By Leslie Wells
Every sales professional experiences good and bad days. We are only human and if you expect yourself to be enthusiastic and pumped every day, you are in for a rude awakening. There will be days when you simply do not feel like prospecting or selling. However, when you are presented with those days, do you give in to your feelings or do you rely on your discipline and habits?
Habits are those actions that we simply do on an ongoing basis without thinking about it. Laziness is a habit, gossiping is a habit, procrastination is a habit, being late is a habit, cursing is a habit and being disciplined is also a habit. When we want to change something within our lives, whether it be personal or professional, we are simply swapping one set of habits for another. Any habit starts with our awareness, self-talk and our willingness to carry out what we ask of ourselves to do. When you give in to any type of habit, you give yourself permission and accountability to act accordingly.
One of the most important habits that we can develop is self-discipline. Self-discipline is a powerful tool that can work wonders in both our personal and professional lives. However, many of us never develop this tool or have a very weak development of it and can certainly use some strengthening when it comes to carrying out what we request or need ourselves to do. One way to develop this all important habit is to take small steps and small bites of the elephant. For example, If you dread prospecting via the phone but know that you need to plant more seeds for sales, set a goal and hold yourself accountable to start with just 5 calls on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Once you have accomplished this goal, then gradually increase the number of calls or days. Or you can set a timer for a certain amount of time such as 10 minutes each day, eliminate all other distractions during that time frame and focus on the task of prospecting. Tell yourself if you don’t prospect during the time that you have set aside, your only other option is to sit there and do nothing. Give yourself a hard choice between the two. Eventually the task of phone prospecting will become a part of your routine, a habit, a task that you simply do because it is ingrained in you to do.
If you feel that you will do better by participating in a group as opposed to developing self discipline by yourself, find a support group. A support group will provide you accountability and motivation to carry out what you desire to accomplish and the simple act of repeating your efforts will help you develop the habit of self discipline as well.
Another challenge that often stands in the way of developing the almighty habit of self-discipline is fear or discomfort. Using the example of prospecting via the phone once again, we all know that this act can be uncomfortable. Anyone that has participated in cold calling a prospect has experienced rejection and rejection can certainly move you out of your comfort zone but your reality is truly shaped by your perception. If you adapt the perception that any rejection that you receive is not personal, since your prospect does not know you on a personal basis, this should lessen the fear and discomfort. Viewing your discomfort in a positive light or a more beneficial light will enable you to move toward and conquer your challenge as opposed to avoiding it.
When you become enlightened and aware of something that you would like to change, you open the door to make that change because you focus your attention on what needs to transition. You can change anything that you acknowledge; however, if you ignore it, avoid it, or refuse to accept it, you will not change it.
Being moved by your feelings also stands in the way of implementing the habit of self-discipline. How often have you thought about not prospecting because you simply did not feel like it? Feelings are driven by emotions and we can experience a number of feelings from day to day. In the word emotions, the key word is motion and emotions do just that, they move and change from one day to another. Just because you feel a certain way today, does not mean that you will feel the same way tomorrow or one hour from now. Feelings come and go.
As a sales professional, you want to rely on your discipline and habits, not your feelings. When one of those days come around when you simply do not feel like prospecting or selling, learn to be your own accountability partner and demand of yourself to follow through regardless. Or find a support group that will help you step outside of your feelings. If you need to create better habits for yourself or if you need to be more disciplined, acknowledge this and start working on the change. Jim Rohn, an excellent entrepreneur and motivational speaker, stated that discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. Habits will carry you to the finishing line of success every time, giving in to your feelings will not.
Leslie Wells is the owner of L. Wells and Associates, Inc. , a new business development firm that specializes in helping small to medium size organizations, schools and childcare centers with expanding their customer base through sales coaching and training, marketing strategy and various calling campaigns. L. Wells and Associate's many sales strategies have made a difference with several entrepreneurs, companies and sales professionals. In her spare time she enjoys a really good book, a movie with an unpredictable plot and traveling. To find out more about L. Wells and Associates, please visit www.lwellsassociates.com
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