"The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment."

William Arthur Ward

Discipline is not just beneficial, it's absolutely necessary for those who aspire to achieve high standards in any endeavor. It requires consistent effort, practice, and a willingness to learn from failures and or setbacks.

I encourage you to take massive amounts of responsibility for your choices.

Achieving greatness is framed as a conscious decision that involves setting high goals and committing to the effort required to meet them.

As we kick off our time together, I ask you to please consider choosing the path of discipline and excellence to avoid the long-term disappointment associated with settling for anything less.

There's not a day that goes by, where you're faced with decisions that will either make you better or possibly worse. With extreme certainty, most of the time these decisions go unmade.

In a sales world that often rewards conformity and settling for the status quo, daring to step beyond mediocrity can feel like an uphill battle. Societal expectations, team pressures, social media, and successful but conventional role models can make the frequent path seem appealing.

The comfort zone, characterized by routine and safety, becomes the breeding ground for mediocrity. It's where growth stagnates, and innovation dies.

The comfort zone, also known as the mediocrity zone, prevents many from challenging themselves, learning new skills, and pushing their boundaries. The first step in rejecting mediocrity is recognizing the comfort zone for what it is, a limitation, not a refuge.

For many in sales, this means unfulfilled potential, lackluster achievements, and the haunting question of "What if?" Mediocrity breeds complacency, and complacency kills one's ambition, creativity, and the drive to excel.

“It’s remarkable how much mediocrity we live with, surround ourselves with daily reminders that the average is acceptable. Our world suffers from terminal normality.

Stuart Emery

Is it just me or has the gap widened between a mediocre sales rep and a sales professional?

MEDIOCRITY, A SALES BUZZKILL

"The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment."

William Arthur Ward

When it comes to defining mediocrity, let's defer to the Cambridge dictionary that defines it as...

The quality of being not very good.

A person that is not very good at something or not very good at anything in particular, or something that is not very good.

Let's apply to sales... The mediocre salesperson is not really bad, but they’re not really good either, they're someone who’s halfway between failure and success, and as a result, become frustrated and unfulfilled.

This salesperson does just enough to get by but never goes the extra mile.

A mediocre sales life can be a difficult way to live. This means you've made a conscious choice to settle for what you have while never pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

This places limits in how far you take things and how consistently you achieve or bust through your quota gates.

It concerns me how many salespeople would rather stay in their comfort zone fueled by mediocrity than to force themselves to become better, to stay above average, to not be viewed as a sales rep or an empty suit.

When it comes to mediocrity, I view it as someone who avoids the challenges, the opportunities to become better, choosing to find the excuses.

A mediocre salesperson has difficulty in recognizing and appreciating the effort and hard work that sales professionals have put in to achieve a certain level of sales mastery.

Average, mediocre salespeople are not remembered.

The heroes found in history books and even in the Bible are not average people, they're people who did extraordinary things.

They are the ones who went above and beyond what was expected of them. If you and I want to be remembered, we are going to have to choose to be people of excellence. What do you say?

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward."

Colossians 3:23-24

This passage serves as a powerful reminder that your work has significance beyond immediate results or recognition.

By committing yourself fully and viewing your efforts as acts of service, you can find deeper meaning in your daily tasks and cultivate a fulfilling approach to life and work, which goes beyond mediocrity.

Question for many of you right now... Why are you afraid of thinking big?

Too many of you are comfortable living in mediocrity. You choose to follow in the footsteps taken by many other sales reps because you believe it provides a sense of security.

Here me out on this one...

There are way too many sales reps out there who believe they are 'A' players but in reality, they're nothing more than 'C' players hiding inside an empty suit.

A mediocre mindset prevents those from becoming the best version of themselves.

They allow themselves to settle as they follow other like-minded sales reps down the same mediocre sales road, terrified of taking the steps towards loftier sales goals.

You can survive and get by operating with a mediocre mindset, but you'll never thrive. You'll always be amongst the other me-too sales reps.

A me-too sales rep is a follower, mirroring and mimicking their other mediocre counterparts; liken to the pied piper. All this does is places a stranglehold on you, as together you suffer in togetherness through the same problems afflicting many of today's sales teams.

"It is a wretched taste to be gratified with mediocrity when the excellent lies before us."

Isaac D'Israeli

Mediocrity stunts your sales growth and long-term sustainability inside the wonderful world of sales.

