After is a self-defeating word. It robs you of the present, and resigns you to wait without taking any action.

You convince yourself that life will be better after something: After you get a new job, after you get a better job, after you get more money, after you get out of debt, after the economy rebounds, after your stocks go back up, after you get that big order.

You convince yourself that life will be better after an event: After you get married, after you have a baby, after you get a new house, after you take a vacation, after you come back from vacation, after summer is over, or some other action-procrastinating “after.”

Are you frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough, and believe you’ll be more content after they’re in high school or out of high school? Are you frustrated that you have teenagers to deal with? You will certainly be happy after they’re out of that stage. Certainly you’ll be happier after they’re in college, or is it out of college?

You tell yourself that your life will be more complete when your spouse gets his or her act together, when you get a nicer car, a new house, a raise in pay, a new boss, or worse, after you retire.

The truth is, the fact is, the reality is, there’s no better time to be happy than right now.

If not now, when? After the economy gets better?

You may not be able to wait that long.

Your life will always be filled with challenges, barriers, and disappointments. It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Alfred Souza said, “For a long, long time it had seemed to me that I was about to begin real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”

There is no way to happiness.

Happiness is the way.

There is no after to happiness

Happiness is now.

Here’s the answer: It’s inside your head FIRST and everyplace else second. Happiness is a treasure. Your (missed) opportunity is to treasure every moment that you have.

Stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until after you quit smoking, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get your new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until the first or the fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you’ve had a drink, until you’ve sobered up, until you win the lottery, or until the cows come home to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

And treasure the happiness of now more because you share it with someone special enough to invest your time in…

Happiness is:

Not a sale or a commission.

Not an economy or a budget.

Not a yes or a no.

Not a game winning hit or a last second touchdown.

Happiness is a way of life that is inside you at all times. It helps you get over the tough times, and helps you celebrate the special times.

Seems pretty simple to define on paper, but real difficult to manifest when the chips are down. My experience has taught me the difference between resign and resolve. You can resign yourself to what is, and hope or wait for a better day. Or you can resolve that you are a positive person who finds the good, the positive, the happiness, the smile, and especially the opportunity in everything.

Happiness is now, not a goal or a destination.

It’s not an after, it’s a before.

And it’s up to you. All you have to do is: decide.

So many clients, prospects, friends, disciples are telling me, “My sales are off,” or “The market is down,” or “I just can’t get motivated like I used to.”

Times are a bit tough. What’s your point?

Well, as much as I’d love to tell you to quit whining and get to work, I’d rather not sound like your boss.

HOPE: There’s business out there. Just not as much of it.

REALITY: People will still be buying. Even if the quantity is lower. The question is, will they be buying from you?

When things aren’t going well, you have 2.5 options:

1. Do something about it.

2. Do nothing about it.

2.5 Complain about it.

Lack of sales is NOT a problem. People’s indecision is NOT a problem. Lack of motivation is NOT a problem. All three are SYMPTOMS. If you’re looking to cure your ills, you’d better look deeper than complaining.

Here’s where to start – look for the clues:

CLUE ONE: Plan less. Act more.

CLUE TWO: Plan for today the night before.

CLUE THREE: Plan for the week on Sunday.

CLUE FOUR: Plan six valuable or money meetings.

CLUE FIVE: Plan actions and activities that lead to completion.

CLUE SIX: Plan successes, not just actions.

CLUE SIX POINT FIVE: Now is the time. You know the old expression, “There’s no time like the present.” I say, “There is only the present.”

ATTITUDE CLUE: If your drama factor exceeds your sales results, it’s time for an extreme attitude makeover.

When sales are slow, big companies “cut” rather than “invest.” They say, “I’ll advertise after the recovery, I’ll market after the recovery, I’ll train more after the recovery” — wondering all the while why things aren’t improving, as they whip their salespeople.

They “react” rather than “proact.” Sales drop even further, morale drops, and key people quit. And as a result, recovery takes longer.

As a salesperson, here’s what to do. Look at who you are AND how you engage:

•Help your customers. If your business is down, it means that others are down. Give them business-building ideas or sales leads. Send an idea a week. They will remember your help after they recover.

•Get closer to your customers. Work there for a day. Get to understand WHY things are slower, and what it will take to make them better.

•Position yourself as a resource, not just a salesperson. I use an email magazine, Sales Caffeine, to communicate a value message to my customers every week.

•Get endorsements from your most loyal customers, and use them in a testimonial ad campaign. It authenticates all your claims. Your prospects will be more likely to believe you. Your customers will love you, and tell others. And your competition (who has your best customers on their “hot” list), will HATE you. Rock!

•Rededicate yourself to the present. Your ability to win is in direct proportion to your desire to remain a student and the intensity of your attitude and enthusiasm – TODAY.

And if you’re a CEO or sales leader, here’s what to do:

Invest in your people. Double your soft-skills training budget. Teach them attitude, goals, presentation skills, creativity, and selling skills. Now is the time for coaching, encouragement, and leadership by example.

