“We can give you the tools to succeed, but a great work ethic? We can't give you that.”
That was my big takeaway from a seven-day sales meeting at a Holiday Inn conference room from a VP years ago. That quote still carries a lot of gravitas with me to this day - and festers in my brain early some mornings when it's tough getting the day jump-started.
Why has it stuck with me? Isn't this the plight of ever self-proclaimed successful salesman? Whether they are inherently successful or just blowing smoke all the live long day. There's nothing more common in this world than a well-educated unsuccessful person. So many great ideas are brainstormed over cocktail napkins only to be discarded the next day in a hotel room.
