BE BOLD

I'd rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; for a might have-been has never been, but a has was once an are.
Milton Berle

This is one of the hardest quotes to read, let alone understand. Yet every time I see it I love it a little more.

For those of you that don’t know, Milton Berle was one of the pioneers of comedy. Like so many other comics, he also had a great business mind and via quotes like this got his message out using his humor.

When I read this the message I get is BE BOLD. Don’t be afraid to go for the gold and try something new. The line, “I’d rather be a has-been than a might-have been, by far” is a strong statement. Like Mr. Berle says, you had to be a winner to be a has-been, and even winning once is better than never winning at all.

You need to BE BOLD when you are selling. No customer wants to buy from a timid sales rep (I once told you about the book I have. It is titled, “Timid Salesmen Raise Skinny Kids”) If you are bold, a customer may not buy from you, but at least when you leave they will remember who you are and what you were selling.

BE BOLD in the way you present yourself to others. NO, I don’t mean wear a bright orange shirt and purple shoes type of bold, I mean a self confident, motivated, and enthusiastic kind of bold. The kind of bold that has people saying you are what they are looking for as a sales rep, an employee or as a friend.

BE BOLD even when you are on the brink of failure. Especially on the brink of failure! What do you have to lose? So many reps back down when it looks like the “deal” is going bad, I say that is the time to STEP-UP and get even BOLDER. A show of strength when weakness is expected will sometimes lead to victory.

BE BOLD when you communicate with your bosses and colleagues. Letting them know how confident you are and letting them see that you are not afraid to show it or say it gives you a position of strength within your company.

BE BOLD when you do anything! Weakness is never pretty. Neither is conceit, but confident BOLDNESS is a beautiful thing to see.

If you have never been an ARE and think you are only a MIGHT-HAVE-BEEN then BE BOLD and change your outlook. BE BOLD and change your attitude. BE BOLD and become an ARE!

Lorin