My twin boys turned 3 years old last weekend. THREE. I can hardly believe how much they've grown - how much I've grown. There have been good days, bad days, powerful days, tearful days. Motherhood is an extraordinary journey filled with countless lessons that are, interestingly enough, quite similar to the lessons I've learned throughout my career in sales training. Let me explain. The first and most basic lesson my twins have taught me is patience. Raising two tiny humans requires a level of patience I never knew existed. Why? Because it's not just about being patient the first time. Anyone can be patient when they teach someone something new for the first time! Patience is the force that fosters growth and confidence. So as a mother, I have to keep showing up with that patience, even when I've shown or told my twins something a dozen times, if I want them to really learn. For sales people, a similar level of patience goes a long way. We know that learning and perfecting skills requires time and a safe space to practice. Then, we have ongoing practice and coaching to maintain and fine tune the skill. It's my job to demonstrate extreme patience with my sales reps if we want to see long term results. The second lesson my twins have taught me is the power of uniqueness. When you have twins, most people think you can approach everything the same: how they dress, what toys they like, what to feed them, even how to communicate with them. But these boys have reminded me how much more effective my efforts are if I adjust my parenting approach to their unique personalities. My sweet Canon (bottom right) has been in speech therapy since he was 2. For a long time, speaking with Canon meant repetitive words and phrases, and sign language at times. When he's upset, he wants to be comforted and sat with so he know you are there and working to understand him. Maverick (bottom left) has been been singing full songs from the second he could form a word. Speaking with Maverick sounds like a full Broadway production with dance moves and all! He doesn't get frustrated when trying to communicate. He's usually happy with a high five and a "Great job!" before he's on his way. I know that if I met Canon the same way I met Maverick when he is upset, the interaction would be ineffective. Neither one of us would get the outcome we are looking for.