The Power of a Positive Mindset in medical sales!

by Adam Darke

An old manager once told me that I was a real ‘glass half-empty’ kind of person. And to be honest – I really hated it. 

It totally wound me up that she saw me as a ‘Negative Nelly’. Because in my mind, the glass was never half-empty, or indeed half-full – it was just at 50% capacity. The situation could have been better, but it also could have been worse. I was a realist, I dealt in facts, figures and data. And I was happy with that …

But then something happened (purely by accident) that completely changed my perspective on what a Positive Mindset is all about, and what a powerful tool it can be. 

I had taken a new job (in the same company) and inherited a territory at the beginning of Q2, which was way behind budget. By mid-year, the territory was even further behind and prospects for hitting looked extremely bleak. 

As a highly experienced Rep at the time, I was mocked a little at our Mid-Year Team Meeting, with friendly ‘banter’ about how I was bottom of the Sales League with no chance of achieving target that year. 

So purely driven by ego and damaged pride, I announced to the entire room that I was definitely going to hit target, 100%, without doubt, completely nailed on, guaranteed!

I was joking. I didn’t mean it, and I certainly didn’t believe it. It was just banter. 

But over the next few months, the banter continued (over the team WhatsApp group and catch-up calls), and so I doubled down. Still ‘joking’ that I was going to hit, but being ever more positive and enthusiastic that I was going to get there. 

And the thing is, the more I told myself and others that I was going to hit, the more I believed it. And the more I believed it, the more I wanted it and went after it. 

Long story short, I came in that year at 100.0028%. Around £74 over my £2.65M target, getting off the phone to Customer Services at 4.59pm on New Years Eve after billing the last bit of business to get me over the line. Without doubt, this still remains my proudest, best and biggest achievement in Medical Sales.  

Now, I’m 100% certain that I wouldn’t have got anywhere near that target by using my ‘50% Capacity’ mentality. 

The ONLY REASON that I achieved budget that year was because I told myself that I was going to. Even though I was only joking at the beginning. My (initially fake) positivity created fire, momentum and drive in my mind, with failure not being an option.

I realized that when it comes to having a ‘Positive Mindset’, you need to be ALL IN. 

Being glass half-full isn’t enough, being 90% positive isn’t enough. 

If you aren’t ALL IN, 100% on board, glass completely overflowing …  then you are without doubt in the glass half-empty category

It really is all or nothing!

So that’s how I look at things now. 

Granted, it doesn’t always work out, I don’t always achieve what I set out to – but I do know that with a fully positive mindset, I’m giving myself the best possible chance of success.