Kids get excited about life. They see everything with fresh eyes, knowing they will find something new and different every time they look. Adults, on the other hand, look for what they know and expect.
Imagine what we’re missing!
We’ve forgotten the enthusiasm, the sense of surprise at experiencing new things, the fascination with solving puzzles. All are traits radiated by a great salesperson.
My friend the late Jim Rohn was a master speaker and motivator. He encouraged folks to “practice being like a child.” Jim sais there are four ways to be more like a child, no matter how old you are.
- Become Curious. “Learn to be curious like a child. Kids can ask a million questions. You think they’re through. They’ve got another million… Kids use their curiosity to learn. Have you ever noticed that while adults are stepping on ants, children are studying them? A child’s curiosity is what helps them to reach, learn and grow,” he said.
- Get so excited you hate to go to bed at night. Reawaken that can’t-wait-to-get-up-in-the-morning feeling–the feeling that you’re so excited that you’re about to explode.
- Believe. Faith is childish, Jim maintained. “Adults too often have a tendency to be overly skeptical. Some adults even have a tendency to be cynical.”
- Trust. “Have you heard the term ‘sleep like a baby’? That’s it,” Jim said.
The “trust” inventory may be the shortest supply chain in today’s business world.
Study successful salespeople, as I have for decades, and you will be constantly amazed at the youthful energy that keeps them hopping. Energy, imagination and credible sense of innocence–all boost a salesperson’s likability and trustworthiness.
“Curiosity, excitement, faith and trust,” Jim Rohn said. “What a powerful combination to bring back into our lives.”
Mackay’s Moral: Grow up and think like a kid again.
