Fear. Some say it is “False Evidence Appearing Real.” Well, when you are feeling it, it sure doesn’t feel false, does it?
I’ve shared this before. One of my biggest fears in my life was public speaking. Did you know that there’s a term for it? It’s an actual disorder. Yes, it’s glossophobia, which comes from the Greek word glossa, which means tongue, and phobos, which means fear or dread. And, get this: it is estimated that 75% of the population actually suffers from it!
I was one of those 75%. I had all of the classic symptoms— dry mouth, weak voice, body shakes, sweating, heart palpitations and even panic attacks. Given all of that, you’d think I would have quit a long time ago, and not forged ahead to become a professional speaker.
But, like most business owners, I’m stubborn. So I kept going, and going, and going—which led to many nerve-wracking moments, stressful days/weeks/months and living in a lot of fear.
Whenever I share this with people, they are always surprised because they see me as being so calm on stage. They can’t see my palpitating heart or the thoughts that are railing through my head. I learned, very quickly, how to mask those symptoms.
Because the truth was, I kept taking inspired action and all of that inspired action led me back to the stage, back to speaking. God had a clear message for me: “You can be afraid, but you are still going to do this because your message is much bigger than you are. And, it’s not about you. It’s about the people you are here to serve.” A mentor had once said that to me, and then it just continued to reverberate in my head as the years (yes, years) went on.
Recently I had another huge breakthrough in this area. In addition to public speaking, my second biggest fear was singing in public. Believe me, I know it sounds ridiculous. I would actually have nightmares about being on stage and having to sing and not being able to. (Yes, there are tons of meanings you could interpret from this).
On October third, I was on stage delivering a keynote at the Polka Dot Powerhouse National Conference. I was so honored to be there. Yes, I was nervous, but over the years my fear has lessened as I have been reminded that my work is not about me; it’s about the people I am here to serve. The same is true for you, by the way. As I walked on the stage with Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” blaring in the background, a crazy thing happened. The crowd was on their feet and they were singing along with the song. Yes, they were singing! So, I had no choice but to open up my mouth and sing with them. After all, I know all of the words. I have sung that song many times at the top of my lungs while alone in the car (keyword = alone)!
So, completely off key, with the audience on their feet, I sang/shouted, “Don’t Stop Believin’” into the mic. Suddenly, that last fear blew away in the wind.
And then, as miracles would have it, I was chosen that evening as Polka Dot Powerhouse’s 2015 Extraordinary Speaker—my very first speaker award.
My greatest fear had transformed into my greatest gift.
Why does this matter to you? Because your fear is keeping you stuck. When you are stuck, you aren’t getting the sales that you deserve. It’s that simple. If I had let my glossophobia stop me, my business, not to mention my spirit, would have stagnated.
The gift I want to extend to you this month is the gift of facing your fear, getting unstuck, and living the life you’ve been dreaming about.
Here you go! “5 Ways to Get Unstuck in Your Sales Now!”
1.Regroup and Reframe: When you are feeling stuck, you have to take a time out so you can regroup and reframe. In other words, you need to get some perspective on what’s really happening. When you feel stuck and full of fear, it’s easy to focus on what’s not happening, rather than what HAS been happening. From that state, it is very difficult to make things happen. Instead, make a list of your successes for the year—all of them big or small—which will help you gain perspective and realize that things probably aren’t as bad or critical as you’ve spun them. By reframing, you move into a different state, perhaps moving from fear into hope, which is exactly where you need to be to get moving and manifesting again.
2.Reverse Engineer: Once you are in a better state, it’s time to refocus on your sales goals. What is your monthly sales stretch goal (feels like a stretch, but it’s believable at some level)? Write it down. Next, reverse engineer by figuring out how many sales you need to close to get there, which then leads to the amount of qualified appointments you need. Next, map out how many appointments you need and actually open up the appointment times on your book. Finally, create a list of your top 25-50 prospects that you can begin to follow up with immediately.
3.Notice the Fear: Once you’ve reverse engineered your sales goal, your fear will naturally pop up. Perfect! This is what needs to happen so you can move out of the way. First, acknowledge the fear for what it is—your ego simply trying to keep you safe. Then, write down three things that aren’t true about that fear. As you begin to write those things down, the fear starts to lessen. Finally, imagine that you can release the feeling of fear from your body. Go ahead and do that and just let it go. Imagine it grows wings, if you need to. Whatever it is, just let it go. Continue to practice this as needed.
4.Move from CZ to BZ: After you release your fear, you will start to move from your Comfort Zone to your Belief Zone. Your Belief Zone is the “place” where you are fearless and you feel light and limitless. The more you practice the fear release exercise, the more time you will spend in your new Belief Zone. From this “place,” you are able to make different decisions and take inspired action.
5.Take a Step: Once you are in your new Belief Zone, it’s time to take a step. Yes, just one. Identify that step right now by asking yourself, “What is the step that is right in front of me that feels inspired and will take me where I need to go to reach my sales goals?” Don’t overwhelm yourself with multiple steps, just take THAT one.
No matter how long you live on this planet, life is short. Don’t settle for mediocrity in your sales or let your dreams drift away because your fears appear bigger than they are.
Take a step!
