http://willpeach.com/2013/dont-do-as-i-did-waste-25-years-of-your-life/#comment-51332

When I worked in insurance, I thought at first that I sucked at sales. I couldn’t wheel and deal to save my life, I found the entire process to be a war of wits with idiots, and we all know who wins those philosophic battles.

Then I sold my underwriters on allowing me to insure a property that was at first glance uninsurable. He became our agency’s first $10K premium client. My first $10K premium client.

Isn’t about sales in particular. Viewing interactions as prospective and successful sales negotiations is a near sociopathic view (somewhat like a young woman viewing her online dating profile and inbox as an emotionally-lust charged marketing sales funnel, but who on earth could be that callous?!)

Instead, life is about discussions. That’s all a good sales process is. A discussion in which you offer something, you shut your face and listen to what the other person has to say (then keep your face shut to see what else they have to say), and then offer a solution based on what they told you. Because they will most often offer up the solution they want by either requesting it directly or implying it through their other. All you have to do is acknowledge that and then make sure it is in line with what you are able to sell them.