Cracking the President's Club Code

The crowd erupts in applause as the final colleague's name is called, marking the culmination of our company's Presidents Club (Achievers Club) ceremony at the annual Sales Kick-Off. There's a mix of emotions among the winners – laughter, tears, and a profound sense of achievement. They laughed, they cried, they stayed on the grind, and they—frankly—made it happen.

Reflecting on the first half of my career, I remember sitting through six of these dinners. Each time, I left feeling amped up and motivated, determined to have my name called next year. I set it as a goal, wrote it down, told my mentor, told my manager. This year was supposed to be my year.

But as the New Year began, my plans quickly derailed. Meetings, appointments, and unexpected delays ate into my prospecting time. By the end of the week, I had spent only a fraction of the intended hours on my prospecting efforts—a mere 15% achievement on my ambitious plan for the year.

Fast forward to September, and with 75% of the year behind me, I was nowhere near the Presidents Club leaderboard. I found myself in the all-too-familiar territory of an underperforming sales professional, making excuses and pointing fingers.

Then came the pivotal moment—a closed-door meeting with my manager. Expecting a reprimand, I instead found myself in a conversation about alternative paths and personal accountability.

"if you weren’t a sales person, what would you be doing right now?" he asked.

That question sparked a realization. I needed a plan, a schedule, and the discipline to execute it. So, I took control of my life, both inside and outside of work. I crafted a strict schedule and committed to it unwaveringly. No distractions, no excuses—just relentless focus on the process.

And you know what? It worked. My sales year was salvaged, and I began to see progress.

My key takeaway from this experience? I wasn't a victim of circumstances. I had the power to take control of my career and drive my own success. The secret sauce? Discipline, applied consistently to a simple schedule, and the courage to say no to anything that didn't align with my goals.

Goals are important, but it's the dedication to the process that truly sets achievers apart. As we approach the end of Q1, let's ditch the excuses and commit to getting after it.

*Shout out to Tom Stark for helping me help myself, change the trajectory of my career

**Shout to Extreme Ownership and Jocko Podcast by Jocko Willink for changing the trajectory of my life