Not EVERYTHING Is Disciplined

Maybe you think you're disciplined...

You may be one of those who never skips a workout-no matter how pressing the day may be; always saves money-even when you've had a bad month, rises early-no matter how late you stayed up, or after losing 50 lbs, you vow to never indulge in anything that's been dipped, drizzled, battered, or fried again. Sure, like all of us, there are days where you feel like skipping, splurging, sleeping in, or supersizing, but you refuse to give into those temptations because you've learned (the hard way) that what you work on becoming has very little to do with what you feel like doing. Disciplined people first discipline their feelings- no matter how sore, broke, tired, or famished they may be, they don't allow their feelings to become the master of their doing.

Like heart disease is to the body, feelings are to our success-the silent killer. Feelings incessantly fight us to stay within our comfort zone by chattering, nudging, and whispering our psyche to take it easy, you've earned it, relax, and you've got plenty of time. Disciplined people fence in their feelings- they're permitted to be felt, yet not allowed to run wild.

At the beginning of each month you set a goal of how much you want to make along with how many cars you want to sell-3 awful days later, you go back to doing what you've always done-just enough. Normally your goal is based on your current crises- if it needs to be caught up, paid down, pre-paid, or paid off before it's charged off, you'll do whatever it takes and no more. Often times we'd rather remain in the comfort of our miseries than to venture into the unknowns of undiscovered bliss. We know the disciplines it takes to have a successful month-catch this many Ups, demo and write-up a certain percentage of people, and you'll deliver this amount of cars-easier said than done. You know your product, you listen to all of the closing CD's, you take notes in the meetings, yet you're no more successful than you were when you first started. What gives?

Your techniques may not be undisciplined, but your disappointments are....

If the road to life is littered with disappointments, then the road to the sale is paved with them. How you handle your disappointments is proportionate to how successful you are in your sales career (and life). Disappointments suck- there was the time when you felt like you should've been put on half of a deal; the customer you spent two days with bought across the street; another dealership put more in your customer's trade than your manager did; F&I wouldn't push that questionable deal through; the customer didn't come back and ask for you, you didn't get Saturday the 22nd off, the last customer demanded you lose $3000, yesterday's late night deal rolled back this morning, and you had to drive an hour away to get your customer to sign one form. And that's all in one day :)

Contrary to your belief, you are not cursed, damned, doomed, or snakebit...you're just disappointed and just like the person who wants to build strength, save more, learn more, or look better, you've got to discipline your disappointments. There will be times on the showroom and in life that the ball will not bounce your way. Don't allow your mood to become mountains to your month. Tommy Lasorda put it best when he said, "No matter how good you are, you're going to lose 1/3 of your games; no matter how bad you are, you're going to win 1/3 of your games-it's the other 1/3 that makes a difference." Unfortunately we allow the one third of our losses to govern two thirds of our lives. Focus on what you can control-whether you feel like it or not-whether you lose by a little or get annihilated, keep showing up NO MATTER WHAT. Let the lines of disappointments, discouragements, downfalls, and disparaging moments champion chapters of newfound victories.

"The rule is simple," says Seth Godin, "The person who fails the most will win. If I fail more than you do, I will win. Because in order to keep failing, you've got to be good enough to keep playing. So, if you fail cataclysmically and never play again, you only fail once. But if you are always there shipping, putting your work into the world, creating and starting things, you will learn endless things. You will learn to see more accurately, you will learn the difference between a good idea and a bad idea and, most of all, you will keep producing."

Fence your feelings and you will find your destiny.

I'll see you next time on the Blacktop.

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Comment by Brian Bennington on December 15, 2014 at 8:23pm: Marsh, After reading your response, the first thing that came to mind was "What a guy!" No kidding, that really is the first thing I thought. As mentioned in a previous response, I'd genuinely love to sit in on one of your sales meetings, but alas–and even though Louisiana has much I'd like to see (and taste), a trip to Lake Charles probably isn't in my limited-by-age future. I do sincerely hope you achieve GM/Dealer Principle status. You have much to offer this business. Keep writing, and as to sporting references, the Lasorda quote fit your post like a glove. By the way, you might never believe it, but my "do" is comprised of one very long hair I've nurtured and teased to appear exactly as you see it!

Comment by Marsh Buice on December 15, 2014 at 7:45pm: @Brian, first off you are welcome to join those of us who choose to lose [our hair]-we are always looking for new members and you look like you've got just the right shaped head to sport such a distinguished "do!"

I only write about experiences that my team and I are(or have) going through in efforts to shed some light for someone else who may be going through the same thing. GSM is not my end game, GM and dealer is the path for me-all I can do is work every day to stay ready so when the time comes I'm already in stride. Thanks for reading and the kind words, it means alot-I'd love to meet Mr. Jackson one day:) (P.S. I left the sports analogies out for you)

Comment by Brian Bennington on December 13, 2014 at 10:53pm: Outstanding, Marsh! I immediately reread your bio and the thing I find most surprising, exclusively because of your intellect and savvy, is that you're still a GSM. Your GM must be a vehicle-retailing genius! While your content to me isn't breaking any new ground (I've got a shelf full of books and media by everyone from Napoleon Hill to Tony Robbins I've enjoyed repeatedly), your content and construction is superb! It's almost impossible to read someone here, including myself, without a typo or more, and I didn't notice a thing in yours. It's so good it damned near makes me want to shave my head! (I hope that observation isn't too un-PC?)

Having only read you here, my gut reaction is you're the real deal. Can you manage, close and sell as well as you motivate? Now, here's my question.... Is your current GSM spot your endgame or do you want to move to a more challenging position? And, if so, are you practicing the same self-improvement motivation you're preaching here? Really, you're the kind of guy that if you, say, sat next to Mike Jackson (AuNa) on a twenty minute flight somewhere, you'd end up with a job offer by the time you landed. And, that's a genuine compliment.

Comment by Marsh Buice on December 12, 2014 at 5:55pm: Tom thanks for reading and your friendship my brother.

Comment by Tom Wiegand on December 12, 2014 at 5:22pm: I value your wisdom, Marsh. I especially am in awe of your writing skills. You're awesome my friend!

Comment by Marsh Buice on December 11, 2014 at 6:14pm: Thanks for the support guys! :)

Comment by DealerELITE on December 11, 2014 at 6:04pm: Excellent Post Marsh.

Thank you for sharing with the dE team

Comment by Marsh Buice on December 9, 2014 at 1:47pm: Ken I LOVE that quote-it is going into my journal!! Thank you for that shot of inspiration-I'm glad I can usefully contribute to an industry that I love. Thanks for supporting me and sharing your comments Ken.

Comment by ken donahue on December 9, 2014 at 10:46am: Great insights into our human nature and how our attitude affects everything that we do...or don't do! Your contributions are always very useful, and have real world applications.

I have this quote on my desk:

"Some succeed because they are destined to. But most succeed because they are determined to."

Keep up the good work Marsh, and I am looking forward to more of your insights "from the Blacktop."

Comment by Marsh Buice on December 8, 2014 at 2:07pm: Thanks for checking out Joe! If we discipline our disappointments we will see a whole new level of success.