As much as I would love to have writing being my full-time job, sadly this site doesn’t make me any money. I am wealthy of the satisfaction of knowing people actually read and use what I have to say. Unfortunately, my mortgage company won’t take that as payment.

In order to pay my mortgage company (and feed my family), I am a sales professional. Say what you want about the sales industry – I love it. I work for one of the top Health & Care IT companies in the world, preaching how we change the world of health and care on a daily basis. I dig it. And being in sales has taught me a lot about life.

Like – there is no second place in sales. I either win the business, or I don’t. I either close the deal, or I don’t. I either make a paycheck, or I don’t. I don’t get a trophy for second best. I don’t get a medal if I come in last. I have to win. As Will Smith says below “I will die on a treadmill”.

This is the mentality I have always had in my life, and now my job matches my mentality which has helped to increase my winning mentality even further. Win at everything. If you’re not first, you are last. Win every single opportunity that comes around your way.

It really bugs me that we live in a society where people feel the need that being mediocre, or second place, or last place, or anything other than first gets an award. Want an award? WIN. Be better than everyone else. Be the smartest, fastest, strongest, savviest, hungriest, winniest winner around and you will get first.

If you get second place, suck it up and work harder for first. Seeing someone on your first place stand should drive you to want to be there.

This isn’t just in sports or sales. You should strive to WIN in every aspect of your life. Finances, relationships, nutrition, every single aspect you should want to be the first place.

Now – I know that there are some things – relationships for example – that aren’t competitions. But WIN anyways. If you are talking with a buddy and you start saying, or even thinking things like “well my spouse doesn’t do that” or “I wish I had that kind of relationship” you aren’t winning. You aren’t in the first place. Go WIN. Go find out what it will take to get everything you want into your life. Those people that are in second place settle for what they have now instead of working hard day in and day out to be in the first place.

You need to get a little cocky about this idea. You need to walk into every situation – every aspect of your life – wanting to win. Expecting to win. Assuming you will win. But you also have to have the work ethic to win. No one is going to let you win – or at least they shouldn’t. You need to win off of your own hustle. Your own grit. Your own determination.

And when you win, and someone else comes along and dethrones you and drops you back into second – or you legitimately fall into second place or third place. Don’t give up. Don’t ask “where is my trophy – I tried” and get comfortable with second place. Get pissed. Get mad you are second best, third best, LAST PLACE and start on the process of first place.

When I first started in sales, I know NOTHING. Never made a cold call. Never been in contract negotiations. Nothing. So what did I do? I dedicated myself to winning deals. Morning, noon and night I soaked up all I could. I shadowed mentors on the weekend. I read books at night. I listened to audiobooks on the commute. Instead of coming home, cracking a beer and zoning out to TV, I would make mock cold calls to myself and record it, and listen to it – analyze it – again and again and again. Then I would practice it. I would record my presentations and demonstrations and email them to friends for feedback. I would rehearse, research, prospect in my free time, making sure I know my territory inside and out. I will not lose. I will win. And if I lost – I am going to work even harder, because if I lose, that means someone out there is working harder than me.

“Wow – that seems like a lot of work Zach”.

How bad do you want it?

This is the case with most people. They tell me they want something and I tell them – go get it. Go WIN and get what you want.

I don’t have time.

I don’t have resources.

I don’t have money.

I don’t have the education.

Blah blah blah blah. You don’t have the dedication, grit, and hustle to win. You don’t want it. And you will always be second place. And maybe you are OK with that.

Maybe you are OK with a mediocre life. Getting comfortable and just getting by. That beer, lazy boy and binge-watching Orange Is The New Black is way more comfortable. Welcome to second place.

“No – you don’t understand Zach – I am different. I really don’t have the time. I am a father with a full-time job trying to take care of my family. I get home I am tired and I need to relax and unwind. It is good for my health. I really don’t have the time to do anything extra.

Enjoy second place my friend. That’s life. Just know that there is someone out there busier than you working harder than you getting more than you, taking 1st place from you.

And we now live in a world where this is the norm. It is OK to get fat and lazy and mediocre. We actually now criticize those people who are more successful because of the mindset “well – look at me – I am in second, I got a trophy so I am OK where I am at. Why should I work harder?”

Because being in second means there is someone ahead of you. Someone who has more – someone working harder. And that should drive you to want more.

There will always be someone ahead of you. There will always be someone to go after. Because once you are in the first place – guess who you have to be better than now?

YOU.

You have to beat yourself once you are in first. You constantly have to be sure you are the best there is at everything you are doing or else someone is going to come and knock you down to the second place.

Don’t get comfortable. Don’t settle. Don’t come in second place. Win like your life depends on it – because ultimately it does. You don’t want to be on your death bed and say “Crap – I was the second place my entire life”.

WIN.