Happy TGIF Friday

I love Fridays, and actually, get to experience one

again. It seems likes years. Understand and you'll 

see .... I've been working shift work for the first time 

in my life, going on two years.



Count me as one who works any 7 day of the week,

any morning, afternoon or evening or combination of

them all.  



There is nothing more wholesome and 

rewarding as Friday. A tradition we start in our

teens, and moving into our daring years, into our

children's lives and then all back again. 


Most important, in all of those memories are the 

friends we hold dear. Yes, I mean you. 

One who thinks to reach out every single day.





Perhaps for some that is the only brightness for their

day. You bring that to people, the world, and so

much more. I don't have to name names, for you

know who you are.

xoxo Jeannette

I wrote that last night. Rarely would I think this

reminiscing should appear on the more serious veneer

of optioneerJM. 


It does tend to fall into our twenties. Not important,

the early or late years. Your career starts to take off

somehow. You spin around, just to see everyone IS

looking at you.


You are a model citizen, responsible adult with some

post-secondary education that no matter how thick is

a foundation you can pull forward in those wondering

times. Was it work ethic, looks, personality, educa-

tion or street smarts? That won many others over and

where you were allowed to spread your wings.


Nowadays, to get a foot in the door, you have to have

heeps of experience, or make degrees and diplomas

walk out of the door. How lucky I am and even at the

time I still did. How did magical things happen to

this average ole kid.


Wait a minute. You were an average old kid? Like

does that mean when you were a kid you seemed

older, or as you got older you got hipper?


I mean average. Really? Does that mean academics?

Should you be reminded how in grade school, your

meanest toughtest teacher on record, yet you don't

even remember his name. The one who pushed you

above so many in leaps and bounds. So that the next

year, away you sat with three other boys, working on

a higher math book, not even the next, one designed

for those who may benefit. Guess that ain't ole

average.


I got on a tangent as I often do. Forcing my attention

back to the matter at hand.



The 1980s were fab-tas-tic-u-lust. Opps, was that an

accident or on purpose? I'd hazard a guess that what

makes a writer creative is the disguise he or she wears

creating characters that they could dream up while

never would dare, do or try what their characters

could.


Some call the 60s just outtasight. But wasn't it the

70s that gave us our might? Skipping along with our

brothers or sis humming or tap tap tapping like a

drum, to the music that made those a decade ahead,

who believed that peace, science and academics were

what all matters in stead.


I was born in the shadows of that rebirth, long before

greed, politics, money because the currency of luck.

After all, our immediate forefathers, young enough

and wise enough we considered as brothers.


Then what happened? We huddled behind our desks,

cozied up on our couch, watching wholesome TV

shows like Mr. Ed the horse, or the Mr. Ed before

Sullevan.

We were too young to understand all the fuss over
four young arrived on a bus, or was that an airplane?

Don't laugh too hard but when we graduated from 
High School, it was all about Disco, lights and all that
fuzz.  Agreeably, we were mostly ignorant about beer or getting a buzz.

That wasn't our scene.  Do you wanna know what was?  Going to school, then getting all gussied up like those 50s gals, except with very high heels and more conservative skirts than the 60s, yet not abandoned like the 70s.

We were a generation when it was about life
being about the basics:  having a family, going to Midnight Mass at Christmas, with newcomers at
the table because it was unthinkable, when it was not at all that new and while still authentic, for anyone 
from the neighbourhood, school or work be left alone
on the Holidays.  Funny, some folks went to church, 
more often than not, it was never a conversation at the
dinner table was a religion as a topic sought.

Yes, the 80s were rad.  You can't disagree when all
the Millinnials embrace the decade.  It was a time life
was pretty basic with much less controversies, scandals, violence in our sphere.  We pushed on and
went to school year after year.

We weren't in the years when what our peers did or thought, was more important than our home, our families, parents, siblings and such.

Now there was drugs, alcohol and permiscuaty in
back alleys not permiated by media, television, radio,
newspapers and magazines.  In fact, that is when I
read and read.  Nothing felt better or safer in bed, with a book.  Being called to set the table, dinner was
ready, would nearly break the captured imagination
just put down.  Then we skooted outside so the adults
could breathe, instead of the chatter and noise four kids bring, when turning on the TV was the very last
thing.

Whoop whoop to the 80s.  Think about it, that was
when the computer and music playing instruments 
were being revolutionized.  Ignorant were we that
it would only be a phase.

The emergence of drugs and crime started to hold us spellbound.  Theatrics and lies joined them as the norm in the 90s.

Then we hit a new century.  Brought on alongside sheer panic that we were doomed when the clock was to pass midnight 23:59 1999 to 24:00 2000.  Makes
you think, maybe we were really that lucky.

We were into our 30s by then.  Usually happily married or two times past.  Consumed with a passion
never before known:  the power of money is what did
bloom.

Whoever said "money can't buy you love" as a quote turned into a famous tune?  Wasn't really far off when
you consider how fast hatred, jealousy, terrorism, violence grew pedals and bloomed.

