We were having our weekly wrap up and somehow we landed on the topic of ‘what’s one characteristic all of our sellers have in common?’ What is usually a :20 conversation evolved into 2-plus hours as we ran the brainstorming gamut whiteboarding-the-hell-outta this one. It started a bit slow and then the clutch popped and off we went… these guys believe:

Life has purpose and meaning, they’re positive, they judge wins and failures equally, they prioritize what’s important, they avoid comparing themselves to others, they cultivate meaningful relationships, they believe in themselves, they tell the truth, they smile, they’re grateful, they’re generous, they challenge their team and themselves, they understand success fame and money won’t make you happy, they learn something new every week, they stop checking email after hours (well some of them do), they’ve learned what drives engagement for their people, they know their people, they accept coaching to develop their people and themselves, they’re optimistic, they live healthy (some do), they focus on their strengths, they enjoy life and then it hit us.

They’re Happy

They are legitimately happy. Not utopia rainbows and unicorns mind you. They do get pissed when shit happens, but they’re able to reset, refocus and get after it or have their team get after it. One of our favorite clients said it best, “It’s not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but rather the lens through which our brain shapes reality. If we change the lens, then we can shape and change the reality, the outcomes.”

Oftentimes, when we’re working IN our business there’s three reactions or responses we are often faced with in a way that’s not necessarily optimal – negative, neutral or stressed. Happiness is predicted by how we view the world, whether that’s job success, social or family support and we view stress as a challenge instead of a threat. These guys are not moving the goalposts. They’ve become positive in the present. We go back to when we first engage a new client – it’s pattern recognition – and our successful sellers are actually really good dudes (sorry, we haven’t had a female client yet). Maybe that’s what’s been missing in your business or in your leadership. Take time, step back and assess what’s working for you, what’s not and let’s fill in the gap.