| Most people are familiar with the old saying, "Easy | | | | never to pine for the approval of his critics. From that |
| come. Easy go." In the sales world we often observe | | | | disaster he developed an intense emotional |
| that sales people who experience success quickly | | | | independence. Now there's something all sales |
| falsely assume that the sales profession is going to be | | | | professionals can use -- emotional independence. |
| easy. After a month or two, however, those fortunate | | | | In the sales business, it's easy to see our prospects |
| few often reach a different conclusion. Without much | | | | and even our loved ones as the critics that hold our |
| sweat equity invested, they head off and look for the | | | | fortune in their hands. If our prospects tell us, "No," or if |
| next rainbow. If only we could teach a new saying, | | | | our loved ones tell us, "You will never be a successful |
| "Easy come. Forget That." We may not have that | | | | entrepreneur," we think the die is cast. Time to let the |
| saying, but we can look at a 19th Century opera | | | | 19th century composer, Giuseppe Verdi, teach you one |
| composer who expressed it and set the example we | | | | of the great secrets of successful entrepreneurs... |
| may well want to copy. | | | | buck up, spit in the eyes of your critics (figuratively |
| After experiencing a degree of success with his very | | | | speaking, please!), and decide once and for all that the |
| first opera, a young and unknown composer, Giuseppe | | | | only opinion that matters is your own. |
| Verdi, hit the big leagues by receiving a contract to | | | | Verdi cared little about what the critics said and he |
| compose two more operas for the most famous | | | | learned to face failure and success with equanimity. |
| opera house in Italy. Talk about a winning sales | | | | One of his famous letters in its entirety simply said, "La |
| presentation! One could certainly say that his success | | | | Traviatta last night... a fiasco. Was it my fault or the |
| came quite easily. | | | | singers? Only time will tell." Just in case you didn't know, |
| Verdi's next opera was to be an Opera buffa, a form | | | | time told all right. Verdi is considered by many to be |
| of comedic opera, but the life events that preceded | | | | the greatest of all the Italian opera composers. |
| the opening night of that opera were anything but | | | | Regardless of whether or not your sales business has |
| comical. In August 1838 Verdi's 16-month old daughter | | | | come easy for you, decide right now to face failure |
| died suddenly. Just 14 months later, his 18-month old | | | | and success with equanimity, that is, with poise, with |
| son died of bronchial pneumonia. Only eight months | | | | imperturbability, with (dare I say it?) confidence. Let |
| after the death of his son, Verdi's wife died after an | | | | failure be your instructor. Be willing to learn what you |
| illness of just five days. Within 22 months, Verdi's entire | | | | need to learn from each failure and then take three |
| family was wiped out. Imagine trying to write a | | | | more giant steps forward. |
| comedy while the family members around you are | | | | It's not the approval of the critics that you need to |
| dying one after another. | | | | succeed -- it's the approval of one infinitely more |
| Not surprisingly, Verdi's second opera was a complete | | | | precious. It's the approval of someone who's been with |
| flop. Easy come, easy go? Not on your life. Verdi's first | | | | you for every moment of every day of your entire life. |
| success might have come easy, but the bad reviews | | | | End each day by giving yourself the critique you long |
| he received from his second opera hardly sent him | | | | for. It goes something like this, "You did the best job |
| away crying. Instead he dug in his heels and decided | | | | you knew how to do today. Well done! |