Discipline over availabilities

Here are the show notes from episode 489 of The Sales Life Podcast. Get the juicy details here.

I pass by several gas stations and grocery stores on my way one from work & every one of them make a buying a case of beer available to me.

To cap off the night, seafood platters & Popeyes fried chicken are available to me.

But I don’t stop because I choose discipline over availabilities.

Just because something’s available doesn’t mean it’s good for me.

I bring this up because we recently adjusted our salespeople’s schedule where they’re off half of the month. During the Covid crisis we saw our guys worked less time but were more impactful. They loved that they could come in, deliver a vehicle and go home for the rest of the day if they wanted to.

So today half of the month is available to them to do as they choose.

And for some, it’s going to be one of the worst options because they’ll choose availabilities over discipline.

You can either work to a schedule or you can work to an opportunity.

Think of availabilities as snacks in your house. Do you remember when mama would come home from the grocery store and load up the pantry with snacks?

Which ones did you choose? All of them! You got big-eyed and stuffed as many in your mouth and in your nightstand as possible.

That’s what availabilities are to you. To your demise, you choose all of the options of laying up…binge watching…& not working out.

Choose discipline over availabilities.

I’ve always pushed back from the word discipline, because of how I thought of discipline. The image of discipline for me is the super regimented military guy who never fades to fatigue.

But that’s not what discipline is…

Discipline is simply doing something that improves you.

Availabilities left unchecked are minuses; discipline are pluses.

Joe Rogan said that the worst mistake a man can do is be comfortable.

Rogan earns his comfort so that when he chooses to lay up on the couch and watch tv, he’s earned it.

But it’s rare that he chooses the couch even though it’s available because there’s so much to do, see, & learn.

I’ve had to work through my days off & give up vacation days because I chose availability over discipline. Instead of working I played on my phone, took long lunches, & hid until it was time to go home.

I had to cancel outings with my family- I told them that I was behind at work but in truth I hadn’t earned my comfort.

Just because it’s available doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

I’m all for off time (I’m off tomorrow 🙌) as long as you’ve earned it. Use that time to lay up, & chill with your family…but also get some mental and physical workouts in too.

This is where you have to know your tendencies because tendencies will take you down. (Go back and listen to episode 489)

If you have the tendency to come back to work sluggish & fearful because you’re behind then adjust your disciplines to work half days on the days that you’re off until you can practice the discipline of working when at work.

Top producers always see the opportunity first. They like the flexibility of coming and going but they’re coming more than they’re going! They don’t choose all of their availabilities because they’re always looking for the opportunity from those who choose all of their availabilities.

Some look in amazement at a buffet of choices others prefer to hunt and kill what they eat, That’s what creates that hunger.

Here’s your TSL action items.

1) What disciplines will you put in front of availability today?

2) What are your tendencies & how will You curtail those tendencies.

Email me @ thesaleslife1@gmail.com

Hear the full, juicy details of this episode here.