Jon Buehler from Jacksonville asks: "How do you maintain the consistency and intensity with prospecting? I find myself doing these sprints to get momentum, but struggle to keep that momentum going for long, sustained periods of time."

Jon's question gets to the heart of one of the most significant challenges in sales: maintaining disciplined, consistent, daily prospecting over the long haul. It's a challenge that plagues even experienced sales professionals.

In this Ask Jeb article and Sales Gravy Podcast, I dig into why this happens and how to fix it.

The Prospecting Paradox

Prospecting is the lifeblood of sales success, yet it's the activity most salespeople hate and avoid. This creates a dangerous pattern I call the "desperation rollercoaster"—a cycle that wreaks havoc on your results, your mental health, and ultimately your career.

Here's how it works: You prospect hard for a while, fill your pipeline, and start closing deals. Life is good. Then you get busy servicing those new clients and tell yourself you've "earned a break" from prospecting. Your prospecting activity slows down or stops entirely.

Fast forward 30-90 days, and suddenly your pipeline is dry. Panic sets in. Your manager is breathing down your neck. Your commission checks shrink. Only then do you rediscover your "motivation" to prospect.

And the cycle repeats. Up and down. Feast and famine. This isn't a strategy; it's a recipe for burnout and inconsistent performance.

The Hidden Costs of Inconsistent Prospecting

The desperation rollercoaster creates damage far beyond just an empty pipeline. When you're desperate for deals, everything about your sales approach deteriorates:

You become pushy and pitchy instead of consultative

You come across as desperate and insecure

You focus exclusively on what YOU need, not what the PROSPECT needs

Your discovery questions become shallow

You skip crucial steps in your sales process

You discount aggressively because you have no leverage

Your negotiation and closing skills deteriorate

In short, when you're desperate for deals, you sell terribly. Inconsistent prospecting doesn't just hurt your pipeline—it undermines your entire sales approach.

The 30-Day Rule: Why Consistency Matters More Than Intensity

In Fanatical Prospecting, I discuss the "30-Day Rule": The prospecting you do in this 30-day period will pay off in the next 90 days.

This rule explains why inconsistent prospecting is so dangerous. When you take even a single day off from prospecting, it creates a hole in your pipeline 30-90 days from now. Take a week off, and you create a significant gap. Take a month off, and you essentially guarantee a sales crisis in your near future.

Understanding this principle makes it crystal clear why consistency trumps intensity every time. I'd rather see you make 20 prospecting calls every day for a month than 100 calls in a single day and nothing for the rest of the month.

The Pain and Pull Method for Maintaining Motivation

So how do you maintain your prospecting discipline when motivation inevitably fades? I use the "Pain and Pull" method.

The Pain: Visualize the Consequences

When I don't feel like prospecting (and yes, even after decades in sales, I still have those days), I vividly picture what will happen if I skip it:

The stress of an empty pipeline 60 days from now

The uncomfortable conversation with my team

The hit to my income and reputation

The desperation that will undermine my sales approach

By focusing on the pain I'll experience in the future if I skip prospecting today, I create immediate motivation to pick up the phone.

The Pull: Connect to Your Why

My friend Victor Antonio calls this "the big pull," connecting your daily prospecting discipline to your most important goals and aspirations.

Nobody wakes up excited to make cold calls. But many people wake up excited about buying their dream home, sending their kids to college,