Habits – a word that often carries a negative connotation. But let me tell you, I love habits, and I believe you should too!
Habits are the secret sauce that allows us to perform tasks effortlessly, without having to engage in conscious thought. Let’s face it, thinking can be hard, and most of us prefer to minimize it whenever possible.
Imagine if you had to consciously think through every single action, like brushing your teeth, getting to work, or tying your shoes. It would be exhausting! Thankfully, habits come to the rescue. Once we recognize that an activity will be repeated over and over, we develop a set way of doing it to make our lives easier.
As time goes on and we continue to repeat the behavior, less and less conscious thought is required.
Inside salespeople, in particular, can benefit from cultivating good habits. Some examples include:
- knowing how to efficiently search within systems
- conducting thorough research before making a call
- following a structured process for creating quotes
- navigating auto-attendants effortlessly
- leaving concise voicemail messages.
These habits become mental routes that guide us in the right direction, freeing up brainpower for other important tasks.
Good habits are those that help us achieve the desired outcomes. They become the guiding marks on our road to success, allowing us to reach our goals without expending excessive mental energy.
With good habits in place, we can focus on active listening during conversations, crafting effective deal strategies, engaging in long-term planning, setting goals, and tackling the ever-changing aspects of our work.
However, habits can turn sour when they no longer align with our desired results or fail to produce the outcomes we seek. In such cases, it’s crucial to recognize the need for change and take intentional steps to replace old, ineffective habits with new ones that better serve our goals.
This is where the true challenge lies – changing our habits and creating new ones require conscious effort and deliberate thinking.
It won’t be easy at first. Change can feel uncomfortable and unfamiliar.
You have the power to identify the actions, behaviors, and thought processes that will lead to the results you desire. Embrace the discomfort and engage your brain. Break free from the ease of old habits and embrace the transformative potential of new ones.
Here are a few important tips to guide you on your habit-changing journey:
- Ensure that the new behavior aligns with your desired outcome.
- Evaluate and modify your approach as needed.
- Find an accountability partner who shares your goals, allowing you to support and learn from each other.
- Be patient and kind to yourself. Change takes time, but the results will be worth it.
Remember, if you want different results, you must be willing to do things differently. Embrace the power of habits, both good and bad, and harness their potential to drive your success as an inside sales professional.