You’ve seen them on mall directory maps; you’ve seen them on state maps in rest area display cases; you’ve even seen them on online maps when you need directions… I’m talking about those tags, flags, and symbols that indicate “You are here.” But while each of these provides an important reference point, I believe the most important thing to remember about “You Are Here” indicators is this:
Where you are is a starting point for where you will go next.
So, ask yourself, “Am I stuck in place? Is this really where I want to remain? And if not, where do I want to go from here?” These valid life questions are no less important when it comes to examining “second act” choices for your professional sales leadership career. Are you stuck in place, professionally? Are you at a place in your career arc that satisfies and fulfills you? And if you yearn for more, do your dreams give you a sense of direction for your future?
Feeling Stuck?
Have you reached a point in your sales leadership career where you feel unrespected? Not valued? Not challenged? In a rut and burned out? If so, you’re certainly not alone. Many of us have reached a point of dissatisfaction and restlessness. We yearn for more and seek new challenges. We want to feel like we matter again. And yet, here we are, stuck, like that “You Are Here” pin.
But remember, just because you feel stuck doesn’t mean you must remain where you are. I’ll repeat this because it’s super important:
Where you are is a starting point for where you will go next.
Castles in the Air
Henry David Thoreau advised us to “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” Good motivational nudge, right? But where do you start? Thoreau also said “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” The good news is that if you’ve worked hard to build a successful sales leadership career, you’ve already constructed the track record of success that becomes a sturdy foundation for where you go from here. To start, all you must do is open your mind to the fact that you can use your hard-earned wisdom to move in a new professional direction.
Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams
Sadly, many sales executives think they must leave behind what they learned and accomplished in the first half of their professional life when pursuing their next chapter of sales leadership success. Not true! As the late Bob Buford notes in his book, Halftime, “You can apply your gifts in ways that allow you to spend more time on things [that matter]. And do it in such a way as to reclaim the thrill of that first deal!” In other words, you can recapture that lost energy and excitement you thought was long gone. You can use your skills and talents and experience to form a solid foundation for the castles in the air that constitute your dreams!
What do I know about your dreams? Well, I know this much: So many of the successful sales leaders I’ve spoken to and met with over the years have told me they are proud of what they’ve accomplished but they feel they have more to give. They want to feel a sense of significance, to know they matter, to work with a sense of real purpose. They’ve told me they want to find their own fulfillment but also make a difference for others. These are the common whisperings of so many inner voices, urging them to remember that “You Are Here” doesn’t mean this is where you must remain.
The Bottom Line:
Years ago, sales leaders had to venture into their second acts without a clear-cut path. Today’s sales leaders who are ready to move on from their corporate careers, however, have a “GPS” to help them move confidently in the direction of their dreams. As hundreds of successful sales leaders have discovered, Sales Xceleration makes it easier to navigate the sales leadership consulting landscape. Using Sales Xceleration’s proven tools, resources, and systems, our licensed Advisors serve small to mid-sized businesses that need to build a sales engine and create record-breaking growth. As fractional time Outsourced VPs of Sales, they work with purpose, achieve a sense of significance, spend less time on the road and more time with family – and truly make a difference for businesses in need.
If you’d like to learn more about the rewarding sales leadership consulting opportunities with Sales Xceleration, click here or contact us today at 844.874.7253.
