“Our memory can be a really powerful tool in that quest to get better as we go across the cycle of planning for the new year and reflecting on where we’ve come from.” – Jacquelyn Nicholson in today’s Tip 1448
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Transcript
Scott Ingram: You’re listening to the Daily Sales Tips podcast and I’m your host, Scott Ingram. Today’s tip comes from Jacquelyn Nicholson. Jacquelyn has 3 decades building/supporting the best brands in the world and growing businesses in new markets from scratch, she is passionate about being the woman her husband would marry again, the mom her kids are proud of and the person her boss or customer would work with again. Here she is:
Jacquelyn Nicholson: Hey folks. I just wanted to offer a little bit of a twist on planning for the new year and reflecting on the year that’s passed. And how do you think about it in a unique way? I think oftentimes this is something that we do annually, and maybe for sales professionals like ourselves, we’ll of course, do this on a quarterly or a monthly basis, depending on how we plan our book of business. But honestly, I think the annual planning process is something that’s really vital, but you should never just put it away and look at it at the same time the following year. It’s something that you should look back on and adjust course. If you’re really maybe some of the goals that you set out for the year are no longer realistic or something has changed. So don’t be afraid to look at that. And also, I think we shouldn’t be afraid of looking backwards. A lot of times we want to kind of move on from something that wasn’t necessarily successful or something that was frustrating to us. But I think looking back actually can be very powerful. A lot of times, if we are unsure of where things are headed, it’s helpful to look back and see where you’ve been. A lot of times you’ll be able to see a lot of your growth as a sales professional and as a person by looking at where you’ve come from and where you’re at today.
There are many times in my life where I would say something along the lines of, if somebody told me a year or two ago that I’d be where I’m at today, I don’t know that I would have believed it’s possible. So that time and that reflection gives you evidence of your growth and your success as a sales professional and as a person. And living by that principle, I think, is really powerful. Many times our failures or deals that we lost or things that we view as negative can really be evidence of our ability to grow and to overcome obstacles. A lot of times, the stoic view of the obstacle is the way is really very important. It’s at times of great struggle that we often grow the most. And I’ve found that whenever I feel uncertain or fearful, I have a really great gift that gives me clarity and that gives me hope. And that’s a gift of my memory, because many times our memories, if we let them, will bring us frustration, anger, hurt, pain. But I think you can use your memory to see the progress that you’ve made. And ultimately, our memory can be a really powerful tool in that quest to get better as we go across the cycle of planning for the new year and reflecting on where we’ve come from.
There’s a beautiful old quote that I really love that says, God gave us memories so that we might have roses in December. And that’s something that I think at this time of year is very powerful. So as you look to do some yearend reflection and planning for the new year, remember a couple of things. Don’t put it aside and not look at it for a year. I’ve done that sometimes, but revisit it now and again. And keep in mind this is the long haul, this is a journey, this is not a sprint. And enjoy the time that you have and make every day great. And I hope that you will have a wonderful end of year and a great new year ahead.
Scott Ingram: For links to connect with Jacquelyn, just click over to DailySales.Tips/1448. Once you’ve done that, be sure to come back tomorrow for another great sales tip. Thanks for listening!