Jon Berghoff, is the bestselling author of “Cutting Edge Sales” (Foreword by Jeffrey Gitomer) and is an extreme business leader and an extreme marathon runner. Jon’s “Insights on Influence” are creating what Jeffrey Gitomer calls, “the gateway to selling in the 21st century.” You can get them for free, along with his book by going to www.CuttingEdgeSalesBook.com.

I know what it’s like to win and I know what it’s like to face overwhelming struggles. I’ve been the person at the top, and I’ve been the person with a complete doubt in what I was doing. Would it surprise you if I told you that I have felt both at the same time?

The hard part isn’t learning how to influence ourselves to be more successful, or finding the newest ways to influence our co-workers, our clients, or the world. The greatest issue we all face is in succeeding without losing other areas of our lives - succeeding without giving up being fulfilled.

Have you ever had this happen? You are working, but thinking about relaxing? Then you are relaxing, but thinking about working? That’s the worst feeling in the world. Regardless of your level of prosperity, that’s not fulfillment.

The difficulty isn’t in balancing our own lives. I strongly believe that if you pay attention to great achievers, they are often “intentionally imbalanced”. Even fulfilled people experience this. They spend completely disproportionate periods of time to build a business, follow a passion, or learn their art. So if balance isn’t the answer, than what is?

Being in the moment. If you want to get more from each experience, deepen your relationships, multiply your effectiveness, increase your ability to influence others, and find more joy in each moment, then be there. Turn off the blackberry, shut the door, and turn off the noise. Look at whatever is in front of you – the person, the meeting, the speech, the phone call, and the task at hand – and be one hundred percent present.

This is the ultimate tip of influence, the trick to understanding what each moment calls for, the pathway to really listening, deeply, to the problems, needs, and desires of your customers, your team, your family, and yourself. Be here, right now.

Influence is created by understanding what you have to give, by taking ownership of your results, by focusing on where you want to go, by setting the context, through understanding whoever is in front of you, and feeling what those around you feel. And all of this occurs, in the present moment.