Last year I spoke at a business lunch in San Diego.  I love speaking – especially when you walk into an environment you have never been in, with a group of people you don’t know, and with no history of their previous speakers or topics.  It was a fun day!

Afterward, as per most speaking engagements, a group of people want to talk.  They connected with something you said and want to follow up with a comment or a question.  One young man, maybe 25, came up to talk.  He was dressed in a suit, and was very to the point and well spoken.  He asked for my card and if we could golf sometime.  I said, “Love to, give me a call and we can get something on the calendar.”

I have to tell you, this “kid” was impressive.  He called me that next day!  I am telling you – there was just something unique about this kid, his drive, his follow-through, how he was dressed.  I know lots of 25 year old guys, and he was different.

Did I tell you that today’s blog is a book review?  It is.

On the golf course, where we rode together in a cart for 4 hours, we talked about a lot of things.  (https://ericscofield.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/are-you-a-good-question-asker/)  The moment for me was this question:  “Chris, you seem motivated, you seem passionate, you seem like you know what you want – I want to know, what is the one thing you have done to get to this place?”

He said, “That’s simple, I read the book The Game of Numbers by Nick Murray.  It has been helping me more than you can imagine.”

A book?  Off we went into the round, off we went into different topics, and off we went into our lives.  A couple days later I was on a family walk to the yogurt shop, which is next to Barnes and Noble.  I went in and looked for the book.  I couldn’t find, so I asked about the book.  Still, no luck.  I realized this book on Amazon cost around $65-80!  (Now I really wanted this book!)

http://www.amazon.com/The-Game-Numbers-Professional-Prospecting/dp/B003PBK54W/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

But, you can get it on Nick Murray’s website for $40!  http://nickmurray.com/gon.htm

Now for the review of the book from my vantage point.  This book is written for Financial Planners.  This book is written from a man who has spent his life prospecting.  So, you can read this book from that vantage.  If you are a financial planner, an insurance guy, a sales-person of any type – it’s a must read.

I read the book with a different set of eyes, and here are my reasons I LOVED this book!

• Reason #1:  The basic four components on of the book are:  Belief, Behavior, Endurance, and Skill.  This is leadership at it’s finest!  You have to believe it, you have to live it, you cannot quit, and how can you be better!
• Reason #2:  In the non-profit world fundraising is the one thing that causes some people to leave staff, or for local areas to shut down.  Here is his quote on prospecting:  “Thus, you have the power to alter people’s (entire financial) lives, not with your technical knowledge but with the way you look at the world.  Unless, of course, you stop prospecting.  But why would you ever do that?”  (Page 44)  I added the parentheses to add impact.
• Reason #3:  Another great quote:  “But you’ll have to get honest with yourself, and you’ll have to take total personal responsibility for the outcome.”  (Page 48)  In Good to Great I believe it’s, “face the brutal facts.”
• Reason #4:  “Avoidance will eat you for breakfast!”  This was what was so impressive about this young man that recommended the book.  He was putting himself out there – no fear.
• Reason #5:  “We keep score by inputs, not outcomes.”  (See page 74)  The main point is that it is not about just stirring up the dust with work.  It is determining the good work (input) and doing those things.  It will eventually pay off – all the other stuff is “avoidance behaviors.”
• Reason #6:  “And since risking ‘no’ is the only way under heaven ever to hear ‘yes,’ you have done all you can sanely been asked to do . . . except to do it again, now!”  (Page 76)  I love this – don’t worry about a no, a rejection, or a failure.  The only way to get out to what you want is to experience those “no’s.”
• Reason #7:  “When you’re not doing what you know you should be doing – prospecting – you end up not being able to fully enjoy whatever else you are doing.”  (Page 107)
• Reason #8:  “Each day, you’re going to record your prospecting activity into your journal.”  (Page 138)  Let’s just take this for a moment – you are in sales or you are in fundraising or you are suppose to get meet kids to go to Young Life camp.  If I as your mentor each week said, “Let’s go over your daily journal of what you have done?”  Wow, it would tell a story wouldn’t it?
• Reason #9:  “Are you ever bothered by getting too many cards for your birthday?”  (Page 158) Wow, this was such a great point!  The answer is NO.  Who are the people important to you and your “mission?”  Get some cards!
• Reason #10:  On pages 162-163 Mr. Murray does a section on “Tipping.”  I found it to be very encouraging. “You’ll find you can’t give the money – nor even the gesture – away.  It’ll snap right back at you.”

Today is a longer blog.  Most of you won’t get the book I would imagine.  But there are a few of you who are hungry, and willing to see how you would relate this book to what you are trying to do.  You will be better – it doesn’t matter what you do, you will be better.

Enjoy!

Eric Scofield

PS – I won the numbers game when I married this woman . . . pic from date night last night!