I WAS LISTENING to the radio recently and Tony Bennet and Lady Gaga’s version of “It Don’t Mean a Thing if It Ain’t Got that Swing” came on. Then I thought, if you just change one word in the title of this song, you’d have a mantra for life: You don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that S.W.I.N.G.! Today I,m going to write about, How to become a S.W.I.N.G.E.R!

Having been around, trained, coached, mentored thousands of salespeople, managers and general managers in various roles over my 40-plus year career, I have notice that 2 percent of the salespeople make 90 percent of the money. Just like 2 percent of the population makes 90 percent of the money in America. The 2 percent are mostly S.W.I.N.G.E.R.s! You should become a S.W.I.N.G.E.R — or you will be working for someone who is.

To become a swinger you need to have or understand a few important things. These include:

Specialized knowledge, meaning increase your skill set. Too many individuals stop their education after they stop their formal schooling. 75 percent of graduates don’t read a book a year after graduation. Increase your your skill set in your area by studying your business. Gain the specialized knowledge that your colleagues aren’t. Make yourself more valuable to your organization.

Why are you doing what you are doing? Understanding the “why” or purpose of one’s life is the most rewarding achievement one can have. Your “why” is what the S.I.N.G.E.R revolves around.

Integrity keeps your thoughts positive because they become your words, your words become your behavior, which becomes your habits. Your habits become your values, and your values become your destiny.

Nurture those around you. What good is a life that has not used to educate another life?

Grit or tenacity gives you the ability to stay the course, finish the project, do what you say you’re going to do.

Execution of your plan. Executing daily those things that need to get done. Swingers finish their day when all the tasks of the day are complete and leave nothing behind for others to clean up.

Rituals are an observance or a ceremony that Swingers do to keep themselves balanced and on track. Like studying, meditating, working out and other things that keep them at the top of their ability.

Open your heart and mind to the part of you that is bigger than the part you have been playing. Search the areas of your life and discover where you need to improve and put a plan in action. You will soon find out that “you do mean a thing because you got the swing.”

Peter Remington is an executive at Houston CityBook and also a business consultant and life coach. For more information on him and his Prepare 4 More, visit here, or email him directly at Peter@PeterRemington.com.