Libby Riddle is the first woman to ever win the world's longest and richest dog sled race. The 1,135-mile Iditarod in Alaska took her and her sixty competitors nearly eighteen days to complete.  On the fifteenth day of the race, a blinding snow storm came up and the teams sought cover.

While other teams were sitting out the storm, Libby was considering driving her team out into the snow. "I figured if it does pan out, it might help me win the race - so I'm going to try it even if it's crazy," she later told reporters. "I left those guys in the dust."

There is always the temptation to stay out of the competition when we think the going is rough. It is especially tempting when we see our competitors "riding out the storm" as well. But often the best time to for us to make a move in the marketplace is when others choose to stay out. Making customer contacts in bad weather is one way to do that. Another is to ignore seemingly stormy market conditions.

For Libby Riddle the willingness to compete under adverse conditions paid off with a $50,000 prize. Her closest competitor was three hours behind her.

I was in a highly competitive sales situation. While my competitor and I were vying for this particular piece of business a freak ice and snow storm hit our city. Because my car could maneuver in the ice and because my customer needed help, I drove over and answered the phones like a receptionist. During a break, I closed the sale! My competitor was safe and warm at home.

Are you a "fair weather success?"