Invest in your PRESENT customers. Market with customer testimonials and endorsements, not self-serving brags. Don’t just say it. Prove it.

Improve service. I’ll never understand why empty restaurants have lousy service. Now is the time to get the business community, or the community in which you live, to begin talking about you in a good way. Word-of-mouth advertising will bring more customers than traditional advertising.

CAUTION: It’s not ONE thing. To get back in the game, it’s a bit of all these elements. There is no pill you can swallow that will make the market better, you better, or the customer buy faster – much less make the customer buy from you, rather than the competition.

The good news is that you control your destiny, your attitude, and your mind. We are all living in this new economy. Do more with less. Be grateful for what you do have. Now roll up your sleeves and work harder, smarter, better and be different!

Ed, a friend of mine, is in the software business. He sells nutrition software. Neat product… great person!

I was in our usual hangout a few weeks back and overheard him mentioning something about a “BMI Index” to a fellow coffee sipper. I then engaged in the conversation only to learn that the BMI (Body Mass Index) is a standard tool used to determine if a person is normal weight for their height, overweight, or obese.

So, knowing I was what I thought about 10 maybe 20 pounds overweight, I got on my computer with Ed by my side, found a BMI Calculator on-line and measured myself. To my astonishment I learned that I was in the OBESE category. Me… Andrew… Obese! No way! Impossible. I knew I was overweight, but Obese?

Well, if you have any idea what this did to my psyche, I just couldn’t believe it. I had gained some weight a few years back after being relatively thin my whole life, and recently lost about 15+ pounds and feeling pretty good. I mean, I knew I had more to go… but Obese? I mean come on! That means I am still 35+ lbs away from normal status. Good grief!

So now for the past few weeks I have started to haunt myself with thoughts of fat. Fat arteries. Fat cholesterol. Fat stomach. And the ever popular…“Does this make my butt look big?”

Well, now I’ve had it. And I am about to take action. But before I do, I want to affirm my commitment. In order to achieve any worthwhile goal, you must make a commitment to yourself, and make an action plan for its achievement. I have done both. And telling you about it is not the important part. But it certainly will make me appear to be less of a person if I don’t achieve my goal. No pun intended – I am putting my ass on the line.

What does it take to make a commitment, and then follow through with actions that allow the goal to be achieved? Well, I don’t know that there is an actual formula, but let me share with you what has worked for me. Making the commitment is part one. Living up to it is part two through twelve point five.

Here are the 12.5 steps to getting past commitment to achievement:

1. Today, not tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes, especially where change or breaking a habit is concerned.
2. Develop a passion or an anger about your present situation. The only way to make the goal a reality is to get determined and create the inner energy.
3. Do it for the most important person in the world…YOU! Don’t do this for or against anyone but yourself.
4. Write down your exact plan. Detail both the actions you must take, and the rewards for achievement.
5. Set a time frame. The end is as important as the beginning.
6. Determine the daily dose. Just figure out what you need to achieve each day, and do that.
7. Look for substitutes (placebos or pacifiers). If you have to quit something, get a diversion to take your mind off of temptation.
8. Don’t quit just because you slip. If you fall off the (achievement) wagon, get back on.
9. Post your goals and achievements. Post-it note your goals on your bathroom mirror. After you achieve them, take them down and post them on your bedroom mirror. Look at your success every day.
10. It’s a day-by-day process. And if you do your daily bit-of-achievement, the passing weeks will bring you the prize.
11. Change other habits, so that one is not overpowering the other. Goals require change. Take the opportunity to make a few more.
12. Celebrate your victory. Ring bells, drink champagne from the winners cup, PARTY!
12.5 Grim reality is having a crisis occur that forces the commitment to be made. This can be anywhere from bombing the World Trade Center, to having a massive heart attack. Where crisis is not the best place to have commitment occur, it is certainly the best place to show how to take immediate action.

My personal goal is to be a svelte 189 lbs. I seek to achieve it within six months. All I need to do is lose a few ounces a day. I can do that. But ah, could you pass the bread, I’m starting tomorrow.

What are you looking to achieve? How angry or passionate are you about its achievement? How many times have you told yourself, “I can quit whenever I want to, I just don’t want to.” How many times are you justifying your lack of starting, with some excuse like: kids in school, kids not in school, before the holiday, after the holiday, after I graduate, before I start work. Who is kidding who?

Commitment is something to relearn every so often. And I have committed myself to student status, until I have achieved my goal of pants I can fit in to.

Happy healthy prosperous new year to all. Resolve to commit and achieve. I’ll be here to cheer you on.

Thank you Ed for being a good friend and an unintentional catalyst!

Tis the season to be… whatever you want to be!

It’s Christmas. Or to be politically correct, “The Holiday Season.”

