pro named Will Short Jr., who had NEVER won a PGA tournament was about to win his



first tournament, and with it, $720,000.

As flattered as I’ve been at being called the Best Speaker in Los Angeles,

(coachrontunick.com) a title I truly appreciate, winning that PGA tournament title

changed his life forever.

I thought to myself, WOW, this is amazing, one putt will change the course of his

life forever. One minute later, the announcer said the same thing.

When the speaker echoed my own thoughts, I immediately began to apply this principle

to the Bankcard Industry. I asked myself critically, “Could one putt, in other words

one merchant processing account, earn us this kind of money?" My answer was a

resounding “yes"!

I love being a public speaker, but I love the bankcard industry for many reasons as

well, the most standout reason being the freedom of choice it offers all of us. We

choose our own path and write our own script for failure or success. We can choose

to reap the financial rewards, or we can choose to complain that everyone else

always gets the big breaks and makes the big money. The course of our success is

lead by our determination.

In many ways, the Bankcard Industry is immune to the pitfalls and prejudices that

other industries face (like being a public speaker for instance). The Bankcard

Industry doesn’t care what color your skin is, what faith you belong to, or your

political leanings. The Bankcard Industry marches on, relatively unaffected by

interest rates, or who is president of the United States. It continues to grow,

steadily and gain strength each year. So, what does all this have to do with

dropping a putt on a golf course? Well, to that I say…keep reading, our golf analogy

will tie it all together.

You may be asking yourself the very same question I cited a few paragraphs ago, “Who

is making all this money in the Bankcard Industry?" The answer is surprisingly

simple: Hardworking people of all walks of life, with a defined purpose and a

burning desire to succeed – much like how I try to succeed as a public speaker in

Los Angeles. Did our PGA golfer just get lucky, or did he fall into this category of

concentrated hard work? I think we all know the answer. Will Short Jr. believed he’d

found the way to win in professional golf, and he simply put his methods to the test

until he succeeded. His pure desire to win overshadowed all obstacles. Will Short

Jr. had a defined purpose and a burning desire to succeed. I think just about every

one of us can find a parallel here in our own lives and business success or success

as a public speaker.

The key point is simple: You MUST find a way to make that “one putt" (or the one

public speaking event) that can change the course of your life forever. Here’s how

you might start the process.

If you’re in sales, you’ve already strategically positioned yourself. In a sense you

are a public speaker. Salespersons are in front of the public, speaking all the

time. All you need to do to get started is begin to think like a winner, but there’s

more to it than just daydreaming about being a public speaker. You’ll need to put

some concrete pieces into place too. Begin by devising a solid business plan and

focus your energy on that plan. Revise and grow your plan if necessary, but stick to

it and use it as your focus each day. There is no quick fix or easy way to climb the

financial mountain. Climbing any steep mountain requires skill, stamina, training,

and a consuming desire to get to the top.

Desired Success Level

So start by checking in with your desired success level. Is your desire to succeed

less than 100%? When I set out to become the best public speaker, I made a plan to

give public speaking my all. If so, that’s ok, but you will encounter problems and

Bankcard might not be the business for you.

If your desired success level is 100% or higher, then let’s get started training to

make that one putt that could change your life!

Action Plan

Start with a solid action plan and motivating approaches you can put into practice

each day:

Professional Tactics

* Work harder and smarter than you ever expected to. Winners always OUT WORK

their competition.

* Tell people how much you believe in your industry and that Bankcard is your

professional calling. People want to know that you’re committed.

* Study and read everything you can about the industry. I mean

everything--industry publications, training manuals, relevant articles in larger

news sources.

* Focus on LARGE merchants. About 30% of your time should be spent talking to

very large merchants in your community (merchants that process over $1 million a

month).

* Focus on the right techniques to write large merchants. Larger merchants have

different requirements and you need to be ready to offer them and satisfy them.

Personal Tactics

* Read an inspirational book, a little each day. A must!

* Look to a mentor that has “made that putt". These people do exist! Find them.

* Let your speech and body language reflect your winning attitude. Merchants

know if you’re not 100%.

* Practice and practice making that putt under pressure. When was the last time

you rehearsed your presentation?

* Don’t quit no matter how tough or slow things get. Your courage and stamina

will be tested, and that’s OK.

Doing all of these things will not guarantee that you drop the life changing putt.

However, doing all of these things will most definitely change your life and will at

the very least, POSITION you to drop that putt. Learning to win is just that—it’s a

learned skill. Winning in business begins with HOW you think, what you expect from

that thinking process, and translating this into action.

I really believe that you too can make the winning putt that changes your financial

life. The Bankcard Industry rewards the person who stays the course (golf pro Will

Short Jr. was 41 before he won his first PGA golf tournament). Will Short did not

give up. He kept his desire alive until that putt dropped, and so can you.