My friend The Procrastivity Nichepert Kerul Kassel’s asked in her recent ezine, “Who are you comparing yourself to, and how is that helping or hindering you?” In sales it’s so easy to compare because there of goals and quotas. When we are on a team, those goals or quotas might seem like enough of a measuring stick. But no. In sales, whether on a team or solo, we often use another measuring stick: other people.This made me think about the only television show I’m watching these days, House. Is it ever really worthwhile to compare ourselves to anyone or anything? What would Dr. House do?
What if you compare yourself to someone and you come up short? I imagine everyone except Dr. Gregory House, the character played by Hugh Laurie, compares themselves to someone else. He just wouldn’t. He’s too arrogant. The House-ism, “Don’t make this about me, this is your humiliation,” lets us see how his mind works and that comparison to someone else, means it is the other person’s problem. You don’t need to be arrogant to let go of comparing yourself to others. You just need to either let it go or find some way to compare that doesn’t leave you putting yourself down.
And what if you compare yourself to someone and come up better? At first blush, in particular following House’s lead, it appears to be a confidence boost. But thank God there’s a voice of reason from good friend and confidant Dr. James Wilson, (Robert Sean Leonard): “They could build monuments to your self-centeredness.” I know from personal experience while there is that fleeting moment of a confidence boost when we come up better, it’s not worth an over-inflated ego.
Could you compare yourself to something where it would help you? “Pretty much all the drugs I prescribe are addictive and dangerous.” I suppose if you want to make any comparison, compare your thoughts to get them better and more positive everyday. As I write this, our world is pivoted on an economic downturn. If you keep thinking: “the real estate market is terrible,” “the stock market is down,” “the congress is made up of thieves,” and any number of energy drainers, then you are not at all helping your business results. Those negative thoughts are dangerous. Nothing positive can ever come from thinking negative – unless, as you think negative, you catch yourself and then compare those thoughts to thinking positive.
If you must compare yourself to something, then compare your thoughts to the feelings you have, day by day.
If you feel bad, you won’t get the sales results you want. If you feel good, you attract better sales results as long as you take the needed sales actions. How do your thoughts today compare to the thoughts you had yesterday? Then get them going in a positive direction.
And besides, as another House-ism says, “Might as well find something to smile about.”
What do you think? Is there anything worth comparing yourself to?