Santa Claus. Sharing and giving. Parties and celebrations. Reunions and family. Gifts of all kinds. And in general a festive time. Often referred to as “the spirit of the Christmas season” or “the spirit of the holiday season,” it’s a time when everyone is wishing everyone else happy something or other. For about 30 days.

Then it’s back to business and life as usual.

My only bah-humbug about the holiday season is the length of it. Why can’t people (you and I included) be joyful and festive the other 11 months of the year? What does it take, or what would it take for everyone to be wishing everyone else some kind of “happy” the other 335 days. Where’s Santa Claus when you really need him?

The tragedy of Christmas and the holiday season is that it is so short lived.

Please allow me to give you my gift for this holiday season and for any season. It’s a gift that cannot be returned. It’s a gift that any corporate executive or employee is allowed to receive, regardless of the gift giving and receiving policy. And it’s a gift that, when you understand what the gift is, everyone in your life (including you) will benefit from forever.

THE GIFT IS: You are Santa Claus.

Once you realize that fact, and come to the understanding that it’s a permanent gift, you at once understand that Christmas, or the holiday season, doesn’t need a tag or a name. Rather, it’s a way of life.

Santa Claus, whoever the myth is, is most prominent and visible on Christmas Eve when he’s delivering toys to boys and girls all over the world. The question is what happens when Christmas is over? Does he stop being Santa Claus? No. He just goes into some form of hibernation until the next Christmas Eve.

The reality is that you are Santa Claus, and you can execute your power of giving, smiling, bringing joy to others, and in general being a person of Ho, Ho, Ho! every day.

Can you imagine Santa Claus waking up on the 24th of December and saying, “You know, I got a headache. I’m having a bad day. I think I’ll call in sick.” Not gonna happen. And as Santa Claus, you have the ability to perform the same way. You’re already buying the presents. My question to you is: Are you displaying the other characteristics of Santa Claus both at work and at home?

THE GOOD NEWS IS: When you’re Santa Claus, Christmas can be any day you choose. And my challenge to you is make it every day.

Are you jolly? Are you giving? How’s your spirit? And why does it only have to appear during the month of December, building to some crescendo of unwrapping presents on the 25th, and winding down by the 27th?

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Ho hum!

Humbug?

How do YOU view the season?

Some people see sugar plums. Others see crowds.

Some people see giving. Others receiving.

Some people see presents. Others see returns.

Some people see family reunions. Others see relatives they don’t like.

Some see gifts of joy. Others see gifts of obligation.

For me the holiday season is a happy time, and a family time. It’s a giving time and a festive time. But I don’t need a holiday to feel that way. My attitude is ALWAYS set on happy, family, giving, and festive. I don’t just celebrate Christmas; I celebrate life. So does Santa. And I hope you do too.

It’s likely you will be with family over the holidays.

Great times. Reunions. Happiness. Tears of sadness and joy. Great food. Gifts. People you love. People you kind of love. And did I mention great food?

Most people (not you of course) celebrate by adding to their waistline during these times. But I’m going to share a major strategy that will fatten your wallet.

Whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, families will gather and talk about old times. Growing up, vacations, past holidays. They all start out, “Remember the time that…” and they go on to tell a funny or poignant story. THESE STORIES ARE GOLD.

In your presentations and informal meetings, telling and exchanging stories are at the core of rapport, relationship building, and creating a buying atmosphere.

These golden lessons and stories are all around you, and many of them fit your selling situations, and relationship-building process. Real stories authenticate you. They make you more human, more approachable, more relatable, and even (if the story is right) more trustworthy.

Now that I have whet your holiday appetite, let me give you the strategies and details of story collecting.

First get the stories rolling:
• Start by asking everyone to tell their most memorable story.
• Then ask about best times or best lessons learned. Request that people jog their memories for stories where they learned lessons from mistakes, embarrassing moments, funny responses, and successes.
Listen with the intent to understand (this means don’t interrupt):
• Listen for incidents where a lesson was learned.
• Listen for funny events or responses that are yours to retell at the appropriate time.
• At the end of the story, ask questions or request the person to elaborate or fill in missing details.
• Look for the reaction of others. It’s a hint as to how your customers may be impacted.
•Take notes. Don’t let the lessons, the lines, the humor, or the any of stories get lost in the heat of the moment. You will NEVER remember everything without taking notes.

As the stories are being told, listen for the lessons behind the endings:
• Lessons from parents, teachers, siblings.
• Lessons you learned as a child. Playing with others, school, winning, losing, getting hurt.

Often the lessons are the result of something extreme:
• The time you got into major trouble.
• The game winning score.
• The fire, the illness, loss of a friend.

Once you have the story, and can see how it can fit into your style and delivery, then it’s time to convert it to your sales presentation.

Get the story to fit into your presentation:
• To overcome an objection (“The same thing happened to my mother”).
• To create common ground (“The same thing happened to me”).
• To justify price (“My uncle told me a story about his dealings with…”).

