MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Account Executive

Struggling to find my "why"

Hey all,

First off, stoked to be a part of this community. I always cared about being number one as my driving factor for success in sales.

I lived at home and didn't really care about making money. Now that I am on on my own, I care about money much more now and really could less to have my ego stroked to be listed as the number one sales rep. I find that money is WAY less of a motivator as being listed as number one.

My question is: What drives you? What is your why for motivation?

🔎 Prospecting

🐱 Off-Topic

32 comments

Sort by:

brotato

WR Lieutenant

Head of Sales

10% of all my income goes straight into a separate charity checking account I have. The things I get to donate to with that money like orphan support, aid to famine hit regions, ending human trafficking, etc. make filling up that account so rewarding.

With that 10%, could I have upgraded my SUV one trim higher? Or gotten my kids a few more toys? Or gotten a bigger, better TV? Yeah I guess so...

But when I get the semi-yearly report about the orphans we sponsored with that money and how they're now able to go to school and have clean water, all that other shit seems meaningless and that 10% fund all worth it.

Find your why and make it count.

sahil

Notable Contributor

Deepak Chopra of Sales

This is an amazing post. <3

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

I may or may not have teared up a bit reading that, because it's so fucking beautiful.

DaveFromCollege

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

Retiring as early as possible, currently aiming for 50. I just want to chill and maybe do a bit of contract sales or consulting here and there. I feel like an ambitious long-term goal is healthy to get through the highs and lows of sales.
No right way to do it, I just prefer playing the long game.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

Thanks for the response. Do you typically set short term goals also?

DaveFromCollege

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

Of course! I am a little impatient, so those are a must. But they all feed into the overarching goal of me living a happy, comfortable life. Main things I look out for: financial health, mental health, physical health, relationship health. Happy to give examples of goals related to all of these if you want.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

I would love to hear more about that.Also, How do you balance your time to reach all of those?

DaveFromCollege

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

TBH I rarely accomplish all my goals in those 4 areas. It's monthly, and against all the advice, usually not that specific.
some examples:
FH: deposit 500 in savings and 500 in investments
MH: decrease time on phone
PH: work out 3 times a week
RH: facetime 5 friends that I have not spoken to recently

Super basic, but it's absolutely helped me look back at a month and tell myself "good job" As a side note, my girlfriend loves short term goal setting and uses Notion. It's changed her life.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

I love those - my biggest challenge with monthly goals is follow through. I find that consitency in following through is one of my biggest challenges. Thoughts?

DaveFromCollege

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

I struggle with that too. There are months where I achieve all I set out, and some months I get consumed with work or other life events and get nothing else done. It happens.
Something I've teased before is having a friend partner up and keep each other accountable with those goals. That might help us be more consistent? Not sure, so let me know what you think haha

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

My main motivation is money. I'm trying to buy myself freedom. I hope to be able to stop working in the next ten years and live off of passive income from investments. Sales is the only position where I can meet my aggressive financial goals in a relatively short period of time.

DaveFromCollege

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

The DREAM right there...

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

For real... I cant wait til that day lol

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

How long have you been in sales?

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Just over one year.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

Is this not your first career Id assume?

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

No, I've been working since I was a teenager and am almost 30 now.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

Sales has been my career since freshman year of college - I could never go back to something else

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

I wish I would have gotten into sales at a younger age. Sales needs to be discussed as a real career prospect to teens/young adults.

Mr.Pickles

Arsonist

Sr. Customer Success Manager

My "why" is based on the concept of what I need and what I want and then I play around near, medium, long future. I go for things that I need now (small objectives) and then I plan for what I want (bigger goals). Currently, my midterm goal is to get an apartment in the mean team I work around what I need to stay connected with that long-term goal. Make sure to have the need/want bucket clear and shoot for it.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

So it is safe to say that money is your motivator? Would you still have the same motivation if you hit your financial goals?

Mr.Pickles

Arsonist

Sr. Customer Success Manager

I would say - I'd rather cry in a rolls Royce than be happy on a bicycle. What drives me right now is hitting those objectives in order to build something with someone. Money is an "enabler" for those projects. A financial goal is another goal on the list - if that makes sense.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

I hear you - I find that money doesn't really fulfill me, to be honest.

