So many sales people fall in love with their prospects.  They fantasize: I know they’re gonna buy from me!  As salespeople, we’re good at convincing ourselves, aren’t we?  We think everyone who gets excited and indicates they might buy, will

I don’t care whether you were born rich, poor, or middle; white, black, or red; religious, irreligious, or other; educated, uneducated, or learning. Just don’t be an asshole!  If you’re not one: You help rather than hurt.You’re courteous rather than

A while back, my son, Justin, called me euphoric about an outstanding purchase he had made. I congratulated him and shared in his excitement. We celebrated together, paid attention to what was great at that moment, and then were to

A business owner I know assigns a middle-manager to set the company goals. By the way, he’s not an absentee owner, he’s there every day supposedly directing the company. This leader is making a serious mistake and he doesn’t seem

May I give you one quick, effective way to build momentum? Get some easy early wins. Set up your day so you’re constantly winning and feeling better about yourself as your day goes on. Here’s what I mean: most of

Last fall, I was talking to a group of business owners about the presidential debates and the integrity of the candidates. One of the group, seeming confused, asked: Bruce, how do you stay ‘within the cones’ in today’s world? In

Did you know this? One of nine workers in the USA is in direct sales. The other 8 are “non-sales” sellers who use persuasion to move others to give up something they’ve got for something we’ve got. According to Gallup, 40% of our

A goal is a dream that has feet!  Paraphrasing the Rolling Stones: Dreams with no action cause dissatisfaction. That’s why you keep your priorities in your face: to remind you often of what’s important to you. Otherwise, you get distracted,

When I was interviewed by Jon on Hack The Entrepreneur, I referred to Brian Tracy. Jon said Brian had been a guest on the program a couple months back. We discussed how powerful Brian’s message has been for both of

Clients want to know what I do to maintain focus and how I regain focus when I get off track. Here’s how I talk to myself to maintain and regain. I’ve found it effective: It gets my attention and tells

You’ve decided what you want. Now, to decide what you’ll do. To get anywhere quickly, you follow a map. It outlines the path to your destination. For accelerated success, your written plan is your roadmap. It helps you achieve what

I’ve discovered some unique self talk that instantly turns my feelings from negative to positive, reduces my self-righteous outbursts, I’m being kinder to those around me, and immediately makes me feel better about myself. I do it by recognizing my

Hartman and I were discussing a prospect, and he posed the question: Do we want to work with them? They certainly were qualified. They wanted it. They needed it. They would use it. They could afford it. We were dealing

Take your Dream List and a yellow highlighter to a place you feel creative. Review your list and highlight the dreams which resonate with you. When you’ve finished, get up and walk away from it. You’ve just made significant progress.

I made a suggestion to a client this week who responded: I’m just not comfortable doing that. I replied: I get it. Do it anyway, it’s the necessary action to achieve what you want. As you do it, you’ll get

What a perfect time of the year! We reflect on what has recently passed; we dream up our new beginnings, our future selves. We don’t have to make any immediate choices, we’re just dreaming. We’re not judging, we’re not deciding

When I first read The Busy Man’s Creed, I was unaware of Elbert Hubbard, who died in 1915 on the torpedo-sunken Lusitania. He was the author of A Message To Garcia, an inspirational classic. Now, decades later, his books fill

What do these sentences have in common? I ate too much. I slept too late. I worked too hard. You’re right, the word too. Anytime you see it, use it, or read it, you know that what it refers to

Here’s why I am: I’m alive and free in America; so is my family. I run my own business. I have books and can read them. Plus: baseball, Sherlock Holmes, and snow. And: My new knee, replaced in September. My

Owners and sales leaders ask: What can we do differently to help our sales teams improve? My answer: Do more planning, strategizing, and preparing and do it differently than most. Why? It’s tougher and tougher to get to the decider. There’s more

What do your co-workers expect of you? What do you expect of them? Of yourself? Understanding what’s to be expected is a key for professional and personal development, for decision-making, for team-building, and for any achievement. “I know what she

Would you spend 10 minutes, sitting down, reliving the bright spots of your day, to improve your health in a significant way? Seriously, would you? Here’s what research has discovered—if you spend 10 minutes at the end of your workday writing

A prospect was playing “Stump the Coach” with me. He said, with a bit of a smirk: If you had to tell me in 25 words or less how you can help me accelerate my business growth, what would you

Often I meet with people who are dissatisfied with their lives, their accomplishments, themselves. When I ask what they should do about it, every one of them knows the answer. Asked if they will, many waver, then backtrack. They explain in

Beliefs matter. Belief is the engine which causes us to act. Our actions reinforce those beliefs. Good ideas matter, as bad ideas matter, because of the actions they motivate, the ideas they reinforce. Cause leads to effect. We develop our

What gives meaning to your life? What’s your purpose? Could you answer if you had more time? It bothered me when I didn’t know my purpose, my reason for being, for getting up and doing what I did. I decided

Here’s my favorite question right now—What does that mean? I ask myself, I ask my sons, I ask my clients. Most statements we make are vaguely general. Same old lines, blah, blah, blah; automatic, uninspiring, boring. I need to get