When retelling the story, keep it short and sweet:
• One to two minutes if you’re telling it to a customer one-on-one.
• Two to three minutes if you’re telling it to a group.
• Don’t set it up, just tell it. (Not “Here’s a hilarious story” – you set yourself up for failure, and the other person may completely miss the point.)
• Tell it at the right moment – you’ll know – don’t force it.
• Put passion into it.
• Have your lesson or point at the end, not at the beginning.

IT’S ORIGINAL: For years I have preached against telling jokes. Stories are yours – no one else can tell them. You’re assured the customer or prospect hasn’t heard it before. And it can have long lasting effect.

I have told stories about chasing my dog, where I grew up, how I dropped out of college, going to sporting events, big sales, lost sales, flying, traveling, hotels, and restaurants. I have featured my parents, brother, children, grandchildren, teachers, mentors, servers, sports heroes, doctors, customers, close friends, and past wives.

When I am in a sales presentation, or giving a seminar, every story I tell has impact.

Every story I tell conveys a lesson or makes a point. Many of the stories I tell make people laugh. Many have been collected from holiday gatherings. All of my stories are personal to me. They are original.

The secret to storytelling is your enthusiasm. If you’re talking to one, or one hundred and one, each person must feel like you’re telling it for the first time, even though you may have told it 100 times before. The passion of your conveyance will lead to the emotion of their purchase.

Now that’s something to celebrate.

In order to succeed and grow in your sales career, you have to get past the mentality of “make more sales,” “hit my quota,” “end of the month,” “end of the quarter” or “make my plan.” It’s not that you don’t have to “hit your numbers,” it’s that you have to THINK beyond them and SEE beyond them to get to the success level in sales that you seek.

Thought and vision are two critical elements in growth, whether it’s company growth, career growth, or personal growth.

How do you see things?
Do you see the big picture or a commission?
Do you see the big picture or a sale?
Do you see the big picture or a quota?
Do you see the big picture or a cold call?
Do you see the big picture or your job?
Do you see the big picture or the big problems?
Do you see the big picture or the big complaints?
Do you see the big picture or the present economy?
Do you see the big picture or the price of gasoline?

How do you think about things?
* Do you wake up in the morning and think about what the weather is, or do you think about your frame of mind and how to ensure a positive day?
* Do you turn on the TV without thinking, or do you read a few pages of a book to generate thought?
* Do you think about traffic on the way to work, or your first sales call of the day and how successful it will be?
* Do you think about prospecting and leads, or building relationships to earn referrals?

If you “see” your career with the right vision, and you “think about” your actions with the right vision, then your direction will be towards success rather than just “numbers.” And your direction will be towards “best” not just “sales.”

Numbers are important, but the right vision will get you to them faster than another cold call.

The following list is an eye opener and a brain opener. I am asking you to read, understand, apply, and become proficient in each of these elements and characteristics of BIG PICTURE.

The big picture is delivering value.
The big picture is having a great attitude every day.
The big picture is believing in what you do.
The big picture is being of service without measuring.
The big picture is earning a referral.
The big picture is building a relationship.
The big picture is thinking long term.
The big picture is making all decisions based on the person you seek to become.
The big picture is having a great reputation.
The big picture is community volunteering and helping.
The big picture is creating family and community value.
The big picture is achievement.
The big picture is improvement.
The big picture is striving to be your best.
The big picture is dedicating yourself to remaining a life-long student in sales, service, and attitude.
The big picture is devoting yourself to your success and your fulfillment.
The big picture is loving what you do.

How much time do you devote to thinking about the big picture? Can you visualize the big picture? Can you see the big picture? Is it a clear picture? Are you taking action towards the big picture? Are you becoming proficient in the elements of the big picture? Or are you “too busy” to see BIG, because you’re all wrapped up in SMALL?

SMALL is striving for a new car, or some other material goal. SMALL is spending your time planning a one-week vacation or worrying about just “making your numbers.”

I saw a quote the other day that gave me an insightful AHA! Perhaps it will do the same for you. “People think I’m disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference.” Luciano Pavarotti, opera singer 1935-2007.

It’s interesting to me that people in the arts have a huge dedication and devotion to their craft. They love what they do, and they’re emotionally driven to perform their personal best every day. And the ones who rise to the top earn a fortune.

They have vision of performance way before they perform, they think about their performance way before they execute, and they practice to perfect their skills with a devotion to excel.

Here are a few thoughts that will help your vision and your thinking:
* If you dedicate more time for yourself and your studies, the money will follow.
* If you love what you do, the money will follow.
* If you help enough people, the money will follow.
* If you are the best at what you do, the money will follow.

Dedicate time to your self-improvement in areas beyond selling. Devote yourself to providing value and being your best for your customers. Take career achievement actions, don’t just make more sales calls.

What do you see?
What do you think?

