Are You Still in Your Prime? [Academy]

Are You Still in Your Prime?

 The iconic actress Bette Davis said, “Old age is no place for sissies.” She was right. 

If you want to continue to compete with the younger crowd as you get older, you need to keep your game at the highest level. That is, you need to stop whining about getting older and endure the pain that comes with working hard to stay in shape, both physically and mentally. It takes extra time and effort to keep up with or stay ahead of those younger than you. Plus, it makes it even harder to stay focused on those kinds of goals when society likes to put everyone over 50 into the “over-the-hill” category. 

Most younger people dismiss us older folks as obsolete and unable to contribute as meaningfully as they do to their jobs and to society in general. Many think we are sissies. What they don’t realize is that  sissies aren’t exclusive to the over-the-hill gang. Sissies are everywhere and, in great numbers, even among young people. The phrase in your prime no longer applies to any specific age group. There are people defying the so-called normal effects of aging. In certain sports, where physical prowess is required, people are proving they can outperform everyone else their age, and many who are much younger, by simply outworking them. And when it comes to mental capabilities, never underestimate the older crowd. A friend of mine is an archery competitor. He told me that at the Minnesota State Archery  Championships this year there was a 95-year-old man who was competing. He told my friend he planned to continue to compete as long as he could. 

As a seed seller, at what age are you no longer in your prime? At what age do your selling skills begin to decline and are no longer as effective as younger sellers? The good news is, as long as you keep training and practicing, sales skills never decline. They continue to improve. The bad news is there are plenty of people in sales who have grown old before their time. They’re the group of young sissies who don’t want to put in the time and effort to stay relevant—that is, keep in shape both physically and mentally. They don’t train, they don’t study, and they don’t practice. That’s the fastest way I know to grow old and past your prime in both the sales arena and in life.

Did you know you are always the same age on the inside? So how old are you mentally? Does it match your chronological age or is your mental age a lot younger? I know mine is. I’m 73, but I think and feel like I’m 35. For me, that’s what drives me every day—knowing I’m in an elite category for people my age. I’m not a member of the over-the-hill gang, but rather part of a group that can handle many of the young whippersnappers who want to challenge me to a selling dual. I may not be able to keep up with younger sellers physically, but I can hold my own in mental contests of selling skills. I’ve not only had more years of practice, but continue to practice what I preach.

The key to staying in the game of life is staying in your prime. Regardless of your age you need  to decide what you want to feel like or look like in 5-10 or 20 years. Just look at people around you who are your age and decide if you want to look and act like them. What percent of them are in the elite group, far above all others in both their physical and mentally?   

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the gym, then role-play practice my sales story. I can’t let anyone put me in with the over-the-hill gang. I mean, that would signal that I’m getting old—even though I know I’m still only 35.

Happy Selling, I’m Rod Osthus