As a sales motivation speaker, I have the opportunity to stand in front of every attitude imaginable.
Some salespeople are happy to see me, eager to strengthen their selling skills.
And some salespeople challenge me at every turn, as if it is their mission to shoot holes in any suggestion I make.
I actually enjoy the variety of comments and input.
It also gives me ample material to gauge some truths about sales motivation — and some myths.
Here are three myths that need busting:
1. Some people are just wired for motivation. Either you have it or you don’t.
If you’ve been clinging to this myth, my guess is you aren’t just indifferent to ways you could boost your sales motivation, you’re possibly antagonistic toward such ideas.
If indeed the ability to increase motivation is limited to certain people, then we are putting limits on our decision-making abilities. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be saddled with some pre-determined limits about what I can accomplish.
I have seen salespeople who have spent years doing very little to increase their sales motivation, only to then have something click within them to compel them to make a different choice.
They decide to walk a new path — purposely pouring into becoming more motivated to sell and to succeed.
Maybe you can relate to that experience. If so, then you are living proof that phenomenal motivation is not limited to certain personality types or certain individuals.
2. Motivation is primarily dependent on outside factors.
I’m a firm believer that outside factors do impact motivation, but ultimately the momentum for motivation begins internally.
This point is closely tied to the first point.
In other words, not only can someone who has never been overly attentive to motivation then become attentive, they also can recognize the element of personal accountability.
They stop blaming the outside factors like the economy, their co-workers, their territory, their customers and so forth.
Instead, they begin to strengthen and sustain the foundation of sales motivation — within themselves.
3. Motivating oneself always requires the same amount of energy.
This myth suggests that each time you want to increase your motivation, you are going to have to exert the same effort.
Interestingly, motivation can be developed like a muscle.
The more you intentionally pour into your sales motivation — the easier it becomes to stay motivated.
In other words, motivation becomes your natural tendency because you have developed the healthy habit of choosing motivation.
This is similar to the law of physics that says a body in motion stays in motion.
Spend time each day intentionally building your sales motivation and I guarantee that this will feel more natural on day 30 than it did on day 1.
I’m sure that collectively we all could come up with more myths about sales motivation. What are some myths you would bust?
Throw them into the comment section so we all can learn and grow.
Copyright 2011, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