I read that several political hacks predicted that the economy would bottom out by late 2009. Please tell me this: HOW THE HELL DO THEY KNOW?

What is “bottom?” and how long until we are at “TOP?” Answer: THEY HAVE NO IDEA! Empty rhetoric from people who have never had a real job, much less run a business.

I have an idea that I believe makes sense, and I’m asking you to try it a few times, and send me feedback as to your results. It has nothing to do with the “stimulus package.” It has everything to do with your “relationship package” and your “customer loyalty package.”

HERE’S THE IDEA: Spend a day at your customer’s place of business, helping them in any way you can.

NOTE WELL: One of the reasons you are hurting is because they are hurting.

This idea will work for anyone. You included. If you sell a product or a service, if you sell business to business or business to consumer, if they call on you or you call on them, this idea will work. And it will create amazing and instant results.

Create a name for your offering. Economy Booster Service. Customer Goodwill Mission. Thank You Service to Loyal Customers. Call your best customers and ask if you can work there for a day. Free. No strings attached. Gratis. Por nada. The concept is to HELP THEM, not sell them.

The objective is to be of genuine service. One way to define it is a “random act of kindness.” My way would be to define it as a “random act of value.”

There are huge benefits that will accrue from this gesture. And not all of them are in favor of the customer. Yes, they will benefit from your help, your skill, your input, your labor, and your outside perspective.They will also get an emotional lift and a morale boost, just by you being there. BUT, you will be the main recipient of value.

Here’s what’s in it for you:
• You will get product training that comes from the people that actually use it. Imagine actual on-the-job, at-the-customer training. After a day, you will be craving more. Certainly more valuable than a day in your classroom.
• If you offer a service, you get to see what happens after the service has been performed.
• You will learn how they use and profit from your product or service. Not just the good stuff, but also the challenges. You will discover a wealth of opportunities, and more wisdom than you’ll know what to do with. Real facts. Relevant facts that you can use to make sales forever.
• You will learn why they bought from you. Customer’s motives to buy are often subtle (even hidden), but they are the most valuable aspect of the selling process. You will also learn how much (or how little) your price figured into the equation. (HINT: way less than you currently believe)
• You will build a relationship with them that goes all the way to friendship. Your customer will be so flattered, so floored, and so thankful, they will be at a loss for words. Just respond with a simple: “My pleasure.”
• You will eliminate competition. Do they have a chance of even getting in the door after your service?

You will also have the great feeling that being of service creates in your soul.

ALTERNATIVE PLAN: You can sit around and complain how lousy business is or worse, make a few cold calls and annoy people who are busy with their struggle.

If your sales are slow, and you have some time to invest, why not invest it in a sure thing? Your present customers. It might just get you some business, it might just get people talking about you, and it might just get you referred.

It will certainly build your reputation.

Send me an email update with your results to ak@kolikoff.com

I have a few more creaks this year than last. I guess at 46 some small aches are to be expected. But I didn’t expect them. Nor am I willing to accept them.

There are things I can do to help myself “not creak.” And I am doing them. Walk, eat less, drink no soda, take an aspirin a day, take a few more vitamins, and other actions personal to me and my age and health that will help me both improve and prevent. I keep myself well oiled, so I can speed up rather than slow down.

Here’s what I have found to be true: The more I age, the less I am willing to “just accept,” and I am certainly not willing to “settle.”

Everyone is on their own journey.

How’s yours going?

Not the wealth journey, or the hunt for buried treasure. I’m talking about a WAY BIGGER journey. Your “learning journey.” How’s that going?

I have been an adult student for more than 25 years. Like you, when I was young, I knew everything. Then I traveled and met so many people from so many different cultures, and I suddenly realized I knew next to nothing. From there I resolved to learn something new every day. That was more than 25 years ago, and I’m still on that journey. I hope you are, too.

The older I get, the more I want to learn and the more I want to accomplish.

Some people want to relax, or watch TV every night, or want to retire, or are looking forward to retiring. Not me.

I get mail from senior citizen organizations. I throw it away. I don’t want to accept that just because I have reached a certain age I can save money on things.

I am on a mission. I have a few more lofty goals that are backed up with intentions:
• Write a book or two.
• Launch another product

And there are a few other major personal goals to achieve and places I plan to see before I pack it in.

What are you doing right now to identify, intend to, and achieve your lofty goals? Or are you “waiting to retire” to get or do what you really want? I have found that most people who want to “retire” don’t love what they do at present. Not me.

When you love what you do, you can’t get enough of it. I love my sleep but admit it is the biggest waste of my time. As such, I wake up early and try to go to sleep late. People say they need balance. And I do work on balance everyday – being a great father, family member, friend, significant other. But, I also love what I do! So, I therefore strive to be the best at everything I can be.

Back to my age of non-acceptance…

BIG QUESTION: What are you “accepting” right now that you might be able to change if you took a few more risks, or were willing to put in a bit more (or a lot more) effort?

