Our Results Are A Function Of Our Words

When we declare and decree something, it manifests itself, and a light shines on our path.

Think about the power in this statement. Words are powerful, and we can affect the outcome of our lives by decreeing to the universe.

Before you say anything, think carefully about what you’re putting out there. At the same time, relentlessly guard what others want you to believe and agree with.

Ride Alongs

Over the last twenty years, I’ve spent days riding with hundreds of salespeople and technicians. During that time, I’ve noted that people fall into one of three categories.

• People who climb the rope.
• People who want to climb the rope.
• People who want to dangle and be supported by others.

People who climb the rope.

I’ve noticed that the people who climb - and therefore have better results - are positive. Their outlook of “what will be” aligns with the desired outcome and overarching goals. They speak life into their situation versus speaking death over it.

Recently, I rode with a salesperson whose conversion rate is poor. He was given a reasonable time frame to improve his number, and much of my instruction focused on what he says about how it will be - the words he is speaking.

We traveled to a prospect’s house together to offer solutions to a heating and air conditioning problem. As we pulled up at the property, the technician filled the vehicle with negative words.

“I don’t know why they send me to these kinds of calls.”

“This neighborhood has a lot of people who never do anything.”

“I have been in this area a thousand times, and it never goes well.”

“This is not going to go well.”

What would a top performer say?

At the same company, the top salesperson approaches calls differently.

“Well, this is a lead in X neighborhood. “This sounds good…We’ll go. We’ll see.”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Things will go well.”

“I can close this one!”

“This one will be easy!”

“ I Love these kinds of leads!”

While many differences between climbers and those who want to climb exist, those who wish to climb tend to be negative, and this is what stops them from reaching higher.

Declare and decree something, and you realize it.

The salesperson with low numbers declares and decrees something he doesn’t want. As a result, he has established a path he doesn’t want to follow because he cannot control his tongue.

While this is a lesson for your business, the practice extends way back.

Zachariah, from The New Testament, was John the Baptist’s father. His wife was Elisabeth, the cousin of the Virgin Mary. Zachariah and Elisabeth were old and did not have any children.

Zachariah was a priest, and at the time, burning in the inner room incense was a dangerous act. Before the priest entered the inner room, he would tie a rope to his foot to pull him out if The Lord were to smite him for sin; the fear of the Lord was a serious thing.

As the story goes, while Zachariah was ministering at the altar of incense, an angel of the Lord appeared and announced to Zachariah that his wife would give birth to a Son. Zachariah doubted and spoke negatively about this to the angel. He did not believe what he was told. So the angel explained to him that he would be mute until the baby was born.

Zachariah was not able to speak for over nine months. I interpret that God had to shut the mouth of the negative speaker to ensure the miracle happened. The angel declared it and decreed it while Zachariah mocked it. God could not work with Zachariah's negativity.

If you are in a bad situation, resist describing it. Instead, speak about the change. The rule is to use your words to change our situation.

From my experience

Early into the New Year, I had a sales lead from knocking on doors. The holidays are a slow time of the year, and I needed to close this sale badly. As we drove down I-59, I declared and decreed out loud, and it was similar to this.

• It will be easy for me to establish a strong rapport with these customers.
• It will be easy for me to find their pain.
• It will be easy for me to find their budget.
• It will be easy for me to get them to say “Yes” or “No.”

After my sales pitch, the husband said they would think it over, which is a common response. I convinced the wife that what he was really saying was “No,” and that once I left, the pain would remain untreated.

The system had been functioning poorly for thirty years, and chances were that it would continue this way for years to come.

The wife agreed and said, “He is right, let’s go ahead and get it replaced.”

Remember, during the ride to the property, I declared that I would get a “yes” or “no” and not a think it over. When I heard “think it over,” I went for the “no” and got a “yes.”

What is the lesson?

Speak and believe how you want it to be. Ultimately, it’s an issue of faith. Faith is defined as substance and evidence of things you hope for, and the substance and evidence are your words and expectations.

However, there is a tool that can work against you: believing a lie and then speaking it. Therefore…

From my Experience

Late in December, my father sat down across from my desk and started declaring and decreeing how my year would finish. It was December 18th the holidays - Christmas and New Year - were only days away. He declared:

“This time of year ain’t nothing but paydays and holidays.”

He believed it, so he spoke it. Here, he was speaking about my business, but I didn’t receive his words.

He continued:

“Well, I guess that your year is over” and in response, I asked, “what do you mean?”

“Well nobody is going to do any new business now. They’ll likely wait until January, so if you have not made your year by now, you ain’t going to make it. I mean the year is over, right?”

It was in my office, for the first time, that I saw what was happening. If I accepted my father's words and agreed with the lie, it would become a reality. I didn’t want to agree, and I knew my year wasn’t over.

“NO… my year is not over. I have Business A in the pipeline, and they are going to buy. I have Business B in the pipeline and they are going to buy. Not only that I have Business C in the pipeline, and they are going to buy. So really, I am going to have the best last two weeks of December that I have ever had.

I had spoken it; I had declared and decreed it.

Then I poured gas on the fire. I quoted scripture.

“God takes pleasure in my prosperity, and the blessings of Abraham have come upon me.”

Now I did not say this, God said it. I just spoke it and stated it as it is written. My father got angry with me and stormed out of the room screaming.

What happened?

All those deals closed, and I had a great two weeks to the end of that year. If I had spoken and accepted the lies, my year would have ended differently.

The Bottom Line

Rejection is a fact of life, so don’t get stuck there. Don’t allow others to mold you through shame, guilt or manipulation. My life is my responsibility, and I will establish the life I want to build, not the life others want for me.

For me, I am only accountable to God. We must make decisions and choices independent of the expectation and approval of others, especially those we deem powerful over us, such as parents.

That conversation with my father occurred when I was forty years old, and nineteen years later, I’ve broken free of allowing the lies of others to sabotage and rule my life - that moment was a turning point.

Dr. Henry Cloud defines boundaries as invisible property lines that separate everything that is yours from everything that is not yours. With that in mind, It is my job to tend to my yard. I decide what comes in, and I decide what stays out. What I find in my yard, I own.

My life is my yard and my responsibility, and I decide, declare and decree how it will be. How about you?