Physician (or Salesperson), Heal (or Motivate) Thyself!
Today, I want to talk about motivation. And specifically, how salespeople need to own their motivation. To do that, I need to address a few things upfront.
Introduction
There’s a paradox in sales leadership that’s been rattling around in my head for years. On one hand, we’re told to hire motivated, talented, capable people, give them clear direction and expectations, and then get out of their way. If we have to spend time motivating them, we’ve hired the wrong folks. For example:
“Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them; they hire already motivated people and inspire them.”
– Simon Sinek, leadership expert
“Trying to motivate people simply isn’t sustainable. It sucks the energy out of you… What you want to do instead is to find people who have knowledge, energy, and want to do a good job.”
– Jim Schleckser, CEO of The CEO Project
On the other hand, we know that motivation isn’t a one-and-done deal. Especially in a field like sales, where rejection is so common. Zig Ziglar famously said:
“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.”
And he wasn’t wrong. Sales is a high-stress, high-rejection profession. We’re rejected when prospecting. We’re ghosted for meetings. No Decision status is high. And of course, we have a win-rate calculation because we lose a good percentage of our opportunities.
In the face of this rejection and difficulty, even the most persevering and resilient of sellers can experience motivational slumps. It’s human.
Performance improvement experts say that we must create an environment, culture, systems, processes, methods, and tools that support high performance, so people can perform at their very best. As Geary Rummler said (echoed by W. Edwards Deming):
“If you pit a good performer against a bad system, the system wins almost every time.”
And Deming adds:
“Eighty-five percent of the reasons for failure are deficiencies in the systems and process rather than the employee. The role of management is to change the process rather than badgering individuals to do better.”
See the paradox?
This week, I want to explore this paradox and make the case that while leaders absolutely must create motivating environments, and while we can also work to support individual employee motivation, sellers must ultimately take the reins and learn to motivate themselves.
The real answer to the “hire motivated people and get out of their way” versus “create organizational systems in which people can thrive” is to do both.
But even though I’ve previously provided ways for managers to work to help with employee motivation or counsel mindset issues and self-limiting beliefs (see the Resources section at the end), ultimately, salespeople need to own their motivation, and their commitment.
Like the old adage for physicians, “Physician, heal thyself,” salespeople must learn to self-motivate, self-counsel, and commit to their own success.
The Motivation Paradox
Let’s start with the first truism: hire well and get out of the way. There’s wisdom here. If you’re constantly dragging your team across the finish line, something’s broken. But here’s the rub — motivation isn’t static. It fluctuates. Even top performers have off days, stalled deals, and moments of doubt.
That’s where the second truism comes in: leaders must understand how their sellers are motivated and create environments that support them. This includes understanding intrinsic, extrinsic, and altruistic motivation styles, as well as value drivers like those in the PAM Orders Power BARS framework (Purpose, Autonomy, Mastery, Belonging, Achievement, Recognition, and Security).
In Sales Counseling as a Performance Improvement Tool, I wrote that counseling — defined as coaching for mindset and self-limiting beliefs — is a critical leadership skill. It’s not therapy. It’s targeted coaching to help sellers reframe their thinking, regain their footing, and recommit to their goals.
Commitment Trumps Motivation
Here’s a truth I’ve come to believe deeply: commitment trumps motivation. Motivation is fleeting. Commitment is enduring. When sellers commit to their goals, their values, and their personal vision of success, they can weather the storms of rejection, stalled deals, and “No Decision” purgatory.
This doesn’t mean motivation doesn’t matter. It does. It might be the spark that gets you started but it’s not the fuel that keeps the engine running. When the spark fades, commitment keeps the wheels turning.
The Role of Sales Leaders
Sales leaders, especially frontline sales managers, have a responsibility to:
- Hire well, using structured interviews and behavioral assessments.
- Set clear expectations using the 5Ws + H framework: What, Why, When, Where, Who, and How.
- Establish SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- Understand individual motivation styles and value drivers.
- Use sales counseling to address mindset and belief systems.
- Create environments that support autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
- And ultimately, hire, train, coach, manage sales, and lead people.
But even with all that, sellers must do their part.
Physician (or Salesperson), Heal (or Motivate) Thyself!
Sellers, this is your call to action. You can’t rely solely on your manager, your enablement team, or your comp plan to keep you fired up. And as much as I believe every organization should do the things we’ve discussed so far, reality dictates otherwise. Many do not. So, you must learn to motivate yourself. Is that fair? Probably not, but it doesn’t change reality. Here’s how you can lean into self-motivation and commitment.
Know Your Motivation Style
Are you driven by achievement? Recognition? Purpose? Autonomy? Belonging? Security? These are the just some of the personal value drivers in PAM Orders Power BARS (about halfway down in that linked article, you’ll see it all spelled out). Understanding your dominant drivers helps you align your goals and plans to what truly fuels you.
Also consider whether your motivation is intrinsic (driven by internal satisfaction), extrinsic (driven by external rewards), or altruistic (driven by helping others). Most people have a mix, but knowing your primary style helps you build a personal motivation strategy.
Lastly, you can consider the other Value Drivers we teach in Modern Sales Foundations, too. They’re not the same as your personal drivers, but you may have Business, Experiential, or Aspirational Value Drivers, as well (definitions are about halfway down in that linked article, as well).
