"Be the CEO of your own life. Raise hell. Let the chips fall where they may. It'll never be easier to change jobs than it is today." -Keith Ferrazzi, Never Eat Alone

I am reading a book right now, correction, I am listening to a book on Audible that I am IN LOVE with!  I sent out a tweet two weeks ago asking a few of my friends  (Tamara McCleary and Amy Schmittauer) if they had any books they love, I had just gotten through my last round of recommended reading and wanted a fresh idea.  The reply came back, Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferazzi, and Tamara chimed in that he is in fact the real deal, good guy.  I promptly downloaded and got to listening.  I have a habit of listening to books and podcasts audibly each morning while I workout, I totally recommend this method of intaking information.  So, the book, I can not believe I didn't know about it sooner! I am a long time fan of "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie and my experience of Farazzi's book is it reads like a current day catch up, expanded version of Carnegie's classic! Hats off to you Keith, love the message.

I want to share what I was listening to yesterday during my morning workout because this concept is one that radically shook up my life up a few years ago and I appreciated that Keith wrote about this idea.  I wish I could remember who told me this, or if i woke up thinking it, but here is what happened.  I connected the dots between how my life was going and the passive or active way I was approaching my circumstances.  Practically: I needed to "promote myself" or begin behaving to the level I was wanting to achieve, I needed to be the CEO of my own life.  

If my life is going anything other than how I would like it to be, the only person to blame is me! If I don't LIKE the way something is going, I need to handle that circumstance as if I was the CEO of my company, as Keith puts it "me inc."

Once this message began to click for me, I realized if I was not happy with a doctor, practitioner or even fair weather friend, in my life, I need to fire them! And find someone that did align with what I was wanting.  The idea of being the CEO of my own life is that of taking charge of what I want in my personal life and seeing all of my encounters as opportunities to make decisions that align with my greater purpose.

Yesterday, when I was listening to what Keith had to say on the topic and reflecting about my own experiences, it is most relevant to share a few of Keith's tips that were also my experiences.  

Here are two places to start when you do decide to promote yourself to CEO! 

Do not ask for permission, you do not need anyone to say it's OK to take charge of your life, it is actually entirely up to you and if  you do not take charge, do not be mad when nothing happens.  It is my observation that it can be very easy to sit back and wait for things to happen for you without taking action.  Good things don't come easy, lots of people say, I like to think that my willingness to put in the effort is what matters most, and if I want something, my energy towards that goal is what usually determines what happens.  My willingness to grab the steering will, put my foot on the gas pedal and GO without waiting for someone to say "the light is green" is what allows for my success. We all have something to share that is valuable, so, green means go! Go start telling people how you can help them. 

“To become a brand, you’ve got to become relentlessly focused on what you do that adds value. I promise you can add value to whatever job you’re doing now.””

— Keith Ferazzi

The truth is, perception is reality ,what you project is how people will perceive you.  Knowing that, how do you want to represent yourself? I think what Keith says really sums it up.  

“Lets be real, image counts, so whatever your look, take time to think it through. What is your appearance telegraphing to others? There is one general, overarching caveat in this step: stand out! Style matters. Whether you like it or not, clothing, letterheads, hairstyles, business cards, office space and conversational style are noticed- big time. The design of your brand is critical.”

— Keith Ferrazzi

In order to promote yourself to the CEO of your own life, the requirement is a genuine desire to be responsible for what happens in your life. Passive measures do not yield great results in my life and when i am actively engaged and putting effort into my dreams, they in-fact do come true.  

Have you read the book? Never eat alone? Please send me a note, I would love to have a conversation (virtual book club call) with you about your findings and compare notes! click here to connect

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Lindsey Rainwater, also known as Lindsey RainH2O, is a sought-after business consultant, leadership coach, writer and presenter to the fitness and wellness industry. For more information about Rainwater, follow her on Twitter@LindseyRainH2O

The past month I have been "un packing" the idea that sales people, in the way we have come to see them has evolved to a new role, one of business development.  Before I dive into the next phase of being (or becoming) a business development professional, I want to emphasize the importance of these fundamental shifts in thinking about the role differences. 

My belief is that the role of "sales" is evolving into the role of business development. I whole heartedly believe that people have reached a place of not being able to be sold, and as a result are requiring much more from the people guiding or weighing in on their buying cycle.   

