Buoyancy in the sales world is crucial to staying afloat. Buoyancy during finals is important for your mental wellbeing.

Here are three questions that you should ask yourself to help put this stressful time in perspective…

  1. Is this permanent? 

Yes, finals is a stressful time, but they won’t be around forever. You take the test- and it’s over! In sales, you might be working with a difficult client, but you won’t be spending the rest of your life working with them, so don’t sweat it.

2. Is this pervasive?

Exams are a large part of college, but they are insignificant in the grand scheme of life. What is important is how you handle the stress and how you choose to overcome the obstacles at hand. When making a sale realize that the issues there are also confined to the sales context. All of this to say that by taking a “30,000 ft. view” of the situation will help you de-catastrophy the problem at hand.

3. Is this personal?

In college and sales, your performance may feel like a personal reflection of who you are, but in reality, it is only a reflection of what Pink calls “the Role you”. Your grade does not define you. The sale does not define you. Either situation does not and will not dictate how well you will do in life.  Finals do at times feel personal and you do have a personal responsibility to do your best, but keep in mind that these are all external things and you will do all right.

2 thoughts on “Keeping Afloat”
  1. I think as a salesperson it’s important to not take your job personally. That can lead to a lot of frustration and ultimately poor performance. Glad you touched on that point.

  2. I know I should have been asking myself these questions while I was taking finals. Great post! This is one I am definitely going to keep in mind when situations get stressful.

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