We Get to Play Baseball!
Do you enjoy what you do? Do you consider your work worthwhile? Have you ever taken a moment to evaluate, why you do what you do?
It’s hard to back up sometimes to do this. Often we avoid it because we are scared the answer may be “I don’t know why” or worse yet we realize we are doing something we don’t want to be doing and we don’t have a way out.
That’s where I was 4 years ago. The company I was with was failing. The new leadership was brought in to prepare it for sale while trying to convince everyone there it wasn’t the case. It was a painful process. Due to continued cutbacks I took on the management of an additional office in the next state over. I was traveling weekly, was exhausted and not enjoying my work. I was let go 3 months before the company sold and was forced to face what I had delayed for a year – finding worthwhile work.
- We Get to Play Baseball!
That didn’t work. There was no work to find in late 2008, early 2009. So, I was compelled to do what I wanted to do for so long, work for myself. Fast forward to now, 3+ years later with many bad and good decisions behind me and I’m still standing. Thanks to people who believe in me, to being stubborn but mostly due to believing in what I’m doing.
I’ve had many days where the motivation was low and the self doubt was high. Last year two things happened that have helped me keep my eye on how fortunate I am to “get” to do what I choose.
On March 19, 2011, I saw my cousin Lisa in Lake Arrowhead, CA. We had taken our kids up to the mountains so they could experience snow for the first time. Lisa had just turned 40, conquered a rare and stubborn form of cancer for the 2nd time in her foot all within the previous 3 months. We had dinner at my cousin Kevin’s house (her brother) with her, Kevin’s family and Lisa’s friends. We laughed all night and looked forward to our next get together “soon.”
The next day, I headed home with my wife and my two kids. As we started down the mountain it started to snow. About one third of the way down a car coming up the mountain lost control, slid across the center median, missed the car just ahead of us and plowed into the side of our car. After turning over 2 1/2 times our car flipped back onto its wheels. After gathering ourselves for a second we turned around to see if our kids were okay. Neither on had a scratch, I had bruised my ribs and banged my leg and my wife broke her wrist pretty severely. That was it.
On November 3, 2011 my cousin Lisa died unexpectedly. We never had that “next” get together prior to her death.
I’m out to change the world in my own small way. I truly believe that and it motivates me every day. I’m determined to build a community of sales professionals and sales leaders who build trust daily, focus on the long term health of their clients, their company and their community before themselves. These are attributes not often enough associated with sales professionals.
The lesson learned for me twice in 2011 was this: “We get to play baseball!” The line from the Walt Disney Pictures movie “The Rookie” with Dennis Quaid says it all. Embrace the fact you get to do what you do. On the worst days, embrace it like you do on the best days. My cousin was an amazing pediatrician who loved what she did. So much so, she went on missions to Africa and Haiti to help those less fortunate. She elevated herself in her profession as much with her passion and enthusiasm for what she did as with her incredible skill and intelligence.
Is this how you approach your profession? Have you made this decision? How have your elevated yourself?
If you have, I can tell you right now, you are successful and your clients, partners, prospects, professional network, friends and family know it. If you have not, I can tell you right now, your clients, partners, prospects, professional network, friends and family know it and it is holding you back.
Whatever it is you do, make the decision to be a professional, be aware and embrace how lucky you are to do what you do every day because you “get” to do it.