Our own children now in their twenties as we near closer to 2020s.  Mixed with fear, and far less optimism than we were allowed.  Where diseases as bola, violence created by religion was long before born.  

Yet they are the children of the 80s youngsters born of the 60s, wherein lies as when the basics were born.  Long before a child could ride a bike alone, and still make it home.   Long before millions became billions
..... in debt.  Where politicians, not parents or teachers, became scorned.

We were brought up in a world where politics were
faded in the background, until a corrupt President was
scorned.  Scandals were drugs, pre-marital sex was 
very private, and violence against women, even less
children was known.

The faint dew drops of that optimism allows many to soar and others to bloom.  Behind them strong parents, with morals as the main foundation was
formed.

When searching for royalty free images to enhance this Blog, I thought it ironic that The Times cover would symbolize the new century.  When the horror in Paris would mark this year approaching its end: 2015 my friend.  

Bowing my head over these keys, gives me pause as our refrugees arrive in Canada today with the belief that ours is a much safer world, with opportunity, humanity and peace.  Let us remember that "our" means our world, our harmony, our hope, our peace is not your, mine, me, or I.  It takes a lot of people to keep us from harm.

Vincent Van Gogh "Sunny Meadow"

Can we get back to the basics?  Only personally and privately we may reflect.  To help others, the poor, the fearful, to never neglect.  We have the power to make it safer again.

Sunny camomile meadow - Margaret Raven Art Gallery

Foggy dreams create goals that stick

"A goal is a dream with a deadline." 

~Napoleon Hill

Hi Jeannette,

Good morning, I noticed you might have a requirement for some of the services we offer.

If there's anything we might be able to assist, we certainly happy to have a chat with you.

Please share a little brief about your requirement and leave us your email-address/phone number. We will review your requirements and get back to you with our past work details, testimonials, samples with best offer.

Looking forward to hear you.Thank you,
Enthusiastic young sales gal

Dear Enthusiast:

I understand and appreciate that you are "cold calling" virtually.  However, there is nothing there in your communications that would entice anyone to respond.  Sadly.  Not even a statement on your service offering or a link to your website.

I suggest you follow my Blog and go to the articles on sales -- I have some nuggets there that may inspire you.  I admire your effort and want to encourage you to carry on.  I just sense a bit of blindness in your approach.  We all have to make a living, but a few of us want to be great at what we do, understanding that the money follows later on.

What is your value proposition to a start up?  How would they best benefit from your service?

What's the catch?

Are you tapped into social media?  I go by the pseudonym @optioneerJM .. if you are, follow me, follow my blog (if you can find it, lol) and all my platforms.  Like a scavenger hunt of a virtual kind.  Let me know you've found me by being unique.

How's that for a challenge?

We all have to separate ourselves from being average to one who is remarkable,

Jeannette

Is that mean?  Too harsh?  Perhaps and most certainly.  However, as a young gal starting out in sales, I had nobody take my arm and point me in the right direction other than kick me out the door and say:  find customers, cold call!

Lucky for me, and likely for many others, I had a tenacity and goal for success.  When I was about 22 I wrote a vision statement about goals that I found about 15 years later, when I had started to be recognized, and was astounded:

* Be successful at doing something I love:  I started out in magazine advertising sales, graduated to bleeding edge document management via printing sales at the very infancy of one aspect of the cloud as we know it today.

* Live in a white house with a picket fence:  I live in a white house with a chain link fence that backs onto a green pathway.

* Own and drive a Jaguar:  I ended up with a silver Mercedes CLK 500 coup that was classic, classy and exuded class.  Today I drive a Hyundai Accent (which is a story in itself that anyone with adult kids will relate to). 

I understand today that the car or house do not make the person.  Setting goals which often are aligned with dreams and writing them down are the glue that sticks everything together, but makes you accountable for what you think or say but more often only confirmed with proof.

I remember as a fledgling sales manager, having a seasoned sales rep under my wing who was firm on following in my footsteps because I had just been promoted to a sales team lead, tasked with creating more of MEs.  Gord soaked it up and was a sponge.  I never heard him ever accuse me of talking to much or too fast (I often get that when someone is not wanting to be in tune with what I am saying).  

One of my first coaching sessions with him, when he said that, I asked:  "Why?"  

He said because he didn't think he should try to reinvent the wheel by trying untried things via stumbling, but by mirroring someone who had already demonstrated success seemed like the wisest approach.  Wise probably.  That isn't an ego statement.  That is because when I started out in sales, I subconsciously tried to read or grasp on to follow someone else's example who had already proven to do what I was setting out to do.  I see that now as beautiful instinct.  I achieved acclaim, awards and recognition not because I was so special or gifted, it amounted to a driven desire to REALLY want to pay attention to those that have already paved the way.  

Most definitely, I asked questions of the people who worked with the sales people on their advice on what defined sales greatness.  More often than once, I was told that I was already on the first step:  asking others for advice and their feedback or opinions.

