We were naturally curious and asked questions until someone repeatedly told us that it was rude and we shouldn’t do it. We were instructed not to speak with strangers. Expressing ourselves and letting our excitement show was enjoyable. It was something we were comfortable with, and then we were told how embarrassing it was that we brought unnecessary attention upon ourselves and the people that we were with. So we stopped. Adults, including our own parents repeatedly told us and the people we met that we were shy and we accepted that this must be true, after all they were adults. For those who were (or still are) unfortunate enough to be subjected to this type of mental and psychological abuse it is purely a curse. These are simple examples of conditioning that may have happened to you when you were so young that you don’t remember today. This conditioning caused you to alter your behavior, for better and sometimes for worse. As adults we can carry these crosses from childhood with us. They can impact our performance by creating mental blocks that we are sometimes unaware of. People who condition others in a negative fashion do so consciously or unconsciously. Either way they transfer their own fears and incorrect beliefs, which impose limitations on others. They feel justified and sometimes superior by doing so. No man or woman has the right to restrict another’s potential by programming them in this manner. Giant elephants are trained when they are young to believe they cannot escape by using a stake in the ground and a chain around their leg. Eventually they stop trying and give up. By the time they are adults it takes very little to keep them captive. Fleas can be trained to remain in a jar or shoe box because they will limit the height of their jumps eventually after repeatedly hitting the lid. Once conditioned, you can remove the lid and watch them jump around without leaving their new home. Ask someone who has a dog how they are trained to stay within the perimeter of an electric fence. It seems cruel but it is very effective and eventually you can let the animal roam free while the power is off. Imposed psychological barriers also restrict human’s ability to be 100% effective. Most people have a conditioned belief regarding their income earning potential. They may be employed in an office where the top income earner makes well in excess of $100000.00 but they can only see themselves earning $50000.00. Why does this self-imposed barrier exist? Seldom would this same person say they are half as intelligent, have half the work ethic, work half as many hours as the other person, are half as charming, or are 50% as attractive. The fact is the higher income earner got past the conditioned belief and they are usually struggling to get past the income plateau where they are stuck. It’s virtually impossible to excel in sales if you don’t have a healthy opinion about sales in general and the value of the service that you provide. The more self-imposed (and external) conditions that we live with the more limited our chances for success. We must know that we can perform with character and integrity without becoming the stereotypical sales person that most of us dread. “Don’t let someone’s opinion of you become your reality.” – Les Brown Marshall W. Northcott is a dynamic trainer, speaker and author. He brings over 20 years of sales, customer services as well as sales training experience to his clients. His career has taken him into a variety of sales environments, including yellow pages, office equipment, training & consulting services and the home furnishings industry. He can be reached at 866-896-6603 or Marshall W. Northcott |
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