Grab the books that will transform your sales results

MEDIOCRITY, IT'S SAFE

I get it, taking risks, it's scary. You can decide to take the risk, leading yourself down the road to betterment or avoid it, staying mediocre.

Facing and taking risks is a fundamental aspect of personal and professional growth.

The fear of taking risks is a common human experience, as it involves stepping into the unknown, potentially facing failure or rejection.

When the time comes, how many salespeople simply freeze, stopping dead in their tracks becoming afraid to go for what they desire, a better sales life.

When the going gets tough, mediocre sales reps worry and weep.

It's the numbing of the mind that condemns one to mediocrity. Whenever you come across risk in your sales journey, search within your heart to go for it.

It's your ability to overcome this paralysis and pursue opportunities that align with your goals and aspirations. This will require a combination of courage, resilience, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.

To be mediocre in sales is simply to act in an average way, to achieve average sales results.

The process of searching within your heart when faced with risks involves introspection and a deep understanding of your personal values, desires, and aspirations.

Mediocre sales reps look at external blame rather than internal responsibilities.

RISE ABOVE MEDIOCRITY, DISCOVER THE PATH TO SUCCESS

In Selling from the Heart fashion, a heartfelt professional takes the art of professional selling seriously.

They study the profession. They read, learn and continuously grow, nurturing their mind.

They play the long game. They fully understand the road to success takes time, patience and perseverance.

They hold themselves radically accountable to never becoming mediocre.

Here are some truths you should know about a selling from the heart professional:

They set the bar high: They challenge themselves with ambitious goals. High standards are their antidote to mediocrity.

They never ever stop learning: They understand that the knowledge well never runs dry. They invest in personal and professional development to stay relevant, adaptable, and innovative.

They embrace the grind: They understand the path to excellence isn't paved with pixie sticks and rose petals. They cultivate resilience by learning from mistakes, adopting a growth mindset, and persisting through challenges.

They keep a tight tribe in their inner circle: They understand that the company they keep matters. They surround themselves with individuals who embody the excellence they aspire to.

Choosing the path of excellence over mediocrity not only transforms your life but also has a massive impact on your sales results.

Here are a few more truths...

They practice their sales craft like an athlete: These professionals commit to a practice routine, just like that of professional athletes. They understand the process of developing their talents will have obstacles along the way. They embrace the challenge by getting better every day.

They understand failure is another challenge, a simple roadblock to overcome.

They have a non-negotiable mindset. They consistently hone in their skills around prospecting, constructing their network, asking great questions, building authentic relationships, establishing meaningful value, and most importantly; serving their clients.

Professional athletes encourage feedback from their coaches, using it to focus on areas of improvement to fuel their growth. The same can be said for a heartfelt sales professional.

Sales reps, or what I often refer to as empty suits, tend to dismiss, ignoring feedback and focus on the person providing it, rather than using it as an opportunity to reflect and grow. How much of this sounds all too familiar?

They don't chase shiny silver bullets: There's no one single thing that makes a great sales career, it's a bunch of little things done well, every single day. It's consistent prospecting, building a strategic network, gaining business knowledge, self-awareness, practicing the art of conversation and time management, just to name a few.

I encourage you, stop looking for the one thing to propel you to greatness. Instead, focus on developing your personal and professional skills.

A heartfelt sales professional chases their potential with patience, purpose and passion.

They deeply understand that their clients, their family and their career desperately need the best version of themselves.

Patience takes time and a conscious effort to master.

SAY NO TO MEDIOCRITY, WATCH YOUR SALES SOAR

A mediocre sales rep easily gives up in their quest to become a heartfelt sales professional.

Why do they do this? It's because pursuing this lifestyle is lonely, hard work and often goes against the general opinions shared by other sales reps, also known as empty suits.

Do not wait until your sales life becomes unbearable before you take action.

Being mediocre, it's the classic stick or twist. Are you going to hold on to what you have or take the gamble in search of more? All too often, sales reps stick with what they know because it's safe.

I encourage you to strike a balance between maintaining what has been working for you while taking a few calculated risks. It's about making informed decisions, continuously evaluating your strategies, and being open to innovative ideas.

Achieving excellence is not a matter of luck or talent alone; it necessitates consistent effort and self-discipline.

Success is exciting and so is failure. Mediocrity? Well, that's a decision you need to make.

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn.