If you’ve read this far, you probably know why this is one of my favorites. Because it puts you in charge of your own feelings!
You? In charge? Imagine that!
In Business:
Let’s talk about sales. Nobody really wants to be in sales, right? Because if you’re in sales, you’re one of those fake, polyester-suit-wearing, used-car types, aren’t you?
The only times I’ve ever felt inferior in business was when I didn’t believe in the product I was selling. Let’s be more specific: I would never sell a product I didn’t believe in, but there were times when I knew the product wasn’t the right fit for the prospect, yet I was obligated to try and sell them.
I was once given the assignment of selling local television advertising to dry cleaners.
Let’s get this straight. I’m going to explain to a dry cleaning business how blanketing (no pun intended) a whole city — plus two cities not even in our state, but in our “metro,” which is TV-speak for viewing area — is going to grow their business? Are you insane?
Dry cleaners are location-based businesses. People drop off their laundry because it’s on the way to and from work.
They need location-based marketing. Direct mail based on ZIP Code, Val-Pack, local supermarket coupons, even local cable TV inserts would have been 1000% more effective than network-affiliate TV ads.
I didn’t last long there, but I sure did learn a lot about what not to do.
You can believe in the product, but you have to believe it’s the right fit for the market, too. Otherwise, you do give them permission to make you feel inferior.
In Life:
Here it is, short and sweet. An insult only hurts to the degree you believe it.
So remember…
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
— Eleanor Roosevelt