Driving Fire

Today was good. I saw, first hand, that when there is fire in someones eyes, get out of the way - because something is going to happen. Yesterday and this morning I took some time to light the fire and today I would not quit. I told myself I would set my plan into action immediately. I did, and I saw results.

I find that I relate really well to older men who need medical pendents. My last three sales have all been because the person wanted medical pendents; two guys and a gal. Wonderful. I'm able to bank a bunch of points with these people, and they're remarkably happy with what they get. Over all it's a win-win situation.
Going through a sale is one of the most interesting thing. Sometimes, people who have been thinking about it for a while will feel it's a big decision, and won't make it on the spur of the moment. Others grasp quickly how it will help them and hand me a $99 activation fee plus a voided check.
But the most interesting part is concisely thinking "I'm in the attention phase... Wow, I just made the transition flawlessly... Great, Susan, start the close....This is solid. GO."
This job is like learning to drive a stick shift car. Before you even hop in the car, you can see yourself cruising with your friends, windows down, music and laughter harmonizing with the purr of the engine as you maneuver the pavement. Then you get in, buckle down, and have your co-pilot start telling you how to do things. He says it's like learning to dance, but you feel like it's learning to swim. He says tilt the mirrors one way, but you feel like you see better if they're tilted another. Finally after two hours of stop, starts, stalls, and bawling, the co-pilot gets out to leave you to your own devices.
Armed with the theoretical knowledge the instructor has given you about when to let the clutch out as you press the accelerator and when to move the gear from first to second, you attempt to drive. There is more stopping, starting, stalling, and bawling. But finally, you actually navigate the car - in first gear - for more than fifty feet. It's clicked. You can drive the car AND keep it from stalling. Then you shift into second gear with great effort. Left foot down, move right arm, move right arm again to put gear in second, not forth, start to lift left foot, press down with right foot - oops - not that much, put gear back in second gear, and ease on accelerator. BOOM. You're in second gear before you know it. Then all the sudden you're in third! What Joy! But then you STALL!!!! OH FOR THE LOVE!!!
Do you slam on the breaks, throw off the seat belt, and alight from the car!? NO. You laugh about it, take a deep breath, and punch the clutch down so you can turn the car on again. When you get going again you're better than you were before you stalled. So when you finally shift into third gear for the first time you think 'Wow, I'm here. I can get the car moving forward AND navigate at the same time. This is wonderful!'

That is how it feels going through a sale. When you find yourself shifting into third for the first time, you're very much aware of your actions. But as time goes on, you become a lean, mean, shifting machine and will cruise through gears while cruising through town. But even when you come to traffic, hills, tight back roads, or inclement weather, deciding what gear to be in will take conscious thought. It's rewarding though - knowing that I know how to do it. I know how to read people, judge what they'll do, and help them get where we need to be.

Also, on a different note, I made my first payment on my student loan. I never knew paying a bill would feel SO good.