How J.C. Changed My Life With One Sentence

No, not Him. The J.C. I’m referring to carried the name of Joe Criscitello.

Before I tell you what Joe said to me that forever altered my career trajectory and my life, let me tell you a little about him.

I first met Joe when I interviewed with him for a sales position selling telephone systems to businesses. I was 23 years old at the time, married, with one child. I was also circling the drain as far as my career in sales was concerned.

Fortunately, I was sent by an employment agency to interview with a sales manager for a large private telephone company to sell business telephone systems. That manager and future mentor was Joe Criscitello.

My interview with Joe lasted for more than two hours as he got to know me and told me about himself and his business and life philosophies. I was mesmerized. Little did I know he’d become a father figure to me.

Joe was 48 years old when I met him. He had served in the Marine Corps when he was a younger man and had been a professional salesperson for almost 30 years when our paths crossed.

As a sales manager, Joe was focused and determined to make me the best person and sales professional possible. He taught me many things about life and business.

One thing that Joe stressed repeatedly was that when you learned something helpful, you have a responsibility to pay it forward to someone else, just as the person who taught you had done.

He also made me a promise: that I would become more successful than I ever thought possible. He was true to his word. He worked tirelessly with me and spent a considerable amount of time training me in the office, as well as going out on sales calls with me and modeling how to sell effectively.

Within 18 months, I owned a home and had money in the bank.

How Joe Helped Turn My Life Around

Although I later learned that what Joe taught me was nothing original, I took his words as the gospel truth. It was the first time I had ever heard them, and they changed my life.

He had many wise words, but the one sentence he repeated day after day still resonates with me as I continue to pursue excellence:

“Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people don’t do.”

You’ve probably heard this before, but I hadn’t. Those words helped me establish a work ethic and confidence that have served me well for decades, and I have shared it with many younger professionals I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring over the years.

Joe passed away a couple of years ago, but I’ll continue to practice his philosophy the rest of my life. I wish I could thank him one last time.

Is there someone younger in your life that you can share some of your pearls of wisdom with? You don’t have to make them up; just share what others have taught you along your journey. You never know what a difference you might make in someone’s life.