🎧 31:27 - 34:48 (03:21)

Passion and belief in what you are doing can be infectious and transfer to others. Phil Knight's success with Nike stemmed from his genuine passion for running. He found that belief is irresistible and realized the importance of identifying one's passion to share it with enthusiasm. Expressing excitement about a product or idea is crucial in sales, as seen in the examples of Steve Jobs and Phil Knight who were successful because they had a deep belief in what they were selling. Having enthusiasm and passion for your work is essential, as it not only drives sales but also impacts the overall success and fulfillment in one's career.

David Senra: It was was that his that his passion passion for for what what he was he doing. was Passion doing passion is is infectious. infectious. The The belief belief and and passion passion you you have have and in what what you're you're doing can doing literally can literally be be transferred transferred to to another another human human being. being. I I think think of of one one of of my favorite my favorite descriptions descriptions of of this this actually actually comes from comes Phil from Knight's Phil Knight's autobiography, autobiography, Shoot Shoe Dog. Dog. It It wasn't wasn't until until Phil Phil switched switched to something to he something was he truly was passionate truly passionate about about, something something he he truly truly believed believed in in, that that he he found found any any kind of kind success. of success. And so And I'm so just I'm going just going to to read read a few a sentences few sentences from from his his fantastic fantastic autobiography. autobiography. He He says my sales my sales strategy strategy was was simple simple and and I I thought thought rather rather brilliant. brilliant. I I drove drove all all over over the the Pacific Pacific Northwest Northwest to to various various track track meets. meets. So So before before he he started started Nike, Nike, Phil Phil Knight Knight ran ran track. track. He He had had a a deep deep love love of of running so running much so so much that so he that literally he literally said said he he really really believed believed that that if if people, if he could he could convince convince people people to get to out get and out run and a run few miles a every few day miles that the every day, world would that the be world a would be better a better place. place. So let's So go let's back go to back this. to I this. drove I drove all all over over the the Pacific Northwest Pacific Northwest to to various various track track meets. meets Between between races. races, I I would would chat chat up up the to coaches, coaches, the the runners, runners, the the fans, fans, and and I'd I'd show show them them my my shoes. shoes. The The response response was was always always the the same. same. I I couldn't couldn't write write orders orders fast fast enough. enough. Driving Driving back back to to Portland, Portland, I would I would puzzle puzzle over over my my sudden sudden success success at at selling. I'd selling. been, oh, he's just He's going to going start to start listing listing all all the the ways ways he he failed failed at at selling selling beforehand, beforehand, right? What right? is What this? What is is the the point point of what you of and what I you and I are are talking about? talking How about? to How sell to like sell Steve like Jobs. Steve Jobs? Steve Jobs Steve Jobs was was master a master salesman. salesman. Phil Phil Knight Knight was was a a master master salesman. salesman. I had been I unable had been unable to sell to encyclopedias sell encyclopedias, and and I I despised despised it. I've it. I'd been been slightly slightly better better at at selling selling mutual mutual funds, funds, but but I I felt felt dead dead inside. inside. So So why why was was selling selling shoes shoes so different? so different? Because Because I I realized realized I I wasn't wasn't selling. selling. I I believed believed in in running. running. Belief, Belief, I I decided. decided. Belief Belief is is irresistible. irresistible. Passion Passion is is infectious infectious and and belief belief is is irresistible. irresistible. The main point The main that I'm point trying that to I'm tell trying you to tell is you is all you you need need to to identify identify what what you are you are most most passionate passionate about. about. And And then then once once you you do, share do share that enthusiasm that enthusiasm with with your your listeners, listeners. whether it's Whether it's a a customer, customer, a a recruit, recruit, an an investor. investor, You you can inject can inject them them with with your your passion passion and and belief. belief. There's a There's story a in story this book. in this Steve book. is Steve sitting is with sitting a with reporter a reporter from from Newsweek. Newsweek. He He is is previewing previewing that that think different Think Different ad. Here's ad, to the the crazy to the one, Crazy One ad probably ad, the probably the most most famous, famous, arguably arguably the the most most famous famous Apple Apple ad. ad. And so And he's so he's showing showing it it to to her, her. this This reporter reporter from from music Newsweek before before was it public. was public. And And the the reporter reporter said said that that Steve Steve started started crying crying as he as watched he watched it. And it. And this this is what is what she she said. said. It It wasn't wasn't fake. fake. He He was was really really crying crying over over that stupid that stupid ad. ad. And And then then her her next next statement, statement, she called she called it it a a stupid stupid ad ad and and her her next statement. statement. That's That's what what I I loved loved about about Steve. Steve. One of One the of reasons the reasons for so for many so many bad bad presentations, presentations, one of one of the the reasons reasons that that so so many many people people are are worse worse at at sales sales than than they they could could be be is is because because few few people people actually actually express express excitement excitement about about what what they're they're speaking speaking about. about. I I guarantee guarantee you you, Phil Knight's Phil Knight sales sales pitch pitch for for encyclopedias encyclopedias and and mutual mutual funds funds did did not not have have him him excited. excited, But but his his sales sales pitch about pitch about running running and running and shoes running did. And shoes so if did. you And find so if yourself you find yourself in in the the encyclopedia encyclopedia of or their their mutual mutual fund fund part of part your of career your career and you and you have have not not yet yet figured figured out out how how to get to get to to the the running running and the and running the shoe running part shoe of your part of career, your career, I I love love this this piece piece of advice of advice from from David David Ogilvy. Ogilvie. He He says, says, I I admire admire people people who who work work with with gusto. gusto. If you If don't you enjoy don't what enjoy you what are you're doing, doing, I I beg beg you you to to find find another another job. job. Remember Remember the Scottish the Scottish proverb, proverb, be happy be while happy you're while you're living living for for your your long longtime time dead. dead. Both Both Steve Steve Jobs and Jobs Phil and Knight Phil knew Knight what they knew were what selling. they were selling. They They knew knew how how to to sell. sell And and they they both both developed developed a a messianic messianic sense of sense purpose of purpose about about what they what were they were selling. selling. And

Created with Snipd | Highlight & Take Notes from Podcasts