Norton: Not quite as easy as it seems
To the untrained eye, many tasks that require years of practice and dedication can appear deceptively simple. Take golf, for instance. How many amateur golfers, or even non-golfers, have spent hours watching reels and videos, only to watch professionals on television and think to themselves, “What’s so hard about hitting a little white ball that’s standing perfectly still with a metal club, especially when there’s no noise to distract you?”
From this perspective, it seems like anyone should be able to step up, swing the club, and easily make perfect contact. But as any seasoned golfer will tell you, the sport is far more complex than it appears.
The same misconception applies to many other professions. Consider the world of culinary arts, where top chefs from around the globe compete on cooking or baking shows for prestigious titles. To the casual viewer, following a recipe might seem straightforward: measuring ingredients, mixing them together, and cooking at the right temperature. What could be so tricky?
Yet, these chefs are judged on nuances that the average person might not even notice: the balance of flavors, the sauce’s texture, and the dish’s presentation. The finesse required to excel at this level involves years of honing skills, experimenting with techniques, and understanding the subtleties of ingredients.
This phenomenon isn’t unique to golf or cooking; it can be applied to virtually any occupation. From the outside looking in, many jobs may seem simple or at least not very difficult. However, every profession has its own set of challenges, nuances and skills, both hard and soft, that must be mastered through dedication and experience. Perfecting one’s craft requires countless hours of practice, trial and error, and a relentless pursuit of improvement.
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Sales, for example, is a profession that often gets a bad rap. Many people look at sales and think it’s an easy job: You talk to people all day, take them out to lunch, maybe play a round of golf, and somehow, deals get closed, and commissions roll in. Salespeople are often judged for having what appears to be a very flexible schedule, making better-than-average income, and not working that hard for their money. The perception is that they have too much fun, have too much free time, and make too much money for what they do.
But as J. Douglas Edwards famously said, and Tom Hopkins popularized, “Sales is either the easiest working and lowest paying job you will ever have, or the hardest working and highest paying job you will ever have.” This quote encapsulates the reality of sales: While it might appear easy from the outside, succeeding in sales is anything but. It requires hard work, commitment, sacrifice and a relentless drive to perfect one’s skills.
Sales is not just about making a pitch and closing deals. To be successful, salespeople must master a wide array of competencies. They need to be able to generate new opportunities, understand client needs, develop and nurture relationships, deliver compelling value propositions, overcome objections, teach and advise their clients, navigate complex deals, manage procurement processes, negotiate effectively to close deals, and ultimately grow the customer relationship over time.
These 10 competencies require the right combination of behavior, attitude and technique. And these skills are not developed overnight. They require significant practice. Salespeople must be disciplined in their approach, constantly refining their techniques, learning from each interaction, and striving to improve. The ability to make sales seem easy comes only after years of hard work, commitment and practice.
The same principles apply across all professions. Whether it’s sports, culinary arts, sales or any other career, success comes from a deep understanding of the nuances of the craft, a willingness to put in the hard work, and the discipline to keep pushing for improvement. It’s easy to look at a professional and think that what they do isn’t hard. But the reality is that what seems easy is often the result of years of dedication, practice and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Only after the hard work, commitment and discipline does it come to life, and only then does it appear effortless.
Are you consistently trying to hone your craft? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we add the extra effort as we strive for continuous improvement, it really will be a better-than-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager, and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
