#84: Mastering the Mental Side of Founder Sales

Read Time: 3 min

Quick note: This issue should’ve gone out yesterday morning. I apologize for the delay.

 In this issue, I will discuss the most overlooked selling part: the mental game. When people think about selling, they usually focus on tactics, scripts, closing, negotiation strategies, and product knowledge. Yes, these are all important, but they only work when built on a strong mental foundation.

The mental game separates real entrepreneurs from the people who are pretending. The market is brutal, and it will flesh out the pretenders quickly. B and C players can live like A players only for a ceratin period before the market exposes them.

It's about mastering your mindset, controlling emotions, and staying resilient in constant rejection and uncertainty. If you master this component, every setback, every heartache, and every fear will be made right. The dots will connect. You will be a force to be reckoned with.

The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.

~ Muhammad Ali

I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from some brilliant individuals.

There are three distinct characteristics I've observed in these individuals.

1. They’re 100% accountable and responsible for their actions.

2. They have intense focus and a willingness to endure massive suffering.

3. An innate ability to bend reality to reflect their desired outcomes.

Let’s unpack this…

 
Accountability
I, like many people, have suffered my fair share of, let’s call it, trauma. It took me years of understanding, therapy, and self-reflection to come to terms with it. But once I accepted it and forgave, that same energy that used to deplete me began to empower me. When you go through the fire and come out the other side, something very real happens. You realize no one is coming to save you. It’s on you. You can either become 100% accountable or crumble. There will be many situations in life that are outside of my control. It’s not what happens; it’s how I respond to what happens, for which I’m responsible. That is 100% on me. Be accountable and be responsible. Be a pro.

 
Focus / Suffering
If fortune favors the bold, then success favors clarity. When you are clear on what you want - it will come. You will be tested. It wants to know what you are prepared to do to achieve it, but it will go if you stay the course. There is real power in singleness of purpose. There’s real power when you burn the boats. It’s how you view and handle problems. When I was a stockbroker, I knew to get one lead, I had to speak with 10 DM’s. That means I would get rejected 9 out of 10 times. I never chased leads. I chased the No. I needed 9 No’s until I got a yes. That’s what I chased. Look at things correctly. The sky is always blue behind the clouds.

 
Bending Reality
There is a real malleability to life. Something incredible happens when you become crystal clear about what you want and are willing to go to any lengths to get it. The right people come into your life. The right doors open up. The right opportunities fall into your lap. The universe will reconfigure itself to deliver what you desire. I don’t know how, but I know it’s true. I’ve seen it many times in my life.

Conversely, if you haven’t learned the lesson it’s trying to teach you, it will keep showing up in different people and situations. I don’t believe in luck. I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe in cause and effect. There is an underlying intelligence that governs the world. That intelligence wants the best for you, for all of us. Tap into it. This is why thoughts, focus, and accountability are so important. Get clear on the outcomes you want, and pursue it with vigor.

 
How does this all tie into sales?
Sales is the business of rejection. It will show you how well you can deal with rejection, pressure, uncertainty, and negotiation. It's a pressure cooker. And pressure creates diamonds, but it also breaks pipes. Your outcomes are contingent upon how resilient you are mentally. This is why I stated earlier that there is no lying in sales. It will expose you. It will expose you mentally to everything you possess and do not. This is why learning frameworks, role-playing, practicing your pitch, and getting it dialed in are critically important. Because success breeds success, it will improve your mental game around selling. 

The Takeaway

Here are three practices that will significantly improve your mental game around selling.  

1. Role-play every day for 45-60 minutes with someone, preferably your co-founder. Discuss the pitch in mock scenarios. Do this for 2 weeks every morning, and it will change the game for you.
   

2. Know all the objections a prospect can throw at you and how to address them confidently. 
   

3. Practice tonality and enthusiasm when you pitch. You want to emphasize specific presentation points and fluctuate your voice throughout. Enthusiasm is infectious. You've built something. Most have put their sweat and tears into it. Convey that!

That’s it for today!

See you all next week.

Darren

P.S. If you’re a venture-backed SaaS company interested in coaching, book a call here.

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