On Friday November 14, at the beautiful OC Pavilion, my family and I celebrated the release of my first book, “What’s Your Sales Story?”.  With over 100 people in attendance, that included family, friends, colleagues and business partners, the evening was as much about the launch of a new chapter in my life and career, as it was a celebration of my book’s release.

During my talk, that Friday evening, while I discussed my journey in writing the book and how it relates to sales professionals and managers, I challenged the audience to discover their internal fires.  What is it that is burning inside them to achieve?  Instead of focusing on thoughts that are keeping them away from heir aspirations, such as “How” it will be achieved, I urged them to focus on the “Why”.   Who is it in your life that you want to set an example for?  Who is it in your life that you want to leave a legacy for? 

Focusing on the “Why” will bring a sense of calm over you, eliminating the worry and overwhelm as to “How” your dreams will be achieved.  That calm will bring about an unbreakable confidence and commitment that will guide you through your journey.  Achieving perennial success in life and in your career will transpire faster than you can imagine. Believe me, I know.

8 Years In the Making

The process of developing and launching What’s Your Sales Story? was eight years in the making. That journey was not without its fair share of challenges. 

For quite some time I was completely focused on “How” do I write a book rather than the “Why”.  I had never written a book before and found myself overwhelmed by all of the work and time required to do it.  I’ll be honest, there were times where I wondered if I was doing the right thing and even questioned my worthiness of writing a book.  Frustrated and disillusioned, I stopped writing in mid-2007.

A few months after I had stopped writing the book, I was in the process of getting ready to go out on Halloween with my daughter, Alexis.  Shutting off my computer I found myself looking at a photo of my daughter the day she was born.  And then I hear Alexis call out from the doorway to my office, “Daddy, look at me!”.  I turned from that photo to see Alexis dressed in her Super Girl costume.  In the blink of an eye I was vividly reminded just how quickly my little girl was growing up. 

As we prepared to leave and go trick or treating I found myself thinking how five years had passed since my daughter came into this world and here I was, not only still ‘thinking” about writing my book, but a few months earlier I had simply given up on it. 

I recalled the words my mom shared with me when I was 13 years old after I had asked her why she and my dad sacrificed so much for me and my brothers.  She simply said that, “the role of a parent is to ensure that their children’s lives are better than their own.” 

That Halloween evening marked a major turning point in my life.  I no longer troubled myself with the “How” behind writing my book. Instead, I shifted my focus to “Why” should I write the book.  Leaving a legacy for my daughter became my personal “Why”. It was my inspiration.  From that point on, there was not a day that went by that I did not work on my book.   Whenever I got tired or my creative juices did not flow, I would look at the photo of my daughter’s first moments in this world and I would suddenly be re-energized and the creative juices flowed.  Driven by my “Why”, my efforts were rewarded and less than a year later the book was finished

What Is Your Why?

Through it all I had the unwavering support of my wife and daughter as well as family, friends and colleagues.  All of them provided support, guidance and inspired me to continue breathing life into my vision.

Today, What’s Your Sales Story? is poised to realign how sales professionals prepare themselves and how they see their customers.  According to many sales professionals, authors, sales trainers and corporate executives who have read the book, it is “the book MISSING from every training room across America.”

In short, What’s Your Sales Story? is unlike any book you have ever read on sales. You won’t find any clichéd sales strategies or out dated techniques.  Instead, what you will discover is a new form of sales education I refer to as Reality Based Sales. No theories or generic examples. What you will read is 100% reality.

For me, the reality of the book’s completion and the next chapter in my life is a result of switching my focus from “How” to “Why”. 

Now the question is for you to discover what is your “Why”?