According to Wikipedia: burn out is a psychological term that refers to long-term exhaustion and diminished interest in work.
This is a problem that claims many sales professional’s career. They come into a sales position thinking it will be easy money; I just talk to people, tell them how much, and they buy.
However reality is rarely that easy.
The truth of the matter is that great sales people have a passion for what they do beyond what is easy. They love their product and most importantly they love what they do…selling.
If passion in either of those areas are missing, burn out is a likely outcome. And even though burn out is a result of many factors, it most often has to do with false expectations of reality and still doing the activities you thought would bring value to your career.
However without passion for your product or profession, you will find that burn out is right around the corner.
Passion For Your Product
I love the product I sell, I believe in it, and I know that every company that uses it is better because of it. In the past I haven’t felt as confident. In fact I’ve left a company because I was no longer passionate about what I was selling.
This happens from time to time. Perhaps things have changed in the last few years and you no longer feel your product is the best on the market. Maybe your company simply hasn’t invested in the areas it should have. Or maybe, you have grown as a person and your goals no longer align with the company’s.
It can be frustrating to sell something you don’t believe in. Trust me, I’ve done it before. And again trust me when I say selling simply for a paycheck (no matter how lucrative) is not going to serve you well.
It’s like dating someone you’re not really interest in or paying car payments for a car you hate. If you aren’t passionate about the product you are selling then it may be time to reassess where you are.
Doing the same thing over and over, day after day, for something you are not passionate about will wear you down until there is no motivation left in you.
Passion For Selling
For any career sales professional you may find that selling is more their passion then the specific product they sell.
In all honesty I would say I have more of a passion for selling then I do for the product I sell. As I mentioned, I love my product, but I love selling more than anything.
That is why I created the Sales Pro Blog instead of a niche specific site like I have in the past. I knew that no matter what; I would continue to be in sales.
I understand that sales is not for everyone, even if I believe that everyone should learn how to sell. But if you don’t like cold calling, talking to strangers, asking questions, creating value, or anything else involved with the selling profession then there is no way you will be able to keep at it for any long period of time.
You will quickly be burned out and hate your life, and eventually probably get fired. If you aren’t passionate about selling, that’s OK, just don’t try to make it your life long career.
Defend Yourself From Burn Out
You see the brain is like any other muscle in your body. When you are constantly working it out, you can strain it if you push it too hard.
That is why you need to give it time to recooperate and heal every once in a while. Or at least restore the creative juices.
You don’t want to push yourself too hard and get burned out. Especially early in your sales career. But at the same time if it’s not something you’re interested in then it may not be worth it to work those muscles.
If that’s the case then it might be a good time to take a day off and rest. Read a book. Go for a run. Do what ever it is that helps you recharge your batteries. Dig deep and see if you are passionate about selling, and what you are selling.
To Your Success,
~Johnny Bravo
Image courtesy of David Castillo / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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