Sales Training: Created With Greatness

Sales success and inspiration go hand in hand. Now, what do I mean by that? To be successful in the world of selling, one has to have a healthy self image. To do that, we have to develop a healthy belief of who we are and why we are here.

Here is an inspirational thought that will improve your sales, your relationships, and your life. In the beginning of time, God created the earth and along with it man and woman, and He bestowed greatness with each one, greatness unique to each individual that, if developed, will shape the world to righteousness. Have you developed your greatness?

I know something about you. I may not know you personally but I still know something about you. That something is this: YOU were born with the seeds of greatness and created by the Creator of the universe to be a champion. If you choose to tap into your greatness, then you will live an extraordinary life. We may not all be famous. We may not all be financially rich. But we all have greatness to make a difference in this world. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

History tells us a wonderful story about the greatness of individuals. It goes something like this. The year was 1815. The date was March first. This was the day that all of Europe will remember. It was as if all their nightmares were coming true. On that day, a small British ship sailed very quietly to dock on the French Riviera. A man stepped off the boat with a fire in his eyes. The man looked as if he were on a mission. All of Europe shivered at the thought of the return of this man. The nightmare was back. His name was Napoleon.

Napoleon had been exiled to the island of Elba, which is off the coast of Italy. During this period in his life, Napoleon didn’t want to live and he attempted suicide. He carried a pouch around his neck that contained poison. He swallowed the poison but he did not die. He suffered cramps and convulsions and then he recovered.

Napoleon spent less than a year on Elba. He knew that the Allies had many differences and couldn’t solve them at the Congress of Vienna. Napoleon hoped to exploit this weakness to regain what he thought was his right to power. After his recovery from the poison, Napoleon escaped from his British captors and stole one of their ships. Now he had just stepped off this stolen ship to begin his revenge on a frightened Europe.

The Allies immediately put their differences aside and joined forces to confront the tyrant. One of the men Europe looked to defend them against Napoleon was the Duke of Wellington. Wellington was a British hero determined to stop Napoleon. Wellington commanded the combined forces of Great Britain, Prussia, Belgium, and The Netherlands. A line was drawn in the sand and a battle was fought. That battle was to become one of the greatest military victories in all of history. The battle was called “The Battle of Waterloo.”

Before the battle, Wellington was in Brussels preparing for his standoff with Napoleon. Accompanying the Duke was a member of the British Parliament named Thomas Creevey. As they were walking through Brussels Park they noticed a lonely British redcoat staring at a statue. Wellington grabbed Creevey by the arm and said, “There, look at him! It all depends on that article whether we do business or not. Give me enough of them and I am sure of victory.”

On June 18, 1815, the line was drawn in the sand. Wellington had with him 67,661 men and 150 artillery guns. Napoleon had 71,947 men and 246 artillery guns. Because of heavy rain the night before, Napoleon chose to wait till close to noon to attack. This decision may have cost him the victory. The battle began at 11:25 in the morning and would last until 10:00 that evening. Napoleon pummeled the front of Wellington’s line. Wellington’s troops fought earnestly. Finally, all hope for victory was put on the British infantry. These solitary redcoats put together made an impressive stand. These boys stood their ground. They would not give up. They believed in their leaders. They believed in their cause. They began to believe in themselves. They did have greatness within them. The line in the sand stood and finally Marshal Gebhard von Blucher came and reinforced Wellington with his Prussian troops. Napoleon was forced from the battlefield licking his wounds. This battle finally closed the book on Napoleon’s quest to rule Europe. Europe was safe again.

YOU, like the British redcoats, have greatness within you. Tap into your sales greatness and be the best YOU you can be!