Your Only Competition Is You

It’s easy to get distracted by the “competition” when, really, your only competition is you. Here are three simple reminders to help you keep your eyes on your own paper and maintain focus where it counts.

1. Take an honest look in the mirror. Give yourself a bit of tough love. What can you be doing better? Where are you getting a little lazy, complacent, or whiny? Be frank with yourself on what you could improve, especially around your approach to business development and sales.

2. Get clear on what’s a “yes” and what’s a “no.” What kinds of clients and opportunities are you saying yes to? With whom are you surrounding yourself? What events and activities are you attending and spending your energy on? Thinking about energy investments that have proven to be drains or dead ends, where can you be more disciplined about saying no? All of our yes’s and no’s have consequences; all the little things matter.

3. Refine your skills. Be a smoother presenter, strengthen your sales process skills, negotiate more effectively, find ways to listen better... There’s always an area you could work on when it comes to sales and prospecting. Pick something to improve and get to work.

Focus on the thing that you can control—you. Seize your opportunities for self-introspection, efficiency, betterment, and growth; compete with yourself to maintain your competitive edge in the world at large.

Onward.
Tom

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