I sat there, guitar in hand, with a rather smug look on my face. I was eager to tell the “Master” that I had in fact figured it all out. Imagine that, Uncle Paul 20 years young and the keeper of the shortcut to end all shortcuts! I told my teacher that the secret to attaining warp speed on one’s axe was by using a thicker guitar pick. Well that and knowing what the hell you were doing on the guitar, but I didn’t own that part of the lesson yet.
My teacher gave me a non committal “Really” (did you ever hear Dr Evil say “Really”? Well it was nothing like that) and left the room. When he returned he brought with him a razor blade and a TV dinner tray (the old fashioned kind circa 1985 which were aluminum) He took his guitar pick and used it as a template to cut out an aluminum pick. He took some tape and placed it on the top so he wouldn’t slice his finger open, picked up his guitar and played a violin concerto he transcribed for guitar. I’m convinced that he played it with gusts up to 250 mph but I was too busy trying to keep from chanting “Im not worthy” He confidently put his guitar down and said “Today’s lesson is done. Come back to me when you understand that there are no shortcuts when it comes to talent”
Lesson learned, and one that birthed numerous other lessons for this aspiring sales rock star:
– Stop looking for the big answer, the shortcuts, the easy route! The people that I come across who are so busy looking for the big answer seldom find it. The key is mastery of lots of little things. Isn’t that what sales is all about? Working smarter should never be an excuse for not getting our uniforms dirty!
– 
Don’t get so caught up in technology that you forget to develop ridiculous sales chops. This can easily happen with all these cool Sales 2.0 tools. You still need to be the best sales professional you are capable of . . . even if you have the coolest toys on the block!
– This One Is For The Managers & Mentors: My teacher could have lectured me. He could have given me a verbal ass kicking, but he didn’t. He showed me. I’ll let you reflect on that one.
– This One Is For The Sales Reps: There comes a time when we all have to evict our ego. You know that wonderful thing that protects us from rejection, thickens our skin but at the same time . . . disowns the lesson. When was the last time you accepted a “lesson”. Think about that one. There’s money in it for you . . . I promise!
– Presentation Wise: What a cool freakin way to illustrate a point! Find a cool way to illustrate your point in your next presentation. How can you demonstrate your point in such a way that someone will still be talking about it 25 years later like I did?
And a final take away: I discovered at that moment (and numerous times throughout my marriage) how much I hate being wrong! 🙂
Today you are cordially invited to evict your ego, make yourself vulnerable and own that crazy thing called “the lesson”
Rock on!
