Jiu Jitsu Pressure is like Sales Pressure

Imagine being held hostage on the jiu jitsu mat. You are pinned with someone’s weight pressing down on you, immobilizing your chest, squeezing the air from your lungs and compressing your organs. Good Times! In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, this is called top pressure. Pressure is applied to hold your opponent still while you advance position or secure a submission. Sometimes it is applied to the newer white belts for no other reason than sheer laughs. And for many white belts or beginners in BJJ, pressure is often the breaking point. No chokes, no joint locks needed, just your hopes and dreams being squished out of your body as you give up. And early on, it’s tempting to give up and make the pressure stop. Sales, family, personal goals, and more can create similar pressures making us sales professionals want to give up. In BJJ and in life, you learn to be calm, make "frames" and see the pathway out.

Staying Calm Under Pressure

In BJJ, when someone’s got you under that crushing top pressure, the instinct is to panic, but the trick is to control your breathing, stay calm, and not let the discomfort take over. In sales, it’s the same game. When a deal's on the line or you’re facing resistance from a tough prospect, keeping cool is crucial. Don’t react emotionally or rush it; instead, take a breath, assess, and stay steady, letting that calm confidence guide you. The truth is that much of a deal is out of your control anyway once you've made your pitch. What you have control over is the preparation, the set up and how you react to their decision. However once you shoot your shot it's on the client. So, rather than let the moment get to you, stay calm and know you have other deals in the hopper.

Frames!!!

In BJJ, when you’re under top pressure, the natural reaction is to push your opponent away. Now anyone with BJJ experience will tell you this is often a terrible idea. Simply trying to bench press your way out of top pressure will leave your arms exposed for attack or you will just burn out your arms as you attempt to bench more than your strength allows. You learn that pushing too hard or reacting out of discomfort can lead straight to defeat. Instead, learn to "frame" your opponent. Using your forearms and elbows to keep the weight off but not leave limbs exposed. This gives you the space you need to think and keeps the psychological effects of pressure at bey.

In sales, there can be a similar tendency when reacting to pressure, it’s tempting to "push back" with an aggressive pitch, hard rebuttals, or promises you can't keep. The reactive push may feel like control, but it can open you up to objections or resistance. Reacting can expose weaknesses in your sales approach, this could tarnish your image and cause you to lose a deal. Instead, the key is to use the frames of listening, responding thoughtfully, and not getting rattled by the pressure. Set your limits, boundaries and expectations ahead of time so you own the meeting. Just like in BJJ, it’s about controlled engagement, not forceful resistance.

The Pathway Out

So, when the mind is calm and the preparation is done right, the pathway out of pressure usually just reveals itself. A little bit of space shows itself and if your eyes are able to see it, there is a way out. The mindgame is being able to see the pathway, the solution. On the jiu jitsu mat you are exposed and have to give up or risk injury. Of course your pride has long since been checked and you're humble, but the smaller the wins, the smaller windows of escape from the pressure are all around you. In sales, the pathway out is the turn of phrase that removes your prospect’s resistance. Or the crisp, simple explanation that clicks in the mind of the prospect leading to the closed deal. A calm prepared mind will see the solutions that your clients need to be shown. You won't win every deal, but you will learn from every meeting you have. This is how you get back up and start the fight all over again.