Have you seen American Idol?  Everybody has issues!  Before they feature each singer, the producers find and exploit some heart-wrenching part of the contestant's life.  Maybe they grew up in squalor or had a sibling or parent with a debilitating medical condition.  Sometimes they focus on the loss of a friend or family member or an estrangement the singer channeled to write a poignant tune.  Some have been bullied or excessively rejected.  Others have learning disabilities or other hidden maladies that are highlighted to tug at the viewers' heartstrings. So why am I mentioning this?  Because they all have something! And, so do you and I.

What you do with or about it determines your outcome daily. 

We all have stories.  If you're employed, you can tell yourself the story of the drudgery of the commute, the enormous volume of work, the lack of appreciation you feel from your boss, and the crappy medical plan.  Or you can tell yourself the story of being employed during a time when unemployment is up, and the fantastic amount of business your firm has that can keep you busy all day.  You can think about the times your boss complimented you or the fun you have making fun of his unappreciative butt with your favorite coworker.

What if success and happiness had nothing to do with where you are, what you have, and what you do?  What if success and happiness were derived entirely from what you think about?  And imagine if changing what you think about could change where you are, what you have, and what you do. 

What story would you choose to tell yourself now?

Every day you can choose. The book of you has many chapters. Don't keep reading the tired, old, dog-eared, chapter about the time you lost, missed, grieved, got left out, got beat, tripped, misspoke, failed to speak up, or felt less-than.  We all have those chapters and while they may make for emotionally evocative television, focusing on them tends to hamper happiness and suck away success.

Own Your Sales Gene…