3 Ways to Rediscover Your Passion for Sales

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A salesperson who has lost their passion is like a writer who has lost their pen. In both cases, someone lacks the tool they need most, making it had to stay motivated and accomplish goals.

Passion matters in sales. Passionate sales people believe in their products and strive to help customers reach their goals. Unfortunately, many aspects of a sales career can quickly turn passion into turmoil. Your workplace environment, management team, changing personal priorities, and even a new job search can easily drain you dry.

The loss of passion doesn’t just impact you inwardly. It creeps into your ability to move product and effectively advance in your career. When a once-motivated sales pro feels stagnant, the workday — and the job search — can become painstakingly difficult.

Don’t worry. Your passion for sales isn’t necessarily gone for good. When your passion tank starts to dip toward “empty,” use these tips to fill it back up:

1. Ignite Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

Entrepreneurs are arguably more connected to their work than anyone else. They’re self-motivated, enthusiastic, and directly connected to their customers.

As a sales pro, you’re already a bit of an entrepreneur. You direct your own schedule, work with your customers, and are motivated by tangible, immediate outcomes.

During a stressful period, such as a job search, it’s easy to lose that entrepreneurial spark. Give yourself the power of an entrepreneur by adopting a new perspective on each challenge you face. Find creative ways to solve issues, and get your employer on board with practical solutions.

If being in the office is dragging you down, ask for a few days to work from home or go on the road. Alternatively, you can re-inspire yourself by taking some long-overdue personal time and jetting off on an exciting vacation.

No matter what you choose to do to reenergize, find something that maximizes your productivity and, above all, reminds you why you started a career in sales in the first place.

2. Find the Right App

The sales industry can feel lonely, especially when you’re on the hunt for a new job. The competitive nature of the field, combined with the complexities of noncompete clauses, can make it a challenge to rely on friends for support or references. You may even need to keep your most trusted mentors in the dark as you try to find a new job without rocking the boat.

Take advantage of the technological world we’re living in and turn to an app instead. No matter what you’re up against, there’s an app for that. Some of our favorites include:

  1. Forest : Available on iOS and Android, the Forest app uses inspiring visuals to keep you focused. You can plant a virtual seed and watch your tree grow. If you get sidetracked and exit the app, your tree will whither away. If you want to keep your tree growing, you’ll need to put your phone down and work on something else instead — like that job search.
  2. Wonderful Day:  Also available on both iOS and Android, Wonderful Day is all about helping you create the best habits for your life. Simply make a list of all the habits you want to keep and don’t allow yourself to break the virtual chain.
  3. Gratitude : Negativity is infectious, and stress only makes it worse. Luckily, positivity and gratitude are just as spreadable. Gratitude, available for iOS, helps you rewire your brain in only five minutes each day by listing everything for which you’re grateful.

3. Prioritize Your Values

If you’re like our MedReps members, work/life balance and a strong product line are non-negotiable when it comes to finding the right employer, as our “2018 Best Places to Work” report  found.

If these things aren’t as important to you, that’s okay. The key is to get your own priorities straight, whatever they may be. It’ll be impossible to rediscover your sales passion unless you know what you’re looking for in your career.

Develop a chart to list your product passions, non-negotiables for employers, needs in your current job, and personal needs. By adjusting your daily to-do list so that it better aligns with your chart, you’ll become more motivated to reach out to current customers and find direction in your job search.

Karyn Mullins is president of MedReps.com.  Connect with Karyn on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

By Karyn Mullins