Are you Brady or a Starr?

Good morning, my friends.Some of you may have noticed that Bart Starr passed away last week.He was #1 among my boyhood sports heroes.One of the all-time great NFL quarterbacks, Bart Starr led my Green Bay Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls. And in the infamous Ice Bowl against the hated Dallas Cowboys.

There was nothing flashy about Bart Starr. He didn’t have the strongest arm. He certainly wasn’t the fastest QB.In fact, Starr was so little regarded as a QB coming out of college, that he wasn’t drafted by the Packers until the 17th round of the NFL draft in 1956.Yet, all he did was win 5 NFL Championships, including Super Bowls I and II; second in NFL history only to Tom Brady’s six championship rings.However, where Bart Starr was unmatched was performing at his peak when it mattered the most. Winning play-off games under pressure when the stakes were the highest. Just like in sales.In the playoffs, either you win or go home empty-handed. Just like a competitive sales situation.In the long history of the NFL no other quarterback comes close to Bart Starr's win rate in playoff games. He won 90% of the playoff games he played. Tom Brady is a distant second on the career charts with a 75% win rate in playoff games.In a measure of his individual performance in critical high-pressure situations, Bart Starr ranks #1 in NFL career passer rating in playoff games. Tom Brady is #14.As you can see, Tom Brady is pretty darned good. But, he’s no Bart Starr.The fact is that most of us in sales are like Bart Starr.We come into this profession with unknown potential, skills and capabilities. We aren’t the smartest. We’re not the most naturally gifted.Yet, I believe that everyone of us possesses the potential to rise to the top. To develop the disciplines, skills and capabilities to perform at our highest level when that makes the difference between winning and losing.It just takes the personal commitment to become the best version of you. To be relentless in pursuit of the knowledge, skills and mindset that will elevate your game. To become the difference maker in the moments that count for your buyers. To win.We would all jump at the chance to have a 75% win rate like Tom Brady.But, wouldn’t you rather win like Bart Starr?-Andy