I Can't Believe This is Happening to Me!

Ever have one of those weeks where "the sky is falling" and nothing seems to go right? Sometimes, no matter what you do, the chips don't fall your way. That hot new listing you were hoping for signs up with a competitor, your best buyer lead decides to put things off for six months, even your car turns against you and breaks down on the way to work! It happens... these are the things that seemingly are sent to test us. It's almost as if the universe wants to see if we are up to the challenge – before it will offer any new successes.

Bill McDermott is the CEO of SAP, the world's business software leader (291,000 customers). He presents himself as a very inspirational leader who understands the necessity for mental toughness. In a recent interview, he shared some very insightful wisdom:

"Never let the circumstances of the moment affect the size of your dreams."

Mr. McDermott makes a lot of sense. He went on to say that you must always "Stay with your big purpose." Sometimes it's tough to fight through the "circumstances of the moment" when grenades are going off all around you. The next time you have one of those days or weeks when nothing is going right, here are five ideas to get you back on track:

Protecting the Size of Your Dreams

1. Your Goals/Dream Board – Make sure you're very clear on your big goals. As Bill McDermott says, "Focus on your big purpose." What are the real reasons you are working so hard? Have a look at your goals list every morning, spend a couple of extra moments looking at your dream board. If you don't have one, Google some pictures and make one up right away – it won't take long. The main thing is to stay motivated.

2. Take Action – The best antidote for defeating frustration, disappointment, anger, fear, etc. is to get busy and stay in action. Be sure you are busy moving forward with your business. More importantly, make sure you are "doing the right things." Take a moment and revisit your daily schedule. It's very easy to get off track when things aren't going right. Make a list of the top three things you must do every day to succeed in your career. Do them every day, regardless of what's going on around you.

3. Get a Hug – Take strength from those you love. Part of the challenge in dealing with the negative aspects of "the circumstances of the moment" is you are having an emotional reaction. It's hard not to. Fight fire with fire. Get some emotional reinforcement to combat that. Sometimes you just need to be reminded that you are loved and that others are counting on you to stay strong. Take the afternoon off, get a hug, spend some time with those you care about the most. Be reminded that your loved one's care for you, they are counting on you.

4. Read YOU2 by Price Pritchett — Here is a short read that will inspire you and help you understand what you are capable of. It's one of those books that takes less than an hour to finish and will stay with you forever. This is a "must do." Don't put it off, order it today.

5. Use Your Resources – When things get off track, it's critical that you take advantage of the resources around you to get everything "back under control." When things go wrong in your business, it's time to create some new and exciting leads and opportunities. One of your best resources for this is your lead file and your customer database. Your CRM manager is a great place to start. Go through your list and make some calls, ask for referrals, regenerate old leads...get some new business to help you move forward. Also, get a coach to inspire you and hold you accountable for moving forward.

Conclusion: It has been established that 90% of Sales Success can be directly attributed to your mindset and your attitude. Use these Action steps to reinforce your own personal mental toughness. If it is true that the universe is periodically "testing us" then make sure you have the ammunition ready to ensure the you are up to the challenge.

One thing that is absolutely etched in stone is this... when you continue to do the right things in spite of what's going on around you, you will always win. You will always come out on top. There is a BONUS in all this...your self-confidence increases right along with your results! You are becoming unstoppable. NO Excuses.

What's your best solution for "dealing with the circumstances of the moment"?

To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog.