Shift Your Mindset – Find Success In 2016

Do you believe it’s possible to think your way to success in sales in the new year? If you think it is, or if you think it’s not, you’ll be right. We get what we expect.

The power of positive thinking may sound new-agey, but it’s based on some solid research!

Research published by the University of Rochester Medical Center has shown that optimism can be correlated to a greater amount of positive life experiences, like longer lives, better overall health including mental health, more success in the professional realm and in sports, and better coping strategies when adversities arise.

Studies published in the US National Library of Medicine focused on classifying hundreds of subjects as either optimistic or pessimistic, after which their muscular strength was tested to get a baseline level. Then an optimist was paired with a pessimist for several minutes, and afterwards, strength was tested again. The study found that an optimist generally lost strength after interaction with a pessimist, while a pessimist gained strength.

Don’t despair if you’re not a naturally cheerful person, however. You can change the way you frame your thoughts to be more on the optimistic side of the scale.

Sales has its own inherent disappointments that can cause your mood and outlook to spiral down; a huge deal fell through or a client decides to switch to a competitor.

Here are 3 tips to reframe your thinking in a more positive light:

– It’s Not a Failure When You Learn Something

Maybe your biggest client decided to switch his accounts to a competitor. This would defeat some salespeople, but when you look at the situation objectively, you can usually find something to learn from it.

Perhaps you learn something from your competitor’s approach that you can use in the future to help you win clients. Or you might find that something you’ve been doing during presentations is thwarting your success rate.

There’s always something you can learn that will help you be better the next time. The key is to find those nuggets of gold, and use your natural style to develop a more refined way for the next time around.

– A Test of Your Persistence and Resolve

Consider this a test. Quitters never win, and persistence and resolve will help you open doors that were previously closed.

Remember, “no” usually don’t mean “never.” It just means “not right now.” Never stop trying. There is a reason why 8% of salespeople get 80% of the sales; it’s because they persist long past when others give up.

Consider setbacks a test of how you’ll stand up to the pressure. Re-frame your failures to “not right now,” and focus on how to change the outcome in the future.

– Look for the Silver Lining

There are numerous examples of failures that turned into a rousing success purely because someone looked at the result differently. One of the most famous is the scientist at 3M who was trying to develop a stronger glue. What he created was something seriously lacking in strength. It wasn’t until someone else thought of using it on little squares of paper that the Post-It Note was created. Huge success.

Look at failures and setbacks closely. What can you create out of the situation? Suppose, for example, that you lost a significant deal you’ve worked for months on. While not giving up on the account is still key, you might take what you learned to that prospect’s competitor and win that account.

Your mind-set in 2016

Your thoughts become your actions. Actions then become behaviors, and behaviors lead to habits. Make a conscious effort to re-frame your thoughts based on the above suggestions, and watch your sales efforts become invigorated in 2016.

It’s your year to shine.

“Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.”

– Tony Robbins

For advice on adjusting your people’s mindset, or to explore training options, give our team a call