about 20 percent of its subjects reflected any extrinsic emphasis when defin-
ing the question, “What does it mean to you to be successful?”*
The following quotes from the study typify the common attitude of
high achievers.
- “It is enhancing other people’s lives versus just selling a widget. It is
helping others have a better quality of life.”
•“To get acknowledgment from my clients that I have helped them ac-
complish their objectives. That they adopt the plan we worked on,
and it makes a difference in their lives.”
It is a fair assumption to conclude that most people will not enter any
careers (sales careers included) without the prospect of furthering their
material fortunes. But the paradox is that the extrinsic, material payoff
loses its power to satisfy over time. This truth, of course, is most evident
with those who have achieved notable degrees of material success—which
usually leads the envious to declare, “Easy for them to say!”
“I’ve always liked money. I like making it, counting it, spending
it, and making more. But the more money I’ve made, the more I re-
alized that its power to move my pulse has diminished and has be-
come secondary to other more powerful ‘drugs,’ if you will. For
instance, I genuinely get more excited about putting together a
deal that benefits everyone than I do over the check I get at the
end. I get a huge rush out of overcoming obstacles. That’s what
makes me jump out of bed in the morning—not the prospect of
owning a better luxury car. I’ll tell this to a young guy starting out,
and he’ll say, ‘Yeah right, easy for you to say, you’ve already got the
prize.’ I guess it’s something you have to learn on your own. I’ve just
seen too many people burn out whose every thought and breath
was about the money.”—Dale R., Computer Systems RepresentativeThe question that cannot be avoided when discussing motivators is “If
it’s all about money, then isn’t it all about me?” And how well can a client
or customer be served with this attitude leading the parade? To quote the
above-mentioned study, “We contend that even though monetary achieve-
ment is important to quality of life, satisfaction has less to do with money.”
Finding Motivators That Last 117*Lauterbach et al., The Attitudes and Behavioral Styles of Successful Advisors. Wilmington:
Capital Trust, 2001.