We went from "Oh Canada" to "Whoa Canada" (as stated by Good morning America) to "WOW Canada!"
I rarely watch TV and I have been addicted to watching the Olympics... and so inspired!  I started out as a proud
Canadian watching and waiting for the 1st gold on our home soil. It was an incredible moment to watch Alexander Bilodeau win gold as his family - including his biggest inspiration - brother Frederick, cheered him on.
I was in awe as I watched the focus, disappointment, dedication, heartache, determination, tragedy and triumph unfold throughout each day. As salespeople, it reminds us that it's not easy to earn a medal - and it's not easy to win business with big ideal profitable clients. Both take years of practice, perseverance, disappointment and ultimately vindication in the pursuit of Olympic gold or sales success.
Success is never easy...even when you're the favourite, it doesn't always guarantee you'll end up on the podium as the selected supplier. Some underdogs can always win the performance of a lifetime and leave you watching helplessly from the sidelines.
We can't always know what the outcome will be. It takes inner strength and resilience to regain confidence after a setback. It's exactly what Canada needed and accomplished. And it's a lesson you can apply to your own career going forward.
At one point during the early part of the games, when Canada's tally was looking pretty small, one person made the joke that "Canada has always been a fourth to be reckoned with." But Canada invested over $100 million dollars in their athletes during the past four years to help medal contenders become medalists. The federal government and the Games organizing committee known as VANOC, have shared the cost for extra coaching, equipment development and special top secret projects to avail them of the latest technology*. And while that joke got a laugh, in the end all the investment was well worth it.
As we move from recession into recovery, we need inspirational stories to kick us into high gear and put us into the position for gold. What will you do to invest in your sales game? Are you a fourth to be reckoned with or are you in it to win? How will the Olympics motivate you to be a gold winner in the sales game?
Strategist, Speaker & Coach
P.S. - Last week, I was speaking at the ASI San Diego Show. Check out this funny video clip to see my Canadian Olympic pride while being interviewed by a US Magazine Editor. My clip starts at 5:58
Copy and paste this link into your web browser
http://www.youtube.com/asicentral#p/u/8/N0BrwgKxD34
*Source: The Globe and Mail |
