PSYCHOLOGY How to Act on Your Positive Goals SELLING POWER EDITORS


On sales calls, every day and everywhere, salespeople are waging war with themselves. They want to do better, make more calls, and improve their closing ratios, but, for many professionals, something always seems to thwart their best-laid plans. Sometimes it’s just a matter of bad timing or competitive forces beyond their control. But, according to experts, the problem is inside the salesperson – when salespeople shoot themselves in the foot by failing to follow through with their positive plans for improvement.


26 | MAY/JUNE 2025 SELLING POWER © 2025 SELLING POWER


Everyone has a weak but smart force (which these experts call “The Wise One”) that urges you to do what’s best for yourself, and, for salespeople, their sales. Everyone also has another side, say the experts: a stupid but very strong force (which they call “Thor”) that tempts you with more appealing options, such as leaving work at the stroke of five o’clock to catch your favorite sitcom instead of making the extra cold calls you said you would, or staying in bed for an extra hour of sleep instead of keeping your vow to get an early start on the selling day. According to the experts, winning


the war means you must control Thor – or at least get him out of the way. Instead of relying on self-discipline or willpower, however, they explain


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