Crushing Quotas and Conquering Slumps: How to Stay Motivated in Sales

Sales can be a rollercoaster. One minute you're closing deals and feeling on top of the world, the next you're facing rejection and wondering if you should just switch careers. You also might have a boss who is the tribe leader of the, “What have you done for me lately?” camp. The key to long-term success isn't avoiding the lows, it's developing the resilience and motivation to power through them. In other words, sales takes Grit.

1. Fueling Your Fire: Intrinsic Motivation and Purpose

Intrinsic motivation, that inner drive that comes from within, is critical for sustained sales success. It's what keeps you going when the external rewards are scarce.

Set Meaningful Goals: What are you really working towards? I’ll be the first to admit that making money is fun; however, earning money just for money’s sake is not as fulfilling after a while. Instead of aiming for a huge revenue target, break your journey down into smaller, more meaningful objectives. Your goals can be anything that motivates you – a bigger home, a new car, debt reduction – the key is that they are your goals. All of those are great goals that can help motivate you to achieve higher heights. So, don’t work just for money. Instead, work towards something that money can buy, and it will be easier to stay motivated.

Cultivate the habit of setting clearly-defined written goals; they are the road maps that guide you to your destination.”

― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Connect Your Work to a Bigger Purpose: Like we said before, don't just focus on the numbers. Think about how your product or service benefits your clients. How are you making their lives easier, solving their problems, or helping them achieve their goals? Selling is more than quotas. Selling is about connecting the problems that people have that they need to get solved with the products or services you offer. When you connect those two dots, selling isn’t work, selling is a way to serve your customers and make their lives better. 

Embrace the Learning Process: View every interaction, even the unsuccessful ones, as an opportunity to learn and improve. Failure is never failure unless you refuse to grow from it. A growth mindset, as described by Carol Dweck, is essential for staying motivated. Focus on developing your skills, refining your approach, and becoming a better salesperson. If you will consistently take this approach of working on improving specific skills, even when it's not fun or easy, then you will see success in the long run.

2. Building Resilience: Overcoming Challenges and Setbacks

Sales is inherently challenging. Rejection, lost deals, and difficult clients are inevitable. Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, is crucial for staying motivated.

Watch Your Inner Language: Let’s face it, we are all our own worst critics. We are kind and generous to others, especially when considering their faults, but we tear our own selves down constantly. I have found myself berating myself for mistakes that I have made, which never does any real good. Your inner dialogue plays a huge role in your motivation. When faced with a setback, be aware of your negative self-talk. Challenge those negative thoughts.  Ask yourself if they are truly helpful or simply holding you back. Then, focus on what you can learn from the experience and how you can improve next time. Optimism, while not blind to reality, helps you maintain a positive outlook and keep moving forward.

Problems = Potential: Problems and challenges are par for the course. Don't let challenges derail you. Instead, approach them with a problem-solving mindset. Break down the issue, identify potential solutions, and take action. In other words, you realize that the problems that are presented show potential. Potential future sales, and potential future learning. Both of which you need to excel. Developing your problem-solving skills empowers you to overcome obstacles and strengthens your resilience. Many sales methodologies emphasize the importance of understanding customer needs and crafting tailored solutions, further enhancing problem-solving abilities.So, if there is a problem that you can solve, that’s where a great salesperson shines.

Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity: Failure is not the opposite of success, it's a stepping stone. That is one of the most important paradigm shifts you can make as a salesperson. Failure is not a boulder, it is a stepping stone. Analyze your losses, identify areas for improvement, and use them as fuel for future success. Grit is a combination of passion and perseverance. Perseverance means sticking with something even when you face setbacks, seeing failure not as a defeat but as an opportunity for growth.

3. Maintaining Momentum: Strategies for Long-Term Motivation

Motivation isn't a one-time thing; it requires consistent effort and strategies to maintain over the long haul.

Celebrate Small Victories: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. This reinforces positive behavior and keeps you motivated. For example, focus on the number of clients you have helped or the positive impact you have had on their businesses. Celebrate the planned advances that you achieved. Celebrating these smaller wins creates a sense of progress and accomplishment, further fueling your motivation. Take time to appreciate your progress and recognize how far you've come. This reinforces the positive feedback loop and keeps you engaged.

When the going gets tough, the tough have good friends: I cannot stress how important it is to have people around you that will support you and encourage you when times are hard. Connect with other salespeople, mentors, or coaches who can provide support, encouragement, and guidance. A positive and supportive network can help you stay motivated during challenging times. A strong support system contributes to both mental and emotional well-being, essential for long-term grit.

All Work and No Play… well… sucks. Sales can be demanding, both mentally and emotionally, so you have to prepare well for it. Prepare mentally and physically by prioritizing activities that help you recharge and reduce stress. This could include exercise, meditation, spending time with loved ones, or pursuing hobbies. The other dimension is taking time out of the office. I recommend scheduling something every 90 days so you have something to look forward to. It does not have to be a lot of time away, but it does need to be something to look forward to. Taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining long-term motivation and preventing burnout. 

Staying motivated in sales is an ongoing journey, not a destination. By focusing on intrinsic motivation, building resilience, and implementing strategies for long-term momentum, you can conquer slumps, crush quotas, and achieve lasting success. Remember, it's not just about talent, it's about grit – the passion and perseverance to keep going, even when things get tough.

How do you stay motivated? Do you have a favorite quote or meme about motivation? We’d love to hear from you!