Daily Inspiration 2-22-13

"If you want to change attitudes,

start with a change in behavior."

--Katharine Hepburn

I'll never forget working with a salesman at the last car dealership I worked at. As the sales manager about 35 years old, I was trying to help one of the best salespeople on the staff to adopt a different attitude to help make sales. He was in his fifties and was happy doing things the way he did. But, to his credit, he was willing to change.

I asked him to say that it was "in the warehouse" the next time we didn't have the vehicle the customer wanted and close the sale based on that. The first time he did that, he came to me and said, "OK, it damn well better be in the warehouse!" I said, "no problem." Then I did a locate with other dealers, found the vehicle and made the switch. Everyone wins.

Trust is not a theoretical thing, it is an action. When we risk to trust, we are acting on success, though we may certainly hold on to a bit of skepticism. His attitude was changed. He now believed he had more power, more control, more ideas, and he made more money. And, I had developed such a relationship with other dealers, that it was a no brainer to me.

I've used this idea in many ways. One is when trying to help an auto dealer move into the realm of commercial trucks and we talk philosophy for a while, but it is the actual behavior change of stepping out and acting by doing and trusting that changes the attitude. Words don't teach. Actions speak louder than words.

I've used it on myself. My attitude about a thing may well be that it is hard and it's not going to work, and so on. My attitude is negative and skeptical and fearful and unkowing. Then, I decide to act. I trust. I move. I try. I do. This is how I built my first website in 2007 after many years of having that poor attitude about it. Then, I started an Internet company. THAT was a serious attitude change! And, I have a long list of things where my attitude was unsuccessful no matter how I thought about it; that is, until I changed my behavior. Then everything changed.


I Can Trust My Way Into Behavior, And Behave My Way Into Believing.

Spread Some Joy Today--Whenever you have the opportunity, forget about percentages and just overtip. It is amazing how that will feel to both of you.