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Make FEAR Work For You!

John is a salesperson. For months he has done his best to gain access to his most lucrative prospect, Ms. Jones, the CEO of Jones Industries. After countless phone calls and emails she agrees to give him thirty minutes to make his presentation. If he gets the business he will realize the biggest sale in his career.

While driving to the meeting his thoughts focus on the weaknesses of his presentation. Doubt sets in. A horde of what ifs permeates his thoughts. His heart rate quickens. "Don't blow it!" he tells himself as he wipes a drop of nervous perspiration from his brow. John's confidence melts.

Upon arrival at Jones Industries a new discomfort takes hold-his throat is suddenly as dry as Death Valley. It's too late to ask for a drink of water. As he extends his hand to Ms. Jones he feels a choking sensation. He coughs.

"Are you alright?" Ms. Jones asks as she quickly withdraws her outstretched hand and takes a cautionary step backwards. John tries to respond, but he can't stop coughing. With a look of both concern and disgusted pity, Ms. Jones says, "Maybe we should try another day" as she turns and walks away.

After a quick exit from the building John's seemingly uncontrollable cough ceases. Reality sets in. He had failed. "What happened?" he asks aloud, unsure of how he will explain his meltdown to his sales manager.

John's story is more than a contrived nightmare-it happens in similar forms every minute. What can cause a person's mind and body to disconnect from their intended purpose? Fear.
What is fear? Fear is a motivational force. If your life is being threatened, fear can help you survive. But most fears do not serve to warn us of real threats to our safety. In this context, Webster's defines fear as "a painful emotion caused by an expectation of evil, danger, or anxiety." A well-known acronym defines fear as False Evidence Appearing Real. For as long as humans have walked the planet, false fears have been the greatest impediments to progress and success-especially for salespeople.

What are we afraid of? Over five hundred phobias have been identified ranging from well-known fears (heights, confined spaces and flying) to the lesser-known (fear of numbers, toads, bicycles and clowns.) Reading the list of phobias may result in a laugh, but to the people affected by the phobias their fear is no laughing matter. While most surveys of what-frightens-us-the-most include the natural fears of death and pain, the fear of social censure arises

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