Today's buyer is savvy, smart and has a computer, in their pocket!  These facts are the ones that beg of anyone that considers themselves in a sales position to dramatically change their perspective.  The entire context of the customer/ buyer relationships has shifted and the future is about being a well positioned resource for your potential customer.

Below are the topics I have covered in the past 5 weeks, click on the text to see the article:

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The business development person is the new leader, the sales person tactics are a thing of the past.

The Key Differences between Sales and Business Development.

Business Development Professionals Solve Problems.

Business Development Professionals Are Industry Experts.

Business Development Professionals will Walk away.

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I for one am in total celebration of this shift in thinking and it is one that requires from us a complete over haul in thinking.  Seeing the world as an opportunist and creator, thriving relationships and met needs. 

What do you think about this paradigm shift? Do you think the role of old school sales tactics is a thing of the past?

This topic is one that really excites me, if you would like to chat about it, Click here to IM me and start a conversation! 

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Lindsey Rainwater, also known as Lindsey RainH2O, is a sought-after business consultant, leadership coach, writer and presenter to the fitness and wellness industry. For more information about Rainwater, follow her on Twitter@LindseyRainH2O

“Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. We don't have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don't have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.” ― James C. Collins

Mr James Collins is a wise man, and in his book Good to Great he talks about aiming for great instead of settling for good enough. This idea is very easily applied to prospecting potential customers in the world of sales and business development.  There might be lots of “good” prospects out there but only a handful that will be great parters for your organization long term. 

One of the biggest mistakes I see salespeople make is thinking everyone has potential to be their customer.  When you want to sell something and you really believe in your product it is easy to imagine how everyone could benefit from what you are providing.  Also, this mentality can be the fastest way to missing “great opportunities” and settling for good ones.

The reality is that there will be plenty of people that will not be your customer, and for good reason.  Your product offering and customer maintenance structure might not be the right fit for them. Recognizing and knowing when to walk away is what separates good sales people and great business development professionals. 

The fact is that if someone is a difficult prospect to work with pre-sale, imagine the headache they will create for your company once they are on-boarded. These types of sales end up costing your company more money long term. Short term, you might have made your commission, but long term it is not worth it for everyone involved.

The mentality shift that is required to walk away from the wrong potential for the sake of a short term sale is the same as the abundance vs. scarcity mentality.  When your thinking is scarce the belief is that you must sell to someone because if you don’t, another might not come along, you will miss your quota, the thinking is narrow.  The abundance thinking mentality is one that says there is plenty, and by doing the right thing and walking away from the wrong deal you are fighting to close, another door will open and the quota will be met and the pipeline will broaden.

In the start up community, some of the most successful business’s are the ones that choose to pivot letting go of what was for the potential of what is to come.  This abundance in thinking makes way for the opportunity, walking away from a prospect that is not the right fit for your product is the same exact concept.  

A few books you would enjoy if this context shift in thinking interests you are Good to Great, a classic and Abundance by Peter Diamond. If you send me a message and inquire I would be happy to send you either book as an amazon gift.  

I am very passionate about sales people pivoting to be business development professional, educating, researching and focusing on being strong industry resources. 

Please let me know how your business development career is going, do you find that by walking away when it’s right to do so that you create new opportunity? I would love to talk with you about your experiences. 

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Lindsey Rainwater, also known as Lindsey RainH2O, is a sought-after business consultant, leadership coach, writer and presenter to the fitness and wellness industry. For more information about Rainwater, follow her on Twitter@LindseyRainH2O

Mr. Malcolm Gladwell, the best selling author of the book Outliers suggests that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at any one task and to be considered a master at that craft. This level of fine tuning can take anywhere from five to ten years of dedication depending on the time you put into it.

As a Business Development professional, regardless of your industry, you will begin to be seen as a resource as you build long term relationships with your customers. They will begin to rely on you for more than the product you are affiliated with, and they will see you as a comprehensive resource for your industry. It has been my experience that having influence and being an industry resource is of incredible value; but where to start? How does one begin to create meaningful influence within their industry and build their 10,000 hours towards mastery?

Here are some of the ways I went about the process of creating influences and helping people along the way.

Practice and Share Your Journey.

On of my favorite ways to connect with people is on my blog! if you look back to the beginning of my blogging history about every 3rd post I wrote about what I was literally doing. You see, I was practicing and sharing what I was learning and teaching, simultaneously. I did not wait until I had everything figured out, I started writing as I was learning. Start with your own blog and begin sharing your findings. Once you feel comfortable with that, begin looking at possible speaking engagements or writing for a trade journal or local publication. Be willing to share your findings, expecting nothing in return, building rapport with anyone that finds your work. It was by sharing what I was doing that I learned more, and by way of sharing it with you, created value.

