“Don’t leave home without it”, quick tell me what product this is the catch phrase to! Did you get it? I bet everyone reading this knew in a second or less this is the tag line for The American Express Card.
Once I left home and forgot to take my wallet with me. I had my little travel card case with my driver’s license in it so I was able to get on my plane, but when I got to my destination and I was checking into my hotel they asked for my card, I reached into my computer case where I usually keep it and …OOPZ … no wallet. At that moment all I could think of was “Don’t leave home without it” and I don’t have an American Express! I realized then how valuable a credit card is.
Another time I was in my home town and I had just finished reading the first book in a series of books and wanted the next book in the series. I went to the local book store and they were out of it. I was told I could have it in a few days but I really wanted to read it right then. After letting my fingers do the walking for awhile and getting the same answer from every bookstore I called I picked up the phone and called my public library. The librarian put me on hold and in a few seconds came back and told me she was holding the book and would put it on hold for me until I could get there. I gave her my library card number and in a little while I headed to the library to get the book.
When I arrived I went to the hold desk and asked for my book, the woman handed it to me and I went to check it out. I reached into my pocket, pulled out my wallet and couldn’t find my library card. That is when it hit me that I took it out to hold the book and I must have never put it back into my wallet.
At that moment I thought about my trip when I forgot my wallet and I was really surprised when I realized that not having my library card was more stressful to me than not having my wallet while I was out of town. I thought about it and it struck me that my library card was more valuable to me than my credit card.
What a crazy thought but it was true! I knew I could go to a branch of my bank and get cash or a temporary credit card in a matter of minutes but without my library card I couldn’t get the book I wanted to read. The reality is I get more from the book than I have ever gotten from my credit card.
I have written about this before here on the Training Buffet, Help Yourself, reading is the second best thing for the mind, oxygen in number 1. Reading can change your career. Reading can change your world. Reading WILL change your life.
I have quoted my dear friend Charlie “Tremendous” Jones several times here. One of his most impactful quotes ever was, “You will be the same person you are today 5 years from now except for the people you meet and the books you read.”
I know that all of the reps reading this blog have charge cards in their wallets or purses. I will bet that less than half of those reps have a library card in there next to it.
I will end this post with another quote by another one of my professional mentors Zig Ziglar. Zig says, “Feeding the mind is a lot like bathing. It is highly recommended that you do it every day”.
Lorin
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