Recession Depression
Has the economy left you feeling down? Jeb Blount offers advice for beating recession depression.
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Recession Depression
Last week I got the surprise of my life when I opened up our October sales reports. And from the emails and calls I’m getting from our subscribers I know I’m not the only one being surprised. This week we’ll discuss how to keep your head up in tough times.
On Wednesday of last week at sat back in my chair unable to come to grips with what I was seeing on my computer screen. The numbers were horrible and far below our original projection. For the first time in over three years our sales had gone backwards. I had to get up and walk around. It felt like someone had just kicked me in the stomach. I kept going back to the report again and again as if somehow I had read it wrong. Slowly though, reality sunk in, October had been a disaster for sales.
Unfortunately I’m not alone. Sales Professionals, managers, and business owners all over the world got the same bad news over the past three to four weeks. The rapid down turn in the economy has taken a swift and hard toll. Few are immune. Many of you have written to ask what you should do and many more have told me that you are just plain depressed. Well, in the immortal words of Bill Clinton – “I feel your pain.”
After seeing my own numbers I had the overwhelming desire to crawl into a hole and just try to wait this economic crisis out. I felt powerless. I felt afraid. There aren’t too many things that bring this Sales Guy down. And folks, I was down.
That is when I realized that these feelings could actually make things worse. Being depressed and feeling sorry for myself was not going to solve my problem, it was not going to fix the economy, and it was certainly not going to generate sales. The only way to win in this environment was to take control of the one thing I could control – me.
If this economy has got you down, it is time for you to come to this realization as well. You cannot stick your head in the ground and hide. You cannot worry, complain, or cry your way out. The only thing you can do is to take charge of you, put your chin up, and move forward.
Sales Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Beating Recession Depression:
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Turn Off The News – Perhaps the most depressing thing in our society is the news. Doom, gloom and disaster is almost always the story of the day. Spending an hour watching CNN will leave you in need of an antidepressant and a therapist. And the more you watch the more addictive it becomes. So stop. Make a commitment to turn off the news and put the newspaper down. Take baby steps if you have to. Putting an end to, or reducing, this destructive and negative input will have an immediate impact on your attitude. You will feel better and your belief system will strengthen.
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Use Positive Language – Notice the words you are using when you talk to others. Are you complaining about the economy? Do you whine about sales being down? Do you talk about “how bad things are?” These words are powerful and though you might not realize it, they are hurting you and making you feel depressed. Start making a conscious effort to find positive things to talk about. Stop complaining to others. Excuse yourself from negative conversations. And when people ask you how you are smile and say, “I’m great!” You will be surprised at how quickly your positive words manifest themselves as positive feelings.
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Invest In Yourself – Investing in yourself is the perfect way to take control in difficult times. Read a book, listen to Podcasts and audio programs, attend a seminar or class. When you are taking action to learn your attitude improves, you feel more confident, and you don’t have as much time to dwell on negative things. Your investment will make you stronger, faster, and smarter and you will be amazed at how your mind opens to new ideas and new possibilities that will help you win – even in a down economy.
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Manage Your Self-talk – studies have shown that we talk to ourselves at the rate of up to 300 words a minute. In fact, we are talking to ourselves almost constantly during the day. Imagine the impact on your attitude if that internal conversation is filled with negativity. Pay attention to what you are saying to yourself. When you self-talk turns negative take control and cut it off. Learn to replace negative self-talk with positive affirmations and statements. Self-talk is powerful and what you say to yourself can either leave you in a recession depression, or it can lead you out into the light and on to greater success.
This is Jeb Blount the Sales Guy. The economy is in a crisis but you don’t have to be. Learn to take control of your life in my book PowerPrinciples. You can pick up your copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or download the PowerPrinciples audio program at www.jebaudio.com.
Economic Turmoil image courtesy of Shutterstock