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What Motivates and Drives Success?

Motivation!  As a sales professional ... What motivates and drives someone to achieve success?  Some are motivated by survival - the lights going out in the house.  For others it’s recognition, achievement, money, family, or just plain ole duty - doing what others expect.

Still, as in ages past, the best motivation is inspired. It happens because we want something with our hearts. That’s why we disagree with Maslov’s hierarchy of needs ... survival first, etc. etc.  We’ve all seen people sacrifice themselves for their children for a greater reason.

(Side comment: Recruit character - someone who IS strongly motivated - and if it’s toward people first - WOW ... what a great quality.)

Today, we can have different motivational forces pull at us.  When we are with a client, we may be pulled toward being survival-focused, quota-focused, product-focused, ego-focused, etc.

The best salespeople in the world ... those that get great referrals and make a lot of sales over a 20 year span of time ... are usually motivated by helping others with their needs, challenges, and problems.  (And, I’m afraid it’s taking me awhile to get the the reality roar of survival, products, competition, and ego out of the way.) So, for myself, as a coach for salespeople, sales managers, and VPs of sales, I’ve discovered it’s really all about them ... Zig Ziglar once said, “Help enough people get what they want and ... you’ll be fine.  Now, let’s go motivate ourselves to make someone’s situation even their life ... better.  Lance