Bill Becker

Happiness is Overrated

About 5 years ago I came across an article on Medium with that title and it sure looked like clickbait, but I was intrigued so I clicked, read it and it changed my life. The gist was if you “chase happiness” you are in for a long and rough road. Instead, seek peace or “peace of mind.” What the hell does this have to do with sales? A lot!

When you can’t pay your bills or provide for those you love, you have no peace of mind, let alone happiness. There’s the constant worry that eats at you day and night. If you are unemployed or even “underemployed,” a career in sales could change your life and the life of others. I did a big retirement post when I left my job at the end of November. I had several entries titled, “This job allowed me to…..” and listed numerous things that sales job allowed me to do in those 7 years (save my dog’s life from cancer; give my new wife a wonderful life; help others, etc.).

This is why so many people have emotional attachments to their job…because it’s NOT just about the paycheck. It’s about what that paycheck allows you to do every day. No one grows up wanting to live paycheck-to-paycheck or struggle to pay utilities or provide for their kids. No one grows up wanting to be a salesperson either….but sometimes what we are looking for shows up in the most unexpected places.

Happy Selling!