I was having coffee with a friend recently and he was telling me how he left a company he was with for several years after he got a call from some people he used to work with and they wanted him to come to work with them. After much thought he decided to leave the position he was in to go for this "better opportunity". Four months later the new company closed and he found himself out of work. Many people take this risk understanding that it’s necessary to move ahead only to find out that they’ve made a crucial mistake.

Omar Bradley, the 20th century American Army Commander said, "We need to learn to set our course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship." Left to our own discernment about what this means could lead us down several roads. What struck me when I first read it was that the stars are permanent. They haven’t changed much in millions of years so we should make our decisions based on what we know to be consistently reliable, unlike passing ships.

I wouldn’t say that my friend made his decision based on a ship passing in the night. When it happens once and is made with the right amount of thought, the best decision is made at the right time with the right amount of information. When you make that kind of decision more than once, like I’ve done, because every opportunity that comes along looks better than the last one, you’re headed for disaster like an oil tanker that runs aground. I’ve learned what Omar Bradley knew: When you make decisions you should make them based on things that are stable, like the stars. Understanding that, we have to remember that an acceptable amount of risk is good, just not risking everything for every opportunity that comes along.

As sales people, we have to stay focused on what we know to be true. We can’t let everything someone says drag us down. If a former customer is bad mouthing your company, don’t try to find ways to validate it and complain to your boss. You’d do much better by standing up for what you know your company represents and re-painting the right image into the mind of your customer without tearing down your former customer.

The next time you’re in a situation and you’re not sure how to react, look upward and realize that the only road is the one you know to be true, reliable and has a history of success. I know you can do it and I definitely believe in you!