Comments on: 5 Ways to Be Optimistic in Sales (Or Anything Else)

By: Mike Maginn

Mike Maginn — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:50:49 +0000

Excellent points. It is important to remember that the critic works overtime and can sometimes come out swinging. Instead of seeking commiseration in pessimism, try soaking up inspiration from positive sources, i.e., music, artwork, poetry, stories, religion, That helps takes the critic off the stage. Well done.

By: S. Anthony Iannarino

S. Anthony Iannarino — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:46:20 +0000

Writing, for me, is the practical application of the self-discipline that I write about. I get up every day at 5:30AM to write, and I do nothing before writing (except brush my teeth and pour a giant cup of coffee!). Instead of writing the book and then blogging, I am writing the book here as a blog, one post at a time.

Bad attitudes and pessimism is a recipe for complacency! No doubt.

Thanks as always for your comments, man!

By: Bill Rice

Bill Rice — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:42:02 +0000

Anthony,

You are a writing machine and solid quality every time. I hope this is going into a book?! Bad attitudes and pessimism are the number one killer of underperforming sales quotas. So, this is a critical read for any sales person wondering why they are not making the grade.

By: S. Anthony Iannarino

S. Anthony Iannarino — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:11:38 +0000

As always, thanks for your comments! I appreciate you reading the blog and for contributing to the conversation!

By: Daniel M. Wood

Daniel M. Wood — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:05:07 +0000

Thanks for a great article.

I agree with you completely. One of the biggest social problems of the age is depression.
We keep focusing on the negatives, our problems. Instead of working to solve them, instead of focusing on the positive.

Just like you said, in every one of us lives a critic. All day we hear about what we could have done or said. At the same time, life is tough. The world doesn’t cut you any slack. This can start an evil cycle, inside you someone is saying you are not enough and from without you keep getting feedback that you are no good.

It is important that you take control over your own thoughts. You cannot control the outside world, but you can control yourself.
Focus on what you do well and how you can improve.

I learned a technique a few years back that has really helped me, it feels kind of stupid, and in many ways is. But it helps.

The mind is a simple tool. It can only hold one though pattern at a time, either positive or negative.

If you let the critic take control a negative pattern will start,

To stop this, start telling yourself “I like myself”. This counters the negative thoughts and helps your confidence, starting you on a more positive thought pattern.
Doing this has really helped me, every day I tell myself that I am good and all day I work hard to prove it.

It is very easy to fall into the over analytic negative thought pattern, but stay at it and you will become more happy and prepared for each day.

Thanks again Anthony for your article. I look forward to reading more.

//Daniel M. Wood
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