Ever find yourself sitting at your desk, headset on, staring at your screen? The next call info is up. You’ve got your topic. Your opening line is locked and loaded. You even have your voicemail script ready to go.
And yet… you’re still sitting there. Replaying it all in your head, running through every possible scenario, convinced that if you think it through just one more time, you’ll spot some hidden mistake.
Sound familiar?
The Flying Screaming Monkey Lesson
A salesperson I know was doing exactly this—over-preparing, overthinking, and not dialing.
Then, she finally hit the call button. The prospect didn’t answer (of course), so she launched into her voicemail script. Just as she started, a flying screaming monkey (yes, an actual toy) was launched across the office.
Being quick on her feet, she casually added, “And if you want to know what that was, call me back.” Then she kept going.
What happened next? That same monkey flew back —bad aim—hit her in the head, knocked off her headset… and somehow, she still finished her voicemail. (Talk about composure!)
In frustration, she blurted out, “I spent all that time worrying about my voicemail, but the real lesson is: Don’t stress about it, because you may be hit in the head by a flying screaming monkey!”
When Are You Over-Preparing?
Call prep is important. But at some point, prep becomes procrastination.
Ask yourself:
- Am I practicing, or am I just delaying the call?
- Do I already know enough to have a conversation?
- Would hitting dial be more productive than another mental replay?
The Outcome?
The prospect called her back. Why? Because if she could keep her cool through that, he figured she was worth doing business with.
So, stop waiting for the perfect moment—just make the call. And watch out for flying monkeys.