Grande Americano with milk and sweetener.  Just perfect.  There’s something about coffee that calms my soul. I’m sitting across my sales director in Starbucks, early morning in February , discussing the plans for the day and my business plan for the year.

It’s not a very uplifting meeting.  Thank God for my coffee.

I ended 2019 at the bottom of the ladder in terms of sales performance – 10^th place out of 10 sales specialists in the country! Hah! I remember not bothering to look at the monthly sales performances last year because I’m confident that I maintain that position. I have been working hard and travelling so much. And still, my sales are flat – flatter than my chest. Surely, there are factors that are out of my control, but it still baffles me whether I lack skills to make a difference or whether I’m not just that good enough.

Have you been in that situation where you felt you have given your all, but the results are still not in your favor? How did you feel?

I felt insecure. I felt upset. I felt inadequate. I felt depressed.

My director then asked me what’s my goal for the year 2020?  I bravely answered him that I will make it to the top and win the Circle of Excellence Award (the award given to the top performer in our company). I bet he almost spit out his coffee! He maintained his composure and politely brushed aside my answer, bringing me back to “reality” and steering the conversation towards a more “realistic” goal.

That day spent with him ended in near disaster. Because of my insecurities, I was very self-conscious at all our customer meetings. In the end, he gave a feedback that I don’t measure up to the expectations of my role. I was heartbroken. And I started doubting myself. Twenty plus years in the pharmaceutical sales industry… and I’m told that I’m below average. It crushed me.

But I need to make a choice – to let those words crush my spirit or to rise and prove to myself that I’m capable of excellence. And knowing myself, I always choose to be victorious.

I worked harder than before. Reinforced my knowledge by learning from peers and read as much as I can. Worked with my coach to figure out how I can be mentally and emotionally tough through this storm. Even with Covid19 threatening to quash my progress, I continued to focus on improving.  I became more innovative and confident.

And I never let go of my vision of winning the Circle of Excellence Award. Envisioning myself going up the stage, holding the trophy and giving my speech. 

Fast forward to June, sales results for May are out. 

I see my name – Joy Tajanlangit, NUMBER ONE in sales performance, 107% year to date!

I am speechless! I am deeply grateful that all my hard work has been rewarded. But maybe it’s just a fluke??

The following month’s sales performance again showed me at the top! This time proving that it’s not a fluke at all – 109% with a 46% sales growth over last year!

From tenth place to NUMBER ONE in the whole country! From worst to BEST in 5 months!

I got my mojo back. I have regained my confidence and belief in my capabilities. I am more engaged at work and motivated to contribute more to my team and my company. Best of all, I’m happy at work.

And through this storm, there are 3 significant things I learned that I want to share with you, hoping that you will use these when you’re in a similar situation:

1. REFLECT INWARDLY. I looked within me where the gaps are and where I can improve. I acknowledged my weaknesses and my strengths. It’s always difficult to control what’s going on in our environment but if we can start looking within ourselves and identifying the areas we can control, then start working to improve on those areas, we feel less overwhelmed and more focused.  The solutions become clearer.

2. HOLD ON TIGHT TO YOUR VISION. For some time, I was depressed and not happy at work. My insecurities got a hold of me, temporarily. But despite that, I never let go of my vision. I’m still going up that stage, holding the trophy, feeling its weight between my hands, giving a gratitude speech in front of my colleagues. The famous Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve”. And as an executive and leadership coach, this is one of the principles I teach my clients. If we want to change our life story, we first must change how we think and what we think. If you want your life story to have a better ending, envision it, and believe it will happen. Our minds hold immense power that should never be underestimated. How we choose to live every day depends on what we cultivate in our minds. 

3. FORGET THE EGO AND SEEK HELP. From my colleagues to my life coach, they have been great resources for my growth. They have helped me get out of the rut. They have shared with me knowledge and skills that reinforced my own abilities.  Sometimes, we are scared to seek help for the fear of being perceived as incapable or fear of being rejected. But until we set aside our egos and intentionally seek help from others, it is then we realize that those fears are just in our minds. You will be surprised that there are genuine people willing help and see you prosper.

Coaching has worked for me to reach the top and it could also work for you. Let me show you how. You can connect with me by sending me an email at info@coachedbyjoy.com or send me a message via my FB and Instagram pages, Coached By Joy.

A coach is your strategist. A coach is your ally. A coach is committed to your success.