Over, Under, Around or Through, Part Two

Remember a few weeks ago when I came to a tree that had fallen across my path? I just faced another obstacle on that same path that once again impeded my daily walk.

The other day, I approached my usual walking route and straight ahead right in the middle of the trail stood a fox. I waited for the fox to run off and for the path to clear but, MUCH to my dismay, it started to run right towards me! Unlike with the fallen tree, this was not a time to figure out how I should approach this “obstacle”; I turned right around, ran straight back to my car and drove home.

As I was driving home, I started thinking about fear and what happens when it stands in the way of completing something we’ve set out to accomplish. How do we face, overcome or push past fear in the different situations it arises in our lives?

In sales, I’ve always said that there are three reasons that someone doesn’t do something:

1.      They don’t know how to do it

2.      They don’t want to do it

3.      They don’t see the value so they’re not motivated to do it

But recently I’ve discovered there’s a fourth reason: the FEAR of doing it. For salespeople, fear can manifest itself in a variety of situations: you might be afraid to pick up the phone and make a call, or you could be fearful that if you ask the questions you need to ask in order to uncover key information you might cross that invisible line in the sand that means you’ll come off as too pushy.

I’ve learned that whenever it’s possible to face your fears you should do so. My dad, Sonny, would always tell me when I was afraid of something that I should put myself in a situation to overcome that fear. It certainly stands to reason that the more you do something, the less afraid you’ll be. Think back to when you’ve done something for the first time, like riding a bike or driving a car, that most likely felt very scary. After a while, though, I’m sure those tasks got easier and even became second nature.

This can work in so many different situations: Have a fear of public speaking? Get in front of a tiny group and give a presentation (start small!). Afraid of making a prospecting call? Just start picking up the phone! The more you do the things you fear, the easier they’ll eventually become.

With my specific obstacle that day on the path, it just wasn’t smart for me to face the fear (i.e. the fox) straight on. But I didn’t let the inconvenience keep me from still getting my exercise in for the day. I simply went home, adapted to my new circumstances and just chose a different activity. I still accomplished what I set out to do, albeit in a different manner.

Is there something you know you need to be doing in order to get ahead in sales but you have some doubt, worry or anxiety standing in your way? Figure out how you’ll face that fear and rise to the challenge.