OK, they seem to think that us "normal folk" cant do this. You don't want to listen, but you hear them and some fears start creeping into your mind. What if they are right? Yeah, so what? Accept that YES, they could be, but don't let them project their fears onto you. That's them. They probably aren't prepared to put in work, whereas, if you are reading this, we can presume you are -- and that's half battle licked already.

Failure or learning? It's a question of attitude

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by things you didn't do than by ones you did do. So throw off bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

Focus merely on doing what's right for you, now, (even if you suffer consequences) for only you can regret not trying something if you choose and allow others to influence you to hesitate.

If at first you don't succeed ...

You will read statistics (and actually, they are not lies) that state only 5% of people will succeed. Almost none of them will do it on first attempt. And this is where 95% -- that doubting Thomases above hold as being normal -- simply give up.

It's not because IT doesn't work, it's not because they couldn't have done it. They just didn't have that one elusive secret, quality or knowledge that 5% do realise they have.

So what's mystical secret that 5% have?

Absolutely nothing more than fact that they do not give up and they know they shouldn't. If their first ideas don't work, they learn why and go on to try something better. Again and again. They keep learning and they keep trying, for which they require inspiration, motivation and a large measure of tenacity. In my dictionary, failure is merely a sinister word that other people give to a natural learning-by-doing process. It ain't a big deal, it's no more than a knee-scrape in scheme of things. Get back on that bike!

I've tried many things that didn't work for me, but I don't think I have failed, ever.

In fact, I have learned and I am still learning, but two most important things so far are:

=> Finally, I am seeing results -- ones that matter to me currently, ones that pay bills => I am enjoying what I do at last instead of being an opressed wage-slave.

The motivation thus becomes self-fuelling. I am realising a dream.

Finally, visualize that person smiling as they recognize you and make sure to go overboard with imagined picture in your mind as well. Make picture twice as big as life size, make it 3D, in rich color and very bright and up close in your mind’s eye.

All this takes just a few seconds when you get good at it, at first you may find it tricky, practice it with people you see about town and you’ll soon find yourself greeting more people.

I also use this technique when I’m waiting in line at bank, in a store etc. That way you get an opportunity to be friendlier with whoever is serving you and with other people waiting in line.

In a short time you will find it easier and easier to start conversations with people you would not have dared to approach in past. Do this day after day and cumulative effect on your business will be staggering.

Keys to success:

1 Practice this skill daily until it becomes second nature to you.

2 Teach your staff how to approach people as well, by teaching this skill you will become even better yourself.

3 Remind yourself of negative implications of not making a great first impression and long-term effect on your business.