TheNegotiator

VP of Sales

What motivates you?

Good morning/afternoon/evening my fellow savages.

Please enjoy the meme below. A past colleague sent it to me, and I found myself blowing air out of my nose. I decided to share this nugget of humour with my my favourite savages on a glorious end-of-month Friday. But then I got all serious-like and I started thinking about it more deeply.

So, for those of you who are gracious enough to share your hopes and dreams with the rest of us, my question is this:

Literally, what gets you out of bed in the morning? I think we can all agree there are less stressful careers than sales, so why do you do what you do? Please don't just say money, we all have bills to pay. Aside from surviving and buying shiny things, what are you working towards, and why? What's the endgame?

🚀 Career Goals

💆‍♂ Mindset

💪 Motivation

39 comments

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Kirby

Politicker

Sales Representative

1. My younger brother has severe autism. When my parents die and can't take care of him, I want to make sure I have enough money to make sure he's extremely well taken care of. He has a few people who my mom pays to help with him; I want to pay them an incredible salary to keep watching him as he gets older. I need to make good money to be able to do that.

2. I love mastering a craft. It's been shown by different studies over and over again that the more you perfect a handful of skills, the happier you are in being able to use them.

GDO

Politicker

BDM

Wow my nephew is in the exact same situation. This kind of reason can really push you! Goodluck!

cw95

Politicker

Sales Development Lead

Good on you mate, genuinely, minds in the right place.

InQ5WeTrust

Arsonist

No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL

I enjoy having a roof over my head, top-shelf liquor, good weed and one day I want to be able to afford the Betty Ford clinic.

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

Better twist than all of M. Night's movies.

FromaBlankPerspective

Politicker

District Manager

The money (sorry), the flexibility, and I am a naturally curious person so I genuinely enjoy learning about other people's businesses. I also love my coworkers so that helps.

That being said, I realized that expecting my job to fulfil me (at least singularly) was just setting myself up for failure. I have a job that allows me the resources and the time to enjoy the things that actually accomplish that (travel, eating good food, giving my family experience we wouldn't otherwise have had), and that's pretty good motivation!

That being said, if they ever wanted a female, Anthony Bourdain 2.0, I would never sell a damn thing again, haha.

Nairobi

Politicker

I'm sorry, but I'm already first on the list to be the female Anthony Bourdain 2.0

Kinonez

Celebrated Contributor

War Room Enthusiast

Having Financial Freedom

Gyro25

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

I've always been a really hard worker, but hated doing jobs that never rewarded all my hard work. I see sales as a piece of the puzzle in terms of my self development along with other emotional, spiritual and physical goals of mine.

I'd like to be earn enough to invest and live off passive income. I'm still far away, but the goal is to work to live and not live to work and actually take the time to enjoy life. That's all part of the goal.

happyhunter

Politicker

spittin' sunshine

SAME! What do we need to change to get there quicker?

paddy

WR Officer

Director of Business Development

Having top-shelf intern blood and a nice cigar is all I need to stay motivated.

hh456

Celebrated Contributor

sales

money and honestly i love getting someone to do what i want. its fucked up but sales scratches that dark sociopathic itch 3-4 times a day

TheNegotiator

Arsonist

VP of Sales

Tbh, this is me. And I asked this question because I’m a little ashamed of it. . I get up and sell for the sake of selling. This is my arena, where I own the space and I kick ass. I don’t know, or really have much else to focus on, so I put all my energy and focus in my work.

hh456

Celebrated Contributor

sales

fuck yeah. new sub-community coming when @generalcorp allows breakouts. you're member #2.

#SocioSelling

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

You say it's fucked up. I say I understand exactly what you're saying.

I guess we are both fucked up.

hh456

Celebrated Contributor

sales

#unity

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

I quickly realized my college degree was effectively worthless, I could talk to a wall, and I want to retire before 50. So naturally sales was the move.

RaymundoFlex

Opinionated

I work to play, get outside, and make family and friends laugh.

But reminds me of this quote:

What do you desire? What makes you itch? I always ask the question, 'what would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really enjoy spending your life?' If you say that getting the money is the most important thing, you'll spend your life completely wasting your time. You'll be doing things you don't like doing in order to go on living, that is to go on doing thing you don't like doing, which is stupid.Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way.
-Alan Watts

happyhunter

Politicker

spittin' sunshine

I love this!! Similar to my way of thinking also ❤

Biznasty

Opinionated

Lead Business Development Manager

This meme is accurate. It’s actually how I got into outside sales. Had a terrible event happen that unraveled my life. Job, house, relationship, 80% of my friend group. I took a job that I did not want because I needed to fall off the face of the earth. Six week in they made me a sales rep and I truly believe the only reason I could stick with it long enough to get good is because my life sucked so bad that people treating me like the scum of the earth didn’t even phase me. In fact, I took it as a challenge. I always say the best revenge on an asshole prospect is to make them your biggest customer. F U Pay Me

Biznasty

Opinionated

Lead Business Development Manager

Also, 1. Winning 2. Money

StrictlyBusiness

Praised Answer

Director of Enterprise Sales

My motivation has changed over time. Used to be winning, then cash, promotions, etc. Now I'm simply motivated by not letting everything I've earned and built for my family crash down around me. Had a buddy last year who got laid off, dipped into savings for a bit and then had to take bigger bites to pay for unexpected medical expenses for one of his kids. Years of playing the game the right way and earning and saving was undone by <9 months of hardship. I push myself to learn and grow and sell more to stay ahead of the unknown. It's kind of miserable, now that I've typed it out and read it back but shit it's the weekend so let's party and worry about this again on Monday...

alecabral

Arsonist

Director - Digital Sales Transformation

Making my wife happy, and getting shit done.

