There Is No Such Thing As A Good Try - Sandler Rule 46

Have you ever found yourself using "weasel words" with a prospect or customer?

• Do or don't.
• Experiment.

Let's conduct an experiment. In a moment, I want you to stop reading an try to close this book. After you've closed the book, count to 10 and reopen the book; then continue from where you left off.

Remember to note the page number.

On your mark, get set....go! Try to close the book. Go ahead....give it a good try.

Did you close the book?

If you did, you didn't try, you actually did close the book.

If you didn't close the book, it's because you didn't try.

Confused? Don't be.Just remember Yoda's words from The Empire Strikes Back.

"Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Here's the point. Yoda was right. There is no "try." You either do something or you don't. "Try" is a weaselly word. At best, "try" communicates an intention, not a commitment.

With this point in mind, consider the following statements:

"I'll try to make some prospecting calls today."

"I'll try to get back to the prospect this week."

"I'll try to get a decision from the prospect before the end of the month."

"I'll try to get the report done by tomorrow afternoon."

You either schedule time for the activity, then do it....or you don't. There is no in-between. Suppose we extended the "try" concept to other areas of our lives:

"I'll try to stop for the red traffic light."

"I'll try to love my children."

"I'll try to look both ways before crossing the street."

When the outcome is important, we leave "try" out of the equation.

DON'T TRY- COMMIT

The next time you're about to say that you'll "try" something, reconsider your approach. If the outcome of the activity is important, don't try; instead, commit. If the activity isn't important, then why even try?

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