“Know thyself” professed the Oracle of Delphi.

Tools such as DISC and EQ assessments help us see more clearly through the maze of our own functioning.

Isn’t it interesting that the most revered and inspiring business leaders have coaches and trusted advisors, while they also read on average one book per week?

The underlying message is clear: as long as we feed our mind with mental protein, we grow.

Conversely, by feeding our mind with mental candy, we shrink.

And we have our hands on the steering wheel, Captain!

Secret tool number five: your K/S base.

Looking into the very knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the world of business development and sales today:

1. Planning: knowing your numbers and how to allocate your time to get the best return on your investment is the master skill of success.
2. Self management: this is your ability to manage your thoughts, feelings and actions to do what it takes. You implement your plan while keeping your ideal end in sight....

A friend rang me recently, sharing a thought-provoking story with me.

Imagine a dream client for a second… A multi billion dollar company that is referred to you by a trusted advisor that is doing business with them already.

You are debriefed on the opportunity at hand. You also are told exactly what the client is looking for in your area of expertise. Even the conditions are uncovered and the fact that price is not an issue. Reliability and quality are though. Your contact continues to advise you that the company is cautious at first, but quick to shift gears once they trust the product and the support infrastructure behind it.

Back to the story now…

My friend was stunned that, despite the opportunity being presented on a silver platter, along with all the insights needed to win the business, the person he referred to was not closing.

Even more mindboggling, the person involved is a regarded business coach and an executive of a multi-million dollar business.

...

Many people have been asking me what happened since I went back into regular employment... and then moved on again after 5 months.

Rather than explaining everyone in 121 coffee meetings, I figured it's a good idea to fill you in by means of a quick video. Me going raw!

More importantly, it contains a few valuable lessons for us all.

And... it's got a funny moment built in about the "flood gates"... No further comments, just look out for it!

A friend of mine has wonderful advice. It goes like “Give yourself permission to do something extraordinary while on planet earth.”

Wise words by Dr John Demartini.

It comes down to a fundamental challenge that we all face in one area or another: people have a tendency to hold themselves back out of fear of some kind.

Fear of being rejected in a relationship; fear of having a go at an entrepreneurial venture because of the perceived ‘risks’ involved; fear of the unknown and therefore refrain from traveling; fear of public speaking…

We are our own worst critic.

On the flipside: we also are our own best cheerleader.

What if you’d start giving yourself permission to shine exactly in those areas that you previously held yourself back in?

This brings me to secret tool number three: your choices.

No one else decides where to take your life or your career but you.

No one else creates your future but you.

If your past is not as satisfying as you would...

Secret tool number two is: your goals.

GOALS for me is an acronym for “Guided Objectives and Aspirations for Life and Service”.

What I mean by that is, that we seek meaning in what we do, we value guidance and clarity about what truly matters to us, so that we can live a good life that suits us, while being of services to others.

What is it that you aspire to? What are the heart’s desires that you actively pursue?

No matter the chosen field or timeline involved, you can do it. You can achieve at both the small and the extraordinary.

I believe in you and hope that you believe in yourself too.

In my experience, many people don’t have goals. At least not real goals.

A real goal drives you to succeed. It guides you and links to your personal values and aspirations. Your heart is involved, while your brain sees clearly. Moreover, it is written down in line with a proven formula, and you have a specific timeframe attached to it so that you can be held accountable...

If a stranger in the street would walk up to you and ask you $1 million for nothing in return, would you give it to him?

No! Of course you wouldn’t.

And what if the roles were the other way around: he GIVES you $1 million for nothing in return, would you be open to it?

“Perhaps… but what’s the catch?”

First of all, there is nothing to buy here. So that you are at ease :-)

All I want is for you to open up your mind to the field of limitless opportunities.

There is a proverb that says that the chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

In sales, it means that we make sales in areas that we are strong at. It also follows that we miss out of sales in areas that are less developed.

You might, for example, invest a great deal of time in networking, without it generating enough new business. So the action is there, but not the result.

Equally, you might write lots of quotes, tenders and proposals, with only a few converting into a successful sale. A lot of...