Worst day…

We all know that life can be hard; harder than business and business is pretty hard.  Sales is not as hard as business (or life) but it still can be hard.  If you think about it Murphy isn’t quoted so frequently and in so many different contexts by accident.  You know, the old adage: 

            Murphy's Law: 

If anything can go wrong, it will.

Unknown  Sage

Yep, Murphy gets referenced a lot: 

            Murphy's Law gives rise to Murphy's Philosophy: 

          Smile… tomorrow will be worse.

Unknown Sage 

My wife and I have an inside joke about Murphy; worst days; smiles; and sales.  It started years ago when she set-up her business booth at a dog show.  She was selling personalized dog collars and leashes.  It was her first time selling from a booth; waiting for customers to come up to her; hoping she would have sales.  On surface, there’s nothing wrong with first times: 

For all things there is a first time. 

                   Spok 

Her first day was her worst day.  No sales; zero; nada; zilch.  It was a hard day.  Committing to a four day show and having no sales on day one, she was worried about covering the cost of exhibiting at the event (let alone making any profit).  That night we talked about it – over a bottle of wine! 

In sales as well as business, some say you should “stay the course”; “have confidence”; “be patient”.  Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. offered an alternative point of view: 

I had hoped to follow the advice of all the management gurus and try to avoid making major decisions in the first ninety days, but that only happens in guru world. 

As I said, she was worried about covering her expenses and lamenting a bit about how hard sales can be.  In my career, having a short memory about hard days served me well.  One “worst day” doesn’t necessarily mean overall failure.  But in sales; as in business; as in life; we all have to overcome “worst days” from time to time, true?  It doesn’t mean we won’t succeed: 

Success is the ability to move from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. 

Winston Churchill 

I offered her a little encouragement, poured a second glass of wine, and emphasized she could still have a successful event.  My friend and former colleague once said: 

Focus on having a good day; each day; and the year will take care of itself. 

                   Gary Givan 

She changed her display slightly but held the line on her pricing.  Mostly, she showed up on day two with a smile – just like a sales professional.  Within the first hour of that second day she texted me: 

     Just beat my worst day! 

And we’ve never looked back. 

Today, my wife is out of the “show business” but I’ve jumped in with both feet.  I sign and sell my book  The Peace and Power of a Positive Perspective © over the course of three days, twice a month at King Soopers grocery stores.  It’s hard.  Sitting there hoping; wishing; waiting for someone to stop at my table and buy my book. 

I try to follow Gary Givan’s advice (and avoid thinking about Murphy altogether): 

Gattuso's Extension of Murphy's Law: 

Nothing is ever so bad that it can't get worse.            

Unknown Sage 

On occasion, I’ve matched my wife’s worst day.  On other days I’ve enjoyed texting her when I could say with enthusiasm, “Just beat my worst day”! 

                                                            GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.