“What’s the worst thing that could happen? I already don’t have the sale.”
That came from Joshua, one of the members of my Smart Calling Ultimate Sales Professional Mastery coaching group. He was talking about a high six-figure piece of equipment he was selling and how he had been hesitating to directly ask for the commitment.
Joshua has made amazing progress in the year and a half he’s been with us. And this was one of those coaching moments I love. It wasn’t some brilliant new sales technique. It was simply something he recognized at exactly the time he needed it.
He was worried about what might happen if he asked for the business. Then it hit him: the outcome he feared was pretty much the situation he was already in.
He already didn’t have the sale.
If he asked, they could say yes, no, not yet, or give him an objection or condition he could work with. But if he didn’t ask, nothing changed. He still didn’t have the sale.
And here’s the best part: now he asks. It’s not something he needs to psych himself up for anymore or some scary moment looming at the end of the sales process. It’s simply what he does.
What once required courage became normal.
What are You REALLY Afraid Of?
We spend an enormous amount of time being afraid of things that haven’t happened. And probably won’t.
We create these little movies in our heads about what might happen if we make the call, ask the question, state the price, ask for the commitment, contact the big decision-maker, or have the uncomfortable conversation.
What if they say no?
Okay, what if they do?
You’re still alive. Your family still loves you. Your dog probably does too. The sun will come up tomorrow. And unless you did something incredibly stupid, the prospect will have forgotten about it long before you stop thinking about it.
And by the way, they can’t reject you. They can say no to what you’re proposing. They can decline an offer, disagree with an idea, or choose another vendor.
“Rejection” is simply the definition YOU choose to give that experience.
But here’s what we usually miss:
We calculate the possible cost of taking action
while ignoring the certain cost of doing nothing.
Skip the ask for the commitment and you’ve guaranteed you won’t get one right now. Avoid the call and there’s no conversation to have. Dance around the difficult question and you never get the answer you need.
And if you don’t pursue an opportunity because you might fail?
Congratulations. You’ve managed to create the same outcome as failure without even giving yourself the possibility of succeeding.
Efficient.
Which brings us right back to Joshua.
Sometimes the outcome you’re afraid of creating by taking action is the exact outcome you’ve already created by NOT taking action.
There’s another cost we don’t think enough about: regret.
A “no” can disappear pretty quickly. But “I wonder what would have happened if...” can hang around for a hell of a long time.
I’d much rather be able to say, “Well, I tried,” than “I wish I would have.”
WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW
Think of ONE thing you know you should do, but you’ve been avoiding because of what might happen. Maybe it’s a call, asking for the commitment, stating your price, requesting a referral, asking a difficult question, or pursuing an opportunity you keep thinking about.
Now ask yourself Joshua’s question:
What’s the realistic worst thing that could happen if I do it?
Not the horror movie version your mind has created. What is the realistic worst outcome?
Then ask the much more important question:
What happens if I do nothing?
Compare THOSE two outcomes.
And then do the thing.
In fact, don’t just do it once. Look for opportunities to do it repeatedly. Because the objective isn’t to become fearless. It’s to do the thing enough that eventually it no longer feels like something that requires courage.
It’s just what you do.
Just like Joshua.
There are probably things you’re afraid to do today that could be completely normal for you six months from now.
There’s only one way to find out.
Do it.
WANT THIS KIND OF COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT?
Joshua’s breakthrough is one of the reasons I love working with the committed professionals in my Smart Calling Ultimate Sales Professional Mastery group.
Personal development isn’t a one-time event. It’s not a book you read, a seminar you attend, check the box, and now you’re “trained.”
It’s ongoing.
You learn something. You use it. You run into situations. You get coaching. You practice. You adjust. And sometimes something we covered months ago suddenly hits you differently because NOW you’re standing in the exact situation where you need it.
That’s where breakthroughs happen.
If you’re a committed B2B sales professional who wants ongoing training, coaching, accountability, and development like this, take a look at the Smart Calling Ultimate Sales Professional Mastery program and apply here:
Go make it your best week ever!
