Tips for Cultivating an Olympian Mindset
The Olympic games have concluded, and as I reflect on the athletes, their unwavering determination, and their countless hours of practice, I am truly inspired by their commitment.
Olympic athletes are obviously in top physical condition but also in top mental condition. Mental toughness is part of their training. One sports psychologist for the Olympics stated that 80% of an elite athlete’s success is the mental aspect. It is no mistake that the same number applies to the sales professional’s level of success; 80% of performance is attitude and mindset. So what do Olympic athletes do that gives them such a solid and focused mindset, and how can you get it?
They have no fear of failure. Fear of failure stops the less successful athletes from pushing forward. Instead of feeling the failure, the Olympian takes the feedback from the unsuccessful attempt and uses it to become more successful the next time. In the language of NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), there is no failure, only feedback. They gain distinctions from each attempt, allowing them to make minor adjustments and be better the next time. Just think what would happen in your sales career if you had no fear of failing. You would easily make cold calls and presentations because you wouldn’t worry and stress over the outcome. The more this fear stops a person, the less successful they will be.
Olympic athletes are not just receptive to coaching; they actively seek it out. They set specific goals and accept coaching as a valuable tool to enhance performance. They don’t view criticism as a personal attack but as an opportunity to learn and grow. This open-mindedness is crucial, as it allows them to identify areas for improvement that they might otherwise overlook. Their focus on the right goals is unwavering.
They use the science of the subconscious mind, Visualization/hypnosis/guided imagery, and the positive use of disassociation will not only help them to sink a putt or make a perfect ski jump, but it will also help a salesperson function at their peak. The Russians first used hypnosis and autogenic training back in 1980 to improve their athletic performance. Since then, all professional athletes have added a sports psychologist to their staff of coaches. Many salespeople now have performance coaches, but in my opinion, simple coaching does not go far enough since the subconscious mind has to be engaged to get the full effect.
They strive to improve themselves. Olympic athletes are relentless and spend numerous hours in what Geoff Colvin, author of “Talent is Overrated,” calls “deliberate practice.” This means that to sell at an Olympic level, a salesperson has to continually improve not just in techniques but also in attitude/mindset. Deliberate practice, according to the author, is practice that is done to improve performance specifically.
They are committed and will do what it takes to get the job done. Olympic athletes are incredibly committed. They push past pain and defeat and stay focused on the prize. What would change for the average salesperson if they didn’t give up after a couple of no’s? Studies show that it usually takes 3-5 contacts before a person is willing to buy from a previously unknown salesperson.
So make the calls, follow up, keep a positive mindset, and improve constantly, and you will succeed more. By taking these lessons from Olympians, you can see how you can use the experience and knowledge gained from exceptional athletes to improve your sales.
