What Must You Do?

I'll never forget my first Must Thinking moment. I was doing a pro bono project for the publisher of a small magazine that focused on small and emerging businesses. They wanted feedback on their media kit, so I asked for a bit of background on the entrepreneurial community.

They sent over a pile of reading material. Almost immediately, I was bowled over by the positive impact of these entrepreneurs on the economy.

But when I learned that 75% of them closed their doors because they didn't make enough money, I felt terrible. My heart went out to all the good, talented people whose dreams where shattered.

As a business-to-business sales expert, it was also clear to me that they lacked the knowledge and skills needed to acquire corporate clients. Curious, I began researching the "sales" resources available to these entrepreneurs.

Eighty hours later (on what was supposedly a 2-hour project), I concluded that most of the advice they were getting was dead wrong for the corporate market.

At that moment, a little voice inside me piped up and said, "You need to do something about this, Jill." 

"I can't make a living selling to small companies," I argued.

The voice persisted: "You have the expertise to help these people."

"They can't afford me," I argued back. "Plus, their goal would be to use me for the fewest hours possible. That's no way to build a consulting practice."

But that little voice wouldn't go away.

I really did know what they needed and I wanted to help. The problem was, I just didn't have a clue how to make a living doing it.

For months, I asked myself over and over: "How can I help those entrepreneurs and earn a decent income?" In my spare time, I searched for ideas. None came. I was truly stumped, but that nagging feeling that I must do something wouldn't go away.

Then one morning, I woke up at 4 a.m. with the answer. That darn little voice was back and this time it said, "Create a website called 'Selling to Big Companies' and focus it on helping small companies win big contracts."

Suddenly I could see how it would all work. I could put my expertise on the website for the entrepreneurial companies and still do my consulting. It made all the sense in the world.

I spent the next two months noodling over the concept before I started working on it. Because I didn't have deep pockets, I bartered my services to get a logo & website designed. I wrote ebooks & web copy. I edited. I did marketing. Day by day, I took action. Since this was all new to me, I learned as I went along. It took about 10 months to complete.

Fast-forward five years and the concept that arose from my Must Thinking has totally transformed my life and my business. I'm now an internationally recognized consultant with a bestselling book. But more importantly, I get emails and phone calls all the time from people who tell me how my work has impacted their lives, revitalized their work and kept them in business.

All this happened because I put other people's needs in front on my own and focused on using my own God-given talents to make a difference.

When Paul Kearley sent me his book to review, I was in the midst of my second Must Thinking revolution – although that's not what I called it then.

After months of being frustrated with the lack of female role models in my profession, I decided to launch a Sales SheBang – a conference and community for women in sales, featuring women sales experts.

At the time, I had no idea how it would turn out or even if it would be successful. I only knew that it needed to get done and I was the person who "must" lead the effort.

While reading Must Thinking, I was struck with how eloquently Paul described what I'd gone through not once, but twice. But even more importantly, I was impressed with how he turned it into a replicable process that anyone can implement.

I say this, because people frequently tell me how impressed they are with all I've accomplished. They want to be as "successful" like me, but don't know if they have what it takes. But the truth is, they do.

Success isn't about waiting around for "the big idea" to finally hit you and then flushing out a detailed business plan before you start. Instead, success comes when you make a choice to help others and then take action.
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I wrote the above story as the Foreward to Paul Kearley's new ebook on Must Thinking. If you dare to embrace this philosophy, I'll guarantee that your life will change dramatically!

 
Please share your Must Thinking moments with us! How have they impacted your life?

Comments

[Bill Samuels]

I launched my business 10 years ago as a professional telephone skills training and consulting business. I became president of the local consultants' network along with joining the local entrepreneurial society. My approach was to assist others with their business development initiatives whenever possible. Eventually, this led to some great opportunities whereby I was able to assist their clients in reaching their business goals, even with larger corporations. I strongly encourage entrepreneurs to take this approach.

[Shama Hyder]

As long as you put others first, and come from a place of service-I think it works!

[Dennis]

I have now been in sales since the begginning of the year. my line of products include security equipments e.g access control, fingerprint locks,gun detection e.t.c. well I,ve done numerous introductions but no results yet. I target the big guns these include banks and the like. would you give me the best possible way to convince my existing and other clients to process and seal a deal. am still on probation and I should have good results by the end of march. thankyou

[Lisa]

What an inspiring concept! I don't have a Must story yet...but I sure do hope to have one soon. I am an aspiring novelist, writing marketing content for a small business right now, but...I Must stop waiting around for the big idea!! Thank you for the friendly kick in the pants. :)