9/19/2024-On This Day, Cal Ripken Jr.

Whether a trait or a skill, perseverance is essential for sellers. And mostly, it’s acquired. The faster a seller develops perseverance, the easier the road toward consistent high performance.

On this date in 1998, professional baseball player Cal Ripken, Jr., ended his streak of 2,632 consecutive games played, breaking Lou Gehrig’s streak of 2,130 that had stood for 56 years.

Why is this important to you, killer sales pro?

Persistence, consistency – and playing hurt – were part of Cal’s formula for longevity, and that’s a good plan for every seller.

On those days when you have nothing in the tank, think of Cal and get out there! There’s always something you can do to serve your customers and contribute to your business.

Today…focus on how your perseverance can be used to push business forward.

If you reserved a thirty-minute calendar block today for prospecting…push it to 45 minutes. (60 is even better.)

If your manager’s tepid reaction to an idea you have for a prospect makes you feel like giving up…first go test it in the market. Float it by a few of your KDMs and see how they respond. (They may love it.)

Whatever you face today, make perseverance your superpower and see how far you can go.

It’s okay if you don’t want to get out of bed sometimes. The bad news often piles up and creates anxiety that can only be solved by retracting. Yes, go ahead and pull the sheets over your head. Take a "mental health" day.

(What?)

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SOCIETY OF RATIONAL AND PERSEVERING SELLERS:

…do not, we repeat, DO NOT acknowledge any of what was previously presented. It’s bull-twinkies. You’re a seller. A badass sniper who makes goals, creates strategies and then hunts down your prey.

Maybe once or twice a year you feel like staying in bed…but that’s not how you, or the TOP 10% roll.

As you know, perseverance is the cost of admission to the sales game.

Nothing has ever been handed to you as a seller, nor should it. When you hit it, you make good money. And that money is validating. But you’re not in it just for the money, you’re in it for the self-satisfaction that you’re performing to the best of your abilities.

So…since you’ve already determined you want to swim in the fast lane, just know you’ll swallow a little water. So what?

As you watch Cal modestly describe what it meant to break a significant record in this short video, you’ll see clearly that he went to work each day with only one goal: playing at the highest level possible. Every day.

Be like Cal…compete at your best.

Every day.