Seeds of Success!

Seeds of Success!

Remember in 1st grade when you did the lima bean experiment?   We wrapped up a single seed in a wet paper towel and set it on the window sill.   A week later we would go back to see the little seed split with the first signs of development.  Transfer the whole thing to a little cup with dirt and watch nature do its thing.   Appropriate that one of the first things you learn in life is the power of seeds.   I took that little cup home proud to show my momma.  She then took that little cup outside and we planted it into an small space in the yard where she grew vegetables.  In a few weeks, it was a flourishing bush.  Then we harvested, ate some (I actually loved them since I grew them!), gave some to family/friends and put some aside to plant next season.   In A Trail of Sales Crumbs I wrote a chapter Seeds of Greatness (click for entire chapter!).  It is a sweet exhange that actually happened with me and my mom at a critical time of my life when success seemed elusive.      In this chapter, the metaphor of the garden provides insight into the greatest law in nature - The Law of Reciprocity.  If you want a harvest in any form, you have to plant seeds.  Sara draws the parallels between her garden and Matt's journey of development in sales.    Philosophical...yes.  Practical - no doubt!  Here are some of the rules of sowing and reaping;   Soil has to be prepared.  I live in Georgia and we are known for hard red clay.  It is the kind of soil that needs "turning over" to break up the firm dense texture so you can even get a seed into it.  As a young boy, we would work up a sweat chopping it into small pieces.  Are you preparing the terrain of your business, relationships and goals to make it more receptive to your seeds?    Soil has to be analyzed and enriched.  My mother had a green thumb and instinctively knew the likelihood that the soil would grow certain things.  She also knew that if it was deficient in some key nutrient, she would need to add something to make it more conducive for growth.  Are analyzing the demographics of your territory and tweaking your target audience before you begin seeding the market?   Sow continuously - there is always a growing season.  Horticulture has advanced in such a way that seed packets now show where to plant and when to plant.  My mother (and now my wife) had something in bloom the entire year!  Even if your business is seasonal, there are seeds of activities that you can plant to ensure year round opportunities and harvest.  The "kiss of death" of any sales professional is to allow their pipeline to run dry and having to prime the pump from scratch each season.  Find other products to market in down times, or pursue other activities that can provide synergy.   Understand the growth process.  Good soil and good seeds are the foundation of the growth process.  Water and sun are also necessary.  Out of sight, a root system is burrowing its way beneath the soil.  Only when that foundation is sufficient does the "little shoot of struggle emerge".  Neither the root, or the shoot is fruit - you have to continue to be patient and allow the process of development to bring a full harvest - in due season.  That is where the persistence, determination and patience will pay off in your career.  You also have to trust the process - that if you are doing all the things a successful person does, then you have to receive the equivalent benefit!   The purpose of the harvest.  When you are successful there is a responsibility of that harvest.  First, is to give.  Yes, this could mean the tangible sharing of your income to church, worthy causes, people in need, or those trying to succeed.  You can give time and knowledge to help the next generation of professional sellers.  Next is to save.  You must invest in the future.  There will come a "rainy day" when you will need stored away resources.  Do you have at least 6 months of income in case of industry disaster?  Are you preparing for a scaled back work approach (some call it retirement!)?  Are you investing back into your business for expansion and explosion?  Finally, you need to enjoy the fruit of your labor!  You can begin to enjoy the material "whats" you expressed in your goals.    Everything you do is a seed.  Make sure that you are sowing the ...    Seeds of Success! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!