From today’s reading...
“Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.”
Great leaders were first great followers.
The first thing they do on Day One at the Air Force Academy is tell you to sit down, shut up, eyes straight ahead, speak only when spoken to, and you are only allowed to reply with one of the “seven basic responses.”
Once you get through the six weeks of basic training you then have eight months of living as a SMACK—Soldier Minus Ability, Coordination, and Knowledge—until you are “Recognized” as a full member of the Cadet Wing (and a human).
Learning how to follow helped me become a better leader.
During my first full year of selling mobile homes I sold the way they told me to.
I did not deviate from showing the flip chart, completing the intake form, and only showing the trailers that the customer was qualified for based on their credit, income, and personal goals.
I made exactly $100,000 in 1998-1999 ($146k+ today), was #26 out of over 2,200 nationwide sales people, and was promoted to General Manager within 14 months and given my own store while other salesmen at the same store couldn’t pay their rent.
Now I’m six months into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and every single blue, purple, brown, and black belt I meet says “just put your time in on the mats and do as the instructor says and you’ll have this same belt.”
They say football is a game of inches, but Jit-Jitsu is a game of millimeters.
Everything matters.
Your grip, the turn of your wrist, the placement of your elbow, the angle of your shoulders, the location of your right foot and your left foot and your knee and your head, and after being whooped by an experienced purple belt that weighs 87 pounds LESS than me, I can confirm that size does not matter.
Do as you are commanded by the one who knows and EVENTUALLY things will work out the way you want them to.
But most quit.
Nearly 33% of the kids who had their heads shaved with me in late June 1988 didn’t graduate with me on May 27, 1992.
Turnover in sales is terrible.
I’ve seen numbers from 50% to 90%, depending on the industry.
And most quit Jiu-Jitsu either during their first free week or when they get their first or second promotion.
Whatever it is you are considering giving up on answer this first: are you quitting because you can’t do it or because you can’t do it your (stubborn / arrogant / inefficient / pig-headed) way?
I can tell you unequivocally that when I pin my training partner in Jiu-Jitsu he’s not saying “that doesn’t count because you didn’t invent that move!” he’s asking “can you show me how you did that?”
And to the best of my ability I show him what I was instructed / commanded to do in that situation.
I do the same thing when I’m brought in to teach my sales training clients.
Those who listen to my hard-fought and apply what I’ve learned over 20+ years of selling and 11+ years of training sell more, faster, at higher margin, with less stress, and more fun. T
here is nothing new under the Sun. It’s vanity of vanities to think there is.
The only question now is, whose commands (and Commandments) will you now follow and will you follow them to the "T" until you’ve reached your goals?
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Stay the course.
Keep the faith.
Endure.
