John Lusher

The Question That Matters More Than AI Right Now

By John Lusher | January 28, 2026 |

Things like AI and other issues come second. The first question is: what do you want to achieve for yourself? If you are not happy with what you are achieving on an annual basis, what would make you happy? What would make you feel fulfilled? It has to be specific, and it has to be…

The Hidden Cost of Discounting

By John Lusher | January 21, 2026 |

Let’s talk about what’s happening in the market right now: tariffs, inflation, supply chain pressure, price. Customers are cautious. Decisions are slower. And suddenly everyone’s favorite strategy is discounting, because nothing says “premium solution” like dropping your price faster than your confidence.  Inside the company, it usually sounds like this: Sales says, “We’ve got to…

The Real Point Where Momentum Breaks Down (and Why Most Executives Miss It)

By John Lusher | January 14, 2026 |

Most people think velocity is blocked by outside forces—other people, missed signals, bad timing. The truth is far more uncomfortable…and far more powerful.  It turns out the biggest obstacle that gets in our way is internal, and it starts with the stories we create every day. Everything that someone says or does to you, you…

Every Word Matters: How Emotional Triggers Shape Success

By John Lusher | January 6, 2026 |

Every conversation you have is shaping a story in someone else’s mind—and if you are not aware of it, that story could be working against you. We are emotional creatures. Like a strength, it can help us—but if it is overused, it becomes a weakness. Anything you say to me or do to me, all…

Before You Finalize Your 2026 Plan, Watch This

By John Lusher | December 22, 2025 |

A quick question: have you ever shared what you thought was a brilliant idea, and the reaction you got back was a polite nod, crossed arms, or the classic, “Yeah, let’s think about it”? Same idea, same words, same logic and yet it landed with all the impact of a wet noodle. Here’s why. Have…

The Part of Storytelling Almost Everyone Leaves Out

By John Lusher | December 16, 2025 |

I became a speaker for the wrong reason. I figured if I could be on stage and slay my dragons by being proverbially naked in front of the audience, then I had made it and gotten rid of all my fears. That’s not true. That was being self-focused, and it didn’t help the audience. I…

The Science Behind Getting Prospects to Say Yes Faster

By John Lusher | December 11, 2025 |

Before you even introduce yourself, your prospect’s hormones have already voted on you. The question is: did you win? In the first few seconds of any interaction, their brain is quietly—but decisively—determining whether to trust you, engage with you, or shut down completely. And it all comes down to three key hormones neuroscience identifies: cortisol,…

The Moment I Stopped Feeling Like a Fraud

By John Lusher | December 3, 2025 |

You know, there’s a phrase from my childhood that stuck with me for decades. It wasn’t inspirational. It wasn’t wise. It was—“You’re a fraud.” My father said it to me. T And it became a lightning bolt that hit me every single time I tried to do something big. And here’s the worst part… There…

Happy Thanksgiving from Karr Associates, Inc.

By John Lusher | November 25, 2025 |

You know, every year around this time, we hear the same thing: it’s Thanksgiving, time to give thanks. And while that’s a beautiful tradition, I want to challenge that thinking a little. Giving thanks should never be limited to one day a year. If you’re living the Velocity Mindset, gratitude is not an event—it’s a…

The Surprising Origin of the Velocity Mindset®

By John Lusher | November 18, 2025 |

Have you ever had a challenge so painful that you waited years to face it? But there were a couple of things I dealt with when I was younger, too. One was an addiction issue, and I open my keynotes with that. Another was that I couldn’t enunciate the letter R, so I was bullied…

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Using Pessimism to Sell More in Less Time

By John Lusher / June 11, 2019 /

Pessimism tends to get a bad rap. In fact, top-producing sales execs exercise a fair degree of pessimism. It is the sales reps who are overly optimistic that often fall short of their goals. The sales execs who make pessimism work for them think about potential obstacles and then leave no stones unturned to make…

How to Sell Change and Grow Your Sales

By John Lusher / June 5, 2019 /

If you want to influence others, gain new customers, or increase your sales to current customers, selling change is a key skill to master. The better you are at it, the more velocity you will gain in closing more sales—faster. Customers are often reluctant to make changes due to perceived risk. Whether you want someone…

What It Takes to Close More Deals

By John Lusher / May 21, 2019 /

The saying goes that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but that is simply not true—and science confirms it. According to recent neuroscience findings, the brain has a great degree of plasticity, which means it can be retrained. While it is easier to learn new things at a younger age, there is still sufficient plasticity for adults…

How to Differentiate Yourself from the Competition

By John Lusher / May 14, 2019 /

A client recently shared with me that they had conducted a sales presentation by using the process outlined in my book Lead, Sell or Get Out of the Way. Afterward, attendees said it was the best presentation they had ever been to. Talk about differentiating yourself. How did they do it? By engaging the participants…