"I'm Sure That I Could Be a Movie Star... If I Could Get Out of This Place"

Why Your Excuses Are Killing Your B2B Sales Potential

As 2026 approaches, I keep thinking about a song called "Piano Man" by Billy Joel. He wrote these lyrics about a bartender in a dive bar he'd played in before hitting it big:

"Now John at the bar is a friend of mine. He gets me my drinks for free. And he's quick with a joke, or to light up your smoke, but there's someplace that he'd rather be. He says, 'Bill, I believe this is killing me,' as the smile ran away from his face. 'Well, I'm sure that I could be a movie star if I could get out of this place.'"

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Sound familiar?

How often are we John, stuck where we are in our sales career, KNOWING we could do more?

The "Place" Keeping You Stuck in Sales Development

That "place" keeping you stuck might be:

• Your current income level from your B2B sales efforts
• A limiting mindset (making excuses, finding blame)
• Your current role (knowing you could expand your territory or team)
• Your comfort zone (same activities bring same results)

Here's what most people miss: That feeling John has - that certainty he could be so much more - isn't something to grieve. That's your potential showing you what's still possible in your sales career.

But John never left that bar. Know why?

It's not because he COULDN'T be a movie star. It's because he didn't pay the price to get there.

The Excuses Killing Your Lead Generation Success

John could've taken acting classes. Moved to LA. Auditioned 100 times. Written a script like Stallone did with Rocky.

But that's harder than saying "I could have been... if only."

What's YOUR excuse in your prospecting strategies?

• "If only I had better leads"
• "If only I had more appointment setting support"
• "If only the economy was better"
• "If only I had a better territory"

Every "if only" is a chain keeping you at your current sales level.

The Radical Accountability Shift for Sales Professionals

What if everything about your situation was 100% your fault?

"But my territory really IS harder!" Your fault for not figuring out how to make it work.

"But I really DON'T have enough qualified appointments!" Your fault for not improving your cold calling or hiring help.

"But I really DON'T have enough time!" Your fault for not optimizing your outbound sales process.

This isn't about beating yourself up. It's about taking control.

Because if the things holding you back are ALL your fault, then YOU control them. And you can change them in 2026.

Your 12-Month Sales Career Transformation

Where are you CERTAIN you could be 12 months from now in your sales career?

• How much more could you be earning?
• How many more deals could you be closing?
• How much less stress could you be carrying?

If you just stopped making excuses... if you stopped blaming anyone but yourself... and took the steps to get there?

What are those steps for mastering sales development?

The End of Year Reflection That Changes Everything

As I look back at my year, I'm grateful for everything accomplished BUT I'm also left with the frustrating feeling that there's MORE I could have done.

That feeling? It's not failure. It's fuel.

It's your potential tapping you on the shoulder saying, "We're not done yet."

Breaking Free From Your Bar

Excusing our potential allows us to celebrate what we're capable of without doing the work. Talking about what we COULD be in sales is easy - doing the work isn't.

The difference between John at the bar and successful salespeople?

John talked about leaving. Successful people actually leave.

John made excuses. Successful people make calls.

John blamed his circumstances. Successful people change their circumstances - whether that's improving their cold calling, hiring appointment setters, or expanding their territory.

Your 2026 Sales Action Plan

That certainty you feel - that you could be earning more, closing more deals, leading a bigger team - that's your map to success in 2026.

Don't be John, still at the bar, talking about what could've been in your sales career.

Be the person who says: "I knew I could be more. So in 2026 I became more."

The Choice You Make Today About Lead Generation

Every day you stay at your current sales level, you're choosing to be John. Every excuse you make about your results is another year at that bar.

But every action you take - every extra call, every new skill learned, every investment in better appointment setting support - moves you closer to who you know you could be.

The sales professionals who break through don't have special talents. They just stop making excuses and start taking action. They invest in their outbound sales process. They optimize their prospecting strategies. They get help where they need it.

The Bottom Line

2026 starts now. Not January 1st.

Your potential is showing you what's possible in your sales career. The only question is: Will you stay at the bar talking about it, or will you finally leave and become it?

Whether that means improving your cold calling, hiring professional appointment setting support, or completely revolutionizing your sales development approach - the time for excuses is over.

P.S. - After 24 years in sales, I've met hundreds of Johns. They all had potential. They all had excuses. The ones who succeeded weren't more talented - they just stopped talking about being movie stars and started auditioning. My teamhelps salespeople stop making excuses about appointment setting and start closing more deals. Which one will you be in 2026?

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