Mr.Pickles

Arsonist

Sr. Customer Success Manager

I see where you're coming from - my best advice is: make sure you can find that - whatever it is - that ignites passion and start building from there :D

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

Lack of other viable options, money for sure. I was already a pro athlete. I don’t need fame. I did a total 180 on my career a year ago, so I needed a job which paid well rather quickly.

Would much rather quietly be amassing a small fortune than paraded around like some prom Queen.

However, I really like being in management and I’m good at it. I would eventually like to transition to a high salaried role in my field if the opportunity presents itself.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

Thats pretty cool - what sport? I would love to learn about the biggest lessons you learned in sports that you took to the business world.

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

They were combined. My sport *was* my business. Clients were high net worth individuals and known public figures.

yes. My Rolodex is sick.

The biggest lesson I learned was to never give up when faced with overwhelming adversity. Work ethic, a good attitude and the right amount of stubborn ego will get you far. Talent is helpful, but not always necessary for success. Helps to be dumb as a sack of rocks, but unfortunately, that’s not me so Valium helped slow my brain down 😂

The other big takeaway from dealing with high profile people is that they’re just fucking people. They have the same faults as the janitor (I’d argue that they actually have MORE), so being nervous when talking to them is dumb af. If you show any signs of feeling like you “don’t belong “, they won’t take you seriously. However, if you own your space you’ll be surprised how much respect you’ll get. Maybe even some cool new friends and clients.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Contributor

Account Executive

I love that. Thanks for sharing. What are the habits of those types of people that got them to that point? I am also curious about what habits got you to that point too

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

Honestly? 99% came out of the right vagina. Those that didn't were simply at the right place, at the right time. Kinda ironic that my earlier statements would make you assume that the American Dream is achievable..... but its actually not. Well, if you want to be part of the 0.001%, anyway.

I had some advantages as well, like a good family and I don't look like shrek. But I left home at 18 with my own semi truck and trailer and just drove around with my entire life and business solo for 10 years. Normal people don't do that. I quickly realized that my target demographic is so incredibly sheltered, but trust fund babies are dying to be "cool". So I waved my freak flag all over the place, while still being professional and displaying the correct amount of "conservative values" so mommy and daddy wouldn't object (as in, I never got drunk. I never slept with anyone in that circle. Hell, they used to call me the "table holder" because I'd stay at the table in nightclubs while they all went in the bathroom to do lines). They thought it was casual, but I knew better. Everything I did was calculated.

I shit you not - at one point I was sporting a mohawk and flew all my crust punk *real* friends to Palm Beach for a socialite event as my guests. These bougies had never interacted with "those types" before, but I made it "safe" in their bubble so they fucking ate it up. The punks ended up getting shitfaced with major Republican bigwigs and banged every heiress on the island. So guess who was *always* invited to every exclusive party after that?

My habits have always been to look for areas of opportunity. Everyone is wearing khakis, named Brenda and bored? Get their attention, but be exceptional at what you do so you keep their attention indefinitely.

Trinity

WR Officer

BusDev

When I started, my "why" was all about specific "success markers," like job titles, salary, etc. - and absolutely nothing wrong with these things. But now, I'm driven by my core values (simplicity, integrity, respect, etc.). My current salary is 10% of what I was making prior but I'm happy.

stratman

Politicker

Sales Engineer

My "why" is my family and the desire to not waste my life. I want what I do to count for eternity.

Nairobi

Politicker

Essentially, financial freedom to do the things that I want.

I've always wanted to work at a non-profit but, let's be honest, I also want to live life to the fullest so those non-profit salaries will not allow me to do that.

I want my future to be "Working at a non-profit or have my own and at nights/weekends be at my kids' soccer games without worrying about money/work"

Bravado is a community of trusted sales professionals endorsed by their customers.

Products

The War Room Jobs Salary Guide Tech Sales U

Company

About Us How It Works Blog Bug Bounty

Contact

Press Careers

If you are hired as a contract sales rep by a Bravado customer, we may ask you to prove access to the employee email account provided to you by that customer. This data will be shared with customers to track your sales productivity; customers can use this data to confirm you meet the minimum activity requirements to pay out your ramp stipend and commission.

MichaelScottDunderMifflin

Struggling to find my "why"

32 comments

Related posts

How often does your whole company meet? Is it useful?

How do you find the time to work?