An ancient Chinese proverb goes like this: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” For sales leaders, years of accomplishment and career growth may have taken root decades earlier, but there’s no time like the present to leverage your considerable sales leadership skills to achieve even higher levels of success and fulfillment.
Certainly, a shift in thinking is required, or at least a shift in how you view and plan for your future. As any given year unfolds, it typically begins with strategic goals and optimism. But as the days wear on, even on-target accomplishments can become routine. The truth is that continuing to serve the same corporate leadership might be financially rewarding – especially if you are a top performer with a history of exceeding your objectives – but is it challenging? Is it fulfilling? Is it rewarding personally, professionally, and financially?
The bigger and more important question is this: Is your current role what you aspire to from this day forward?
If you find yourself yearning for something more; if you find yourself aching to work with a real sense of purpose and the knowledge that you can make a difference, it’s not too late. (Nor is it too early!)
The Waiting Game
Dreams and aspirations often get put on hold due to the expectation of a promotion or a raise or a year-end bonus. Sometimes these things happen as anticipated. But even if they do, personal fulfillment and a sense of purpose are probably still missing. After all, you might be helping a large corporate organization boost its bottom line, but you’re not necessarily boosting your own sense of worth.
And what if that expected raise or promotion or bonus fails to materialize? What was your dedication and performance leading to? Personal pride? Hopefully. But is that all you were banking on? It can be a risky proposition to put your full career potential on hold just to earn a year-end bonus.
Making a Rewarding Adjustment
In the corporate world, it’s typical to make quarterly or mid-year adjustments. You analyze where you are relative to target projections and make course corrections, both strategic and tactical, to be better positioned to reach your goals and objectives. So, why not take the same approach to your big-picture professional sales leadership career? Why not take a fresh and objective look at where you are today and where you want to be? Chances are you’ll recognize that putting your next level of success on hold for even another week or month simply isn’t worth it. After all, by acting now, you can get a head start over others who are still playing the waiting game.
The Bottom Line:
This article began with a proverb; let’s end it with a Robert Browning quote:
“A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s heaven for?”
What are you waiting for? Right now, reach for higher levels of success. You just might accomplish more than you can imagine. And at Sales Xceleration, we can make it easy to reach what you can’t grasp on your own. We’ve got the proven tools, resources, and systems you need to hit the ground running and serve small to mid-sized businesses who desperately need your expertise and experience.
Your bright future as a sales leadership consultant is closer than you think. The best time to begin is now. To learn more, click here or contact us today at 844.874.7253.
