In 1977 as part of training for a sales career with a large textile company, my training “class” was required to complete three assignments outside of our field and product knowledge work.
The first was to read “How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling by Frank Bettger; still among my top five personal development books of all time!
The second was to complete a three-day “Xerox Professional Selling Skills” Course…literally the STANDARD sales methodology by which all other programs have been measured- including IBM’s.
The third was a Two- Day Class based upon and included the reading of: “How To Get Control Of Your Time And Your Life” by Alan Lakein; my very first exposure to the idea of time “management.”
Although all of these experiences were huge in terms of forming what I would become and how I would think about the principles of success for the rest of my life, from a 45 year- later-perspective, I can see how they have also shaped and formed paradigms that many people struggle with today.
In my opinion, the notion that we can control or manage time is an illusion.
That’s the bad news. The GOOD news is, that if productivity is the desired outcome, it’s not time that we need to manage. What if results were a product of “action” instead of time?
Every time management program I’ve ever taken, including Lakein’s, was mostly, if not entirely about organizing priorities and actions, not time!
How often have you had a potential sponsor practically demand that if you are serious about income, you will set aside ten or more hours a week to work the business? Have you ever “played with” a names list or stared at an address book for an hour without making a single call? I have.
Then I learned an important possibility; the distinction that productivity is a function of actions, not time
If you know your goal… and I say all true goals must live within the framework of time and have measurable criteria for success; the right actions to bring it about, reveal themselves.
No, we can’t control time. However, we can prevent time from controlling us.
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Russ is the Founder and President of Success by Design Global, LLC and a contributing editor to The Network Marketing Magazine
His own sales organizations have set records and standards for the MLM Industry. Mr. DeVan is the author of state-of-the-art training methodologies and concepts used by thousands of network marketing professionals worldwide.
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE RUSS AS A KEY MEMBER OF OUR TEACHING CONTRIBUTING EDITORS.
The thing that I want you to know about Russ is, for years, I have admired the book, The Greatest Networker In The World. The “greatest networker,” that John Milton Fogg created the character from, in this classic story, was Russ DeVan! You know that you will be getting incredible wisdom for yourself and your business. I am honored to be working with The Greatest Networker!
Welcome aboard Russ!
George Madiou
CEO & Publisher of
TheNetworkingMagazine.com
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