Gem #5: Staying Motivated In Tough Economic Times

Success in sales comes with the realization that good, consistent activity is critical to maintaining strong results. As Albert Gray once said: "successful people have the habit of doing things that failures don't like to do. They don't like doing them either but disliking is subordinated to strength of purpose." In more simple terms, successful people don't necessarily like doing all of their activities (e.g., prospecting, cold calling, preparing for meetings), but they do them any way.

This is all great, but in tough economic times we may find ourselves doing the "dirty work" with little or no results. The temptation might be to throw in the towel and believe that "no matter how hard I work or how hard I try, customers just aren't making any decisions right now!" For those people who would typically consider themselves motivated, hearing the same thing over and over again from customers and prospects can wear you down. Consider some of the following ideas for staying motivated in this current economy:

• You may want to consider some outside help. This doesn't mean getting a therapist, but it could mean creating a support group of colleagues you respect. Scheduling regular opportunities to discuss your challenges to staying motivated is extremely therapeutic.
• Outside help could also come in the form of motivational experts. Consider purchasing audio CDs of the best motivators in the world and listening to these CDs in place of the typical talk radio in the car. Denis Waitley, Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar and Dr. Alan Zimmerman are among a large population of top-notch motivators who provide some of the best motivational material around.
• Develop a more stringent exercise routine. While you may feel like you are in pretty good shape already, ratcheting up your physical stamina can do wonders for your mental stamina. If you aren't a runner, consider training for a 5K "fun run." If you already jog regularly, maybe you train for a 10K or Half-Marathon or Triathlon. Not everyone is cut out for high aerobic activity so consider what types of exercise might be best for you.

For those who don't find a way to stay motivated, their attitude may be one of laying low hoping the economy turns around soon. As Rick Page so poignantly put it: "Hope is Not a Strategy!" The current economic times may represent the new economy that may shape the business world for the next five to ten years. Begin preparing yourself mentally (and physically) for how hard you are going to need to work to maintain strong business results. Staying motivated is going to be the key.

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