Time To Redefine Focus

It’s been a lousy couple of years. Working in solitude amid a pandemic, war and social chaos. It seems right when things are shaping up, we get shaken down again. No one would blame anyone for feeling defeated. It has become clear that nothing is perfectly predictable these days, but a return to normalcy may be nigh.

With tragedy comes an opportunity to persevere. When forced to accept change we discover our ability to adapt. Divine truths reveal themselves when drastic measures are required. It’s time to get back to living…. wiser!

Whether you’ve been compliant or defiant in this time of unrest, it seems everyone is looking forward to removing the mask, taking a shower and trading the slippers for lace ups. This is also a time of profound evaluation.

What have we learned from our time in the bunker?

The greatest take away for me is that purpose-driven work is an absolute!

The Buckner Misconception

Our younger readers may not remember what has been characterized as the greatest error in baseball history. A ground ball ambled toward the Great Bill Buckner and the Boston Red Sox first world series title since 1918 seemed a reality… until the ball crept through his legs. Buckner, a fantastic player, would forever be defined by a single moment when his focused was subverted. A man who had achieved so much was haunted for eternity by a single mistake.

The Buckner Misconception haunts many sales professionals as well. It’s a common tale: you perform well, receive accolades, cross the stage at the company meeting to shake the CEO’s hand, and take your partner to Hawaii on an all-expense-paid company incentive trip. Then you fail to repeat your achievement. Nothing is more disappointing. No longer do new reps seek out your advise, you watch others walk across the stage and your partner asks why you aren’t returning to Hawaii. It’s the worst!

From there, you are forced to endure the long plane ride back to the company meeting. Underwhelmed by your lack of success…. feeling like Buckner walking back into Shea Stadium. A central theme settling under your breath throughout the week….. Fuuuuuuu

Recognition Misinterpreted

I’ve been in the rewards and incentives business for 15 years. We are responsible for celebrating achievement on a daily basis. It’s truly the best job in the world. But, celebration can backfire.

The simple truth is that meaningful work produces measurable results. People who love what they do tend to do it well consistently (and the rewards follow). Then there are those who get a brief taste of success but fail to re-create it. Success is not transactional. You don’t get lucky twice. If you are genuinely engaged in your work and possess a skill set that mirrors the expectations of your job, success becomes a practice not an occurrence. It’s easy to accept the trophy and pack your bags for Hawaii, missing the opportunity requires a different degree of focus.

Finding Purpose

As a professional, there is one responsibility that you need to embrace: report to yourself (every day). The only person who spends every waking minute with you is you. You know when you’ve failed to put the requisite work in. You know when you’ve allowed your purpose to be distracted. When the results don’t come the unfortunate truth is revealed in one cruel meeting: the one that occurs in the mirror every morning.

You can blame your boss or the product you represent or the procurement team in your customer’s building or the unforeseen consequence of a global pandemic, but there is only one person who can resurrect your success: YOU.

It’s easy to wax poetic when things are going well. When time has past and the results aren’t there, resurrecting the effort can seem an impossibility. It’s the worst!

So, you can tuck your tail between your legs or you can come out of the corner swinging.

Debunking the Buckner Misconception: a short spell of underperformance does not define you. No one is hoping you fail. The pressure you put upon yourself in your time of under-performance is you taking pride in your effort enough to fight for it. You should always fight for it! Those who are there to celebrate you in your highest moments may not be around when things aren’t going well. Getting back on the stage is the greatest feeling in the world. It’s the best!

There is a profound difference between success and achievement. If you’ve won once and cannot repeat that effort, you might not be deserving of the rewards once heaped upon you. If you discover what you genuinely love and have the work ethic to merge your heart and your brain; you are bulletproof.

So, how do you find it?

We exist in a time when jobs are readily available so quitting has become an exception to the rule of endurance. The idea that if things don’t go your way you can go do something else may not last forever, so you might want to consider committing to your current lot in life.

Do you trust the product you sell?

Is the leadership at your company in-tune with what is happening in the trenches?

Is your boss cool?

Is your voice heard?

If the answer to the aforementioned questions is Yes, it’s on you to maximize your opportunity. If the answer is No, go find it.

Going to work at a place that does not identify with your personal purpose can be soul sucking. Serving a CEO who does not understand your voice can be misleading. If your boss sucks, success is ever-difficult. When the time comes that the above mentioned are compromised and you feel an inability to effect change…. it’s time to try something new.

Until then: look in the mirror and report to yourself!

Thank You for Reading,

Dave