Don’t Freak If You Hate Selling Or Elevators Do This Instead…
I knew a guy who was scared of elevators. One day his wife forced him into one. Bad idea. You couldn’t possibly imagine what happened next.
Of course, he was white as a ghost, shaking all over the place. His wife and a hotel security guard were crammed in there too.
Now, this guy was built like a bull. Friends used to joke and say he was a male stripper in his past life. Not too tall, but he had a neck the size of most people’s legs and the ladies liked him.
Yet here he is, FREAKIN’ out in the elevator.
He yelled, he screamed and literally threw a tantrum even a two year old could envy.
No kidding.
His wife was scared, but the guard was TERRIFIED and in desperate need of new shorts. Because my friend was ready to kill him.
I wish I was joking!
He screamed, “If you don’t STOP this damn thing now. STOP… STOP THIS NOW! STOP THIS NOW! LET ME OUT OR I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”
“LET ME OUT OR I’M GONNA KILL YOU!”
Imagine his embarrassment when he got out.
It didn’t stop the elevator any faster… made him look like a fool… and could have got him arrested. His wife was almost in tears apologizing to the poor fellow escorting them up.
The deadliest handicap in networking…
Fear is a funny thing… or maybe not.
You probably know people scared of public speaking. I had a friend who would literally run out of the room and embarrass himself rather than get up and speak.
We lost touhc but, as far as I know, he still gags like a cat with a fur-ball if you even mention public speaking.
The point is we all have our fears.
But the hardest thing you’ll ever do to ensure your success is the one thing you must do…
Get outta your comfort zone!
You know, it’s been said that people would rather die than move out of their comfort zone and we all have one.
Some people are scared of phones, others are downright terrified of elevators. Either way, our fears hold us back. They keep your success in a cage.
How To Get Outta Your Comfort Zone Without A Panic Attack…
But it doesn’t have to be this way… countless men and women have countered their fears. For instance…
Jim Yaghi. the pay-per-click expert started with simply making eye contact. He found that conversation seemed to flow after he got that far. He got out and about and before long he was networking like a mad man.
A musician friend, Lisa is her name, seemed to get her confidence through music. She’d get out there and “jam” with friends. Before she knew it she was playing for more and more people and the more she played the easier it was for her to talk to everybody… even people who never heard her play.
Personally, I got over my fears by switching my mindset. Instead of seeing myself as a “salesman” I saw myself as an “assistant buyer” a helper. Now, I wasn’t “bugging” people I was helping them out. Easy beasy.
But I believe it all comes down to is this.
Take one small step. Get out of the house or pick up the phone. Don’t worry about selling at first.
You don’t have to “sell” anything. Not until you get over your fear. Until you expand your comfort zone. Just meet people. Talk to them. And do it in a way that you’re comfortable with.
Don’t rush things. It will only make you hate business, fear it more.
Maybe you’re into sports, maybe you hang out with friends at a local coffee shop. Maybe you play chess. It doesn’t matter, just get out there and be friendly. Speak to people.
The more friends you make, the easier it’s gonna be on you. Over time you’ll find that things you used to fear have vanished. So move on to the next challenge.
Before you blink you’ll be “selling” and you might not even notice it at first.
I think part of the problem people have with “selling” is that they have this twisted picture of a salesman controlling, lying and manipulating them to buy.
Well the fact is, there isn’t one good salesman that does that… those are the losers who will never make it.
You know, just take it slow. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
You don’t have to be born a Better Networker.
But you do have to DO SOMETHING.
To your success,
Jason Better “The Better Networker”
P.S. If this post was right up your alley then you’ll want to claim your membership. Join the club, you’d be surprised by the influential networkers on this list.
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6 Comments
Brooke on December 4th, 2009
Oh my gosh, I love this post. I was in a training meeting the other day and thought I was literally going to throw up because they said there would be some role playing in front of everyone. I knew I wasn’t going to die but my mind was telling me I was(I was basically the guy in the elevator). I’m so glad I found this post to motivate me to try new things, it might not be role playing in front of a group of people right now, but I might start making my own phone calls 
[Reply]
December 4th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Hey Brooke,
I’m glad you like it. This guy really
was terrified of elevators like you
wouldn’t believe…
I think we all need to take it one
step at a time.
[Reply]
Great Article! How true so many of us sit in our comfort zone and try to figure out why we are not successful.
[Reply]
October 1st, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Hey, thanks for dropping in.
Glad you like it, LeShawn.
Hope to see you around
again… soon.
[Reply]