Reflections from an Aging Warrior

The movie, “The Odyssey” is out.  It made me reminisce.  Grandiose expectations, even when achieved, can be a mistake…

Much has been studied and even more written about men of my generation, “trying too hard.”  We were modern warriors in a battle for treasure over ethics; victory over compassion; fame over family; intimidation over cooperation.  I wonder if that affliction afflicts today’s younger, working men.  Women, too.  

Speaking from experience, there can be a “burden of self-sufficiency” and “compulsive work ethic” in our warrioring years.  Some have suggested this can lead to “carrying sadness alone” when warriors fail to meet grandiose expectations, or even achieve them as Odysseus did.  It’s actually worse than that. 

I remember the day a former sales rep of mine, John, called.  Years previous I hired him into the technology sales field when other managers wouldn’t.  He was considered “out of profile”.  I took a chance.  I promoted him onto my Major Accounts sales team at ADP.  I trained him how to hunt.  He became a better hunter than me. 

After outgrowing that position, John left to seek fortune and glory.  He wound up as the #1 rep at Salesforce.com for multiple years.  We stayed in touch periodically; celebrating his victories.  

Then one day, John called.  I hadn’t heard from him in a while.  His voice was different.  I can’t pinpoint it.  He called me to share his most recent victory – or was it.  John just received his first $1 million W-2.  WOW!  What a grandiose achievement! 

Instead of joy however, John somberly asked me, “Gary, is that all there is?”  He was not consoled when I replied, “Yes. As a sales hunter, it’s just the money.”  We haven’t spoken much since.  I think we resigned ourselves to the reality that in our profession, hunting was “all we know”. 

No shame, though.  In the B2B sales profession there are very few true hunters.  Just being a consistent, 100% of quota performer, year-in and year-out, is rare.  I know elite performance is found in many professions.  I don’t know what makes the difference:  

Not every man is built to be in the arena.  

Scottie Scheffler 

Older now, I can finally say that growing up I and others placed too much emphasis on making money.  Pursuit of grandiose expectations, even when achieved, can create disappointment.  In my career, I did things that can’t be undone – can’t be “fixed”.  They are not “learning experiences” because as an elderly man there will never be a next time to “do better”; “do it differently”. 

Can self-forgiveness be found by acknowledging unforgivable deeds?  Did Odysseus find peace?  I hope so.  It’s not because we Aging Warriors have to “live with it”.  It’s actually worse than that.  We have to die with it. 

GAP

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