看到一篇一老美回顾在Merril Lynch(美林银行，五大投行之一，2008年金融危机中被美国银行收购）做销售的经历。深受感动之余，对开展外贸业务也很有启发。每天只吃着面条和三明治，打几百通cold call,疲惫不堪还熬夜加班寻找客户，被拒绝都成了一种生活方式。相比之下，我们每天打了多少冷电话，发了多少冷邮件？电话被不耐烦挂断，邮件大多不见回音时，我们是否沮丧，彷徨，失去耐性和信心了呢？倘若不能管理好自己的情绪，那么销售只是意味着折磨。其实很多时候it's all a numbers game.很多人的狗屎运是建立在艰苦卓绝的努力之上的。想起韩国经济起飞时他们年轻人的话：我们并不比别人聪敏，只是疯了一样努力，所以速度领先。
In a moment of daring risk and courage which changed my future forever,I looked at him straight in the eye and said,"if you don't hire me,you will never know how well I can do for this firm."When I realized what I had said to him,a chill went up my spine.Gosh,What have I done？The next thing he said was like music to me."ok,you'v got the job."But before I could shake his hand and rush home to spread the good news,he added"...on one condition,"My heart sank."You must first resign from bank,roll in our three-month training programme and then take a stockbroker exam which must be passed on the first try.If you fail even by one point,you are out."
Inside,I shook like a leaf.I gulped at the prospect of taking a huge leap of my faith into the unknown.My mouth suddenly went dry.There was never a time in my life when I so desperately needed a glass of water.I remember thinking that I stood to lose everything if I failed that exam which I had heard was as difficult as the examination for attorneys.I swallowed hard and croaked,"ok,I'll take it."My life was instantly changed from that moment forward.
After passing the exam and receiving my stockbroker's license,I truggled for several months,living solely on commission and eating pasta,peanut butter sandwiches and cereal.Night after night,I burned midnight oil in search of new clients.I often left the office weary and fatigued,ready to give up,yet somehow the next morning return to start a new day.It was a grueling beginning.
The most difficult and chanllengging aspects of being a stock broker was making cold calls.We were required to make phone calls to literally hundreds of prospects,many of whom had never heard of us,in an effort to solicit new businesses.Rejection was a way of life,and I learnt not to take it personally.It was all a numbers game.The more people I called,the more accounts I opened.I had also to coddle very nervous clients,in roller-coaster stock market condistions.It was no easy feat.
Eventually,all hard work paid off.In less than four years,I became one of the top salespeople at my branch and increased personal sales by 1700%.Through continued faith and persistence,I built and managed multimillion dollars investment portfolios for U.S.clients,many of whom were distinguished mem and women from America's corporate boardrooms,wealthy socilites,doctors and lawyers,as well as nonprofit foundation.This resulted in a cover story for Career and the disAbleed Magazine as well as worldwide press coverage on CNN and in numerous newspapers,including the New York Times.All the sucess earned me a six figure income,a spot in the prestigious Merrill Lynch Executive Club three year in a row,and numerous sales awards.
以上短文节选自chicken soup for college soul
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