Enthusiasm: The Sales Multiplier Most People Underestimate

Enthusiasm = I.A.S.M. — I Am Sold Myself

Early in my sales career, I learned a lesson that still shapes how I coach sales professionals today.

On my very first day in outside sales, my manager handed me a stack of reports covering every business in four zip codes and said, “Start calling.” That’s when it hit me—I had just signed up for 100% cold calling. No inbound leads. No warm introductions. Just me, a phone, and rejection.

I remember thinking, How am I going to survive this?

The answer came down to one word: enthusiasm.

Not hype. Not false positivity. But genuine belief—what I now call I.A.S.M.: I Am Sold Myself. When I became sold on my purpose, my value, and my ability to serve customers, my confidence followed. Enthusiasm became my execution fuel.

That lesson stayed with me as I moved into medical sales, sales leadership, and eventually sales training and coaching. Over time, I discovered something critical: enthusiasm is not a personality trait—it’s a habit.

As Og Mandino wrote inThe Greatest Salesman in the World, success requires discipline, persistence, patience, and guidance. When doubt creeps in—as it always does—top performers don’t wait to feel confident. They act their way into confidence.

Here’s how enthusiasm shows up in execution:

• Start each day with a mindset ritual that centers you

• Seek guidance instead of spinning in isolation

• Treat losses as lessons, not failures

• Stay focused on service, not pressure

• Protect your energy from negativity

While enthusiasm is one of the most powerful accelerators of sales success, it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Here are the most common mistakes I see sales professionals make:

1. Waiting to “feel motivated” before taking action

Enthusiasm is not something you wait for—it’s something you create through action. Momentum comes after movement, not before it.

2. Confusing enthusiasm with hype or pressure

True enthusiasm is grounded confidence and belief, not forced excitement. Customers can sense the difference immediately.

3. Letting external circumstances drain your energy

Backorders, recalls, competition, market shifts, and rejection are real—but allowing them to dictate your mindset erodes execution. Top performers manage their energy regardless of conditions.

4. Failing to protect mindset and routines

Skipping daily rituals—reflection, preparation, movement, learning—slowly chips away at confidence. Enthusiasm fades when structure disappears.

5. Internalizing rejection as personal failure

Every “no” is feedback, not a verdict. When rejection becomes personal, enthusiasm turns into avoidance and hesitation.

6. Surrounding yourself with negativity

Energy is contagious. Spending time with complainers, cynics, or disengaged peers will dilute even the strongest belief in yourself.

7. Forgetting your ‘why’

When we lose sight of the impact we make for customers, enthusiasm gets replaced by burnout. Purpose fuels persistence.

Enthusiasm isn’t about being “on” all the time—it’s about being sold on yourself, your value, and your mission, even on hard days.

When enthusiasm becomes a habit, execution follows—and sales accelerate.

Sales is still 90% service and 10% selling. When you’re sold on yourself, your value, and your mission, customers feel it—and results follow.

Enthusiasm isn’t optional. It’s a strategic advantage.

Welcome to the Sales Acceleration Code—where belief drives behavior, and habits drive results.