And guess what? Even if your company or your manager are not attuned to all of these, you can be, and you can capitalize on what you know about yourself. And you can lean on other friends, family, mentors, or advisors, outside of your direct manager relationship. You’re not an island, even though you should try to own as much of this as possible. When needed, ask for help. On that note, more and more people are opening up about mental health and the stress sellers face. Consider using your EAP (employee assistance program) if your company’s health benefits offer one or seek therapy or counseling. There should be no stigma about that, these days, but you also don’t need to share it with anyone, either. That choice is yours.
Set SMART Goals and Use the 5Ws + H
Goals without structure are wishes. These were mentioned earlier in regard to managers using them, but you can use them yourself.
Use SMART goals to create clarity and accountability. Again, SMART stands for:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Then apply the 5Ws + H to each goal:
- What are you trying to achieve?
- Why does it matter to you?
- When will you do it?
- Where will it happen (if applicable)?
- Who else is involved (if applicable)?
- How will you make it happen?
This framework turns vague intentions into actionable plans.
“Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity.”
– James Clear
Understand and Use Behavioral Consequences Wisely
I say this tongue-in-cheek (sort of), but people and the media have been manipulating you for most of your life in a variety of ways. You might as well learn to use these techniques for yourself, for good.
In addition to what I’ve shared already, managing your own consequences based on behavioral science is one way to do that.
To Increase a Behavior (Do More of Something)
Use Positive Reinforcement: Gain something valuable.
- Give yourself a meaningful reward for progressive achievement (smaller reward) or final goal attainment (larger reward). This taps into your brain’s reward system and builds momentum. The key is to make the reward personally meaningful and timely, so it reinforces the behavior you want to repeat.
Example: After completing a week of consistent prospecting, treat yourself to something enjoyable — a favorite coffee, a break to watch a show, or time with a hobby. For hitting a major milestone, go bigger — maybe a dinner out or a weekend getaway.
Use Negative Reinforcement: Avoid something undesirable.
- This means doing the desired behavior to remove or avoid a negative consequence. It’s not punishment — it’s relief.
Example: You might complete your CRM updates right after each call to avoid the stress of a messy pipeline review later. Or you prep for Monday’s meeting on Friday to avoid the Sunday night scramble. Note: “Negative” reinforcement sounds bad, right? But in behavioral science, it means removing something unpleasant — which is actually a positive outcome from your perspective.
To Decrease a Behavior (Do Less of Something)
Use Punishment: Something undesirable happens.
- This is about experiencing a consequence that makes you want to avoid repeating the behavior. In self-management, it’s often natural consequences or ones you set up intentionally.
Example: If procrastinating leads to a missed opportunity or a stressful scramble, reflect on that discomfort. Use it as a motivator to change the behavior next time. You can also set up a consequence — like skipping a favorite activity if you don’t complete your prep work.
Use a Penalty: Lose something valuable.
- This involves removing something you value as a result of the behavior you want to reduce. It’s a self-imposed cost.
Example: If you skip your daily outreach goal, you might delay watching a show or hold off on a personal reward until you get back on track. The idea is to make the cost of the behavior real enough to influence your choices.
Use this model wisely. When personal motivators align with feedback and consequences, behavior change becomes far more likely.?And again, others do this to you (intentionally and unintentionally), so you might as well make good use of the science yourself.
Create a Motivation or Vision Board
Visualization is powerful. So are affirmations.
Create a motivation board (some call it a vision board) and affirmations that capture what you want to own, accomplish, or experience. Include images, quotes, and milestones that inspire you.
This isn’t fluff — it’s based on studies about how the brain works. Studies show that visualization activates the same brain regions as actual performance (Driskell, Copper, & Moran, 1994).
When I first started in sales, I had a picture of the car I wanted on my desk. By the time I could afford it, the car I wanted most had changed, but it was motivational just the same. And having the picture right there in front of me, did help.
I also had a piece of paper with other more private goals written on it, that I kept in my wallet and looked at daily. Some of them seemed pretty far-fetched at the time, but I wrote them as if they were already achieved, read them aloud daily, in private, with feeling and gratitude for having accomplished them. In two years, I accomplished every single one — including having doubled my income.
Practice Self-Counseling
When you hit a slump, or don’t do something you know you should, ask yourself:
- What am I feeling?
- What triggered this?
- What belief is driving my reaction or non-action?
- Is that belief true or helpful?
- What can I do to reframe it?
- How can I keep my commitments despite how I’m feeling?
This is the essence of sales counseling — applied to yourself. It’s not easy, but it’s powerful.
Build a Personal Support System
Find peers, mentors, or coaches who can help you reframe challenges and stay accountable. Sales can be isolating. Don’t go it alone.
Track Your Progress and Reflect
Use a journal, dashboard, or CRM notes to track your wins, losses, and lessons. Reflection builds resilience. It helps you see patterns, celebrate progress, and course-correct when needed.
Commit to Daily Motivation Rituals
Whether it’s reading a chapter from a favorite book, listening to a podcast, reviewing your goals, or updating your motivation board — make motivation a daily habit. Like Zig said, it doesn’t last. So, renew it.
Closing Thoughts
Sales is hard. It’s rewarding, but it’s hard. Motivation will ebb and flow. That’s normal. What matters is how you respond. Leaders can support you, but they can’t do it for you. You must take ownership of your mindset, your motivation, and your commitment.
So, physicians — and salespeople — heal thyself. Motivate thyself. And commit to thy goals and the actions to achieve them. You’ll thank me later.
Resources
- Driskell, J. E., Copper, C., & Moran, A. (1994). Does mental practice enhance performance? Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(4), 481–492.
This post was originally published as a LinkedIn newsletter, which you can find here.
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