Everything Either Helps or Hurts

Everything you do in the sales process, from the first contact through to the close of the sale and the delivery of the product or service, has an effect. Nothing is neutral. Everything either helps or hurts. Nothing can be left to chance. It all counts. – The Psychology of Selling, Brian Tracy

Selling is an important skill

I’m currently reading a book on selling. Although I don’t do sales, I understand that selling is one of the skills that one should be equipped with even if you are not directly involved in selling in your work. Often in your life, you need to “sell” something, even if you are unaware of it. Whether it is at a job interview, to convince your superior of a proposal of a new idea or recommendation or to garner support from friends and acquaintances for a cause, we all need to do some selling at one point.

Nothing stays neutral

I especially like the phrase that “Nothing is neutral. Everything either helps or hurts”. It applies not only to selling but to all our thoughts, actions or words. Nothing stays neutral, ie nothing stays unchanged. The world is in a stage of flux. Even if you choose not to change, you might be pushed to change. One option might be helpful while the other might be hurtful. So why leave things to chance?

Keep a constant check

So, whatever you are thinking, doing or saying now, remember to ask yourself if it “helps or hurts” you or the people around you. List down the goal of what you hope to achieve in this particular area of your life. Don’t wait and leave things to chance. Having a goal allows your mind to focus on what you want to achieve.

Have a goal

For example, if you want to get fit, but choose to laze in bed instead of waking up early for some exercise, you hurt the chance of you getting fitter. If you choose to eat vegetables instead of fried chicken wings, you help yourself get healthier.

One area of my life that I’m in the process of improving is my health, because I know that nothing is more important than health. I understand that I need to focus on two areas, namely more exercise and changing my diet. Although I need to put more effort into exercising more regularly, I’m currently having some success in changing my diet. I have reduced my carbo intake for my dinner and made it a point to include vegetables into those meals that I am preparing. What we choose to put into our body will help or hurt our health, so it’s important to be aware. Of course, there are areas of my diet which still needs to be improved, like reducing my coffee intake daily.

It all counts

However, knowing that I’m having some success gives me motivation to continue to change for the better. As they say, “every small thing counts” and “success breeds success”.