Once upon a time there was a stonecutter.
The stonecutter lived in a land where a life of privilege meant being powerful. Looking at his life he decided that he was unsatisfied with the way things were and so he set out to become the most powerful thing in the land.

Looking around his land he wondered to himself what is it to be powerful. Looking up, he saw the Sun shining down on all the land. "The Sun must be the most powerful thing that there is, for it shines down on all things, and all things grow from its touch." So he became the Sun.

Days later, as he shone his power down on the inhabitants of the land, there came a cloud, which passed beneath him obstructing his brilliance. Frustrated, he realized that the Sun was not the most powerful thing in the land if a simple cloud could interrupt his greatness. So he became a cloud, in fact, he became the most powerful storm that the world had ever seen.

And so he blew his rain and lightning, and resounded with thunder all over the land, demonstrating that he was the most powerful. Until one day he came across a boulder.

Down and down he poured and his thunder roared, lightning flashed and filled the sky, striking the ground near the boulder. His winds blew and blew and blew, and yet, despite all his efforts, he could not budge the boulder.

Frustrated again, he realized that the storm was not the most powerful thing in the land; rather it must be the boulder. So he became the boulder. For days he sat, unmovable, and impassive, demonstrating his power, until one day, a stonecutter came and chiselled him to bits.

The Moral of the Story:  Sometimes the most important thing to remember is that you have everything you need already, right inside of you. Power is an illusion.

“Don’t sell the product, sell your love for the product or the services you can offer the customer” - Dr Wane Dyer

How persuasive are you when you believe in what you are selling? Think about the last time you recommended a movie or a restaurant to a friend. Did you feel self conscious or apprehensive about putting your case forward? How much passion and enthusiasm did you exhibit whilst presenting your reasons why they should go?

Have you ever noticed that even if the response we get back is somewhat negative we still keep “swinging” and easily counter any concerns or objections? Many times it is simply our enthusiasm that encourages them to give it a go.

Have you ever tried to sell something or convince someone about something, which you did not believe in? It’s pretty tough going isn’t it? So when it comes to selling, is it possible to persuade without believing in the products or service that you offer? Chances are good that you can probably muddle through for a while, but, over time, because you feel as though you are lying your ability to sell effectively will be hampered.

“You’ll never sell a product you don’t like and don’t believe in.” This is one of the golden business rules that comes straight from Donald Trump’s TV show “The Apprentice.” Belief is one of our most powerful persuasion tools. With strong belief in your company and the merchandise you sell, you can pretty much sell to anyone.

On the other hand, where a conviction or belief is lacking you will stumble and fall at the first roadblock the customer places before you. One of the main reason salespeople struggle to overcome issues and questions around price is that they are unable to see the difference between what they have on their shelves and the products of their competition. “It's not the how that empowers you… It’s the why!”

How well do you know your product? How well do you know the services and merchandise of your competition? How much of the merchandise that you sell do you own? One of the greatest retail sales people I met sells more top priced branded jeans (between $400 & $500 ea) than anyone else in his company. When I asked how he did it, he replied, pointing to a pair that he was wearing (He also happens to own several pairs) and said,” I just sell the love!” The more you believe in what you sell, the more you will sell.