Developing drive in Value

We are starting our first sales team in Value, and it is my job to lead our sales reps to success. Somehow, I need to incubate optimism, competitiveness, and need for achievement. What does it take to develop and maintain sales drive? I have collected eight things that I want to apply to our sales team. These eight points are also a way for me personally to keep track of my learning. I hope that you try these as well, and let me know how it goes.

First. Choose your friends carefully

There are countless clichés when it comes to this topic, but still so true. Your friends influence you more than you can imagine. Misery loves company, and it wants you on its team. Negative people with poor attitudes destroy yours, slowly but surely. Find and spend time with people who focus on the positive, build your attitude up, and look forward with optimism. Sales can be challenging and tough, negativity does not bring results.

Second. Change your self-talk

We all have that little voice in our heads that keeps talking all – the – time. The story that you tell yourself directly translates to your attitude and actions. Stop and listen to what you are telling yourself. I’m sure you are not good enough sales rep to afford negative thoughts. Finding faults in others, blaming the world for your problems, or drowning in self-pity, this is all dirty talk, and if you find it in your head, stop now.

Third. Change your input

We all know that feeding our minds with junk, makes us junkies. Why should we read, or listen to negative things, when it directly impacts our attitude? Think for yourself, what are the things that elevate your thinking, and help you be positive? Those are the kinds of things you want to be feeding to your brain. Positive messages to your brain will immensely sustain your positive attitude.

Fourth. Change your focus

Sales is tough, and you will fail, probably all the time. If, however, you have sales drive, you do not have time to stop and dwell on your failures. It is a complete waste of your energy. Change your view from the rear mirror to the road ahead of you. Someone once said that: “you are not defined by what happens to you but rather by how you deal with what happens to you.” When adversity comes your way, do you choose to complain, or choose to learn and grow?

Fifth. Physical fitness

Emotional struggles follow you everywhere you go. It takes a massive amount of mental energy to leap over them. Mental energy will always be limited by your physical resilience. Tired, hungry, and physically drained people rarely can remain driven and manage disruptive emotions. Staying fit helps your creative thinking, optimism, and mental clarity. Physically fit people have easier time maintaining emotional self-control. And if you think about some of the more important emotions in sales, confidence and enthusiasm, what better way to increase them, than physical fitness? So, get your ass moving and take care of yourself.

Sixth. Get enough sleep

This should be extremely obvious. Still, most of us neglect enough sleep. Nothing impacts your health and mental well-being more than sleep. It boosts your creativity, discipline, and agility. Without enough sleep you will have a hard time to think on your feet, control your emotions, and push through obstacles. However much it feels, that whatever activity is more important than enough sleep, please, stop lying to yourself and go to bed.

Seventh. Eat healthily

“Eating poorly is like putting low-grade gasoline in a high-performance race car.” The sales game takes a toll on even the toughest of reps, and you must be at your peak throughout the day. Fast food, cheap Lidl junk, soda pops, and energy drinks surely do not fit into that picture. Healthy eating is a conscious choice. It is a commitment way too easy to break and forget, especially if you are not getting enough sleep or exercise. It is possible, so try it, and see the difference.

Eighth. Develop mental toughness

No matter how tough you are, the world will beat you to your knees, and keep you there permanently, if you let it. Rocky Balboa knew this, and said to his son:

“You, me or nobody, is gonna hit as hard as life. But ain’t about you how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward, how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now, if you know what you worth, go out and get what you worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits. And not pointing fingers saying: You ain’t what you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that, and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!”

You need to be mentally tough to do sales. It means, that you can accept pain and sacrifice today for a win in the future. It’s the ability to block out negative self-talk, manage disruptive emotions, ignore people who tell you what you can’t do, and solely focus on your desired goals. James Loehr subcategorized mental toughness to seven core dimensions:

1. Self-confidence
2. Attention control
3. Minimizing negative energy
4. Increasing positive energy
5. Maintaining motivation levels
6. Attitude control
7. Visual and imagery control

The key is making the choice to change your mind-set. The best sales reps in the business hit the same obstacles and walls as the rest of them. What separates them from the rest, they don’t stop. They maintain their focus, and control the disruptive emotions that could derail them from their mission. In sales, you pay first, and hope for the success later. Are you willing to grind your way to shine? Are you willing to pay the price for success?