We’ve been talking about the things that salespeople hate to do but do anyway because they know it’ll make a difference in the long run. So far, we’ve covered Prospecting, Daily Repetitive Tasks, and Focus. Today, we’re tackling what might be the most important of all: Attitude.
Let me start with a story that might resonate with you.
A friend of mine was going through a tough time. Her husband had been reassigned to a noon-to-7 p.m. shift at work, and it completely upended their routine. They’d always had dinner together—a time to share their day, talk about what’s happening in the world, and make decisions together.
With this new schedule, he’d come home around 9 p.m., sometimes later, often after grabbing a bite and a beer with colleagues. He wasn’t hungry when he got home, and definitely wasn’t in the mood to chat.
My friend was heartbroken. She couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment. “I can’t change my attitude about this,” she said. “I know I should, but all I can feel is sorry for myself.”
It struck me that her situation was a lot like what we often face in sales: getting locked into a negative attitude that we can’t seem to shake, no matter how much we want to.
“It’s like looking through a dirty window,” she told me. “Everything looks muddled and distorted, and I just can’t find a way to clean it. Every time I look out, I’m reminded of how much I hate this.”
But a few months later, when we caught up over coffee, something had changed.
“I realized I had to find a new way to look at things, or it was going to ruin everything,” she said.
So, here’s what they did:
Every Sunday, they’d go grocery shopping together—something they actually enjoyed. They’d plan meals so that her husband could eat the same dinner at work that she was having at home. During his 4 p.m. lunch break, he’d call her, and they’d catch up while he was relaxed. It wasn’t the same as their old dinner routine, but it was working for them.
“What changed?” I asked.
“I realized I needed to change the window I was looking through,” she said. “I found a new perspective—one that wasn’t clouded by frustration.”
By focusing on the big picture—maintaining a strong relationship, making time to connect daily, and accepting the new normal—she was able to shift her attitude.
It’s a powerful lesson for all of us.
Sometimes, we think changing our attitude is as simple as flipping a switch, but it’s not. It’s about finding a new perspective, reframing how we see things, and keeping our eye on the bigger goals.
Throughout this series, we’ve talked about defining your big goals, prioritizing them, and taking the daily steps to achieve them. Now, I challenge you to take a look at the parts of your life or work that are causing frustration. Is there a cleaner, clearer window you can look through?
A fresh perspective can do wonders for your attitude. Whether it’s reframing, refreshing, or simply reminding yourself to focus on the positives, remember: Attitude is one of those things we might not enjoy managing, but we do it because it’s crucial to our success.
Here’s to finding a sparkling clean window today—and to your greater success tomorrow!
Lynn
P.S. Feeling stuck? Maybe a structured conversation about your goals could help. In addition to training inside sales teams, I also offer individual coaching. If you’d like to explore how I can help, click reply to schedule a call.