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He Who Hesitates…waits…and waits…and waits…

Written by: Mike Yates

Article Overview: A favourite quote from Henry Ford ‘Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can’t: you’re always right’. How does that apply to you and your business? Why do some people work excessively hard and never seem to get anywhere whilst others just seem to be complete and utter money and success magnets!? How many ‘no’s’ and knock backs will it take for you to hesitate...and wait…and wait in your business?

He Who Hesitates…waits…and waits…and waits…

One of my favourite all time quotes is from Henry Ford. He once said ‘Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can’t: you’re always right’. Just take a moment to think about that in your life and your business.
We are all born with an incredibly powerful bio computer (our brain) that really does give us all unlimited potential. So why is it that certain people are far more wealthy and ‘successful’ in life and in business than others? Why do some people work excessively hard and never seem to get anywhere whilst others just seem to be complete and utter money and success magnets!?
Are they more intelligent? Did they go to better schools? Did they have a better start in life? Wealthy parents perhaps?
There has been an immense amount of research carried out on the habits and traits of some of the most successful people in history.
Let’s take Colonel Sanders (KFC) as an example. There are a couple of remarkable things about this particular entrepreneurial success story. The first one being he ended up penniless at the age of 65, collecting a social security cheque for $105. He did, however, have a chicken recipe and an idea to sell this recipe under license as a franchised model. So (when most of us would settle in to retirement) he travelled around the country by car (in his white suit) and cold called prospects with his proposition. The next remarkable factor was the amount of times that he was refused before he signed his first client. He received ONE THOUSAND AND NINE ‘no’s’ before he heard his first ‘yes’. Six hundred franchises later he sold his interest in the company for $2 million (a lot of money in 1964) whilst still remaining active within the business.
Here’s another: Walt Disney applied for financing for his dream of creating “The Happiest Place on Earth”. He was turned down THREE HUNDRED AND TWO times before he was finally given a yes.
So now consider a salesman that I was training to cold call who, after the third call one morning, just looked at me and refused to do any more as he felt so rejected by the third ‘no’. To help overcome his fears he was coached through a cold call sales process that would work for him. Also he realised through this coaching that his own hesitation would prevent him from achieving his sales dream. I am pleased to say that years later he is now heading an extremely successful sales team himself.
So how many people do you think would have gone through 1009 no’s to get a yes?
How many ‘no’s’ and knock backs will it take for you to hesitate...and wait…and wait in your business?

One of the definitive answers to the question “what is one of the single most definitive things that successful people do in business that the less successful people hesitate to do” is simply this: to decide on your dream and take action. Lot’s of it.
From this weeks ‘top tip’ then, here’s a thought or two for you to ponder:
Take a look at all areas of your business: one at a time.
Your Sales, your team, your current systems, your immediate and long term business goals.
Take each area in turn and ask yourself the question:
Where do I hesitate…and wait? How does this impact my business right now and how do I think it will impact my business and my vision long term?
Once you have some answers to the first question, then ask yourself this question:
What do I need to do to overcome my hesitation and feel comfortable to take action in each area that I have highlighted?

To Your Success,

Mike Yates

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Article Tags: bio computer, brain, cheque, chicken recipe, cold call, colonel sanders kfc, entrepreneurial success, franchises, happiest place on earth, henry ford, magnets, place on earth, prospects, retirement, social security, success story, unlimited potential, walt disney, wealthy parents, white suit



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