In life and business, we often face decisions where the "right" answer isn’t always clear. While data, advice, and logic all play critical roles, there’s one element that sometimes gets overlooked—our gut instinct. There are moments where logic might tell us one thing, but deep down, we feel pulled in a different direction. Ignoring that gut feeling can sometimes lead to missed opportunities or poor decisions. In my experience, success is often tied to having the courage to trust your instincts, even when others might disagee. To clarify, following your gut doesn’t mean acting recklessly. It’s about understanding yourself—your values, your strengths, and your experiences—and letting those guide you when the path forward isn’t obvious. This intuitive sense is something that can be sharpened over time, especially when paired with reflection and learning. Whether you’re trying to make a sale, start a business, or navigate a tough conversation, your instincts can serve as a compass. If something feels off, it’s worth pausing and reconsidering. On the flip side, when something feels right—even if it doesn’t make perfect sense in the moment—it’s worth exploring that further. I've had this effect the way that I make sales many times. There's a fine line between pushing someone away, and pushing them towards committing to your pitched items/solution. Sometimes it's worth it to push too far and lose a sale in an effort to learn where that line truly lies. Everybody has their own techniques for selling, and learning where the boundaries fall best in your technique, and your field, is immensely important to maximizing sales. It's important to learn how not to get too excited for or committed to what is a bare minimum sale, that could have been something more. At the end of the day, trusting your gut is about believing in yourself and your ability to navigate the unknown. If you combine that trust with thoughtful action, you set yourself up for a more authentic and fulfilling journey, both personally and professionally!

I work in a retirement community, and my boss doesn’t always act like a good manager. She only gives attention to specific resident groups, doesn’t seem to allocate funds fairly, and more. But the other day, she took things to a new extreme. During a staff meeting, she showed the recent work of a coworker of mine, who is incredibly sweet by the way, saying “who wants to tell me what is wrong with this.” This wasn’t constructive feedback. It was meant to embarrass my coworker, made her feel bad, and wasn’t necessary in front of everyone. My boss tried to act like this wasn’t a big deal after, but it came off as hollow. To make matters worse, my boss showed my work and said this is the new standard. After that, she assigned all future projects like that to me. So she tore down her subordinate, gave me more work, and has made everyone really uncomfortable. What should I do?

A woman came into my store today who had lost her husband less than a week ago. She stumbled in, clearly under the influence of alcohol, and was most notably, very rude. Sadly, I understand what it's like to lose what matters most to you. However, not everyone has experienced this, and some might take it personally. This is where the ability to detach and recognize that you're doing your best really becomes important. At the end of the day, if you're trying to build a business or close a sale and you don’t believe in what you're doing, your chances of success are slim. More importantly, if you can't believe in yourself, you have no chance at all. I think we often forget how important our lives are and how fortunate we are just to be who we are. We get caught up in the need to prove ourselves and lose sight of the fact that no one is born great. While I’m not immune to this myself, I’ve found that if I reflect at the end of the day and can say I did everything possible to be the best version of myself, there’s no room for self-doubt. This belief in ourselves is what allows us to be great salespeople, business owners, managers—and perhaps, great people in general. Don’t let one person who’s not at their best ruin your day or affect your mindset. You must remain confident and strong-minded. At the end of the day, that woman is human too, and with time and understanding, she can find her greatness, just like you.

...but days like today remind me why having a community is so important. I was speaking with someone about his past experience as a car salesman, and he pointed out that car sales isn’t a job you can just step into nowadays; that building a customer base is essential before securing such a position. No matter how driven or motivated you are, sometimes a solid foundation is necessary. This community breaks down such barriers to entry in a new way—one that benefits everyone with each new member. By actively participating, you can access career paths that were previously out of reach. It's certainly an intriguing opportunity for those motivated to pursue such paths!