Everyone in business has myths related to marketing and selling their products and services. It’s too expensive. Customers can find it cheaper on the web. It takes too long to get it. Your competitor has given me a better deal. You charge me a restocking fee. You’ve likely heard these and countless other ‘myths’ about your business.

I recently conducted a workshop for salespeople on overcoming call reluctance, which as many of you may know is a key to becoming successful in a sales career, as well as growing a business. It’s also the number one challenge facing sales pros and small business owners. I shared with them some of my own experiences with call reluctance, as a sales professional and since 1990, a business owner. Reluctance, and not just call reluctance, is something we all face in our lives and the sooner we overcome it, the more successes we’ll have on all levels.

You may recall I’ve written about toxic managers or leaders, but recent personal experience and stories I’ve heard compelled me to look into the increasing polarization of customer service behaviors.

I’ve been hearing a lot again recently about how multi-tasking is causing the loss or reduction of focus and is making us more unproductive in the long run. There’s a plethora of studies that have been done about it. But along with the productivity drop, our human connections are decreasing. Bear in mind that “Millennials”, those ages 17 to 28, are spending on average 6½ hours each day with electronic media – and employers are taking advantage of this situation. Now researchers say that by factoring in multi-tasking and that number increases to 8½ total hours daily. In most households, when Mom or Dad comes in from work and says “Hello”, only 1 in 3 kids turns away from their computer or video game to return the greeting.

Yep, you heard me right. I’m telling you: “Stop chasing success and discover what really matters most to you!” I’ve found that quite a few business owners, and many other folks, have an uncontrollable urge to chase success. And why not? After all, according to lots of successful people like Thomas Edison who said, “Success is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration”, the concept is one that has become embedded in our brains.