Smart Calling, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER 18Getting and Staying Motivated

Much of this book focuses on the mechanics of prospecting: what to do and how to do it. Really, though, none of that matters unless you possess the most important part: the mental ability. This is the desire to work and succeed, the self-motivation that drives you, confidence in yourself, and a positive attitude.

We could hand this book to people off the street to equip them with the processes and techniques for sales success. However, most would fail, since they probably could not handle the head part of the game. Conversely, I’ve seen some people who weren’t necessarily blessed with the highest levels of intelligence and communication skills, yet were wildly successful salespeople. But they all shared one even more important characteristic: the desire to succeed, which translated into doing whatever it took to reach their goals.

The mental aspect of selling—and of life, for that matter—is a choice. You decide what type of results you will get each and every day based on your outlook on life, what you believe. According to my friend, motivation and achievement expert Dr. Alan Zimmerman:

Beliefs are like filters. When you observe life through a particular filter, you can only receive certain information. The rest is unavailable. It’s like having your TV tuned to NBC. You’re not going to see any shows on CBS, no matter how hard you try. If you don’t like how things are going, if you don’t like how you’re feeling, change the channel.