In the acting world, you have Broadway. In baseball, you have the major leagues. In the world of new car sales, you have the Mercedes Benz dealership.
It’s understood that if you sell cars, a proven prior track record with a lesser brand is required before stepping up to the Mercedes level. This isn’t a mystery. Everyone knows this. Everyone, except for “Jeff.”
Jeff had a successful background in selling piano’s but had never sold cars before. He always wanted to be a Mercedes salesman and had the audacity to start his quest by inquiring at the local dealerships. He went to the first location and spoke with a gentleman named “Ron” about his interests.
After telling Ron about his background, Ron said, “The manager isn’t here today, so you’ll have to come back later!” Jeff checked the dealership’s website that evening and discovered that Ron was the manager!
He visited the second location and was told that if he wanted to sell Mercedes, he should first apply at the Buick dealer down the road.
At the third location, “Jack,” the manager, said that he wasn’t qualified, but he was welcome to pay his own way and take the upcoming sales training course that was being offered to his dealer employees.
Jeff was so determined, that he paid the $403 fee, took the class, and received the highest grade possible for the course! The instructor was so impressed that he contacted Jack, recommending that Jeff be hired.
Today Jeffrey Twiggs, my brother, is a top producing Mercedes Benz salesman in Atlanta, GA! At this point, you may be thinking “That’s a great story about your brother, but what does this have to do with me?” It has everything to do with you.
Jeff’s story is proof that sometimes, what you don’t know can help you. On the path to pursuing your goals, the right mindset is your greatest asset.
Keep reading to learn two ideas that will help you leverage your greatest asset and get what you want.
Change Your Self Talk
Have you ever felt like you were stuck and unable to make progress towards your shop goals? Was the underlying reason the economy? Maybe it was your competition? Did you lack the proper training?
In my nine years of coaching shop owners & service writers, I’ve discovered that 80% of the time, it’s a mindset issue that keeps you stuck. Once you improve your mindset, you will change your self-talk.
In his groundbreaking book, What To Say When You Talk To Yourself, Dr. Shad Helmstetter concludes that up to 75% of the average person’s mental programming and self-talk is negative.
He explains that the region of the brain known as “the lizard brain,” is constantly scanning the environment looking to warn us about possible danger.
When it finds a potential threat, it delivers warnings that can become negative self-talk. Since accomplishment and risk go hand in hand, the lizard brain speaks the loudest while you’re pursuing a game-changing goal.
The following are examples may sound familiar:
“I can’t use that pricing matrix; it will put me out of business!”
“That’s a first-time customer, so I can’t present the complete estimate!”
“What if I hire that great technician, and I don’t have enough work to keep him?”
“My customers ask for me by name, so I can’t hire my replacement!”
Here’s the bottom line: It’s impossible to say something positive and think something negative at the same time! Despite experiencing rejections, Jeff continued to tell himself that working for Mercedes was possible. His speaking impacted his thinking, and his thinking impacted his result.
If you consistently speak about the positive possibilities, it will change your mindset. When you change your mindset, you will change your self-talk. When you change your self-talk, you will start moving towards your goals.
Become Delusional
The dictionary defines delusion as a belief or altered reality that is persistently held despite evidence or agreement to the contrary. Jeff had to be delusional to think he could work for Mercedes, without any prior experience.
The fact that he continued to persist in the face of contrary evidence, is an indication that he was living in an altered reality. His delusion is what made everything possible!
What would be possible if you ignored the evidence that, “Everyone’s buying new cars”? What would be possible if you persisted with the exit appointment program, even after your service writer told you that it didn’t work?
What would be possible if you lived in an “altered reality” where customers would find the money if they felt the value?
I challenge you to become delusional this week as you pursue your goals. You never know what’s possible!
Conclusion
So, there you have it. If you change your self-talk and become delusional, you will leverage your greatest asset and achieve your goals.
Once you’ve succeeded, you can use the additional cash flow to buy yourself a brand new, shiny, fully loaded, Buick!
P.S. Email me at etwiggs@autotraining.net if you would like a copy of my 50 questions to help you find your purpose in life. Gaining clarity of purpose will help you to pursue your goals with the right mindset!