Are You Losing Sales Through Negative Self-Talk?

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it – people like me.”
–Stuart Smalley

Self-talk gets a bad rap. And I was a contributor to that perception until someone challenged my thinking on the subject.

I was speaking at a conference when I told another speaker that I was cynical when it came to self-talk.

He asked me if I ever did anything stupid. And, if so, how did I typically respond?

I told him I’d generally say something like, “Jeff, you’re such an idiot.”

He promptly replied, “So you DO believe in self-talk. It’s just that you only believe in negative self-talk.”

For some reason, in our society, negative self-talk is perfectly acceptable. But positive self-talk is a bunch of hocus-pocus.

The Danger of Negative Self-Talk

Negative self-talk sends a conscious message to the subconscious brain – a message that the sub-conscious brain automatically accepts as fact.

• “You’re an idiot.”
• “You’re can’t do this.”
• “Why did you say that, dummy”?

This practice is not simply unhealthy; it’s destructive.

Psychologist Dr. Susan Krauss Whitborne states, “Researchers studying the thinking patterns of people with clinical levels of depression find that their self-talk tends toward frequent and relentless forms of destructive self-talk.”

But those who suffer from depression aren’t the only ones affected by negative self-talk.

Whitborne goes on to say, “The more you talk yourself down, second-guess yourself, and see changes as calamitous, the less free your mind will be to roam through creative solutions of the problems that you face.”

Essentially, negative self-talk has a lasting effect on your ability to think straight.

Is Positive Self-Talk Helpful for Sales Professionals? Ask the Athletes.

I view sales as a corporate version of athletic competition. There is much in common between the field of athletics and the world of sales. And salespeople could learn a lot from studying the training regimen of successful athletes.

Dr. Rick Nauert, PhD found, “(An) analysis of more than 30 published studies finds the sports psychology technique called “self-talk,” a mental strategy purported to improve performance, is effective… Researchers believe self-talk can help everyone improve performance…”

Nauert goes on to suggest that self-talk is most effective when linked to a specific action. Athletic examples might include sinking a putt or pre-game visualization rituals. In sales, we can easily apply this practice to actions like making a prospecting call or envisioning an upcoming sales appointment.

The take-away?

Practicing positive energy through self-talk can propel you to a higher level of performance.

How to Do It Right

First of all, get rid of the negative.

Consider this advice from the Mayo Clinic. Start by following one simple rule: Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to anyone else.

Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you.

Secondly, combine positive self-talk with immediate action. Link your mental dialogue to your actual performance. Your brain will automatically create a connection between what you think and what you do.

This practice isn’t about unrealistic hype. And it isn’t about delusional thinking.

Self-talk is about preparing your brain for the sales conversation. Get that right, and everyone wins.