Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s leader back in the 1980’s had her personal records released last month and one that hit the news was her diet plan. Intrigued, I started following the Maggie Thatcher diet and have been doing so for a week now. For those of you who have seen it, you know that you can lose 20 pounds in two weeks. It’s all about feasting on protein rather than carbs.
Incredible stuff and we’ll soon see how accurate the weight loss claims are.
The diet reminded me of the sales concept – famine and feast, which can help us all determine where we are placed in our Inner Game state of mind. It all depends on how we see things. Do you look out the window and see constant opportunities, believe totally in your abilities, feel relaxed and focus 100% on your customer’s needs rather than yours. If the customer is not a fit and you don’t get the sale, so be it; you move on to the next one knowing full well that you have the ability to solve their problems. You don’t always have massive sales bubbling, you just know you will. If so, you’re in a feast mentality.
If you stare out the car window and see scarcity and treat every prospect as a potential customer, thinking that you better win the sale at this afternoon’s meeting or you’re doomed. Are you constantly looking inwards at yourself, some self-doubt? Going from one sale to the next and continually wondering where the next piece of business is going to come from. Then you’re in famine mode.
Of course, we all move from an attitude of feast to famine on a regular basis, sometimes hourly, but many salespeople I know, are in the feast zone much of the time. On the other hand I know of salespeople that are in famine most of their working day. Constantly struggling and invariably blaming others for their mis-fortune. “It’s the government’s fault” or “the customer was really awkward” or worse still “it’s back office support“. Customers are never awkward, it’s usually us (in famine frame of mind).
The key is to recognise which frame of mind you’re in, catch yourself. And then do something to change. It’s all how you see things and your state of mind.
And my feast of protein on Maggie’s Diet? If I see another boiled egg again I’m going to scream.
If you want to read more about famine and feast, I have a 1,400 word article in the Knowledge Bank. Click here or listen to the audio below.
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