is ALWAYS changing- what worked before will be defunct 30 days from now- adjust the formula along the way.

🔥You’ve gotten complacent after sustained success. Back to back to back to back to back success can be a blessing and a curse. Stay on edge- your luck comes and goes.

🔥 You don’t think you’ll survive your personal problems. I’m living proof you will get through- just don’t park. Even though you’re going through hell right now, keep pushing forward- you may be sucking personally, but don’t let your professional life suffer. Don’t let up.

🔥You’ve become lethargic to your competition. As billionaire Tilman Fertitta says, “There’s a paddle coming for your ass.” Don’t think you can’t be dethroned.

🔥You’re indecisive. Make a damn decision- even if it’s wrong, at least you can adjust while moving.

🔥Refuse to get stuck in the past. Success is more like a track than a merry-go-round. Don’t wait for the “come-around.”

If you’re not where you want to be, it ain’t your touch- it’s your flexibility.

(Special thanks to Taffy Williams for for the inspiration)

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

The Day After Perfect

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Big change lies ahead for you right?

Chances are you’re focused on 1 or all of the 3 B’s: Body, Balances, or Bonuses.

This year you’re going to have the perfect body…

This year your bank balance will be high and credit card balances low….

This year you’re going to make all of the money…

Change is set through a perfect lense…but it’s made with a “tolerance of imperfection.”

Because the wheels will come off and things will not go perfect to your plan.

Focus on Jon Acuff’s “The Day After Perfect.”

This is what “separates the starters from the finishers…”

“The opposite of fail is finish…”

Focusing on The Day After Perfect will keep you going-yes you messed up…you ate too much, missed workouts, and swiped your credit card…

You may be off but you ain’t done…

Keep it moving…#finish

If you quit enough times that becomes your identity…if you finish enough times that becomes your legacy.

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

Ht Jon Acuff book “Finish” get the book it’ll help you this year.

Admit it…just don’t accept it

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Rich or poor, discouragement is a common thread among all of us…

It’s the thread, but it’s not the whole sweater.

We tend to wear setbacks as a tight, ugly sweater instead of realizing it’s a thread woven throughout our lives.

Whatever your current situation is- broke, stumbling in your career, overweight, divorced, bankrupt, or just in the skids admit it…just don’t accept it.

Sometimes it’s like we accept the Lifetime Underachievement Award, saying “I could’ve been something, but I wasn’t…& here’s why.”

Don’t be delusional, admit what it is right now, but don’t accept that’s all there is.

If you admit but don’t accept, that means you’re willing to do something about it.

So do something about it!

Stay in The Sales Life💪

Chase your first bead

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There are days I don’t feel like working out, running, writing, or even going to work- but you force the behavior to go to work because you’ll get fired if you don’t.

Like work , you have to force the behavior when you don’t feel like doing something because you refuse to let your feelings govern your emotions.

There are few days when you truly “feel” like doing “it.” Your first day starting a change is probably the most optimistic day you’ll have…after that it gets tough, sore, and resultless.

Those tough days (after day one) are the days you have to trigger your Activation Energy (ht:Tommy Baker) and chase your first bead.

Chasing that first bead is like going to the gym cold & unmotivated, but once you break a sweat you get into your grove…

Chase your first bead…

In sales jump in front of that first customer and get your lingo and rhythm going, it’s a quick win and carry’s over to the next customer regardless of the initial results.

Writing: keep writing-the first page is terrible but by page 2 your thoughts are flowing & page 2 is now your new page 1.

Reports, projects, jogging- any tough project CHASE YOUR FIRST BEAD…

After a few minutes of persistently staying with it, your emotions will line up with your movements and you’ll catch your grove.

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

(Thank you Tommy Baker for the inspiration for this post)

Write drunk, edit sober

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The other day I was working on a podcast episode, but didn’t have much time.

Working on the material went smooth but when it came time for me to record…uhhh not so smooth.

I had to re-record over and over & every time I messed up, I got more pissed off because my time was running out & I HAD TO GET IT DONE.

I finally muscled through the episode but I was furious with myself because it did not come out the way I wanted it to.

I almost published it anyway, but something reminded me of the quote, “Write drunk, edit sober.”

Meaning come back to it when you’re not “drunk” i.e. pissed off.

The next morning I worked on the episode from scratch & it came out exactly the way I wanted it to.

Sometimes in life you have to remind yourself to, “Write drunk, edit sober.”

As bad as you want to light a match and get something started…

As much as you want to tell someone the way it is and should be…

As bad as you want to get it on & confront the person who wronged you or said something that lit you up…

Maybe you should sober up first.

