Do you think that you have to be pushy and aggressive to achieve your goals? Have you given up on your goals when you face rejection?
If you’re naturally introverted, you don’t have to be outgoing or charismatic to achieve what you set your mind to.
Meet serial entrepreneur Matthew Pollard. He’s the bestselling author of The Introvert’s Edge and founder of Small Business Festival, named a top 5 must-attend conference by Inc. His story shows that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, even against all odds.
Matthew was diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome, a visual processing disorder, that left him with the reading speed of a sixth grader. That didn’t stop him, by age 30 he was responsible for five multi-million-dollar business success stories in his home country of Australia. He is known as the Rapid Growth Guy, and Forbes called him, “the real deal,” having trained over 3,500 small business owners.
In this interview with Matthew Pollard you’ll learn how to achieve anything you set your mind to.
From Matthew’s story you’ll learn:
- How to make yourself rejection-proof
- How you can have an advantage even if you’re quiet and shy
- Find out the worst thing you can do when setting goals
How to make yourself rejection-proof
After finishing high school Matthew took a year off to find himself and worked as an office assistant. The company shut down around the holidays and no one else was hiring except for a commission only door-to-door sales job.
Because of his visual processing disability,
he couldn’t pick up a book that taught how to sell, it would have taken
him the year just to read it. Also, he was self-described as having a
“case of chronic acne and crippling introversion.”
His first prospect politely asked him to leave and the next prospect, less
politely told him to leave. “On the 93rd door I made my first sale. I saw
my dad work over 80 hours a week; I couldn’t tell him this was too
hard,” said Matthew.
Being thrown into arguably one of the hardest jobs forced him to become rejection-proof.
He kept moving forward after being rejected countless times. Just as he did when he struggled in school with his disability, he was forced to find a way to push through.
The introvert’s edge with achieving goals
You can succeed in life without changing who you are even if you’re naturally shy, feel like a phony networking, and are constantly thinking before you speak. Matthew’s book The Introvert’s Edge debunks the myth that introversion will prevent you from achieving your goals.
“Each day I spent eight hours on active selling and eight hours learning how to sell from Youtube videos,” said Matthew.
He then learned a step-by-step process to selling that he practiced over and over. Within six weeks he became the number one sales rep at the largest sales firm in the Southern Hemisphere.
“I got promoted 7 times within 12 months,” said Matthew.
In the business world an extrovert can spend way too long talking excessively with clients. Extroverts can also rely on their personality, but that’s often connected to their mood. If they experience stress or negativity in their life they’re easily derailed.
An introvert can get to the point, focus on achieving their goals, and stick to a plan.
By working hard, being committed to learning, and developing a process that works, he built his confidence. At age 19, he started his own telecommunications company selling cell phones. The company generated $4.2 million during the third year of business.
The worst thing you can do when setting goals
You can achieve anything you set your mind to. The problem is as Matthew said, “People inherit their goals from their mother or drunk roommate.”
The worst thing you can do when setting goals is to go after what someone else wants of you. He says it’s easy then to fall victim towards shiny objects and run towards achieving ten different things. At last when you obtain the success that someone else defined for you, you won’t be fulfilled. Making money alone will not satisfy you.
“If you know what your goals are and what you’re passionate about it makes you a better parent, friend, and colleague,” said Matthew.
People often trade their passions for what is practical. Matthew says that in this global economy it’s easier than ever to make money doing what you love.
“Instead of becoming a gun for hire, you can create a career with your core passion and purpose,” he said.
In conclusion, Matthew shows you can achieve anything you set your mind to by pushing through rejection, using introversion to your advantage, and setting goals aligned with your passion.
If you want more resources on achieving anything you set your mind to check out Matthew Pollard’s book The Introverts Edge, and Rapid Growth resources.
