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courage derived from facts isn't the result of attempting to think your way past your doubt and dread, but the act of gaining the knowledge to differentiate between reality and irrational fears. Unreasoned fears, like the fear of connection, can be cured through the process of learning. For a salesperson, bravery develops when they know and understand their products and services. Knowledge breeds confidence and confidence powers the will to prospect passionately and fearlessly for new business. The plethora of excuses that accompanies the fear of connection evaporates in the self-confident desire to take action to connect. Facts cure connection fears.

Enthusiasm- Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Emerson probably wasn't thinking about selling, but his quote is applicable to curing the effects of the fear of rejection. Fear preys on powerless and typically motionless victims-people who lack the enthusiasm to take action. An enthusiastic salesperson is a brave salesperson-they thrive on objections-it gives them an opportunity to respond and present their best case for the client to choose them over the competition. Enthusiastic salespeople see objections as a known part of the natural process of selling-not an adversarial entity to be feared. Without enthusiasm, the will to succeed and persevere will rapidly dry-up. With enthusiasm, every sales contact offers potential and an unending supply of opportunity.

Attitude- How can you overcome rejection? Attitude! To confront the reality of a client saying "No" salespeople need more than the often prescribed positive attitude-they need the right attitude-an attitude that works and is effective based on reality. More than a bandage or a pain-reliever, the right attitude is a now attitude. It requires the constant awareness of what is happening in the present-not the distractions caused by the failures of the past or the challenges that lurks in the future. Choosing the right attitude empowers a salesperson to see "No" as another step ahead in the process of selling instead of closure and rejection.

Repetition- Almost all fears are learned and can be unlearned through a process of repetition-the creation of fearless habits. By creating the best habits to enlist knowledge, energy and responses to meet daily challenges, false fears can be denied any of our attention-our responses are naturally fearless instead of habitually fearful. "Choice of attention, to pay attention to this and ignore that, is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer." W. H. Auden's quote reflects the power we have to unlearn fears. Fearful salespeople create habits that cultivate anxieties and gain their attention. Breaking bad habits is within a salesperson's power to choose what they give their attention. Developing healthy selling habits is the final step in removing the irrational and damaging fears of connection, objection, rejection and defection. It's a habit worth developing.

A Brave New World- Selling fears are real. The damaging effects can be seen in weak results, heard in the form of excuses and felt in the anxiety of fearful salespeople. As an irrational emotion, fear can keep the best of what a salesperson can offer locked away in a prison of doubt. But each person holds the key to their freedom from fear. The key is a choice they can make-the choice of brave action. Dale Carnegie said, "If you want to conquer fear, don't sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

It's time to get busy. Don't be afraid to be your best-make FEAR work for you!

Learn more about this author, Luke Lively.
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