Why aren’t you moving forward?

Why do you feel “stuck”?

Why is your success track not moving fast enough?

Why don’t you have what you want?

Why don’t you have what you feel you deserve?

These are not tough questions. These are life questions. Your life. If they make you uncomfortable, it means you aren’t sure of the answers. I can’t spoon-feed the answers to you, but you can discover them.

Here are a few more questions to ask yourself that will give you the insight to the answers ahead. I have not provided answers; you have to do that:

What is holding you back?

Who is holding you back?

Do you take responsibility for your success? Or are you blaming others for your inability or failures?

Are you taking actions toward your success? Or are you blaming things or people for your situation and inaction?

What’s your dream?

What are you working toward?

What’s your level of belief in what you do?

Why do you second-guess your choices?

Why do you let other people get in the way of your success?

Why have you not forgiven others for past mistakes or wrongdoing?

Why do you blame yourself instead of considering it a learning experience?

How are you investing your time (reading)? How are you spending your time (watching TV)?

How is the time you’re investing contributing to your growth?

How is the time you’re spending contributing to your growth?

Whom are you associating with?

Who is helping you?

Who is holding you back?

OK, I admit, these are stinging questions. If someone else asked these questions of you, you’d consider them to be a nagging person. The reality is when you ask yourself, they become nagging questions. A much better perspective.

So, what’s all this got to do with sales? Easy answer: Sales start with the salesperson. If you’re not right, your sales aren’t right. And the way you think about it, the way you think about yourself, will directly affect your results.

Each of you has some dream of what you would like to become, who you want to become, and what you want to achieve. The reality is that without an ability to take action, those thoughts and dreams stay stuck in your mind. They are known as pipe dreams. The dream is there, but you don’t really believe you can achieve it. Well, here’s the good news: You may actually be able to. The secret lies in the words “transfer” and “action.”

Transfer the mental image to a physical action.

Transfer the dream to a success game plan.

Transfer the plan into actions. Achievement actions.

Here are the 5.5 success keys:

1. Time allocation. Your ability to set aside time to begin to make your dream a reality. Time to learn, time to meet others, time to plan, and time to take action to get what you want, in spite of what has been holding you back.

2. Focus and self-discipline. Your focus and self-discipline will determine your success. Allocate some small amount of time every day, even if it’s just 30 minutes. Make daily progress toward your achievement, your success, your dream.

3. Thought conversion. Converting the thought into an action.

4. “The daily dose.” Define what you want and break it down into achievable actions.

5. The thinking that dominates your mind. Go back and re-read “The Little Engine That Could.” Think you can. Change your word-thoughts. Add words like dream, plan, support, belief, consistency, drive, focus, self-determination and      5.5. Your attitude. Positive attitude is your glue. Purpose is your fuel. You are the driver. You have the key to the car. Without you (and your road map, of course) you will never arrive at your destination.

5.6. Here’s the great news: With the winning words and formula you create for yourself, not only will you arrive at your chosen destination, but when you get there, you’ll be staying at the Ritz Hotel, baby.

Think about how you want to arrive. You can just show up at your destination, as you do at work. Or you can arrive in the style you choose. Once you begin to exercise personal choices that make you feel successful, more success will come your way. I promise.

Free GitBit: Want a few more things to think about? How about a set of questions that will lead you to more success? Go to www.Gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time user, and enter the word THINK in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer, president of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer service at www.trainone.com. He can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com.