July 12, 2005

Fear - What is the cost?

Several weeks ago, I attended a telephone seminar put on by the High Probability Selling folks. It was on fear. It lasted 90 minutes. They recorded the whole thing and then mailed out a CD of the whole thing – actually, it was two CD’s.

I have been listening to them. I find there are many people that are reluctant to pick up the phone and prospect. The main presenter at the seminar was Dr. Wayne Diamond. He is a psychiatrist and works with many of the High Probability salespeople.

In the seminar, he says there is no shame in being afraid. But we should admit we are afraid. We should face our fears, decide if they are real or imaginary, and then proceed accordingly. I’m not sure I fully understand his message, but I think I understand part of it.

He indicates that most of our fears are a result of our childhood and how we were raised. He gave a couple examples of people that were poor performing salespeople from fears related to their upbringing. Once they were able to understand their fears and over come them, their sales soared.

It’s frustrating to think that events on one’s life 20, 30, 40, or 50 years ago still affect our behaviors today.

I happen to think also about the book I’ve been reading called “Realinoaire.” It’s about a kid whose family was on welfare, later became a millionaire. One thing I happen to notice is how everyone on the kid ran into expected him to be a great success. All his neighbors and especially his mother expressed great confidence that he would succeed.

They didn’t push him. They simply told him he was special and his mother would tell other people, within his earshot, that she expected him to retire her.

I wonder why more parents don’t express the same confidence in their children instead of verbally berating them.

Posted by Ted at July 12, 2005 9:17 PM