Grit, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is firmness of mind and spirit. That unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger. Grit is a compulsory independent variable, a key ingredient, that completes an equation for success. Sometimes, hard work, preparation, and all the luck in the world will not get us to the promised land the first time we try. It takes hanging on and sticking to our guns, despite the odds. The Sales & Marketing Executives Club of Los Angeles provided the following statistics showing how many calls it takes their sales reps to successfully close deals:
- 2% close on the 1st call
- 3% close on the 2nd call
- 4% close on the 3rd call
- 10% close on the 4th call
- 81% close on the 5th call
These statistics alone shows that for anyone willing to be a top salesman and a "big-time closer" there must be persistent effort. The following statistics show how soon salesmen from Dartnell Corp were willing to throw in the towel.
- 48% quit after the 1st call
- 24% quit after the 2nd call
- 12% quit after the 3rd call
- 6% quit after the 4th call
- 10% quit after the 5th call
A staggering number (48%) give up after the first failed attempt of trying to close a deal. 42% quit after the second, third and fourth call. Only 10% kept trying after the fourth attempt had failed and that's the percentage that was responsible for the 81% success rate - after the fifth call.
It's as simple as this... The longer we hang on... the higher the odds for success. As an avid sportsman and student of the game of basketball... I understand that, at the start of every game, there's a 50-50 chance of hitting a wide open jumper (that depends on how good the player is). But one thing I know for sure is that, for every shot missed, there is a higher likelihood of making the next shot. Every player, who is worth his salt, knows that they aren't going to just keep missing shot after shot. A true champion will always say, "the next one will surely going in". The man I call NBA's G.O.A.T, Michael Jordan said, "I've failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed".
