--- title: Picking Up Your End of the Stick | The Sales Blog description: If you won’t help yourself, then no one else will help you as much as they might otherwise. If you won’t act on your own behalf... image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_290221877.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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If you won’t act on your own behalf, you make it difficult for others to intervene on your behalf. If you don’t believe that you need to do something, to take some action to further towards your own goals and ambitions, others are less likely to throw themselves into helping you. There are certain things that no one can—or should—do for you. - **If you are not willing to prospect and create new opportunities**, then additional training, additional tools, and additional coaching aren’t going to help you. You have to be willing to get uncomfortable and do what is necessary. Your sales manager and sales leaders can’t do your work for you. - **If you aren’t willing to prepare for a sales call**, you make it difficult for your prospective client to help you understand their needs or to create a compelling case for change. If the first question you ask is, “So what does your company do,” you are difficult to help. - **If you won’t put forth the effort to read and study your business**, your client’s business, and the general issues impacting your prospective client’s business, your marketing department may provide you with a slide of compelling reasons your dream client should change. But, you won’t have the chops to engage in a conversation with your dream client, least of all the ones who need a really trusted advisor to fill in their gaps. No one can provide you with the internal motivation you need to wake up when the alarm clock rings, foregoing [9 minutes of extra sleep](http://thesalesblog.com/2012/04/03/the-power-of-nine-minutes/) so you can hit the gym before work. No one can make you do the most difficult—or most important—tasks first thing each day, ensuring that you can call your day productive and successful before 9:00 AM each day. No one can be “[willing](http://thesalesblog.com/2016/04/27/difference-wanting-better-results-willing-produce/)” for you. You have to be that for yourself. There are plenty of people who would love to help you. They will give you the answers. They will model success for you. They will even pick up the other end of the stick for you. But if you don’t pick up your end of the stick, you are refusing their help. If you want help, start by helping yourself. You’ll be surprised by how much other people will help when they see you helping yourself. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2016](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2016) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on June 14, 2016 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. You can email Anthony at [iannarino@gmail.com](mailto:iannarino@gmail.com) [Follow me on my website](https://www.thesalesblog.com/anthony-iannarino) [Follow me on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thesalesblog) [Follow me on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iannarino/) [Follow me on Twitter ](http://www.twitter.com/iannarino) [![AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg?width=400&height=400&name=AISA-square-ad-SKOs-26-27.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/authority) [![ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg?width=318&height=179&name=ai-cold-calling-video-sidebar-offer-1.jpg)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/free-cold-calling-video) ![salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover (1)](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hs-fs/hubfs/salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg?width=768&height=994&name=salescall-planner-ebook-v3-1-cover%20(1).jpg) ### Free Sales eBook: Sales Call Planner Planning your sales call improves the likelihood of making a successful call, and it demonstrates to your dream client your professionalism. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-09-17T1:51:42 PM", "datePublished" : "2016-06-14 20:38:05", "description" : "If you won’t help yourself, then no one else will help you as much as they might otherwise. 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