There is no two ways about it - now is a very tough time for people. It’s a theme that regularly runs through my conversations with clients and those I have been speaking to following the launch of Enterprise Sales Club.

We are being told that we are entering the second Covid-19 wave and that brings with it a feeling of impending doom. Add to that that winter is on the way and the picture is gloomy. Amidst all of this, we have still got to keep ourselves motivated - on top of already having a very stressful job.

That stress often results from that feeling of always needing to be ‘on’. Enterprise Sales has inherited the Silicon Valley culture of:

‘if you're not on, then you're slacking’

which creates a belief system that does not even allow for any let up when you've closed a game changing deal.

If you’re not straight on to the next one the minute the ink is dry on that big deal, that same belief system tells you that you should be - there is still work to do in reaching targets, creating customers and closing prospects.

So, what can we do right now to shift that feeling of impending doom and work towards reducing our stress levels?

Let Autumn show us the way

Autumn is my favourite time of year - symbolically, it is an opportunity for reinvention or adaptive evolution. Nature is setting us an example of how to rid and prune ourselves of what is no longer needed.

The leaves turn from green through yellow or red to brown as the trees prepare to let go completely and return to their bare branches. Just as it is necessary for the trees’ survival, getting back to our very essence is necessary for our survival too. We have the opportunity, right now, to do the same.

As Michaleangelo said when asked how he created such a magnificent sculpture David

“I just took away everything that wasn't David,”

We can strip away those things that are no longer, or perhaps never were, us to turn over a new leaf and reinvent ourselves.

Where to begin?

The historical evidence shows that most beliefs do not tend to stand the long test of time. In fact, even within a couple of decades, the nuance of received wisdom can change because of insights that pivot what we know and the way that we think.

That being the case, it is best for us to keep on questioning, developing, and evolving. Particularly around our ‘A’s B’s C’s and D’s’:

A - Challenge your Assumptions about the world. The post-Covid world will look quite different to the pre-Covid one.

B - Question and evolve your Beliefs. Even our rock-solid beliefs evolve over time, so question what you believe now. It is an unlived life, if you're still believing the same things at, aged 28,38, 48 and 58.

C - What is your level of Curiosity? How can you get even more curious?

D - Review your Decisions. If you are still operating based on decisions made pre-Covid, it’s time to review them because they are likely to already be outdated.

Even though there is a temptation to focus on life one day returning to how it was pre-Covid, none of us really know what the post-Covid world will look like. What’s already become clear is that there is no going back, we’ve already seen fundamental shifts and it is clear that the world we emerge into will be quite different to that which we ‘left’ in early 2020.

We need to acknowledge that getting to the point where most of our sales cycle happens physically in front of customers, and panels, etc, is not going to happen anytime soon. We are going to need to keep on selling remotely for the foreseeable future and adaptation is key.

Enterprise Sales Club is now LIVE at https://www.enterprisesalesclub.com.

Our purpose is to enable SaaS Sales Professionals to achieve their potential through the power of life-enhancing connections, shared experiences, and collaborative learnings.

If you want to take your career to the next level, and also improve your skills in Enterprise Sales, please contact me [email protected]