Everything adds up: what I sold and what I didn't sell.
Sometimes you learn more from rejection than from acceptance. And in that process, without even realizing it, you also learn about yourself.
I read a post by a good friend where he acknowledged the influence his family had on who he is today. I realized I'd never written about that topic before… and the inspiration started flowing.
When I was a child, I used to go with my mom to buy clothes, gold jewelry, and perfumes. I enjoyed tagging everything with the price she told me. Then we would go out with her customers to show the products and make sales. Finally, there were the regular visits to collect payment.
That was my first experience with commerce. Later, I had a small business selling costume jewelry. I don't quite remember why I stopped; I suppose it was entertaining, but it didn't work out as a business.
Even in my first job, I didn't like sales and wasn't good at it. In fact, I remember the day I really got into it: when my first commissions came in.
Over time, I came to understand that sales are present in everyday life, in every interaction. Human beings, by nature, seek to be liked and accepted. You stop seeing sales as a simple transaction and begin to understand them as something deeper: a relationship based on respect and trust, on agreements regarding deadlines and amounts. Whatever the deal, it deserves to be valued.
The first (and only) book I read on sales was "Sell or Be Sold." It's useful for laying the groundwork and, in a way, describes what I'm trying to express here. However, I've preferred self-help books. The kind that help you build confidence, direction, and focus. When you achieve that, when you truly believe in yourself, things flow: deals close, life improves, and stability arrives.
There are also business books and biographies: some inspire you with what you want to achieve, and others, curiously, show you who you don't want to become.
I know that sometimes life gets complicated and you don't even know which way to turn. When that happens, don't get frustrated. As long as you're clear about where you DON'T want to be, sometimes that's enough.
And speaking of where I am, today I'm writing from Austin, Texas. Building a home, with a husband, a baby, and lots of plans and ideas to grow and develop this year—which, by the way, is almost halfway through.
Sleepless, tired, excited. Sometimes unmotivated and frustrated; some days happy, others not so much... Hormones are still playing tricks on me. That's life: you start to enjoy it when you understand that nothing lasts forever.
Today I remember that everything adds up: what I sold and what I didn't. Sometimes you learn more from rejection than from acceptance. The former gives you resilience; the latter, confidence.
And it is right there, between one and the other, where you really grow... and transform.
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