James Coler Sr, dad to my good friend and partner, Jimmy, said that back in the ’70s. Mr. Coler had no idea how prophetic he was.

These days, people are emailing during Zoom meetings, checking scores, social posts, and market numbers on their phones while talking with someone and driving!

Today, my checkout person at a small local market was scrolling on her phone while she waited for me to tap my debit card. I was holding a twenty out in front of her. It took her a minute to realize how I was paying, and then she took my cash and rang up the sale. The register told her my change was $5.73, but she was stuck for a minute. You could see the momentary confusion as she stood stock-still, thinking about grabbing two quarters, two dimes, three pennies, and a five-dollar bill.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t used to cash. People often use cash in this market, with typical purchases of veggies usually under 20 bucks. It was the transition from TikTok to live-action. She got stuck for a moment between horses.

Multitasking, especially where human communication is concerned, is a myth. There is focus, and there is distraction—two horses…one ass.

When we are on the phone, and you’re replying to an email or a text, I can hear it in your voice, and our rapport is fractured. When you do it while we are speaking in person, rapport is gone, and I tolerate you as I look for an exit or until I have the information I need.

My advice, if you’d like to be excellent at whatever you’re doing, is this: Do what you’re doing while doing it.

Pick a horse.

Own Your Sales Gene…