So many people are struggling to succeed like Mike after falling into this trap.
“…The customer still hasn’t called me back!” Mike sighed, staring at his phone in frustration.
Mike seemed to have it all—years of experience, a wealth of contacts, a passion for what he does, and a genuine connection with his customers. On paper, he was the perfect salesperson.
He knew his product inside out, handled calls with ease, responded to leads, and even wrote stellar proposals. Mike wasn’t just punctual; he was personable, articulate, and knowledgeable. Yet, there was a glaring issue: his sales pipeline was dry.
Now, if you’re in sales, you know that your “pipeline” is like the lifeblood of your work. It’s the opportunities, the prospects you’re nurturing, the deals waiting to close. And for someone as seasoned as Mike, having a weak pipeline is like a heart with no beat.
Something wasn’t adding up.
When asked about his struggle, Mike had an answer ready: “I need a better marketing approach. I’m just not getting enough qualified leads.”
But here’s the truth—that wasn’t the real issue.
The problem was hidden beneath layers of complacency. Mike wasn’t failing because he lacked skill or expertise. He was failing because he was waiting. Waiting for the phone to ring.
Waiting for customers to come to him. Waiting for the marketing team to send golden opportunities his way. Mike was waiting for success to land in his lap.
A Dangerous Myth
Does it really work that way? Can success in sales—or any part of life—be built on waiting?
According to sales expert Terry Beck, “You don’t wait for the sale. The sale waits for you.” This quote encapsulates the mindset of a true closer.
Success isn’t something you sit around for; it’s something you chase relentlessly. But Mike, like so many others, had fallen into the dangerous myth of waiting.
Think of it this way: if you’re a lion in the wild, do you wait for the prey to walk up to you, bow its head, and ask to be eaten? Of course not. The lion stalks, hunts, and strikes when the moment is right.
Mike, for all his skills, was sitting in the grass, waiting for the gazelle to come to him.
Are You Mike?
It’s easy to think of Mike as a single individual. But Mike represents so many of us—people who are “busy” but not really moving forward.
How often do we fall into the same trap? We’re waiting for the big sale, the promotion, the dream job, or the life-changing opportunity. We tell ourselves, “It’ll come,” while time ticks away, and others sprint ahead of us. Like Mike, we think we’ve done enough, but in reality, we’re just… waiting.
Imagine your life as a puzzle. You’ve got the pieces—the talent, the knowledge, the connections—but instead of assembling them, you’re sitting by, waiting for someone else to come along and complete it for you.
It sounds ridiculous when put that way, doesn’t it?
The Trap of Busyness
Mike is busy. He checks his emails, writes proposals, and attends meetings. He’s a master of staying busy, but that’s not the same as being productive.
Being busy is a trap—a form of procrastination disguised as progress. In sales, and in life, it’s easy to feel like you’re doing enough when really, you’re just shuffling papers around.
Mike’s problem wasn’t that he wasn’t working hard. It’s that he wasn’t working smart. He wasn’t proactive, hungry, or taking control of his destiny.
And that’s a lesson for all of us.
I’ve seen 9-5ers who have taken time to acquire digital skills to have a side hustle besides day job, only to end up frustrated. The mindset of a ‘side hustle’ didn’t open their eyes to the fact that making money online goes beyond the skills. You need other skills to monetize one skill.
I was also like Mike when I first quit my 9-5 job too. I was excited about the idea of building something of my own. I spend months registering my business, developing my website, creating my brand identity and all those things that keep people busy, except doing things that actually move the needle for a startup– getting my first client.
I ended up broke and had to go for another day job to make ends meet. You also think I should have known better too, right? I know.
If only I’d discovered that startup is war earlier. Developing a sales hunter mentality is a must.
The Sales Hunter
Let’s shift gears for a moment and talk about the “Sales Hunter” mentality. A Sales Hunter doesn’t wait for opportunities; they create them. They set up appointments, follow up relentlessly, and don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
Picture this: You’re on a sinking ship, and there’s only one life raft. A Sales Hunter doesn’t stand in line, hoping someone will hand them a life jacket. They grab it, take action, and get on that raft.
Sales—and life—are about taking control. The proactive closer books meetings, sets appointments, sends follow-up emails, and keeps knocking on doors until one opens. They don’t fold their hands and wait for someone else to create the opportunities.
Surprising Fact: Did you know that, according to a study by Invesp, 80% of sales require five follow-up calls after the meeting, but 44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up? Imagine how much opportunity is lost simply because people like Mike are waiting for the customer to make the next move.
The world doesn’t reward those who wait. It rewards those who act.
The Real Takeaway
The truth is, waiting for success is like waiting for a miracle. It’s passive, and it assumes that external forces will align perfectly in your favor. But the reality is far different. The world doesn’t hand out success. You have to go out and take it.
Are you waiting for your next big opportunity, your next sale, or your next promotion? Or are you going out and making it happen?
The Shift from Waiting to Winning
Mike’s story is a wake-up call.
The difference between average and great isn’t always talent—it’s action. The most successful people aren’t necessarily the smartest or the most skilled. They’re the ones who take the most initiative.
Take the case of Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx.
She wasn’t waiting for someone to discover her product. She went door to door, pitching her idea until she landed her first big break. Her success wasn’t handed to her—it was hunted, pursued, and earned.
Or consider J.K. Rowling, who faced rejection after rejection from publishers. She didn’t sit back and wait for a publisher to come to her. She kept knocking on doors until one opened.
In both cases, success didn’t just happen. It was the result of persistence, resilience, and proactive effort.
What Can You Do Today?
Let’s return to Mike for a moment.
The solution to his problem was simple but profound. He needed to stop waiting and start taking charge. He had all the tools, all the knowledge, all the connections.
But none of that matters if you don’t pick up the phone, book the meetings, follow up, and chase down every opportunity.
And what about you? Are you waiting for life to change? Or are you ready to go out and make that change happen?
As the famous quote goes, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
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