It never ceases to amaze me how many people have reached a point of satisfaction in their lives. Their jobs are “okay,” their personal lives are “okay,” and financially they can meet their bills every month but are not able to save anything for the future. Basically, they are doing “okay.” They have lots of things they would like to do—for instance, travel, drive a fancy car, own a larger home, wear designer clothing, own fine jewelry, buy new furniture, or send their children to college. However, things are going just “okay.”

All of these people lead me to believe that they have simply let themselves settle for less than what they really had hoped to achieve. It could be that they have allowed their goals, dreams, and aspirations to be compromised. Maybe they have lost the energy to fight, claw, and scratch for the things they really wanted out of life. It could be that they have given up on their pursuit of the grand old American Dream.

Could it be that some of these people are waiting for their ships to come in? Maybe they are expecting a large inheritance. They might be playing lotto with hopes of being the big winner. Fortunes are made every day in Las Vegas—maybe they will get lucky there. Then again, maybe they are just afraid of taking a risk and failing.

Don’t get me wrong—I am not condemning or berating people who have reached their comfort level. That is fine for some. However, I believe that many people go into sales because they want more and they want to make a difference. They want to excel, be successful, achieve their goals, and experience the finer things life has to offer.

Satisfaction breeds defeat. Risk takes courage. Failure builds character. Commitment, drive, perseverance, attitude, enthusiasm, self-confidence, and an undying persistence to excel create success. Try it you will see your dreams come true.

Author, trainer, consultant, and speaker Brad Huisken is president of IAS Training. He publishes a free weekly newsletter called Sales Insight. For a free subscription or more information on training, contact IAS Training at 800-248-7703, info@iastraining.com, fax 303-936-9581, or visit the website at iastraining.com.

JCK