Controlling Negative Thoughts That Get in The Way of Sales Success

November 21, 2019

Karen Rinaldi, author of It’s Great to Suck at Something: The Unexpected Joy of Wiping Out and What It Can Teach Us About Patience, Resilience, and the Stuff that Really Matters says, “We have to water the right seeds. If we do that, we can shift our habit energy–that negative loop that contributes to our suffering into mindfulness.”

Last Monday, November 11, I had the pleasure of visiting with Leigh Ashton LIVE from London for the Women of Influence Facebook live series. She is the author of “iSell” and a speaker, trainer, and coach. Leigh specializes in empowering sales success. She is an expert in utilizing psychology and cognitive conditioning, leading to positive and profitable changes to sales results. Leigh is an amazing and vibrant woman who helps others to become confident outside their comfort zone.

Leigh found selling was a natural fit, and she was so good she was soon promoted to sales manager. It was during this time that she learned that other people didn’t find sales as easy as she did. Wanting to help, she shared her top tips and strategies to have successful deals. Some were determined to try them out, while others felt that it wouldn’t work for them. At this, she wondered, “why would a person NOT do what would help them become successful?” Yet others quick latch on to success?

What Leigh discovered is sales success begins and ends in our heads. When we think we can’t do something or that something won’t work out, we prevent ourselves from even making the slightest attempt. The thoughts that go through our minds every day can trigger us to feel positive or negative about ourselves and what we do. Holding a negative thought generates a corresponding negative feeling and action. And when we hold positive thoughts, we create positive energy and this triggers positive actions.

So how does this translate to sales – or anything else in life for that matter?

Once you experience a negative feeling, do not take action because your best efforts can no longer be delivered. If your triggered thought is, “I don’t want to do this,” and the behavior is, for example, picking up the phone, your chance of getting the result you want is lower because everything is half-baked. Leigh’s solution is to change those triggered thoughts entirely. She suggests to come up with 5-6 positive triggers thoughts, to choose one and think, “how does this make me feel?” By coming up with thoughts that help us feel better, we enable ourselves to act upon them with more vigor.

Doing something to shift your energy to something that makes you feel good, like listening to music, dancing, and loosening up and focusing on keeping yourself in the best state of mind prepares you to face problems and obstacles as they come. Establishing a standard of self-empowerment and encouragement reminds us of how awesome you are, and that today is going to be a great day! You will be inspired to work to create your desired outcomes, results, take mistakes with grace, and deliver will excellence every time!

Watch the full interview here: