Just flow with it

Every now and then when I watch a basketball game a player will start hitting 3-point shots, one after the other. After a while, it seems like the player could close his eyes and the ball would still fall in. In that moment, they are in Flow.

Flow is the unconscious state where your body and mind are in harmony working together toward a common goal.

In business, like in sports, this is where you want to be.

How do we get into this flow state? It starts with having a reasonable goal. And reasonable is the important word. If you don’t believe you can attain the goal you set, or is being set for you, you will not put enough effort or commitment into it.

Business founders and sales leaders often set the quota or revenue expectations for what they wish will happen. Not necessarily what’s realistic. In the example of the professional basketball player, the goal may be to make 33% of their 3-point shots, which is pretty good for a professional basketball player. But, if the goal is set too high, anxiety sets in.

To get into Flow you either bring the challenge down by setting a more realistic goal or develop your skills to match the challenge, over time.

They must be in synch to be in Flow. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a business or personal goal.

So, here’s your Action Item and Mission, should you decide to accept it: While you may want a bigger company or more sales, setting unrealistic goals produces the opposite effect. Slow and steady incremental progress, over time, while your team builds their skillset and confidence, will produce much better results for you. And you won’t stress out nearly as much.

If this post is helpful to someone setting goals or quotas, please share it. Remember, one hand washes the other and together they get clean. Thank you for watching. Have a really rewarding week. And I’ll see you, in a better state of flow, next time.

About Louie Bernstein

I help Founders of B2B, bootstrapped technology businesses grow with my proven sales system, Sales System in a Box, for continuous growth. If you're looking to grow your sales without sacrificing your personal life and health, I can help you. I know, because I have been where you are: Weighing hiring versus more marketing, salespeople doing their own thing, too many hours in the office, and not enough with friends or family. I get it. Sales growth fixes a lot of issues.

You will get a coach with four decades of B2B technology experience including 22+ founding and running a bootstrapped IT company that not only made it through four recessions but made the INC 500 along the way. My strong sales background gives you the advantage of putting sales processes in place so we can work on the big picture. I like to say, increasing sales fixes a lot of issues. To see what you get, go here.

An INC 500 winner, and the author of the effective, real-world, sales training system, How to be a Professional Salesperson.

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