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Browse published articles attributed to Mark Bowser, with full-archive search.
Success leaves clues. In order for us to become champions, we must watch champions. If we model what they do, think what they think, believe what they believe, learn what they learned, then we will get similar results. One such champio I think we can learn from is one of the great thinkers, inventors, and leaders in history Benjamin Franklin.
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." Walt Disney Impossible. Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary defines it as "That cannot be....Impracticable; not feasible; that cannot be done." But Walt Disney made it a habit of doing what others labeled impossible. Hmmm, he made it a habit. Let's think about that for a minute. Webster's defines habit as "A disposition or condition of the mind or body acquired by custom or a frequent repetition of the same act. Habit is that which is held or retained, the effect of custom or frequent repetition. Hence we speak of good habits and bad habits."
Let us suppose for just a moment that you could get to the mountaintop of success all by yourself. You have worked very hard and finally you have made it. You have reached the peak. Your success is secure. You have won the trophy. Something is not right though. It is too quiet. Where is ...
"Burn it down" "Excuse me sir?" said the young Lieutenant. "You heard me. Burn it down" "But General, if we burn the bridge then we will have no way to get back home." "Lieutenant, there is a way. We must win this war and capture the enemy's ships. Then, we will be able to go home." Stories such as this are sprinkled in every generation of history. Men and women of conviction who burn the bridge of failure to expose the road to success. Where are those leaders today? Have we forgotten the past? Are our eyes dimmed for the future?
Throughout time, great leaders have always had vision. Vision is one of the most important elements to being a champion. The Ancient Writer states it this way, "Where there is no vision, the people perish….” Vision keeps us on track. It even shows us where the track is. So, if vision is ...
You might be wondering why anyone would come up with their own rules for failure. Particularly, if that person was Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was obviously one of the most successful individuals in American history. The late Jim Rohn (America's Foremost Business Philosopher) used to say that losers should give seminars. Why? Where else could one safeguard their life for success. Think about it. If a loser taught us everything they knew about living a life of failure, all we would have to do is stay away from what they did and do something different.
Everyone is a leader and the first person we should lead is ourself. It was Zig Ziglar who said that "You must manage yourself before you can lead someone else." Not a truer statement was ever said. Let me give you a thought to ponder. If you are reactive, blowing off some steam, and saying a few choice, shall we say, colorful descriptions, is it conceivable that your children will do the same thing? You may be thinking, "But, Mark, I don't say those words in front of my children?" Are you sure? Our character is with us all the time. They will pick up on it in very subtle ways.
Why do leaders fail? This is a tricky question. One with multiple depths of answers. However, I believe there are two shining pillars that are always missing from leaders who fail. Sometimes, these failing leaders are missing both of these pillars and at other times they are missing just one of them. But, if either is missing, failure is inevitable. What are these missing pillars? They are Character and Vision. Let's take a few minutes to explore these pillars a bit deeper.
"It is the bottom of the ninth, two outs, men on first and third and Joey Votto at the plate," expressed the baseball announcer. "It has been a good Spring Training for the Cincinnati Reds here in Arizona. A win here today will be the icing on the cake. Reds are down by one and need a hit."
"Play your game," said Coach Galen Scott. The pointed advice was given to a very weary, frustrated college tennis player. If you haven't guessed, that frustrated athlete was me. I was losing matches, my mind was clogged, and I didn't know what to do. That is when Galen stepped in an instructed me to play to my strengths.
Is there a linchpin that could start a domino effect that could devastate your business? Or, is there a tipping point that could start an avalanche of success like a runaway snowball?
"If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse" Walt Disney Think about it. It was all started with a mouse. When Walt Disney created "Steamboat Willie" in 1928, he had no idea that Mickey Mouse would be the beginning spark that would create an entertainment empire that has no equal. In fact, in 1978, Mickey became the first cartoon character to receive a star on ther Hollywood Walk of Fame. How about that? Now, that is success!
I came across an interesting quote the other day from Mark Twain. At first, it seemed just humorous. As I began to ponder it though, I realized it was filled with depths of perspective for the world of selling. Mr. Twain said, "I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know."
"How long has your knee been giving you discomfort?" asked the doctor to the frustrated high school basketball player sitting in front of him. "Since about halfway through the season," said the student athlete. "I see. Was there any particular incident in practice or a game where you felt a sharp pain?" "No." "Ok. Chris, let's go ahead and get an MRI and see what is going on inside that knee and let's get you back on the court as soon as possible."
It is not an accident that the top producers in the world of selling are at the top. It is also true that there are no born sales champions. Yes, some people have more talent then others. But, success in selling comes down to some basic fundamentals. Fundamentals, if taken action on consistently will lead to success.
Have you ever attempted to coach first and second grade boys basketball? It is a lot like herding cats. I am enjoying the experience of helping coach my son Andrew's Upward Basketball team. We are known as the Minutemen. I have learned a great deal through this experience. A great deal about discipline. Why? Because starting out, we had none. We only have one game left in our season...and we still have very little discipline.
George Washington said that “True Friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.” Friendship is one of the great blessings from God. Norman Vincent Peale used to tell a fantastic story of a friendship of ...
Have you made a difference for someone lately? Theresa Peterson tells a wonderful story of how relationships do make a difference. Abbie Knight was a very lonely depressed ninth grader. She missed her old eighth grade days. The high school was so big and intimidating. All Abbie wanted was a ...
Eleven year old Chick Moorman loved baseball. I mean he LOVED baseball. He slept, ate, drank, dreamed, played, etc...baseball. The 1956 Little League season was about to begin. The smell of the game was everywhere. The aroma of the leather gloves, the dirt of the infield under your feet, ...
I read a fascinating story about a little girl named Markita Andrews. When Markita was eight years old, her father abandoned her and her mother. Markita's mother worked as a waitress to support them. One day, she said to Markita, "I'll work hard to make enough money to send you to college. ...
I came across a story one time which I think illustrates beautifully how we need to take care of our prospects when selling. The story goes something like this. It is about a man who lived in a forest in the eastern Alps overlooking an Austrian village. This old man had been hired years ago ...
Sales success and inspiration go hand in hand. Now, what do I mean by that? To be successful in the world of selling, one has to have a healthy self image. To do that, we have to develop a healthy belief of who we are and why we are here. n Here is an inspirational thought that will ...
Successful selling is about the mental game. Make sure what goes into your mind is positive because what comes out is always what went in. Most of us have probably heard the statement “garbage in; garbage out.” Well, that is a realistic representation of how our brains work. If we continually ...