In the world of sales, we often look up to icons like Steph Curry. His unmatched dedication and prowess in basketball has secured his legacy as one of the greatest athletes in history. However, even the most accomplished professionals can face burnout.
Steph’s journey serves as a testament to the importance of recognizing our limits, taking a step back, and seeking fresh challenges to reignite our passion, and the resilience it takes to succeed.
He didn’t go to a big university. Moreover, six others were chosen before him in the draft:
Clippers. Blake Griffin. PF.
Grizzlies. Hasheem Thabeet. C.
Thunder. James Harden. SG.
Kings. Tyreke Evans. PG.
Timberwolves. Ricky Rubio. PG.
Timberwolves. Jonny Flynn. PG.
Warriors. Stephen Curry. PG.
As for set backs, multiple injuries including his own leading to a 15-50 record. However, he never gave up. Warrior mentality.
In the same way that Steph Curry, we all have setbacks. Thus, all we have to do is dig deep to push through. Here are some actionable tips tailored for salespeople to navigate setbacks and prevent burnout.
Learning from Mistakes
No champions playbook can be complete without a chapter on learning from mistakes. In the relentless pursuit of success in sales, it’s crucial to confront our mistakes head-on. Just as champions in sports review their gameplays, successful salespeople dissect their failures, identifying areas for improvement.
It is important to understand that this process isn’t about self-flagellation, but a constructive evaluation of performance. Additionally, this process is about learning from missteps while celebrating the moments of brilliance that drive us forward.
Our suggestion here is to look at your situation and frame your thoughts as if someone else came to you for advice about this exact thing. This gives us the mental distance to sepearate our emotions from the problem and allows us to open our mind to learning.
Give Yourself Grace
A true Sales Warrior’s mantra is not about being aggressive. It’s about keep perspective. We often tell ourselves, “give yourself some slack” and “stop being so hard on yourself”.
The irony here is that those are very critical statements. In fact, they probably have the same tone your parents used when they got frustrated with you. As a result, we are often our own harshest critics, which can lead to unnecessary stress and self-doubt.
Recognizing that judgment can swing both ways: positive and negative. It is a pivotal step towards cultivating self-compassion.
Accepting All of You: Strengths and Flaws in Sales
For better or worse is not just about a commitment to marriage. It’s a commitment to ourselves. Whether you’re an SDR, Inside Sales Rep, Account Manager, or working in Customer Success, it’s imperative to embrace every facet of yourself.
This encompasses your strengths and weaknesses, the highs and lows. Perfection is a mirage, and accepting your entire self lays the foundation for growth and resilience in the dynamic world of sales.
A counterintuitive approach. Only spending time on the skills you feel you need to improve often carries a lot of negative baggage. Yes, spend time there and spend time on improving your best skills too.
Avoiding Burnout Together: A Sales Team Endeavor
Burnout is a pervasive challenge in the high-octane world of sales. It can affect anyone, irrespective of their level of achievement. Thus, by acknowledging our limitations and embracing self-compassion, we can proactively ward off burnout.
Recognizing you are approaching burnout in sales is something we can all do better. Here are a few things to pay attention to.
- Lack of sleep or over sleeping,
- lack of appetite or over eating, and
- drinking/ drugs are often the most recognizable.
Moreover, these are another important aspects to look out for:
- no joy in your work (even the best parts)
- constant catastrophe thinking (even when things are good on paper)
- missing meetings,
- missing deadlines,
- knowing you are on your way to burn out and refusing to acknowledge the thought for fear of being perceived as weak.
Notably, just about everyone I know who has experienced burnout was not surprised it happened. However, they were surprised by the sudden pain it brough once they hit the final moment.
The Resilience from Burnout
Steph’s s journey to triumph serves as an inspiration for salespeople facing their own moments of fatigue and self-doubt. Learning from mistakes, showing self-compassion, and accepting our whole selves are vital practices in avoiding burnout.
By adopting positive self-judgment and seeking new challenges, we forge ahead in our sales journey with renewed vigor and passion. Remember, in sales, it’s not about flawless perfection; it’s about unwavering resilience.
If you need extra help to support your sales team, I invite you to check our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Sales Training & Reinforcement Program or simply book a time to chat here.
