We can all appreciate the importance of mental strength and resilience for sales professionals. Ours is a career requiring great emotional strength, with rejection, setbacks and failure an inevitable part of our daily landscape. How we cope with these challenges has a huge impact on our long-term success.
In a recent article for Forbes, author Jack Kelly wrote about the Habits of Mentally Strong People, and How They Can Help You Succeed. His insights have perfect relevance for sales professional‚ here are highlights from the article:
One consistent theme among the stories of ultra-successful people is the occurrence of setbacks and failures, suggesting that mental resilience and fortitude in the face of obstacles is a big factor, if not the biggest factor, in ultimate success. Kelly reflects on the common habits of successful people, noting that they:
- Go to bed and wake up early, reflecting a proactive and energized mindset
- Understand that failing is a part of the process, keeping setbacks in perspective
- Don’t take it personally when things go wrong, casting challenges as temporary setbacks and not permanent road blocks
- Stay focused on their end goals
- Never stop learning, reflecting a thirst for new ideas and insight, as well as open mindedness
- Know when to say “no” to opportunities or activities that distract from their goals
Kelly writes, “The interesting thing about all these characteristics is that they seem so easy and attainable; and they are. It all boils down to the dedication in achieving it. Most of these people are not amazingly brilliant or phenomenally charismatic. They often start off from humble beginnings‚ counter to our perceived notions that they were born to wealth. What they do possess in abundance is the mental toughness to develop a plan and work like hell to achieve it, despite all the setbacks, naysayers and failures. The amazing thing is that it is possible for all of us to do this as well.”
Read Jack Kelly’s entire Forbes article here.