UserNotFound

Politicker

Account Executive

I’m in sales because I need to win. It’s not an “I love to win” sort of thing, I need it like an addict. I’m a really manipulative person and I never realized it until my husband would call me on my bullshit- thank god I found sales and channel it all here. I thrive off of reading body language, picking up on subtleties, getting the details right so that when I’m ready to strike they’re helpless. Apparently I’m a sociopath too, I’m realizing now that I type it out… 😂

TheNegotiator

Arsonist

VP of Sales

Damn.. if you wait too long all the good ones go I guess. I’m similar. I always wonder what would happen if you put 2 sales psychos together in a couple. . Either they’d kill each other or take over the world.

Blackwargreymon

Politicker

MDR

I enjoy having a roof over my head, top-shelf liquor, good weed and one day I want to be able to afford the Betty Ford clinic.

Clashingsoulsspell

Politicker

ISR

I enjoy having a roof over my head, top-shelf liquor, good weed and one day I want to be able to afford the Betty Ford clinic.

butwhy

Politicker

Solutions Engineer

I like really expensive shoes and spoiling my dogs. Plus I eventually want a boat.

So money. I am motivated by money.

happyhunter

Politicker

spittin' sunshine

I am motivated by self. I want to be the best version of myself and am constantly striving to be better, whether it be professionally, physically, or mentally. I know that if I can invest in all the shit necessary to perform and excel and challenge myself in and outside of work, the rest of everything (money, houses, relationships, travel adventures) will happen and fall into place.

We live in a society where so many individuals not only don't reach their full potential but they are blind to it. I want to positively impact those around me and motivate others to become the best versions of themselves. (Yes my life goal is to be a mindset and wellness coach and not in sales...can ya tell? 😘)

newsalesguy14

Politicker

Account Executive

I first got into sales to learn the art and skills of sales itself. I believe strongly that everything in love is basically sales, so whatever it is I end up doing or where I go, sales experience will benefit me.

Here I am, I like sales and am sticking with it, at least for now. I am working hard to make the commish to be able to take on financial risks that will lead to more financial freedom in the (hopefully near) future.

Biggest goal is owning real estate as an investor, but side hustles or even starting my own actual company would be cool at some point too.

But right now my biggest goal is to save up a down payment and get some skin into that game!

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I love the independence and the problem-solving part of the job, except when the problem-solving is 100% around internal broken work processes. Ahem. But solving a customer's problem, earning a sale? Gold.

Also, swiping a deal right out from under a competitor. LOVE that.

LordBusiness

Politicker

Chief Revenue Officer

It sound cliché, but you reach a point where it has to be something more than money or shit. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being financially solid and able to buy some ridiculous shit, but it won't help you maintain the motivation to continue on when your 20 years in (hell I'm old). For me its about helping other people do shit they never thought they could, give people overlooked by others the chance to make shit happen. That's the motivation. I like changing others stars (lame A Knights Tale movie reference I know)

Executioner

Politicker

Business Dev.

It's a step to running a company of my own one day. If you don't understand what it takes to make sales yourself you don't know what it takes to keep a company alive.
also crazy competitive, love winning and power. Whoops.

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

Money and being left the fuck alone.

EmptyCupOfTea

Valued Contributor

Growth Marketing Manager

Stop looking for motivation to get the job done, if you rely on that then you're already screwed.

If money or a roof over your head isn't a priority for you to get out of bed then you just need to find a job that doesn't make you want to end it all before you get out of bed, then my advice to you is to get a job that you don't hate. You don't have to like it, you just need to not hate it.

Top advice I would give to anyone looking for a job that you don't hate.

1) Is the transport journey easy?
2) Do you understand/not hate the industry/can you do the job?
3) Do you see yourself getting on with the people there?
4) Have you looked at non-standard jobs? You don't have to take the first option you get
5) Do you not hate the customers you're providing a service for? (<<< big one)
6) Is the pay worth it/enough?

It's not always about having a noble cause or be motivated to do your job you just need to figure out what's important to you.

If it's hanging out with your friends or family or just play games all day then a simple job that you don't hate and the pay isn't bad will do so that way you can go about your business and enjoy your life.

If you want a career then you need to find out what you enjoy doing and go through the list of questions above to help you find a career that will make you happy and you will not hate.

If it's quick money then sales jobs do the trick, but if you hate KPIs then try the entrepreneur route but that has its own challenges and you're entirely responsible for the success or failure of it all.

For me, it's progression and a personal little experiment that I'm doing with me as the guinea pig to do just that. I'll let you know the results once I'm done.

AnchorPoint

Politicker

Business Coach

Where you focus, your energy will follow and flow. Solid goals consistently reinforced will always keep you on track.

MR.StretchISR

Politicker

ISR

I enjoy having a roof over my head, top-shelf liquor, good weed and one day I want to be able to afford the Betty Ford clinic.

Mr.Floaty

Politicker

BDR

If you're ever in Mexico don't bother going to an exchange house for cash.

Cyberjarre

Politicker

BDR

Always Always Always say "decline". It will promptly dispense the desired amount of cash at a much better, almost mid market rate.

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TheNegotiator

What motivates you?

39 comments

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