BIGGER QUESTION: What are the three of four things in your life that you “wish” were different than they are now? And what the hell are you waiting for? Don’t you hate waiting? Traffic. Late flights. Long lines. On hold. Slow service. You do everything you can to avoid a 10-minute or 60-minute wait, yet you’re willing to wait YEARS to achieve your life’s desire. Not me. I’m not waiting for anything or anyone. I don’t accept waiting, either in a doctor’s office or in life.

BIG ANSWER: Here’s the cool part. By taking daily action toward what you really want, at some (indefinable) point, you create your own momentum, your own path to achievement, maybe even your own path to fulfillment.

BIGGEST QUESTIONS: What are you “just accepting”? What are you willing to do to make things happen in your life?

BIGGEST ANSWERS: If you’re constantly talking about what was, you’re robbing yourself of what will be. Complaining about life? “In my day things were different…” Take note: candy bars are no longer a nickel. If you’re sick of waiting, if your sick of just accepting your present lot in life, maybe it’s time to take action.

Gotta go. Time to start doing… or should I say, KEEP doing.

It is extremely rare to find a successful person who whines, complains, and frets about his or her circumstances. This is despite the fact that he or she may have overcome great obstacles to achieve their level of success. On the other hand, it is extremely common for struggling individuals to continually blame their circumstances for their lack of joy and abundance. The real question is: What cam first – the attitude or the success? The answer in virtually in all cases is that the winning, positive attitude came first, followed by a lifetime of abundance.

Your circumstances are what they are; they were what they were. If you are forty five years old and were a middle child, you’re still going to be a middle child when you’re ninety five. If you are black or white; a woman or a man; or if you were abused, taken advantage of, or bankrupt – these facts cannot change. If your parents couldn’t afford to send you to college or if you had to work your way though school, shovel snow in your driveway, or walk ten miles to school – these are all things in your past. It’s time to get over them and MOVE ON!

You’ll find that life will be a lot easier and much more fun when you make the decision – sad, angry, victimized, suspicious, and/or self-righteous. When you argue for you limitations, your thoughts and words merely get in your way and greatly interfere with you ability to create. With complaining out of the way, you’ll create the space for an explosion of creativity and brilliance. You’ll be able to be more focused and oriented to the present moment. Instead of focusing on problems, you’ll begin to see solutions. Instead of maintaining an “I can’t attitude, you’ll quickly develop a more positive vision for yourself.

All is takes is a simple decision; the decision to stop yourself from falling into the complaining habit. At first it may be difficult – even funny – to observe how often you complain. Habits can be hard to break. But in the is case, it’s well worth the effort. As an excuse or complaint comes to mind, gently shoo it away like you would flies at a picnic. Don’t worry about it too much. You’ll quickly get used to the nicer feelings that come from a life without complaints, as well as the success that comes with your new winning attitude!

As you probably already know, the wrong partnership – professional or personal – can be far worse than no partnership. And a winning partnership can be worth its weight in gold. Sometimes however, fear can keep us from seeking out good partners and forming winning partnerships. Many people worry that they will have to share the profits, decision-making authority, and/or prestige that come with a project or business. A fearful attitude, of course, won’t allow us to do this. As always, it is a good idea to overcome this fear so that you will know whether forming a winning partnership is in your best interest.

There are a few important points to consider when deciding if a partnership is right for you. If the members of a partnership do essentially the same thing, it’s almost inevitable that one will be harder working and have more commitment than the other. Often, that partner begins to resent the other partner’s pushing. It’s generally not a winning partnership. For example, two trial attorneys go into a legal partnership. At the end of the year, one or the other might wonder what benefit he received from the partnership. After all, each is fully capable of doing the other’s job. But, if a trial attorney and a corporate attorney go into partnership, usually each one, at the end of the year says, “Thank God for my partner – I don’t know what I would do without her.”

Ideally, each partner brings to the table different skills and attributes. One might be excellent at details and planning, the other in promotion and public speaking. Or one might be excellent in sales, the other in marketing. A good partnership is like a good marriage – it has to be formed carefully. If you can create the right combination of skills, work ethic, and vision you can create a winning team.

Here’s a classic example of a winning partnership. Alan and George each had poor financial years the past few years. Alan is a superb real estate deal maker and has an artistic flair. Although he could negotiate to purchase building lots and negotiate to sell, he did not have any serious product or any true expertise in building custom homes. George is a superior tradesman and building contractor, but he as been working only about half time. He didn’t have the foresight to locate great building sites or the courage to be a tough negotiator. They formed a partnership. Right from the start, their partnership was a match made in heaven. In their very first year of working together, they each had their most successful year ever. It’s true that they had to split their profits, but their combination of skills quadrupled their ability to produce. The key is that the partnership does something that neither could do by themselves. Now, George is busy full time building custom homes, the thing he does best. Alan is busy negotiating to purchase lots for future building, working on design, subcontracting, and negotiating material pricing. Although it sounds unbelievable, the partnership is able to complete a beautiful custom home, start to finish, in a matter of months. This is a winning partnership.

