Do you tell yourself, “I can’t sell because of ….”? Stop! Science shows that by telling yourself you can’t do it, you are actually making it so. Here’s how you can stop being your own worst enemy.

What Does Your Inner Voice Tell You?

I participate in a few charity golf tournaments each summer.  At each one, I keep hearing the same comments from some of the participants.  “I never hit the ball well off the first tee.” and “I won’t make the putt because I am not a good putter.” 

Interestingly enough, everyone who made those comments was right!  They didn’t hit well off the first tee.  It wasn’t that they couldn’t hit the ball because they certainly did off the next tee, but why not the first?

The reason is they kept telling themselves they wouldn’t.  They thought it to be true therefore they made it be true.  Simply put, they were their own worst enemy!

The Power of Positive Thought

The sociologist, Robert Merton called this a self fulfilling prophecy:  What you think and believe will happen actually occurs because you will, either consciously or unconsciously, act in ways that cause it to happen. 

Many bestselling books like Think and Grow Rich and The Secret have documented countless examples of history’s greatest men and women who believed they could, and therefore did.

Examples of the Power of Positive Thought

One of the best examples of the power of positive thought happened one Labour Day weekend.  An unknown, 17 year old tennis player kept pulling upset after upset at the US Open Tennis Championships, taking the sporting world by storm.  One simple word was written on her shoes to serve as a constant reminder to stay positive no matter what.  The word?  Believe.

Change Your Inner Voice So You Won’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

Be it sports or sales, it works the same way.  We all have that inner voice that talks to us.  What does yours say?  Do you tell yourself “I can’t make quota because our prices are too high.”  Or do you think “No one is buying right now because of the recession.”  Or in 2020, “I can’t sell because of the pandemic.”

Stop being your own worst enemy!  By telling yourself you can’t do it, you are making it so.  As a sales professional, you must make a conscious effort to stop being negative and start being positive.

Don’t be Your Own Worst Enemy – Tips on How to Stay Positive

The fact of the matter is your thoughts control your outcomes and you control your thoughts.  So choose wisely!

• Start your day with a positive thought and end it with another.  A sales joke or a daily motivational quote can put you in the right frame of mind.
• Remind yourself of your past victories. What was your biggest sale? When did you challenge yourself and then rise to meet it?
• Congratulate yourself on the effort needed to close a sale rather than the close itself.  Calculate how much commission you make per call.  Set daily activity goals and relish in achieving them.  Reward yourself when you do. If you need a worksheet to help you do this, download our free Goal Setting and Action Planning Worksheet here.
• Associate with successful people who believe they can, and walk away from those who say they can’t.
• Turn off the gloomy evening news and read a sales or motivational book instead.  Here is our recommended sales reading list.
• Surround your home, car and office with items that are inspirational to you.

More Tips to Help You Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy

For more tips on how to you can make a conscious to be more positive, check out, How to Keep a Positive Attitude – 10 Tips for Sales People To Get and Keep A Positive Attitude

Remember as Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, either way you are right.” More motivational quotes here.

Aim Higher!

Susan A. Enns, B2B Sales Coach and Author
Schedule a free sales coaching strategy session with Susan here.

“… what I can tell anyone, is simply this – If you want to learn and understand sales, talk to Susan.”

Looking for more sales tips from today’s top performers?  Check out our downloadable sales and sales management training webinar videos.

For a free copy of our white paper How To Create Your Unique Value Proposition, visit the B2B Sales Connections Free Download Centre.

Do you have a question about sales? You’re not alone.  Most salespeople have questions like this on how they can sell more. For the right answers, check out my book, Ask the Sales Coach-Practical Answers to the Questions Sales People Ask Most.