Most salespeople repeatedly find themselves navigating waves of extreme highs and lows. During their lowest points, they have to decide whether the metaphorical glass is half-full or half-empty.

We’re salespeople. That means that most of us repeatedly find ourselves navigating waves of extreme highs and lows.

During our lowest points, we have to decide whether the metaphorical glass is half-full or half-empty.

Are we just about to surface, or, already drowning?

We’re salespeople. Positive thinking is crucial. We ignite our optimism in dark times. We don’t quit. We won’t yield to negativity.

Whether it comes from our DNA, our sales training, and/or our life lessons, we choose to see the glass half-full.

That’s one of the characteristics that fuels our tenacity and boosts our energy, enabling us to push through external and internal barriers to success.

Closing business is even sweeter when we turn blockers into supporters and when we out-sell the competition.

Even if the deal is lost, we keep in touch and stay vigilant for the next opportunity.

We’re salespeople. We tap into our glass half-full mindsets most ardently when things like quota, awards, and bonuses are on the line.

Our optimism feeds our tenacity.  It’s how we survive and thrive in our profession.

However, I believe we should admit that the glass IS half-empty sometimes. Why suppress our determination and optimism?

We can get so focused on hanging on, and hanging in, that we miss the signs that it’s time to let go.
We can be so determined and optimistic that we summarily reject our colleagues’ perspectives, objections, or concerns.
We can persevere and close business that becomes “bad” business, such as unprofitable, difficult to implement, litigious, etc.
We can work so hard to not be “quitters” that we hurt our health or career.

So, how do we know when to accept that it’s just not worth expending the energy to convince ourselves, or others, to stay positive and stay the course?  In fact, it is time to:

• hear “no” versus “not now.”
• listen to our colleagues despite their negativity.
• say “enough.”

One way is to pay attention to how much emotional and physical toll it’s taking for us to keep thinking positively about a sales or work situation.

If we know ourselves and recognize our patterns, we’ll know when we’re trying harder and harder, and the glass is just getting emptier.

We’re salespeople. That’s the time to focus on another glass that’s half-full.