Years ago, a good friend of mine and I decided that if it’s 20° hotter or colder than you’re used to (or expecting) you’re uncomfortable.
Which means that some kids will be running through the sprinkler when it’s 65° and others will have sweaters on because they’re used to +85° summertime temperatures.
I guess the same is true when looking at sales activity. You’ll be uncomfortable when a particular question – technique – tactic is 20° away from your comfort zone.
Here are my observations (in no particular order of importance).
Make it 10° Instead
This may seem odd, but what if you take that sales activity that makes you uncomfortable and tweak it slightly.
It may not be your habitual way of selling, but it’s moving you in a direction you want to go without emotional alarm.
Eventually the new way becomes habit and…
What We’re Used to Shifts
Funny thing about looking back at your career is that you have memories of things that were REALLY scary for you at a specific moment in time… that you do without thought or concern now.
In fact, they’re so insignificant you probably can’t think of the last time “it” happened. Oh I’m sure you’ve done that thing – it’s now a habit and 0° away from your normal sales behavior.
It isn’t that there is NOTHING outside your comfort zone – the exercises that worry you are now different.
Stop Viewing Discomfort as BAD
Here is a CRAZY idea – what if you were to stop thinking of discomfort as being a bad thing?
What if you embraced the things that make you uncomfortable instead?
My personal example is I joined in a Thursday evening women’s mountain biking group; uncomfortable because I’ve never mountain biked before – I’m a solid 15 years older than everyone – WAY out of shape in comparison – my bike is a hybrid and different than everyone else’s – I knew zero people in the group.
Going was super uncomfortable – in my mind I replaced “bad” with “curious” to shift my own feelings. I’ve been back week after week – mostly it’s fun… for the record, it’s still makes me uncomfortable.
This week, take your own sales temperature – where are you comfortable? What makes you too hot? How about too cold?
Do the work to shift yourself away from avoidance and into embracing those feelings.
Hey, it’s Thursday – I’ll be going mountain biking later, if I can do THAT you can do anything!
Lynn