We've all heard about them- the people or companies who come out of nowhere and seem to instantly find success, fame, and fortune. I was recently discussing with my coach a business opportunity that I've been working on for close to two years and was lamenting the fact that it is taking so long to even know if our efforts are going to pay off. He nailed it when he reminded me that it really does take a long time to be an overnight success. If we look a little closer at these suddenly successful phenoms, we usually find out they have been working hard for a very long time to get to where they are today.
Isn't this true in just about anything we try to accomplish? It certainly is the case for me in things I've found some measure of success at in my life. I ran my first marathon at age 40 and people who found out about it around the time of the race itself were amazed that a chunky guy like me could do a marathon. They typically said things like- "I could never do that". I appreciated the compliment, but the truth is, they probably could run a marathon if they were willing to go through the long weeks and months of training that led up to that one special day. All they saw was the result- not the work that went into it.
Isn't it the same in the sales cycle? The people who are currently having "success" have probably been working very hard for a long time to earn the business of their clients. Especially these days, it seems to take longer to complete the sales process than in the past. It's easy to get discouraged by this, but just remember, success is a long term project. Enjoy the achievement of small goals along the way, and you're being successful, all the while keeping your focus on your ultimate vision.
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