Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

1.4. Step Four: Follow in the Footsteps of Success

Years ago, a motivational speaker gave me some advice that's stuck with me. He said, "If you want to be happily married, hang around with happily married people. If you want to be a good father, hang around with good fathers."

And so it follows: If you want to be a good salesperson, hang around with good salespeople. Have you ever worked in an office or with a group of people with one person who complained all the time or a whiner who found fault with everything? Did you notice how one such person could bring down the whole office? Negative people negatively affect everyone around them.

The same is true of positive people: They give a boost to everyone around them.

1.4.1. Success Stands Out

Did you ever notice that successful people don't complain much? You might say, "They're successful. What do they have to complain about?" This is a case of the chicken and the egg. Which came first? Did success generate the winning attitude, or did the person's winning attitude breed success?

There's no question in my mind as to which came first. You have to want to win before you can even start to win. Success can be contagious. Most of us know what it feels like to be on a winning team. Everyone feeds off each other. They motivate one another. They share secrets, tips, and ideas. They listen to each other. They get things done together.

But remember, being a true winner is not looking down to see how many opponents you've beaten. A true ...