With LinkedIn becoming more and more like FaceBook every day – you would think EVERYBODY but YOU, is winning.

I too, see their self-promoting videos while they drive around in the back of their cars (pretending they have a chauffeur) or rolling up to their (rented) private plane. Or, legitimately boasting about how they are the latest fastest growing company in their sector.

Ironically, these posts have a way of sometimes finding you when you are at YOUR lowest moment and they can be discouraging, to say the least.

So, for some reason, I felt like a moment of honesty may be needed. Because, maybe just maybe, one of you reading this, needs to hear the truth.

Success isn’t a destination, it’s a journey.

What I mean by that is this:

You could be flying high today and at your enemies’ feet by morning.

There’s no “I made it!” and now you run off into the sunset.

Research how many people who have won the lottery end up broke.

70% of them file for bankruptcy just a few years later. SEVENTY PERCENT.

I think the best quote ever on what I am trying to say is this:

“Success is never owned; it is only rented, and the rent is due every day!”

Meaning, you have to HUSTLE. All the time. The game is never over unless you quit and the game is ALWAYS winnable if you keep hustling and learning.

I said we need a moment of honesty… so let me lead with a few chapters of my own personal life:

• Growing up on food stamps.
• Never going to college.
• Barely graduating high school.
• Broken home – Check.
• Abusive stepfather – Check.
• Lived to fight another day – Check.
• Started working out and gained momentum – Check.
• Found my own path – Check.
• Built a company and sold it for $1,200,000 CASH – Check.
• Was broke 3 years later. Check.
• Built another successful company – Check.
• Next chapter… (unknown – but I’ll be hustling)

With all the great advantages social media has brought to our lives, the downside can be seeing how everyone else appears to be doing better than we are.

It’s important to remember that the only person we are in competition with, is ourselves.

Are we better today than we were yesterday, and what will we do on the days that the answer to that question is “NO”.

I’m hoping you’ll get up and hustle. Because I may need your inspiration to do the same one day.

After all, Iron Sharpens Iron.

– Michael Pedone

Michael Pedone teaches outbound sales teams exactly what to say to get sales conversations started with hard to reach decision-makers. He is the CEO/FOUNDER of SalesBuzz.com – An online sales training company.

One bad sales call can kill your company’s chances with an entire account.

SalesBuzz workshops get outbound sales teams all on the same page and can increase appointments and talk times by 25% or more within 30-days.

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