Tis the season to be… whatever you want to be!

Tis the season to be… whatever you want to be!

Written By Jeffrey Gitomer
@GITOMER

KING OF SALES, The author of seventeen best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His live coaching program, Sales Mastery, is available at gitomer.me.

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Tis the season to be whatever you want to be!

It’s Christmas. Or to be politically correct, “The Holiday Season.”

Santa Claus. Sharing and giving. Parties and celebrations. Reunions and family. Gifts of all kinds. And in general a festive time. Often referred to as “the spirit of the Christmas season” or “the spirit of the holiday season,” it’s a time when everyone is wishing everyone else happy something or other. For about 30 days.

Then it’s back to business and life as usual.

My only bah-humbug about the holiday season is the length of it. Why can’t people (you and I included) be joyful and festive the other 11 months of the year? What does it take, or what would it take for everyone to be wishing everyone else some kind of “happy” the other 335 days. Where’s Santa Claus when you really need him?

The tragedy of Christmas and the holiday season is that it is so short lived.

Please allow me to give you my gift for this holiday season and for any season. It’s a gift that cannot be returned. It’s a gift that any corporate executive or employee is allowed to receive, regardless of the gift giving and receiving policy. And it’s a gift that, when you understand what the gift is, everyone in your life (including you) will benefit from forever.

THE GIFT IS: You are Santa Claus.

Once you realize that fact, and come to the understanding that it’s a permanent gift, you at once understand that Christmas, or the holiday season, doesn’t need a tag or a name. Rather, it’s a way of life.

Santa Claus, whoever the myth is, is most prominent and visible on Christmas Eve when he’s delivering toys to boys and girls all over the world. The question is what happens when Christmas is over? Does he stop being Santa Claus? No. He just goes into some form of hibernation until the next Christmas Eve.

The reality is that you are Santa Claus, and you can execute your power of giving, smiling, bringing joy to others, and in general being a person of Ho, Ho, Ho! every day.

Can you imagine Santa Claus waking up on the 24th of December and saying, “You know, I got a headache. I’m having a bad day. I think I’ll call in sick.” Not gonna happen. And as Santa Claus, you have the ability to perform the same way. You’re already buying the presents. My question to you is: Are you displaying the other characteristics of Santa Claus both at work and at home?

THE GOOD NEWS IS: When you’re Santa Claus, Christmas can be any day you choose. And my challenge to you is make it every day.

Are you jolly? Are you giving? How’s your spirit? And why does it only have to appear during the month of December, building to some crescendo of unwrapping presents on the 25th, and winding down by the 27th?

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Ho hum!

Humbug?

How do YOU view the season?

Some people see sugar plums. Others see crowds.

Some people see giving. Others receiving.

Some people see presents. Others see returns.

Some people see family reunions. Others see relatives they don’t like.

Some see gifts of joy. Others see gifts of obligation.

For me the holiday season is a happy time, and a family time. It’s a giving time and a festive time. But I don’t need a holiday to feel that way. My attitude is ALWAYS set on happy, family, giving, and festive. I don’t just celebrate Christmas; I celebrate life. So does Santa. And I hope you do too.

I have a few more thoughts and observations on the holidays. If you want them, go to www.gitomer.com and enter the word HOLIDAY in the GitBit box.