What can I do to beat stress? What can I do to beat worry?
These are worrisome and stressful times.
War, threats, security, safety, layoffs, cutbacks, slow economy, less business activity, lots of doubt, and lots more uncertainty. Our society is on edge for the first time since WWII, and we are threatened at home for the first time ever.
Recent studies have shown that more than half of our country has experienced greater levels of worry and stress since 9.11.2001.
I have been using the theme, “make sales not war” to emphasize the fact that you have to change activity and intensity to get over whatever mental blocks stand in the way of achievement. Especially in these times. I have challenged my audiences to become sales warriors. To become more intense about getting the sales they deserve even though there may be less sales around.
But in the heat of it all, many people are scared, many people are worried, and many people are stressed.
Want a few answers? No problem, I’ve got them. And they all stem from the philosophy of one book. Read on…
Sweat. Jog. Work out. Shower. Physical exercise followed by relaxation will clear your mind so you can refocus it. Positive ideas and innovative thoughts will just pop in. I promise.Relax. Walk. A two block walk on a crisp fall day clears the head and solutions will follow. Watch an old funny movie (WC Fields, Marx Brothers) or a funny TV rerun (Honeymooners). Veg out for an hour — clear your mind with fresh air and fresh humor.Identify. Worry is a symptom, not a problem. Source the cause. Before you can get rid of worry, you must identify it’s real cause. The real cause of your worry may surprise you.
Look at other aspects of your life that cause anxiety. It may not just be a lack of sales. There may be double (or more) stress points. LIST ALL YOUR CAUSES.
Try plugging five or six things into one electrical outlet. It is likely to blow a fuse. It’s the same with you. Identify the real causes and unplug a few things by taking them out of your daily routine.
Plan. Once you identify the area that causes worry, change the worry item into an action plan for success. Write a separate plan for each item. Create ways to look at it differently, adopt a new (and better) attitude toward it, or just avoid it. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to enlist the aid of others. They may be glad to help you (and help themselves at the same time).
Read. Reading helps you give your mind YOUR CHOICE of input. Reading gives you a mental rest or mental boost. Reading forces you to turn OFF the TV. The BEST book on the subject of stress and worry was written 50 years ago. Dale Carnegie wrote How to Stop Worrying and start Living. Have you read it? Buy it. Read it.
Act. Don’t act ON the worry, act AGAINST it. Create a positive reaction to the worry. I’ve had a statue on my bookshelf since 1959. It’s a ceramic bust of MAD Magazine’s (smiling with one front tooth missing) Alfred E. Newman. Inscribed on the statue is his famous (only) quote, “What — me worry?” It’s been my credo for more years than I care to acknowledge, but it’s also one of the deep dark secrets of sales success (or causes of sales failure). There’s nothing to worry about — it’s not open heart surgery — it just sales. You’re not ill, you’re just ill-prepared. You’ve got the total cure within you. WORK HARDER. Concentrate on the action (solution) that will bring you a reward (personal or monetary) and the worry automatically goes away.
Smile. It’s contagious. It sets a good mood both externally and internally. In sales, it’s a prerequisite. If you do it all the time every day for thirty days, it will become a habit.
Success Tactic: After taking action you must still “let the worry go” mentally. The secret is simple release it by smiling. Your smile has the power to turn a negative into a positive, and expel it from your system.
It is critical to realize that stress and worry are not someone else’s fault. You bring it on yourself. There is only one sure thing you can get from worry and stress…a heart attack. The alternative is much better and much more fun — you can proactively attack your worries and create a wallet bulge. It’s your choice.
FREE SEMINAR ON STRESS. The Dale Carnegie people are offering a free seminar in stress and worry all over the US. It’s their corporate and personal response to the horrible acts of 9.11. If you would like to attend one in your area, just fax your name on your letterhead and the words STOP WORRYING to 704-333-1011. And by special arrangement with the fine folks at Carnegie, everyone who faxes in will also receive a free copy of Dale Carnegie’s Golden Book of quotes and thoughts in the mail.
Free GitBit…Want to learn more about what causes stress? Want to learn the easiest path to worry-free sales? Relax. I’ll give you 20 causes and 20 things to do to get worry-free. Go to www.gitomer.com – register if you’re a first time user, and enter the word RELAX in the GitBit box.
Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible, and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts internet training programs on selling and customer service. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com
