Are You Selling or Being Sold?
Here’s a question that separates winners from the rest: every day, are you selling, or are you being sold? Because whether you realize it or not, you’re doing one or the other, in business, in relationships, and in life.
Grant Cardone’s Sell or Be Sold drives that point home like a sledgehammer. I read this book years ago, and I still pull it off my shelf at least once or twice a week. It’s packed with so many “aha” moments that you could flip to any random page and walk away with something you can apply right now.
But this book isn’t just about sales. It’s about mindset, responsibility, and the truth that every conversation, opportunity, and goal in life involves selling in some way.
Sales Is About Solving Problems
One of my biggest takeaways from Grant’s book is that selling is serving. It’s not about pushing a product or manipulating someone into a “yes.” It’s about helping people solve problems.
Every single day, people wake up with challenges, dirty windows, broken systems, bad habits, cluttered lives. They’re not buying your product; they’re buying the solution to their pain.
When I talk to a customer at Window Ninjas, I’m not selling them window cleaning. I’m helping them bring more sunlight into their home, giving them more time with their family, and creating peace of mind knowing the job will be done right.
I’ll never forget a customer who told me years ago, “You don’t just clean my windows, you make me feel better about my home.” That’s when it clicked. Selling is serving.
When you realize that selling is really about helping, everything changes. The conversation becomes genuine, natural, and full of purpose. You’re no longer chasing a sale; you’re guiding someone toward a better outcome.
You’ve Got to Sell Yourself First
Before you can sell anyone on anything, you first have to sell yourself. That means total belief in what you offer, what you stand for, and who you are.
If you don’t believe in it, nobody else will.
I’ve built my entire business on that principle. I believe in what we do at Window Ninjas, the professionalism, the systems, the service, the experience. That belief shows up in every call, every quote, every technician who steps onto a property.
Grant says, “You can’t sell others until you’re completely sold on yourself.” And he’s right.
Confidence isn’t arrogance. It’s conviction. It’s knowing that what you’re doing brings value and makes life better for people.
If you’re not 100% sold on your product, your company, and your mission, you’ll struggle to convince others. But when you are, your energy becomes magnetic. People feel it. They trust it. And they buy from it.
Take Responsibility for Everything
One of my favorite Cardone quotes is this: “Nothing is happening to you; it’s happening because of you.”
That’s ownership. That’s leadership.
When a sale doesn’t close, don’t blame the customer, the price, or the market. Look in the mirror. Did you listen enough? Did you follow up? Did you connect the dots for them?
Winners don’t make excuses, they make adjustments.
At Window Ninjas, I teach my team that every call, every job, every interaction is our responsibility. If something goes wrong, we fix it. If a customer isn’t happy, we own it. That’s how you build trust. That’s how you build a reputation. That’s how you build a company that lasts.
Responsibility isn’t about guilt; it’s about power. The moment you take ownership, you take control.
Everything Is Selling, Even Life Itself
Grant says it best: “Everything in life is a sale, and everything you want is a commission.”
That line hit me hard.
Think about it. You’re selling your spouse on your vision for the family. You’re selling your team on your goals. You’re selling your kids on good habits. You’re selling yourself every morning on getting up and chasing your dreams instead of hitting snooze.
The moment you stop selling, you start settling.
That’s why Sell or Be Sold isn’t just a business book. It’s a life book. It reminds you that persuasion, conviction, and confidence aren’t just tools for closing deals; they’re tools for living a meaningful, purpose-driven life.
My Takeaway
Reading this book again reminded me why I started Window Ninjas in the first place: to serve, to solve problems, and to build something bigger than myself.
Grant’s words push you to go all in, to take responsibility, and to sell with passion and integrity.
If you’ve been in a slump, in sales, business, or life, this book will light a fire under you. It’ll remind you that success isn’t about luck; it’s about belief, commitment, and massive action.
You’re either selling your dream, or someone else is selling you theirs.
My Golden Squeegee Rating
This one’s a must-read for anyone who wants to win, not just in sales, but in life.
I give Sell or Be Sold a perfect 5 out of 5 Golden Squeegees.
It’s motivating, it’s practical, and it’ll change the way you approach every conversation you have.
Go grab this book. Read it. Reread it. Apply it. Then go sell something, your idea, your purpose, your mission, because the world needs more people who are sold on themselves and the value they bring.
Keep Shining.
– Gabe Salinas