Like I did with the episode, come back to the situation when the emotions aren’t quite as raw so you can address it with more clearer thoughts.

Who knows, when you let your emotions cool off, you may find that you were waaaay off base to begin with but were so narrow in perspective you couldn’t see it any other way but your way.

Easy to say, harder to practice but saying these 4 words in the heat, may help recenter you and address it more productively…later.

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

New advice…old filter

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You know that person who gets advice from everyone yet does nothing with it other than get even more advice?

I’ve been that person…

The reason why you never move up, stay broke, are overweight, or get right back into the same kind of relationship you fought to leave is because your sifting new advice through an old filter.

You won’t see new results until you sift through a new filter…

It’s written that you can’t pour new wine into old wine skins because those skins don’t have the capacity to hold anything new…

Similarly, you’re trying to pass new advice through an old filter- the same filter that you had when you were a teen..the same filter that you had in your 20’s-your old filter doesn’t have the capacity to handle the new (often contrarian) advice.

Your old filter is why you habitually follow the footsteps of those you grew up & hung with…

You desperately want to change your life but you’re sifting new ideas/thoughts through an old filter…

Want a new body…new filters along the way.

Want to earn 6 figures or be a top producer…new filters…

Want your dream job or relationship? It’ll require new filters…

Change requires a new filter…changing requires evolutionary filters.

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

Shift happens

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Name any sport in any year & a team(s) is going have to deal with a season-ending injury of a star player. As devastating as the loss, the team has to figure out a way to win without them.

Shift happens…

Seeing injuries I’m reminded of 3 things:

🔥We’re all replaceable: As good as you are, don’t think “they” can’t go on without you. After amassing so much knowledge and skills, I thought I was irreplaceable until one day they called me in & demoted me to the bottom rung. Those who answered to me yesterday, I answered to them the next day.

It turned out, the demotion was the best thing that happened for me.

What happens to you now, happens for you later.

I saw firsthand that the store could move on (quite well) without me in the lead position.

Understanding that we’re all replaceable, make yourself replaceable by being ready at any time to move up.

See, someone above you thinks they’re irreplaceable like I did & life will show them otherwise…you just need to be ready to seamlessly step in when the opportunity comes.

🔥Be ready to step up. You don’t wait to first see the opening, then get ready-no, you get ready now. Don’t just sit there in judgement thinking you can do better than the other guy. Because you’re in a secondary position (for now 😉) you have the advantage of having a front row seat to the ins & outs of that position. See what works & doesn’t work now so you’ll be ready later.

🔥You will face injuries. Your injuries may be physical-you hurt yourself working out…but you still gotta workout! Keep showing up & do what you can.

You may also face emotional injuries like a lay-off, demotion, divorce, or health crises- as traumatic as these events are, realize the game of life goes on. Use what you have left to create more in your life.

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

The 5 Emotional Cycles of Change

“This time it’s gonna be different!”

“This is it!”

“This is hard…”

“This is b.s.”

“This is ridiculous…there’s no way this is gonna work for me…”

“Oh well…”

When enough is enough…& you’re sick & tired of being tired, you push off to change…

Only to realize early on that it’s harder than you expected…

The only result you seem to be getting is just constant pain-mentally & physically.

Things seem bad…but then they turn to worse.

So you quit…& go back to the way things were.

If this all sounds familiar, you’re in great company because we’ve all pushed off hard & fast in an effort to change, only to feel the pain, give up & turn back.

Now that you know that you’re not crazy nor weak, see the cycles for what they are & take them head on.

The 5 Emotional Cycles of Change (ECOC) are listed in Brian Moran’s book, “The 12 Week Year.”

I. Uniformed Optimism: “Piss & Vinegar” stage. All upside & no downside. (Doesn’t last long)

II. Informed Pessimism: This stage you’re moody because you realize the change is harder than you expected. You’re looking for ways out because things are bad…but it gets worse.

III. Valley of Despair: “Things weren’t so bad before,” you rationalize…so you quit & go back.

Stage III is where most turn back…but with a strong enough purpose, you’ll learn there’s more…if you keep going.

IV. Informed Optimism: The clouds break open and you’re finally seeing some results…but you must KEEP GOING. This stage is where most people sigh a breath of relief too long & relax too much-negating all of the hell they pushed through.

V. Success & Fulfillment: You’ve built new capacities & confidence. You can handle more & take on more because you now you’ve shown yourself what you’re truly capable of.

Congratulations on reaching Stage V…now move the bar because there’s more for you. 😉

Stay in The Sales Life 💪

Full podcast 👉https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sales-life-with-marsh-buice/id1292788623