The normal of the future might be new, but how we will succeed is not

“Success in the “new normal” is anything but new”

-Nathan Jamail, Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author

I just watched a great virtual keynote by a futurist and like many of us we are not sure what the future holds, except that it will continue to change rapidly, and with those changes comes great fears and even greater opportunities.  The difference between fears and opportunities is not the actual events, rather it is in how we perceive the events and then how we decide to respond.  In sales and leadership the principles of what made us successful in the past and how we can be successful today (and the future) will not change, but how we implement those principles will change today, tomorrow and everyday moving forward.

I want to share with you three of these simple principles that will help you and me succeed no matter the uncertainty of the future or what the “new normal” looks like.

1. Continued learning and growing
2. The choice of a positive mindset
3. Consistent and disciplined behaviors of skill development and practice

Continued learning and growing

There is an old saying that I quote often, “Learners are Earners”.  However, don’t confuse learning with listening to the news, keeping up with all the bad crap and heeding the fear mongering.  Learning is about figuring out how we get better in our minds, behaviors and successes.  We may get wiser and more experienced in life by just showing up, but we get better when we engage and learn intentionally, and with purpose. 

Here are my challenges to you:

1. Pick two books, and if you don’t like to read, use audio books.  Every day read or listen to a book in the morning instead of listening to the radio or watching the news (15 minutes is a good minimum). 
2. Find videos to watch every day, (5 min is a good minimum) that will inspire you to take action or feel good about where you are and what you are able and willing to do today (and that’s not mash ups on TikTok, or grandma’s trying to talk to Alexa on Facebook).
3. Write out your goals or inspirations from your learnings.
4. Do this everyday.

The choice of a positive mindset

The key to seeing the positive side of life, or to have opportunity versus fear is to keep your mind right. 

First remove everything from your daily communications and interactions that are “life suckers” or “nay sayers”.  If you are stuck in your home with them because you are confined to your home, then shut and lock the door. 

Our attitude and mindset is the one thing we can control but it also the most difficult thing for us to keep control of.  Obstacles, disasters and bad times are not new, our constant attention to it via news and social media is- and it’s ruining our mindset. And ultimately how we respond to current events will determine if they will propel us or if they will stop us. 

I believe 2021 will be the best year yet for many of us, and at the same time there will be others that will want the year to end just as they wanted 2020 to.  We must stay committed to ourselves, our families and our businesses.  The future, like the past for many of us, is uncertain and is changing faster than ever before. But the advice in the 1940’s is still great advice in 2021. 

Stay positive (no matter what it takes or what/whom you have to avoid), see the opportunities and know that our beliefs and efforts will effect our success more than anything else.  The key for a winning attitude in an unknown future is to stay consistently motivated, ready to create or respond to any and all change.  Wrong turns in life will not hurt you, just like while driving – that is why we have U-turns.  But not moving or allowing the fear of the unknown to keep from growing or moving will ensure we will get no where.

The consistent and disciplined behaviors of skill development and practice

The principles of leadership and sales has not changed nor will they change.  Sales and Leadership is about trust, persistence and belief.  As professionals we must do what professional athletes do every day, “practice”.  Practicing is different than learning or training. Practicing is about getting better at the skills and knowledge we already have or know.  We must learn to use any necessary new tools and situations to better connect and lead others.  We must embrace the new technologies to better serve and lead others.  My challenge for you today is if you are going to have a sales call or maybe a leadership meeting with your team tomorrow or this week, spend 30 minute with a peer or boss and practice your meeting. Practice not just prepare. Practicing requires scrimmaging and going through the meeting as you would during the real meeting.

Final thought:

Many of my friends and family say I have “blind optimism” or that I try to always turn everything into a good thing. They say things like, “Nathan that is just not real life or reality.  Not every thing is good and not everything always works out”. Many even call me a dreamer, but not as a compliment I don’t think.  And all of that is ok, I am good with being the unrealistic dreamer that does not subscribe to others theories of bad luck, bad times or regret.  And even some of you  will see this type of message as motivational hoopla. 

Listen, we can’t control what others feel or think, but we can control how we feel, think and respond.  Personally I would rather follow, spend time with and buy from someone that is growing, is positive and is committed.  Life is short and success is earned.  I can’t predict the future, but I can predict my future success.  To my fellow dreamers and blind optimists- keep living the dream!