Seriously,  the archaic, traditional sales "experts" defined all the tricks and tips that appeared revolutionary were just plain dumb.  

Cutting corners is a sport that only schemers and used car salespeople use.  Eventually, they blow out so much steam, that they deflate or are fired because they cannot deliver on the over promises they make or the grand tales they tell.

Asking questions is the one key ingredient that only the finest, best, sales professionals discover.  They stumble upon the magical formula by accident at first.  They are fueled by wanting to actually deliver on the dreams or goals of the person they are selling to.  Instinctively, they know in their subconscious that if they could only deliver a small portion of that goal and not only build upon it but execute beyond either their's or your own possibilities, does the money, fame, awards and recognition follow.

Back to Gord.  His answer being defined that he wanted to do well, and he saw the easiest path to doing that was following in someone firmly established on the success train, with the idea that he may be able to progress faster, easier than stumbling around in the dark.

Again, I asked him:  "Why?"

Now, some people do think that you're off your noodle when you ask the same question at least two or three times without guiding them or pointing them in the right direction of the answer you are probing for.  I've been considered that often and still, almost always lately.  That is because if you haven't established the right metrics, results, awards or recognition from peers, subordinates, bosses or leadership ... you won't be heeded.  That can be frustrating.  Especially if you know you have had a gift in defining the easier path and just want to help others get there faster with less pain.

Finally.  Eureka.  Gord asked me what I meant - why was I asking why?  To me it seemed as elementary as writing that passage of goals as a fledgling college graduate who really had no idea where to go, how to start, or what I really wanted to do with that diploma or degree.  

I really wished someone had asked me that before I even left home and headed out to post secondary.  Back in those days (now I'm really sounding old), the expectation was you were going to go to school after high school, it was simply up to us on what that career would mean.  Blessedly my mom, thought it would be a good idea to be a legal secretary so I would marry a lawyer.  Years and years later, and even more recently, she has stated that she regrets not recognizing to tell me to pursue law.  I have no regrets.  I would have probably made a pretty good lawyer.

A lawyer is paid to orate, research, study character, evidence and sell others on their ability to help them achieve their goals.

Hahahaha ... well, folks.  That is EXACTLY what sales people do.  Yet, we cannot accomplish anything without asking the right questions.

Back to Gord.  "OK, Jeannette.  What do you mean by why?"

I am sure I smiled.  I recognized that my Padawan (Star Wars trainee term) was ready to absorb my wisdom.

So, again, I asked why but this time, expanded it by asking "why do you want to learn from a successful example so you can climb faster, easier and farther?"

I'm sure I was frustrating.  I have a knack of doing that.  My brother-in-law told me recently that my family had discussed me stating that sometimes when I talk I am in the clouds and those listening are trying to grasp a morsel of what I am saying.  That can come off being perceived as flighty and dumb.  Dumb as a fox, some might say.

Realizing that Gord was in the palm of my hands and it was time to expand on the question "Why?"
So I asked him: "what makes you want to be successful? 

For a talkative soul like me, taking a pause to allow someone else to absorb the question, formulate their answer, then say it is not something that I am often associated with.

As the note in that 22nd year was proof.  I wanted to be successful because at the immature time, success was  defined by the house I lived in and the car I drove.  The magic was that it fueled my desire and motivated me to accomplishment.  Not as a monetary value, simply as a testament to arriving at the end goal.  Often it is a status symbol.

Lucky for me that day, Gord said that his goal to be successful meant making enough money so that his new bride could retire from a medical technician career, not work, begin a family and build a strong foundation of life the way he deemed important to him, his values and example from his own upbringing.

How cool! Seriously, how many super stars have such humble goals?  Very few I must say.  Most of the greats.  Simply demonstrating that the ones with the most humblest of goals, stick-to-it-ness to achieve those goals, making good on promises are the ones that achieve it. 





The humble ones are really not bragging, writing big stories of accomplishments (that can be broken down easily by anyone with half a brain), and professing wisdom that only the loudness of their voices and exuberant tone gets people to believe they've discovered the holy grail.

My friends.  There is no easy, miraculous path to greatness.  Ask Steve Jobs, Wayne Gretzky et al.  They got up maybe a little earlier, spent a few extra minutes studying, stayed later than anyone else practising.  Not because they anticipated super stardom but from the sheer pleasure and passion that doing so gave them.

So.  Then.  If.  You want to be great.  Start out being humble and hungry to learn from others.  Don't proclaim you have discovered a recipe for success and try to sell that to others.  As Nike says:  Just do it.

The proof IS by doing it, not talking about it.  While it starts with asking questions.  There is no better path or plan than to start out with a goal, define your path and then plan on how you will execute on it.  More often than not, the best ones have goals aligned with love, family, health and happiness and NOT power, fame, money, possessions (I'm not an expert but I have a very strong hunch).

"Never lose your inquisitiveness."                                    ~Jeannette Marshall