Sales Self-Talk Sounds Like This (Part 2).

In a prior blog post about what the self-talk of one’s inner critic sounds like, I invited readers to recognize their own voice amidst The Reformer, The Helper, or the Achiever.

Why? Because one’s inner coach needs to know how to speak to one's inner critic in pursuit of any goal, especially in sales.

Here, I offer the same invitation but this time to the Individualist, the Investigator (a.k.a. Specialist), and the Loyalist (a.k.a. Skeptic). These labels underpin a popular self-assessment model called the Enneagram.

But like me, you may be suspicious of personality tests that paint foggy pictures with broad strokes.

Suspend your suspicion by looking for patterns, not precision. Try it now.

Do you hear yourself in the Individualist whose inner critic says:

“There’s something wrong with you. Why can't you connect better with more prospects? Everyone else is thriving, why aren’t you? Why can’t you be more like them?"

Such a voice invariably leaves sales people feeling incapable or struggling with envy or comparison. The anti-dote, of course, comes from celebrating one’s individual effort and a recognition that true connection comes from authenticity, not sameness.

Do you hear yourself in the Specialist whose inner critic says:

“You don’t know enough yet. You need more product knowledge before you sell. What if you’re asked a question you can’t answer?"

The impact on sales is really an impact on sales activity. The Specialist gets stuck in prep mode, frequently avoiding action in the name of further investigation. To the Specialist’s inner critic I would say that action is often the best teacher - engage, learn, and lean into the excitement of not knowing.

Do you hear yourself in the Skeptic whose inner critic says:

“You’re going to blow it. Be prepared for disaster. The prospect is going to object. You are sure to be missing something that will ruin this deal."

Like the Specialist, the Skeptic’s inner critic will depress sales by over-anticipating problems, hesitating to trust others, and slogging through a swamp of "what ifs." In response the inner coach should intone just one word: TRUST. Trust your preparation, trust yourself, trust the process.

👉 Our patterns always show up as our self-talk. And when our inner critic starts to squawk, we need our inner coach to answer back. Every chapter of my book, "The Anxious Salesman; A Field Guide" reveals what this dialogue sounds like.

I’d love to know if it sounds familiar. Feel free to grab some time with me here.

To the Championship Coach inside all of us!

Sheldon