Optimism can ruin your career.
I'm all in favor of looking at the bright side, but it's also important to be realistic. For well over a decade, journalists ignored something called Twitter, perhaps thinking it was a passing fad that couldn't possibly impact their industry. At first newspaper owners and media affiliates didn't think much of the platform, but then news stories started being reported there. Then news stories were breaking on Twitter. In recent years, media outlets are reporting what's on Twitter.
And all the while, newspaper circulation was spiraling downward. Only in the last few months have organizations like the New York Times figured out how to profitably deliver news online in a Twitter-like format. Toxic positivity Psychologists say that "positivity bias" can create an illusion that reinforces status quo. In other words, we pat ourselves on the back to feel better about a situation. We do this for many reasons, including because we: - Have got this (yes, we really do) - Are overconfident - Have worries and want to feel better - Want to stall for time while we figure something out When solving problems, we deal with the known and the unknown. Visual artists refer to the unknown or what's "missing" in a work of art as "negative space."
Finding -- or at least being very clear about -- what's missing, is important in many areas of life. One secret to happiness, for example, is recognizing the absence of it. The same is true for accumulating wealth. It helps to not be okay living "less than."
This concept also holds true for becoming a better salesperson. When I openly acknowledged that I lacked certain presentation skills, I truly started down the path to improvement and reward. Those improvements helped me:
Believe in myself
Be more persuasive
Close on more speaking gigs and help others
Have the courage to publish
Become one of the top speaking coaches in the country
Even today, I am constantly studying the craft and trying to improve my skill set by identifying what might be lacking and then learning more about it.
Let's get real I found this Wall Street Journal graphic on Facebook:
So, cut back on the fake optimism and let's keep it real.
As always, let me know if you want help with your sales.
