Be Patient With the Sales Puzzle
During a recent fireside chat with a collegiate sales program, the topic of keeping a positive mindset and swagger through pandemic came up. I told them about the labyrinth in the woods at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort- one of my favorite places on the planet. It’s like a little maze designed for walking meditations and dedicated to one of the creators of the resort.
Except it’s not a maze. Despite what you may have thought as a result of the 1986 movie starring David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, and some Muppets, mazes and labyrinths are not the same.
A maze offers multiple routes, many of which do not lead to the center of the puzzle. A labyrinth is a single continuous path that will eventually get you to where you need to go.
Selling feels like a maze, but it’s really not. You regularly have to stop and change direction, but so long as you keep moving forward, you’ll eventually reach your goal. That’s why I believe it’s much more like a labyrinth. Regardless, it’s still a puzzle that needs to be solved- a puzzle that requires patience, diligence, and purpose.
In that way, selling is also like a jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle has a solution, and you have (or have access to) all the necessary pieces. You may not be sure where each of the pieces goes, but remember that these pieces all fit together. Place one at a time, and eventually, you’ll complete the task. The challenge is being patient and recognizing that you probably won’t be able to solve it as quickly as you hope.
COVID has created a fog over everything and made it more difficult for people to see the right ways to move forward. The road ahead seems a little less clear, and more dangerous. What I and others have tried to preach since last spring is that it’s still the same road. Not much has changed, even if it’s a little more challenging.
Keep the faith, and keep moving forward
This is the inscription on the plaque right before you enter that labyrinth in Oregon.
“The labyrinth is a metaphor for our journey through life. Its path leads toward an inner light, to the center of our self and the center of the sacred; one and the same.
Its direction, at times, is confusing, taking us around, and then back again. Yet, it is through this circular journey of discovery and growth that we reconnect to where we once began.”
I’ve walked in that labyrinth. I’ve meditated in that labyrinth. I’ve cried in that labyrinth. It’s a perfect metaphor for the sometimes inexplicable twists and turns our lives take. You feel like you’re moving forward quickly and then all of a sudden you’re forced to change directions, and sometimes more frequently than others.
Embrace the twists and turns
Sometimes the only comfort we can take is knowing that those twists and turns were meant to teach us something about a lesson that’s bigger than we can appreciate at this moment. The lessons are more important than the outcome.
I don’t know if this will be the last global pandemic you and I ever face together. What I do know is that it won’t be the last time that something out of our collective control forces us to adapt unexpectedly. The puzzle will look different, but the lessons will nonetheless be valuable.
Embrace your experiences for what they are, opportunities to learn, grow and be better for the next time. Recognize the little wins that come along the way, even when they’re not what you were expecting. Most importantly, remember that no step is too small if it’s headed in the right direction, and if you keep moving forward you’ll eventually get where you need to be.
Where are you in the puzzle right now? Confused and despondent? Persistent and inspired? Share your experience in the Rethink The Way You Sell Community.
I also encourage you to join me for a weekly sales workshop, where I tackle one topic at a time, provide an exercise for you to think and grow, and answer your questions in real time. You can register for free and I hope to see you there.
Jeff Bajorek
Real. Authentic. Experience.
There’s a big difference between knowing how to sell and being able to. Jeff Bajorek spent over a decade in the field as a top performer. He’s been in your shoes. He knows what it will take. He can help you succeed.
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