Many Salespeople Feel Powerless. What Can They Learn (right now) from Tony Robbins?

Of all the people I can think of who can master the adversity that comes with the current recession, one person stands out in my mind: Tony Robbins. He has coached many successful people including former President Bill Clinton and Salesforce.com co-founder Marc Benioff.

I am the “why guy.” – “What is your motive for action?”



This extraordinary 21-minute video was recorded at the world-renowned TED conference and watched online by more than 1.4 million people. One of the fun highlights occurs when Tony high-fives Al Gore. But the most substantive idea Tony shares is when he makes the distinction between resources and resourcefulness. Tony explains that when people fail, they blame it on a lack of resources like time, money, technology, contacts, or experience. But people who take responsibility draw on their inner resourcefulness to make things happen. In Tony’s mind, resourcefulness comes from creativity, determination, love, curiosity, and passion.

Love him or hate him – his magnetism is fueled by pure energy and passion.

Watching Tony Robbins in action is like experiencing the eruption of a volcano. His six-foot-seven frame towers over the audience. His speech pattern is almost hypnotic. His dramatic gestures reveal a powerhouse of intensity. He has been known to go nonstop for eight to ten hours without food or rest. He challenges his students to expand their vocabulary to better describe their emotions. He shows people how to reduce the impact of negative experiences and reach out for greater levels of success. His boundless energy makes people shake their heads as they worry about his burning out. But the only things Robbins seems to wear out are his shoes (size 16) and the people who are trying to keep up with his pace.

Sales success is a state of mind.

How can salespeople put themselves into a state of peak performance where they literally become irresistible? Robbins told me in an unforgettable conversation at his stately home, “You've got to develop an emotional sense of certainty that what you have to offer is worth ten times more than what you are asking for in return. Sometimes we know something intellectually, but we don't practice it emotionally. Often people say, ‘I know what to do.’ Yes, they have the knowledge, but why don't they apply what they know? Your core belief, your inner sense of certainty, gives you the foundation for creating a state of peak performance where you can follow through on what you know.”

How do you create emotional intensity?

Says Robbins “First put yourself in that state of passion. When you are in a state of passion, you are not pushing someone; you're enveloped by a force field of emotional intensity. Your belief is so strong, your mission so powerful and your caring so genuine that you will sweep people right off their feet. You create more energy for yourself in the process.”

How does Tony tap into the huge reservoir of energy that’s ready to be released from his mind and body? Robbins shared his personal secret: “To me it means standing up, moving, breathing, gesturing until every part of my mind and body is awake, alive, vibrant, intense and passionate. Next I go through a focus ritual, where I move intensely and put myself in a peak state. I say to myself, ‘Now I command my subconscious mind to direct me to helping as many people as possible today by giving me the strength, the emotion, the persuasion, the humor, the brevity - whatever it takes to help these people increase the quality of their lives through what I am sharing now.’

"I do that again and again. This is not just an affirmation, because an affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion. I am using my whole body when I am saying it. I am creating that emotional focus so that when I go in there, I know that I can give every ounce of myself. So when I walk into a room with 5,000 people, my whole focus is on the customer.”

Build trust through integrity and authenticity.

Tony explains the need for integrity and authenticity in selling: “Integrity is the number one success ingredient. Salespeople overlook that the way you really feel will influence the sale more than anything else. The biggest mistake salespeople can make is to fake themselves into a positive emotional state when they are in a state of frustration. If you are not in the right emotional state, it's going to come through at some level. As a result, the prospect will begin to associate negative feelings with your product. But if you truly love what you're doing, and if you are passionate about it, then you'll be in a state that enhances rapport, and soon your prospect will feel the excitement and your positive energy.”

The ultimate achievement is to happily achieve.

Robbins is not only a seeker of insight, he also seeks fulfillment. He once said, “In the past I achieved to be happy: today I happily achieve.” How do we create a good life? Tony says, “A good life only comes from who you become as a person. We all want to feel that our life matters. We all want to make a difference. The ultimate fulfillment comes from making a contribution. Salespeople must know that they are giving much more than what they are asking for in exchange. As long as we know that we've gone so far above and beyond compared to what anybody could possibly expect from us, we will always be in the position of the giver. As a result, we will not only prosper financially, but also emotionally.”

You can’t get to the future by looking into the rearview mirror.

While some motivational speakers serve water sandwiches, Tony offers real meat when he explains how he looks at a life filled with amazing opportunities. He says, “My number one tool is my vision of what life is right there in front of me. That vision has to expand every day. It is just like when you look at the horizon and see something: as you get closer, you see more and at the same time you'll see a new horizon.

"The second tool is the driving force that makes sure that my present is being enhanced every day. I always ask, 'What can I learn from this?' or 'What can I use from the present that will help make my future greater?' That's the force of ongoing improvement.

"My third tool is faith. I have an unbelievable sense of faith in my purpose for being here. I don't have any references to back that up, but the power that comes from constantly improving myself, the certainty that comes from improving the quality of life for others gives me an inner sense of certainty that says I can succeed against the most incredible odds.”

Life’s challenges call for a change agent – you!

Tony never fails to point out that life serves up surprises. We enjoy the surprises we want, but we don’t like the surprises we don’t need. Says Tony, “Whenever a challenge comes up in my life, I ask myself, ‘What is great about this? What is not perfect yet? What would be great?’ These questions imply that the problem is not going to last forever. It is in a state of transformation, and I am the change agent. The next question is, ‘What am I willing to do to make it better?’ In other words, I immediately focus on finding a solution and hold myself responsible for being the source of it.”

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Comments

[Jim Jackson]

I really like Tony comments. I do believe the key is understanding you have a choice. I wrote a blog that will help you understand what I mean. I think the key for me is the power of my choices.
http://jimjacksonlive.com/blog/?Tag=Choosing+to+Make+Your+Life+Meaningful