All Guns Blazing

How often do we take something from those that finish second?

Sometimes the focus on only the Number Ones can restrict.

For plenty a Silver also has an incredible story to tell.

With many a facet that - alone or combined with others - can certainly reap glory for us.

In football, Arsenal are in serious danger of being this era's perennial runners-up.

Ahead of a home tie that could secure their second successive European semi-final, head coach Mikel Arteta was asked for his current 'overriding emotion';

"Fire. I'm on fire. That's it, nothing else. I'm dreaming so much. I've done so much to be in this position because I know how this club was. I just see beauty, opportunity and I want to get it done for all these people that have been in this journey with us, and because they deserve it, because it's been unbelievable. That's what has driven me every single day - zero fear. Fear I had when: 'oh, if we don't get this done, this club, I don't know what is going to happen.’ That was fear. Now there's no fear. It's just purpose, fire, direction and conviction that we're going to do it."

There's only two ways, hey. 'Choke', and those words will be used to pillory him. Win through though, and they'll be hailed as core to their champion mentality. Not just in sport, but across workplaces and beyond.

Despite the outcome being as yet unknown, I recognise in this how the best salesteams, leadership and stellar sellers themselves think.

It's a thing of 'beauty' indeed to be, and see others too, in that state of 'fire'.

Also lovely to enjoy 'fire' as an emotion. A terrific slant. Maybe amplified as the angle of a non-native English speaker too. And apt as one of earth's 'elements'. A great tip for our own remix and building upon here.

To best enable progress, he cites 'zero fear' as the treasured environment.

That also rings true. Provided you understand true process, pursuing efforts in keeping with its refinement really ought crack creating such a healthy place.

Then his sign-off, 'purpose, fire, direction and conviction'. Whether this quad of drivers produces the big trophy lift or not, the good news is, that they exist. And we can successfully build on our Sales flavour of them as well.