Bob Burg is the author of multiple books including, “The Go-Giver”, a Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek Bestseller which, to-date has sold over 925,000 copies! The Go-Giver has been translated into 28 languages. It was rated #10 on Inc. Magazine’s list of the Most Motivational Books Ever Written, and it was on HubSpot’s Top-20 Sales Books of All Time!
Bob is the author of a number of books on sales, marketing, and influence, with total book sales approaching two million copies! The American Management Association named Bob one of the 30 Most Influential Leaders and he was named one of the Top 200 Most Influential Authors in the World by Richtopia.
Bob is an advocate, supporter, and defender of the free enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve. I’m excited to share our conversation with our listeners!
Below are some insights from Bob Burg. Enjoy!
What is your personal definition of success?
Success can be defined and measured in different ways. It’s also very contextual, and individual. It can be as simple as achieving a goal but it’s certainly not limited to that basic context.
My overall definition of success is an ongoing and genuine feeling of happiness and peace of mind based on having done’s one best in living up to their potential.
I always enjoyed Earl Nightingale’s definition of success from his Lead the Field album, “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” And there are many other definitions I also enjoy.
Can you share the steps you take daily to improve?
I read voraciously. I watch videos and listen to audios, I observe and listen to people and I’m constantly checking my premises, understanding that I don’t know nearly what I think I know. Because of that, I’m hopefully able to keep my mind open. I think listening, engaging with people and not being attached to being right or knowing the answers is important. Questioning premises and asking ourselves, “Why do I think that?”, “Why do I believe that?”, or “What could I do differently?” is important. I’m constantly studying, learning, and hopefully growing!
What is your advice for someone making an important decision?
I think it goes back to learning how to make decisions, and not waiting until the last minute to decide that “now I need to know how to make a decision”. There’s a wonderful book written by a woman named Annie Duke. Annie is a world champion professional poker player. I’m not a poker player and it’s not necessary to be in order to benefit from her book called, “Thinking in Bets”. What it was really about is how to make the best decisions when you don’t have all the facts! We may have a preponderance of facts and a preponderance of evidence but we generally don’t have all the facts. What she talks about is learning how to think in such a way that we give ourselves the best odds of making the best decision. While the best decision doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best outcome, obviously the better the decision the better the odds of that best outcome occurring.
The most important thing is determining how you’re going to make decisions before those important decisions come up!
Tell me about a specific moment that set you on the path you’re on now?
I grew up with great parents, fortunately. Wonderful people who tried to make the world better for others! My dad was probably the best I’ve ever known when it came to people skills. His people skills were really based on truly caring about the other person and making people feel genuinely good about themselves. In terms of sales, it was understanding and learning that the sale is never about the salesperson.