You may be the most talented person on earth, but until you hook up with a good partner, you may never truly unleash that talent. Rather than spending your energy trying to do everything, you and your new partner can each focus on what she or he does best.

Let Kolikoff & Company be your partner in Sales, Marketing and Business Development. For more go to www.kolikoff.com or call 623-455-6155

You’d be amazed at what people can (and will) do if you not only give them a chance but also believe in their potential. It’s important to know that everyone has unique gifts and talents out into the world. In other words, rather than sitting back and waiting for people to be perfect – and being frustrated when they are not – take some responsibility in the process by creating an ideal psychological working environment.

There’s an old motto in business: Give someone a reputation to live up to and watch them shine. It’s really true. Most people, given the right environment, are hard working, talented, creative, and productive. They want to please others just as you and I want to. Unfortunately, however, most people are hardly ever exposed to an ideal working environment.

What happens to someone when she is insecure, resentful, or frightened? Very simply, she loses most of her motivation to please you as well as most of her other positive work related qualities. Consider the following example: You have an assistant. Every day when he walks in the door, you remind him how incompetent he is. You point out his weaknesses and flaws. You belittle him in front of other people. Then you walk out the door. The question is, how does your assistant feel? It’s hard to know for sure, because people react differently to the same set of facts. But it’s a good bet that he’s either frightened, insecure, resentful of you, or, most likely, all of the above. His job performance is going to be suspect. If you are disappointed in him, you are missing the point! In my book, you haven’t done your job.

Wouldn’t you increase your odds of securing a dedicated, hard-working assistant if you treated him with enormous, genuine respect? Wouldn’t your assistant be more likely to work hard and keep your best interests in mind if you were to treat him with kindness, reminding him frequently how much you appreciate him, pointing out to him when he does something right? Ideally, we want everyone to feel good about themselves, to feel confident and secure; to feel as if they are talented, competent, and creative. This way everyone wins.

When you encourage creativity in others and have faith in them, it’s analogous to creating the ideal conditions for a garden. You are “planting the seeds” for an environment where success is the most likely to occur. When you plant a garden, you want to have the right type of soil, moisture, and sunshine. When you build people up – instead of pushing them down – you create the psychological equivalent. The same principle applies whether you are hiring a housekeeper, an attorney, and accountant, a publicist, or anyone else. It also applies to your children, you spouse, your significant other, your friends and your neighbors. It always works: When you believe in someone and when that person knows that you believe in her, magical things can happen. From this point on, see if you can expect great things from people. Do your part by creating the ideal working conditions. Be kind, patient, and supportive. Then sit back and watch what happens.

Looking back on my life, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I have been a poor listener. And while I’m a much better listener today than I was, I still feel I have a long way to go. As I look (and listen) to those around me, however, I feel like I have a lot of company.

People love to be listened to. So much so, in fact, they will pay therapists enormous fees to listen to their stories and complaints. Consumers loved to be listened to as well. They will happily pay top dollar for those people who are smart enough to understand that this is what they want – and what they demand. Unfortunately, only a tiny percentage of business persons do understand, or are willing to implement, this important notion.

What does your customer or client REALLY want? Do you know? Are you guessing? Have you asked? If you have asked, are you giving him/her what he/she wants? Or are you giving him/her what you think they want or need? The difference in how you answer these question may well be the difference between success and failure.

An interesting and eye-opening exercise is this: Pretend that you are a therapist. Listen very carefully to what your customer is saying. As probing questions like, What do you really want? and What would make you even happier with our product or service? Be genuine and listen like you have never listened before. Listen from your heart. Make it absolutely clear to your customer/client that the only thing that matters to you is that they are happy and that he/she is getting Exactly what they want and expect.

If you are running a small restaurant, for example, ask your customers if they would be willing to sit down with you for five minutes. Tell them you want to find out what would make their dining experience a little nicer than it is already. Ask them what they like about your restaurant, what they don’t like, why they come in, and so forth. Listen carefully and respectfully.

When you listen in this manner you may be shocked at the positive response. When people feel that they are listened to, they also feel appreciated and valued. Feeling listened to is such a rare experience that when someone does listened to they tend to tell other about it. When your listening ear is genuine, you will create raving fans and customers who will love you will want to do business with you. Listening is like a magic formula that turns ordinary people into loyal, happy customers. One final tip: If you’re married and/or have children, the same principle applies. If you want a closer relationship with your spouse, kids, or significant other, the best place to start is by becoming a better listener!

Crisis is the best time to affect change… so what’s your crisis?
What’s happening in your personal world?
What’s happening in your business world?
What’s happening in your sales world?

Change is in the air.
You can feel it like a crisp winter day.
You can almost smell it.