Read, Research and Invent.

In order to be a resource in your industry you must know what is going on and begin creating your own predictions as to where the industry is headed. One of the most attractive attributes of an industry influencer is they are not afraid to predict the future! Being a predictor is more about being willing to notice what is going on and share your own perspective on possibilities and be less concerned about your accuracy and more excited about your willingness to talk about it. Another way to expand your perspective is to read about what others are saying. Spending even 10 minutes each morning reading can sharpen your sword for the day ahead.

Mentor and Be Mentored.

Simply put, finding someone who knows more than you do as well as someone who knows less and then joining arms is so incredibly valuable to your life! I have found my favorite moments are when I am sitting across the table or on the phone with someone and I hear the gears “click” into place for someone and they “GET” what message they were meant to get. Being on the giving and receiving end of that is total soul food. If you feel you are under qualified to mentor, trust me, someone out there knows less than you and are looking to be helped in the same way someone is looking to help you. Giving without expecting anything in return is the best juice to keep the flow of your life going.

Like Mr Gladwell talks about, it requires patience to be willing to hone your message/craft. Today’s world moves so fast, we are all racing to an imaginary finish line that does not actually exist. This whole deal is a journey, and it has been my experiences that openly sharing your journey is one of the fastest ways to influences your network and create value for the people you meet.

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Lindsey Rainwater, also known as Lindsey RainH2O, is a sought-after business consultant, leadership coach, writer and presenter to the fitness and wellness industry. For more information about Rainwater, follow her on Twitter @LindseyRainH2O

The definition of insanity, you know the saying, “doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.” What I find so interesting about this notion is that so often we find ourselves doing activity for the sake of doing it, focusing on what we know and playing it “safe” instead of taking risks and learning something new in favor of gaining results.  

So then, how do you know if you're doing the right activities and thus truly driving productivity?

Having walked through this question myself multiple times, I have created a resource for those that are struggling to achieve outcomes. My goal is for you to have a way to evaluate current activity and to explore how to evolve the activity to accomplish true productivity. The following ideas are from my own experience of embracing change and evolving as a means for getting things done. 

At the end of each day, how much energy do you have? 
Have you ever met someone and you were baffled by how much they got done in a day and  managed to still be pleasant and excited about what they are doing?
That person more than likely knows where they are going and is taking daily action in alignment with where they want to be. This is a person that has tapped into what they love to do and are renewing their energy all day long, investing activity in where they are going. 

At the beginning of your day, do you have clear objectives or do you “wing it.”
When you are part of a system that has a strategy and a desired outcome, there is no question about what your daily activities should be.  My experience is that once I decided where I was going and reverse engineered a plan, my daily actions also became very clear.  Getting clear on your desired outcome, generates a clear daily path resulting in activities that are productive. 

Ask yourself, Do I know where I am going and why? 
Once you have asked yourself that question, the next action is very obvious.  Decide where you want to go.  I love this question, because it is not exclusive
 to business, this is a BIG LIFE question.  What do you want? Where do you want to go? Who will be making those choices? The neat thing is, to me, is that you get to make it up! And then decide what organization you would like to be a part of, what kind of role you would like, if you are going to have children or not.  The world is your canvas, paint! 

It is very difficult to demonstrate your effectiveness if the activities you are engaged with are not in alignment with creating results.  Often times, it takes feedback from others and input because you might not see an alternative to the path you are on, because it has been all you know.  In my life, I have experienced feedback and opportunities that have allowed me to see that sometimes the actions I am taking and using up all my time on are not actually generating any results, and therefore not being productive. Start with these questions and then start asking for input, ask a neutral third party what they think, discover new ways of doing things.  Ultimately, realize that you have the capacity to create whatever you want in life and that taking action towards your end goal is up to you and readily available! Be productive by taking the action in alignment with where you want to go and don't forget to enjoy the journey along the way.

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Lindsey Rainwater is a consultant and coach to the fitness and wellness industry.  She specializes in business development and leadership. Currently she is working with the Fitmarc Team helping Health Club owners all over the south central region of the united states propel their business forward via group exercise solutions.  For more information about Lindsey, follow her @lindseyrainh2o, all content posted at www.lindseyrainh2o.com