In my last post I said I would share my secret for being successful in sales as an introvert and here it is…I call it Getting Your “R” on.  This is really more than just the introvert’s guide to success. I see it as the recipe for success in business and life for both introverts and extroverts alike.  It is especially critical during these lean times where most of us are being asked to do more with less.  Almost everyone I encounter is working at warp speed, trying to get it all done, on time and on-budget. That’s okay for the short term, but it becomes difficult and draining to maintain a constant, demanding pace over the long haul.

I call it Getting Your “R” on because I recently had the opportunity to spend a few glorious days at Canyon Ranch.  It was the perfect time-out I needed to re-charge, re-energize and re-evaluate where I was in terms of my physical, mental and spiritual energy.  When I practice renewing my energy levels in these key areas, my mind is razor sharp.  I am laser-focused and am able to be more creative in the solutions I offer clients.  I ask better questions and have more productive meetings.  I am energized and passionate about what I do and what my company offers.  Clients can hear the enthusiasm in my voice.  Simply put, I am highly engaged and have found over time, much more successful.

The key for us as individuals is to respect and honor ourselves and our unique personality styles and what each of us needs when it comes rejuvenating our energy supplies, so we are at our best at work and our personal lives.  For introverts, perhaps Getting Your “R” on is about internal pursuits such as reading, running or reflecting. For extroverts, it may be more about an external focus such as relating and re-connecting with others. One of my favorite ways to re-charge when I am not at the “Ranch” is to spend time with kids and animals for some real play time.  Adults need play, and kids and animals are experts in this area.

By managing ourselves in this fashion, protecting and bolstering our energy we are able to be the best salesperson, parent or chief bottle washer that we can be.  Don’t wait until you take that vacation several months from now – ask yourself what you can do today or in the next hour to give yourself and your brain a break.   It can really be as simple as getting up to get some water, chatting with a co-worker for a few minutes and having a laugh or taking a walk around the block.  I promise you – you and everyone you encounter will be better for it!

I am excited to work for an organization that values this concept.  We recently had a sales meeting in which two very smart colleagues of mine ran a workshop on managing your energy.  There are great articles, references and resources out there for you to bring this concept into your work and life as practicing these principles will reap rewards in both areas.  For some tips to help you tap into your “R”, check out Harvard Business Review’s article Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time and the work that Tony Schwartz has done over the years around achieving peak performance on his website, theenergyproject.com.

So I ask you…what’s your “R” and how can you get it going today?