The personal question is: How will you react to that change?
The bigger personal question is: Do you understand that change is opportunity?
The biggest personal question is: How will you take advantage of that opportunity?

We are in a crisis. Some will define it in other words, like recession or downturn, but the actions we as a people and a government take over the next few months will shape our world for the next decade.

Some people are “waiting to see what happens.” Big mistake. There are three kinds of people — people who make things happen, people who watch things happen, and people who don’t know what’s happening. Which kind are you?

TAKE NOTE: You can’t change things in THE world, but you can change things in YOUR world.

Now is the perfect time to change your situation, and take a self-leadership position. Now is the perfect time to take control of yourself — your thoughts, your expressions, and your actions.

If you’re in sales, now is the time to sell. Sell better and with more passion than ever before. Start with existing customers. Serve them so phenomenally that they buy more, and refer you to others. That’s not a change you can, “live with;” that’s a change you can survive with, even thrive with.

Don’t just guard your desk and your job. Guard your customers. They are your lifeblood.

REALITY: In order to change whatever you were doing before, you must intensify your efforts. TRANSLATION: In order to effect that change, work harder and smarter than ever before, and do it with a positive attitude and a service heart.

Here’s the secret: Outside change makes inside change okay.

At this moment, many people in our society are looking for answers — or better stated WAITING for answers. What are you waiting for? What are you looking for? What are you doing?

While this time is passing there are three atmospheres:
One is fear and anger. Being bitter, not better.
One is hope and anxiousness. Waiting instead of doing.
One is positive anticipation and determination. Digging in and doing.
Which atmosphere do you exist in?

HOPE: As I travel across the United States, I’ve noticed there is a renewed sense of friendliness and patriotism. A sense of union I’ve never witnessed. There is a willingness among many to try to get better and work harder. And clearly, there is a renewed sense of urgency.

Yes, there’s fear, frustration, and disappointment. But not as much as you might read about or hear about. (HINT: They rarely show the good things on TV.) The key is to not be angry about it. Anger affects your attitude, your ability to think clearly and think creatively, and your ability to see the best answers and the best opportunity for you.

Sure you want to be safe, but consider those who pay you, those you serve, and those around you. They are affected too. And their response to the same situation will most likely be different than yours.

PROBLEM: Big companies are looking to remain profitable, and are doing it at the expense of their employees and their service offerings. Airlines and automobile manufacturers are crying — not serving better or raising quality, rather cutting everything and everyone, and begging for money. Morale is in the gutter, along with service. HUGE mistake.

EASY ANSWER: Double your service offerings.

REALITY: People are looking to get closer, to find a bond, to find answers. People want the country to rally and win. Patriotism is rampant. (What was your last PROACTIVE act of patriotism?) It’s not just salute the flag and sing the national anthem, it’s look at history and see how we have overcome adversity in the past, and try to discover and work for positive outcomes in the future.

WAKE UP: Now is the time for friendly, and friendly itself is change that makes other change possible. Now is the time for service, and service itself can make people want to do business with you at all times, not just economically challenging times.

Welcome! Since this is my first entry I thought I might like to first set the table so to speak.  The purpose of my blog (well, besides some obvious selfish reasons – good for generating relevant content which in turn creates more traffic to our site and service and in the end some of that green stuff in my wallet) is to tell, through experience, stories that enlighten, inspire, perhaps even change your way of thinking.  So let’s get started!  And with that why don’t we start with some incredible things Kolikoff & Company is doing with one of it’s business partners… SEOrchers (formerly Novel Concept Studios).  Besides the fact that they are great human beings and wonderful to work with (which no one should ever overlook)… in a word they/we (through our seamless service and partnership) are the BOMB!  Here is an ad I produced on Craigslist that speaks the truth and has reeled in some very interesting clients:

Try It… Google “SEO Services”: We’re Number on the FIRST PAGE and NUMBER 10!  Now if we can make our firm number 10 in the world with perhaps the MOST competitive key word phrase on the planet (10th out of 23.7 million), imagine what we could do for your business! Fact: 80% of US consumers search the internet FIRST for the product or service they are intending to purchase! What SEO (Search Engine Optimization) does (if you don’t already know) is get you/your company or service top listed in Google/MSN/Yahoo, etc. based on certain key words entered. So let’s say you want to lure more prospective customers/clients to your website (and like who doesn’t!)… well, it is just this service that accomplishes that! Getting top listed in Google we all know will grow your business and you won’t need to work as hard and spend as much money (i.e., Yellow Pages, Direct Mail, Advertising, Sales Staff, etc.) to generate leads and new business relationships. There will be NO wiser investment in your business than this! For more on getting your company top listed in Google, Yahoo, MSN and others… go to http://www.novelconceptstudio.com (now known as http://www.seorchers.com)

So while this may not be a story yet that inspires and will change the world, one thing is for sure… we can and will inspire you and your business if given the chance!