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Seven Secrets To Stratoshperic Success: Secret One

I have a new, keynote-level presentation titled "The Sage of Selling's Seven Succinct Secrets To Stratospheric Success." So I figured in my next seven blog posts I would share the seven secrets contained in that speech.

First, however, I feel compelled to point out the obvious fact that these aren't really secrets. After all, I've already given the speech once, which de-secrified them all.

But I like the seven-S title, so I'm keeping it.

Second, I believe strongly in objective goal-setting, so for the purposes of this conversation, let's define the "stratosphere" as:

At least 10 times more successful than the average successful person in your field.

In every profession there are people who are climbing, people who have reached what most would call success, and people who see way beyond. We're going after the way beyond here. So figure out how the average coach, mentor, trainer, business owner, salesperson, accountant, attorney, etc. would define success. Then multiply that by 10 and use it as the definition of the stratosphere in your chosen profession.

Third, these seven secrets are addressing success in a career in the business world. So they wouldn't apply, say, to an actor. That being said, however, I'm sure that if you wanted to reach the stratosphere as an actor, you could use these seven secrets to get there.

Fourth, a global assumption I'll make is that you're damned good at what you do. I mean, if you're the worst attorney on the planet, all the secrets in the world won't help you over come your personal ineptitude.

So much for the setup, now for the secrets.

I believe there are seven fundamental laws any individual must follow to reach stratospheric success.

Sage Secret One: The Law Of Ownership
You are responsible for your own success.

"If you're not having fun, change something."

That quote is engraved on my psyche, because I must have heard Mom say it a thousand times as I was growing up.

I may have learned the foundation of Honest Selling from Dad during my youth, but it was Mom's footing -- taking ownership of my own problems and their solutions -- that supports the foundation Dad helped me lay.

Just as important as the lesson, however, was the way Mom taught it. I can remember one instance in particular. It was summer vacation, which meant that by 10 a.m. every non-rainy day, "the guys" from the neighborhood would gather at the designated spot and figure out what we would do. For some reason, football had taken center stage that year and I was sick and tired of the same thing every day.

"Aren't you going to play with your friends today," Mom asked?

"All they ever want to do is play football," I replied. "And I'm getting sick of it."

"What would you rather play?"

"Softball. I have my new glove and it was just getting broke in when summer started."

"Well if you're not having fun, change something. What can you do to get your friends to play softball instead of football?"

"I don't know."

"Then get creative. Give me an idea of something you could do to make it impossible for them to play football."

"Like what?" (This, of course, was me fishing for the solution so I wouldn't have to figure it out myself.)

"What if you took your pocket knife with you and popped the football? You'd have to play something else, wouldn't you?"

"I can't do that!" I replied in astonishment. "First, they'd kick the tar out of me. Second, Dad would whip my butt when he got home and you know it."

"Yes, I'm sure the consequences of popping the football would be great. Not only would you probably get beat up, and certainly get in trouble around here, but I"m sure it would be a long time before any of them played with you again. But you have to admit that they wouldn't be able to play football that day."

Mom had a peculiar knack for giving me examples that were incredibly creative and obviously effective, yet totally impractical to implement. This taught me several things:

1. To solve my problems, I need to first own them.
2. To be creative.
3. To analyze the consequences of my ideas before implementing them.
4. To not fear trying new things.
5. To be a leader instead of a follower or complainer.

Yes, if you want to be stratospherically successful, Sage Secret One is a must.

Next post, Sage Secret Two: The Law Of The Objective Bull's Eye

Gill E. Wagner, Sage of Selling
President of Honest Selling
Founder of the Yellow-Tie International Business Development Association

For A Better America

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of being a judge at an idea competition held at Washington University here in St. Louis. One of the ideas that was presented was an on-line town hall effort called "For A Better America" (www.forabetteramerica.org). The two Wash-U sophomores who started the site -- Sam Bear and Mark Davis -- have the kind of energy and enthusiasm that is contagious, so I decided to help them out a bit by doing three things:

1. Organizing a "how do we make this work" business discussion with a handful of local, great, business and government minds. (We held this meeting last week.)
2. Moving my conversation about eliminating dishonesty in sales to the For A Better America website. See: http://www.forabetteramerica.org/ideas/179/thought/530/
3. Inviting all of you to join the conversation.

Their website is totally free, pretty easy to use and just what the doctor ordered for taking my idea out of the private group setting into a public forum.

It is my sincere hope that you'll join me at this "town hall" meeting so we can flesh out ideas for eliminating salesdrip behavior from the sales profession once and for all. And while you're there, by all means join other conversations already in progress or start your own ideas for how we can make America better.

Gill E. Wagner, Sage of Selling
President of Honest Selling
Founder of the Yellow-Tie International Business Development Association