You could have knocked me over with a feather...

Early in my career, I was the vice president of sales for a food company, and I was in Detroit hiring a sales person for the market. We had lined up eight appointments for the day, and the morning had been a bust.

I looked up and my 1 o'clock appointment was standing at the door. He was a tall, good-looking guy, and I remember thinking, "This could be the one." We talked for about fifteen minutes, and I asked a question I always ask, "What will you be doing five years from now?" I'll never forget his answer. He said, "Mr. Anderson, the way these interviews have been going, I might still be interviewing!" Well, that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear. We talked for a few more minutes and I excused him.

Then I looked up and my 2 o'clock was there. He walked over and gave me a confident handshake, and a few minutes later I asked him the same question, "Sam, what are you going to be doing five years from now?" He looked me right in the eye and said, "Mr. Anderson, I'm going to be working for you. This job fills my skills and my needs to a tee. I don't just think, I know I can sell your product in this market. And furthermore, if you don't like my performance after thirty days, you don't owe me a cent!"

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather! Sam had just made me an offer I couldn't refuse. But the offer had nothing to do with the money I might save; it had everything to do with his unwavering passion and belief that he could do it. And, within a year, Sam was the number one sales person in the company.

You see, whether you think you can, or think you can't...you're right!

Never underestimate the power of belief when it comes to fulfilling your dreams. I can say with no hesitation that every person I've ever met who has achieved any degree of success has had one thing in common: they believed with all their heart they could do it.

Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths