Breaking Habits

"It takes 21 days to create a new habit." Perhaps what Stephen Covey is talking about can also be stated as "it takes 21 days to break an old habit". I coached Triple A and Double A Baseball for 11 years and when I was working on a new batting swing with a player they always started at a level of frustration which caused them to always go back to what they were comfortable with; their old swing. The lesson learned here was to create a new habit (a new skill) requires a determination to continue practicing the new skill until it becomes second nature. Even when faced with a batting average that may go from bad to worse until you have mastered the new skill. To be great will require a passion to succeed that is greater than the disappointments.

In the context of Sales, you will need to practice your techniques, one technique at a time, for at least 21 days or until it becomes second nature. Don't try and relearn too many skills at once or your frustration may be too great to continue. Instead, take one area of your business or techniques that is of the most importance to change and concentrate on learning that new skill. Once mastered, then move on to learning another skill. How do you eat an elephant? That's right, one bite at a time. You will become a Master of all but only if you take it one skill at a time.