A 14-Point Daily Checklist
Someone was nice enough to send me a really good little checklist for salespeople that we all could stand to use, whether or not we're in selling. Of course, if you look at it in a broader sense, we're all selling every day. We're selling our ideas, our thoughts and our enthusiasms; we're trying to sell our kids on the good life and others on doing what we want them to do.
1. Be sure to start the day off right. A good start is half the battle. Getting to work early gives many people this positive feeling.
2. Look successful at all times. Good clothes are an important investment in your morale.
3. As much as possible, associate with people who are cheerful, optimistic and successful. You will tend to imitate their attitudes.
4. Try giving yourself away. Doing thoughtful things for other people gives you a mental feeling of well-being that is conducive to success.
5. Remember that you, like everyone else, are subject to emotional moods. Don't take occasional periods of discouragement seriously.
6. Don't expect perfection in yourself. There are numerous factors in any situation that you can't control.
7. Work on the law of averages rather than merely giving lip service to it. The more irons you have in the fire, the less worried you'll be about the outcome of any one of them.
8. Remind yourself that everyone who is realistic about himself feels inferior in several areas. Don't lower your self-confidence by comparing your weak points with the strong points of others. Think back on past successful accomplishments, remembering that these will add to your confidence.
9. Get some new interests. Avoid boredom. Take some new courses; increase your knowledge and skills; expand your mental horizons. Don't be mentally half dead.
10. Make it a habit to use enthusiastic, colorful language; speak in a cheerful manner; use words that are positive rather than negative or neutral.
11. Keep an orderly place in which to work. (This one I could use.) A disorganized office gives one that snowed-under feeling that leads to confusion, uncertainty and inertia.
12. Take the friendly initiative where other people are involved. Remember that others' actions toward you are often a reflection of how you act toward them.
13. Stay busy during that time you should be busy. Make certain that you develop good work habits. Even if you work hard for 10 hours, there are still 14 left.
14. Stay on course. Make sure you know where you're going, and then commit yourself to stay on course until you get there. Days, which add up to weeks, months and years, have an enormous cumulative effect.
I'm sure nothing on that checklist comes as news. But as the man said, we frequently need reminding as much as we need educating. We certainly need both every day.