Unheard Gems from my Mentor Zig Ziglar

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Zig Ziglar was one of the best motivational speakers of all time and an authority on the human potential for excellence. In a recent podcast, Brian shared some of his mentor’s teachings and explained how they profoundly impacted his own life, both professionally and personally.
Adjust your attitude
Changing your attitude can radically change your life. Whenever you feel pessimistic or downhearted, try reminding yourself how good you have it compared to many other people. That small switch in attitude can alter your entire perspective. Life will always have its struggles and challenges, but you can turn everything around by changing what goes into your mind. If you stay encouraged – and you encourage others in turn – you will reap rewards. As Zig said, “Encouragement is the fuel on which hope runs.”
Ask for the sale
When it came to sales, Zig advised to ask, but always in the right way. For example, never ask for an order until you’ve given the customer a legitimate and logical reason to say yes. If you don’t give value beforehand, you’ll be seen as high-pressure and transactional – someone who just wants to seal the deal and then move on to the next prospect. Remember: A pushy salesperson tries to get somebody to make a purchase they don’t want to make, whereas a skilled salesperson helps somebody to make a decision that they need to. Be sure that you’re selling what people want and need and then follow through in a kind and friendly manner, not by overselling but by sharing the benefits.
Keep priming the pump
Zig often told the story of two friends driving in Alabama on a hot August day when they stopped at a water pump to get a drink. One of them started pumping the handle while the other got some nearby stream water to put in and get the flow going. After much pumping, one friend got discouraged – he didn’t believe there was any water in the well. The other one insisted they had to keep going – he knew that the well was very deep and, if they stopped, they were only going to have to start all over again from the beginning. The same is true of success in life. If you pump long and hard enough, eventually the reward will follow the effort. Then, once it starts to flow, you just have to keep the pressure on and you’ll get more water than you can possibly use. As Zig said, “You’ve got to put something in before you can expect to get anything out.”
To learn more about Zig Ziglar’s classic principles for building a happy and successful life, listen to the latest episode of “It’s a Good Life” today!