The game changer

This week I took some time out from my busy end of year schedule to work on… well, me.

At least three times a year I invest in professional “me time” by attending a skill development program conducted by experts in different fields. I’ve done this for most of my career. Even early in my journey I never relied on a boss or manager to pay for me to attend an educational event; I would happily pay and attend on my terms.

One of the great things about trying new things and being open to self-learning is you never know where it may lead you. Sometimes you might get no value and your time could’ve been better spent. Other times you walk in with empty pockets and leave with a sack full of gold. My experience this week was spectacularly golden.

During the course of this program I was lead to a rare, “Aha!” moment. One that jolted me with so much clarity and profundity I saw the world differently, very quickly. This inspiration didn’t come from the expert or the content? it came through the process of self-investment.

Here’s the thought: “How can I ever be complacent or bored in my chosen profession if I’m constantly refining and striving to develop my skills further?”

With that small thought, my game changed. Granted this was not a new thought, but for some mysterious reason at this particular time, this thought struck me like a bolt of white-lightning.

Consider a successful musician spending their lifetime searching for the perfect ballad or stage performance. Think of athletes constantly striving for their personal bests, doing the same activity relentlessly and punishing their bodies in the pursuit of being better. Perhaps, award-winning chef’s still concocting countless new dishes year after year, in search of the “perfect dish”. Surely they must get bored doing the same thing tirelessly? But they seldom do, they are invigorated by the journey and the pursuit of “excellence.”

In nearly every industry we find people pushing the boundaries and striving to be better. They commit to a body of work that can span a decade or a lifetime and are prepared to learn and keep on learning and practice and keep on practicing. It’s not about mastering their field and getting to a destination. A true master knows there is no destination. It’s never about success, riches or fame, it always about the game.

And the game is always, you.

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Trent Leyshan is the founder and CEO of BOOM Sales! a leading sales training and sales development specialist. He is also the creator of The NAKED Salesman, BOOMOLOGY! RetroService, and the Empathy Selling Process.