I want to talk about how sometimes we are too quick to judge someone or something and we form our opinions way too soon. Each day as we travel through life we are exposed to many ideas, concepts, principles. Some of these ideas are relevant and some not. How do you know what's relevant and what's not?
I think it starts by having a clear picture of our path or journey and that helps us to discern what's important and what's not. Having said that, I think it's important to remain open to new ideas and even old ones because you never know how valuable they will be in to us in the future.
How often have we attended a conference, speech, conversation and we immediately blew off what was being said because of our so called years of experience? It happens all the time.
Years ago I was teaching at a sales conference for very large company. Before the session started a couple of sales people approached me and said, “We are the top sales people in the company with over twenty-five years of experience, our company said we had to be here. What could you possibly teach us about sales and prospecting, oh and by the way, this better be good?” And they walked away.
I was really rattled. Well, at the end of the day one of them came up to me and said, “I am really impressed by what you have taught me about the art of making a prospecting phone call.” I can't even count the number of times that has happened to me since 1990.
What have you had a pre-conceived notion about that you were too quick to judge? It could be something that was said at a sales meeting, or some idea that came across your desk. Take a few minutes, go back and re-evaluate.