Keith Peterson was president of the company where I worked. He said that “ninety percent of your success is persistence.” My job was to do in-home cooking demonstrations for married couples, and I worked long and hard to have my presentation good before I gave my first one.
My first one was awful. Instead of two hours, it took four. The husband dictated the pace by arguing every point I made. There were phone calls and visitors. I burned food. I undercooked food. I stuttered and stammered. It was awful.
By my second one, a week later, I had practic
ed many more times. The second one was good, and I made money. The third one, a few nights later, was good, and I made money. I thought, “man, this stuff is easy.” Then I went 0 for 17. My next 17 presentations, I struck out. Zip. In 20 dinners, I sold only twice, or 10 percent, about 50 percent below the national average.
Quitting never crossed my mind, although some around me suggested it. I continued to improve my presentation skills and product knowledge. I cooked the meal so many times at home my children learned to hate it, but I stopped burning food. I gained confidence in myself and booked better-qualified couples. The sales came – persistently.
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