Mental Health is a real problem among Sales Professionals. But there is a powerful tool “Chop Wood and Carry Water”.
LinkedIn is filled with “Self-Help” motivators who post a combination of emotions with short inspirational quotes that intend to motivate its audience. Most of what is posted has good intentions and is valid advice to any professional in the business world. However, the content is posted from creators who have already established an empire and are far away from the day-to-day grind of sales. It is frequently their own story, not yours.
The real questions are, what do you think about when you are in danger of losing your job in a shaky economy and you haven’t sold anything in weeks? What type of mental toll does the stress have on you? How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle and be a high performing sales rep at the same time?
Most posts on LinkedIn are the modern-day Dale Carnegie “How to make friends and influence people” approach to sales. A very simplified version of the real battle that salespeople run into while in the field. If you don’t follow their rules, then that is the reason you are failing. However, the battle is not in the power of a conversation or motivation rather it’s the battle of mental health and balance.
People who do not work in sales tend to believe that a person who knows how to talk is a good salesperson. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. The superpower of a good sales rep is a person who can listen to everyone’s problems while still being rejected constantly. This is while fighting the perception that you are naturally a smooth talker that cares only about sales.
The day-to-day battle of sales will lead to mental fatigue. Plus, there is no work/life balance for a salesperson. If you want to be a good salesperson then it is required that you put in extra time and dedicate your mindset and overall personality to it. You cannot be a part time hard worker and be successful.
This grind frequently leads to burnout and breakdowns. When you are in that dark place, “Air-Quotes” of “How to be a leader” with pictures of others’ success will not help you. Because you are hearing “No” constantly while you see others hearing “Yes”. Furthermore, the creative mindset needed to be successful diminishes because you are stressed out. When you are stressed about your next sale it is impossible to intake good advice.
So, what do you do? Chop Wood and Carry Water. “Chop wood, carry water” is a Zen proverb that emphasizes mindfulness and the value of being present in everyday tasks. It originates from the idea that even after achieving enlightenment or reaching a goal, the simple, repetitive tasks of life remain. This is also to be followed after failure.
The phrase reminds us that there’s beauty and meaning in the ordinary, and fulfillment comes not just from the destination, but from fully experiencing each moment along the way.
While this is a “Air-quote”, It’s also a powerful metaphor for staying grounded and finding peace in the process of life. You can maintain the 24/7 mindset while achieving slow growth without burnout. As sales professionals often face unique mental health challenges due to the high-pressure nature of their roles.
Here are some of the top struggles and how “Chop Wood and Carry Water” can help you:
- Stress and Burnout: The constant need to meet quotas and deadlines can lead to overwhelming stress and eventual burnout. When these moments arise you have to let go and move onto the next task. Don’t get too wrapped up in an achievement or failure. Just stay consistent and your creative mind will flourish.
- Anxiety: Rejection, unpredictable consumer behavior, and commission-based pay add layers of anxiety to their daily lives. At first the anxiety will not subside. The real fix for anxiety in your profession is security. To have security you have to build your customer base and sales processes. This can only be achieved through consistency and handling failure through your work as well as you handle success.
- Depression: The emotional toll of repeated failures and the pressure to perform consistently can contribute to feelings of depression. Almost every door you walk in will have a sign that says “No Soliciting” on it. This sign was meant for people like you, sales people. The constant negative bombardment from gatekeepers and decision makers will lead to some form of depression at a point in your career. Protect your emotions through the mindfulness of staying even keel. Over time your awareness will flourish and you will be able to handle any situation.
- Work-Life Imbalance: The blurred lines between work and personal life, especially with mobile devices, make it difficult to disconnect. As a sales person you will not have work-life balance at any job for the first 5-10 years until you get good, sorry. After that period you can have a work-life balance because you have achieved the mental strength to accomplish both. But there is a disclaimer, you will have another year of no work-life balance if you switch jobs. This will allow you time to learn what is needed to do the job efficiently.
- Physical Symptoms: Stress often manifests physically, causing headaches, muscle tension, and sleep disruptions. Chop Wood and Carry Water also refers to physical activity. You have to stay physically active to tackle emotional ups and downs.
These challenges highlight the importance of mental health awareness and support in the sales industry. If you’re interested, we can share strategies to manage these struggles effectively. Let us know! We also offer sales coaching! Our contact information is 704-245-8604 and email is [email protected]