Get A Grip By Letting Go

Mike Stewart This title is paradoxical in that it seems contradictory but it is true in fact.

Our nature is to hang on. We are especially likely to hang on the familiar. This is particularly true where the alternative is to do something we would rather not do.

For example, when our choice is holding on to our comfortable patterns of daily activity instead of getting on the phone to call prospective customers, we are likely to hold on to the familiar that keeps us in our comfort zone. As an obvious result, we fail to get a grip on new business opportunities that can lead to the success we seek.

The alternative is obvious. In order to get a grip on our success, we have to let go of the things that are holding us back. The only way we can get a grip is by letting go. It's like when you were a kid swinging on the monkey bars. The only way you could get a grip on the next bar was to let go of the last one.

This principle applies to virtually every area of your life that is important to you:
- In order to get an education, you had to give up good times and certain relationships
- In order to build an investment portfolio, you had to let go of early gratification
- In order to spend time with your family on Sunday, maybe you had to skip golf
- How many examples can you think of? There are a great many.

In order to get a grip on success in sales, you must let go of the things that are holding you back and keeping you from achieving your potential. Some examples may be, are you willing to let go of:
- Making excuses (instead of making calls on new business prospects)?
- Blaming others and "the system" for "not having enough time"?
- Waiting around for "the right time" or for someone to make you do what you should?
- Denying that you must have new business in order to achieve your sales goal?
- Tying to fool yourself and your family that you are reaching your full potential?

Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life is learning to eliminate the non-essentials. – Chinese Proverb

Dear Reader, what must you let go of in order to get a grip on what you really want out of your life and work?

Take a few quiet minutes right now and ask yourself:
What are some of the things I really want?
What must I let go of in order to begin attaining them?

Good luck!

Copyright © 2004 by Stewart & Stewart, Inc.
All rights reserved.

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