Chris Pierce You’re reading this because you’ve chosen a career in a very competitive and very difficult field. Sales takes physical and mental strength that few possess. For that you should be proud because you are not just anyone—you’re a beast! Because the field is paved with rejection, it is natural and easy to experience doubt, fear, embarrassment, resentment and regret.
Emotions & Sales
If you allow negative thoughts and emotions to dictate your actions, you’ll get frustrated, burned out and seek safety in the arms of another career. People start to think, I’m just not cut out for this. It’s not for me. It doesn’t fit my personality. These are just excuses of people who failed to build mental toughness and maintain control when things got hard.
It doesn’t have to be this way! You don’t have to listen to that voice in your head. You can turn it off. You can rebel against it. You will still experience doubts, fears and frustrations, but when you have a plan, you have the ability to respond differently. Great days are not determined by how smoothly everything goes. Great days are determined by how you respond to the difficulties life throws at you.
What does R.E.B.E.L mean?
Build mental toughness by rebelling against the voice that’s telling you to seek comfort. Do not take the path of least resistance. Rebel.
R.E.B.E.L
R- Remember
E- Envision
B- Believe
E- Energy
L- Live
Becoming a R.E.B.E.L in sales
Here’s a real life example to prove this practice: one of my clients called after a particularly stressful and difficult day. People had been short and rude with him all day. No one wanted what he was offering. It was hot and he was tired. He easily could have said I’m just off today and called it quits. But he didn’t do that. He rebelled against his thoughts and emotions. He maintained control and treated each door like it was his first, ending the day with only a single sale—he didn’t give in. He didn’t quit. He maintained control and he conquered. The next day he went out and sold 9! Would he have sold 9 had he called it quits the day before? Who knows? The lesson is that pride comes not from easy selling, but from overcoming difficulties.
The 5 Steps to becoming a R.E.B.E.L
My system for this rebellion is called The Rebel Response. The Rebel Response helps you take control of your thoughts, emotions and actions when your brain seeks comfort and safety. This ensures that you effectively utilize your sales skills to get the results you desire. It works by intentionally keeping your motivation, attention, confidence and energy in check.
The Rebel Response takes place before your first step on the driveway, to the door, and back to the road. Here’s how to do it:
- Remember the reasons why you are selling. This works best if you’ve taken the time to identify those reasons and have a preplanned, simple and effective strategy for remembering why you are out there. This should take 3-5 seconds.
- Envision the actions you are going to take on the door. Simply tell yourself what you are going to do. List the actions you will take, the strategies you are working on. Keep it simple and to the point. This should take 5-10 seconds.
- Believe that you can complete the actions you just listed by stating a mantra or affirmation that confirms your belief in your ability. Make the mantra about your actions, not the homeowner’s actions. This should take 3-5 seconds.
- Dial your Energy by taking 1-3 slow deep breaths into your diaphragm. This will help regulate your energy so that you can think clearly and respond accurately.
- Live. Be present with the person you are speaking to. Remember that you chose this adventure, so enjoy it. Have fun and connect with the homeowner you’re speaking with.
The Rebel Response is short, sweet and effective for maintaining control over your situation. Maintain control over yourself, and you’ll maintain control of your skillset. Remember that this process should be done repeatedly. If what you are working for is worth it, then it is worth overcoming your mind and taking control.
Are you ready to R.E.B.E.L?
Mental toughness does not come from reading books and listening to podcasts. Mental toughness comes by practicing specific skills to maintain control. You cannot expect to effectively maintain control in difficult situations if you haven’t practiced maintaining control in easy situations first. So how do you practice mental toughness? The simple answer, you practice maintaining control of yourself. Control of your thoughts, emotions and actions. The hard part is that your mind seeks after safety and comfort. If you rebel against your mind you’ll overcome and conquer great things in sales and life.
