The un-benchmark

“To surpass the deeds of others is unimportant; to surpass my own deeds is all.”
- The Scroll Marked VIII, From the Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino

Entrepreneurial success and success as a sales person can be easily stifled by the status quo. Often top income earners in any sales arena could be even greater if they ceased to benchmark themselves against those around them.

I sat back tonight temporarily reflecting about success and the success of Knowledge Brokers International here in Canada and more particularly in our South African office. Then I picked up the Greatest Salesman in the World written by Og Mandino and realized that there is much more to be achieved. (For all of us). The reality is, performing just above average, working just a little harder may give as a good balance in our checking account at the bank but it isn’t even close to what we could achieve if we stopped comparing ourselves to others.

We look up after many days of struggle and success and say hey I’m doing well, actually I’m doing better than the next guy; that’s where we relax, we stop growing, and eventually we get into a rut or even die economically. Being a sales person and an entrepreneur is unlike most other sports or challenges.

When we step into the ring like a prized fighter we are looking for our opponent; but the only person in the ring is us! Sales and entrepreneurism are disciplines where our own personal best is the only benchmark we have. The path of success in these disciplines isn’t really about getting more and more business or growing bigger and bigger companies. The path of success is one where we discover ourselves for our own greatness, and personal gifts; then understanding how to apply those gifts to our full potential is the ultimate test.

Imagine if Bill Gates slowed down once he had done better than average? He strived to take his organization to become it’s personal best, a goal he still hasn’t achieved. The side benefit was of course becoming one of the wealthiest people in the world.

Some of the questions I leave you with today are:

What is your personal best? What could you achieve if you stopped keeping score with your neighbor and raised your standards? Who do you know that can help you see yourself and the champion that you truly are? What industry, career product, or relationship will help you maximize yourself and your assets?

Shane Gibson is Executive Vice President of Knowledge Brokers International, he is a global speaker, author, trainer, coach and most of all entrepreneur. His business focus is on helping organizations reach their personal best and beyond. shane@kbitraining.com