Don’t Confuse Sales Hype For Positive Thinking

If I had a dime for every time someone calls this site negative, I’d have quite a few dimes! 

One of the immediate indoctrinations new Mary Kay consultants are subjected to is the idea of “positive thinking”  They are encouraged to eliminate all “stinkin’ thinkin’” from their life to open the door to success in their Mary Kay “business.”

Now, I am a FIRM believer in the power of a good attitude. I’m especially convinced of the need to be able to “see” the outcome you desire, what many call visualization. If you can’t imagine an certain scenario or outcome, it’s doubtful you can experience it, as you have to be able to even see it as a possibility. So you won’t find me dismissing some of the tools that many who talk about positive thinking.

BUT…the rah rah sales hype of Mary Kay functions is really NOT the same thing as being positive.

It is, however, a good sales practice used by many companies, designed to get members revved up and excited, to overcome the discouragement that often accompanies sales. You see, as humans, we just don’t feel great when we put ourselves out there in the world and receive rejection. As a sales person, you have to keep knocking on doors and calling people, no matter how many “NOs” you receive.

The mistake that many in Mary Kay make is thinking that even speaking of these doubts or challenges is negative.

It’s NOT. It’s smart.

How effective do you think many of our businesses or even the government would be if they only talked about great something is, without acknowledging the obstacles or challenges that exist as well. If they never brought up the so-called negative stuff, how would anybody create strategies or plans? How could you anticipate things and create “Plan B”?

Being positive is not about letting only cute little motivational sayings cross your lips. It’s about being SMART. It’s about seeing the big picture and choosing to continue to move ahead. It’s about embracing your failures instead of coming up with euphemistic phrases to cover up your pain and need for collaboration, as in having a bad week, yet coming to a sales meeting saying that your week was “unbelieveable.”

The Mary Kay brand of “positive thinking” can make one feel truly depressed in a short amount of time. One can’t continue to lie to themselves and continue forging along and it isn’t wise either. What’s needed is a true, honest discussion of the challenges the salesperson faces and talking with others to find ideas. And NOT just sugar-coated ideas that don’t even translate to reality.

The “positive thinking” served up by Mary Kay is dangerous. It’s a kind of brainwashing that works well for the company, getting women to continue buying products they probably won’t be able to sell. It’s clouds the eyes of women to what’s really going on.