Look, this blog is usually where we talk shop about prospecting, statement analysis, and closing tactics. But today, I want to get real with you about something much bigger, and honestly, much harder: discipline.
Many of us have faced this. You’ve been out in the field all morning, you’ve hit five brutally cold doors, gotten five flat rejections, and it’s only 11:30 AM. It’s so easy to just start the car, head home, and call it a day.
Staying motivated and disciplined in this industry is a daily grind. I’m right there in the trenches with you, still working on it myself every single day.
But over the years, I’ve realized a few things about discipline that might surprise you. Here is what is working for me:
1. Focus on a Few Things, Not Everything
We’ve all had those Sunday nights where we promise ourselves we’re going to completely overhaul our lives on Monday. We’re going to make 50 cold calls, walk 20 strip malls, hit the gym, and eat perfectly. It’s admirable, but let’s be honest—it rarely works. Trying to fix everything at once usually means you fix nothing.
Instead, I’ve learned to accept my current reality and just pick one or two key areas to improve. Maybe this week it’s just committing to staying in the field until 2, 3:00 PM, or making sure I ask for two referrals at every install. Build a solid habit there first, then move on. It’s about targeted progress, not a total revolution.
2. Discipline Isn’t Willpower, It’s Understanding
How many times have you told yourself, “If only I had more willpower, I’d be a top producer”?
Here’s the shift I had to make: discipline isn’t about brute force. It’s about understanding. Think about it—you don’t need willpower to avoid touching a hot stove. You don’t do it because you understand the consequences.
If you want more discipline in the field, you have to deepen your understanding of why you’re out there. For me, that means constantly reminding myself of the compounding power of our industry.
- Listen to sales audiobooks on your drives between appointments.
- Play with income calculators to visualize what your monthly residual portfolio will look like in three years if you just close two more deals a month.
- Get crystal clear on your “WHY”
Great actions follow great convictions. When you truly grasp the long-term rewards of building a residual book of business, the drive to push through the next door comes naturally.
3. Master the Art of “Self-Tricking”
I used to think successful people just had superhuman self-control. The truth? They’re just really good at tricking themselves.
I knew a guy who struggled to get out of bed, so he hid three separate alarm clocks around his room to force himself up at 4:30 AM. It sounds ridiculous, but it worked. He forced the habit, and now he wakes up early without them. Another friend of mine wanted to build a daily habit of reading, so he paired it with his favorite candy bar. He created a positive association, and suddenly he looked forward to it.
These tactics might seem childish, like training a dog but they work. It takes some humility to admit, “Hey, I need to trick myself into doing my paperwork or prospecting today,” but the results speak for themselves. Leave your prospecting hit list on your steering wheel the night before so you can’t ignore it. Reward yourself with a coffee only after you’ve walked a new plaza. Start experimenting with self-tricking and see what happens.
The Bottom Line
- Prioritize: Don’t try to boil the ocean. Pick one sales habit to fix at a time.
- Understand: Reconnect with the financial freedom of residual income to fuel your fire.
- Strategize: Use creative mind games and rewards to get yourself moving.
Stop relying on sheer willpower to get you through the rejections. Start leveraging understanding and strategic self-motivation, and you’ll be amazed at what your portfolio looks like this time next year.
Let’s go get it this week.
Happy Selling,
David
