Trust the Process and Yourself

Welcome back to the 36th issue of Disrupting Conversations!

As we enter 2025, many of us feel pressure to achieve ambitious goals. We know that to create something new, we have to do things differently, and this causes discomfort. Because of the discomfort, we often approach these new actions with a sense of urgency and scarcity—feeling we need to make everything happen immediately. That initial uncertainty drives our need to see results, and it can be frustrating and tedious when the effort doesn’t seem to be paying off.  

This is exactly why you have to learn to reframe your mindset—it’s a journey, a process, a game. It’s something you get to do (not something you have to do). 

The destination isn’t what makes you better or provides fulfillment—it’s the experiences you have along the way that drive satisfaction. But you have to be willing to work through the temporary hardships and challenges.   

👉 Remember, what got you to where you are today won’t get you to where you want to be tomorrow (or a year from now). If it could, you’d already be there. 

Let me explain…

– Dan

Breaking Sales is my podcast committed to helping people, sales professionals, and leaders understand the real psychologies influencing our conversations, the trust we build, and the change experiences we have and influence.

Title of Episode: The Power of Mental Discipline with Dr. Eric Potterat and Alan Eagle 

🎙️ What separates top performers from the rest—whether they're Navy SEALs, professional athletes, or sales professionals—isn't raw talent or luck. It's their commitment to consistent mental disciplines that allow them to perform at their peak under pressure. 

In part two of my conversation with Dr. Eric Potterat and Alan Eagle, authors of Learned Excellence, we explore how cultivating skills like curiosity, reflective thinking, and adversity tolerance creates a foundation for sustained success. Their insights reinforce a powerful truth: excellence isn't about occasional bursts of intensity; it's about developing and maintaining disciplined processes that keep you calm and focused when stakes are highest.

Trust the Process and Yourself

Every morning, you make a choice. You can approach your goals with anxiety and urgency—the frantic energy of "I have to get this done"—or you can choose a different path: one of calm, purposeful action.

Think about that difference for a moment. This urgency occurs when we start to feel scarcity regarding the results, or we become inconsistent in our daily efforts. Our brain always knows when we are falling behind or not giving our best. The scarcity impacts the quality and repetition of our performance – which diminishes our results. This creates a cycle of stress that actually impedes our progress and effectiveness. I’ve been there.

But there's another way. Instead of rushing frantically toward our goals, we can move steadily and intentionally. This means:

• Committing to a clear process

• Maintaining consistency in our actions

• Approaching each day with calm determination rather than anxious energy

I’ll explain…

After visualizing and deciding what you want to create, experience, and achieve for the year use these three strategies to keep you moving in the right direction: 

• Commit to a clear process: Identify the key actions or tasks that you need to perform each day or week, and schedule them in your calendar. Schedule them multiple months out. If the idea of pre-scheduling causes you stress, then you’re not ready to pursue the goal. Not committing these actions in your calendar allows you to create flexibility in how you invest your time down the road, so when it gets hard (which it will) you can let yourself off the hook. 

• Maintain consistent action: There will be those moments where you will feel the pressure between not doing what you said you were going to do and then telling yourself a story on why it’s okay, and/or staying committed to the action even though you’re uncertain if it’s worth the effort. (Alarm Emoji or light bulb) The best way through this is to remind yourself of where you are going instead of lamenting the challenges of where you are. Focus on what you are trying to create and not the uncertainty of the moment. 

• Approach challenges with calm determination: Keep in mind that this is a journey – a game you get to play. It’s not about being perfect. The real accomplishment that has meaning is your ability to work through the “hard,” fight off the temptation to bail, and create new experiences along the way. Think about it: do you create a new version of yourself by crossing the finish line or reaching the goal, or does your evolution come from all the lessons you learn and experience along the way?  The next time you feel that urgent push to "make things happen NOW," pause and remind yourself: Real transformation isn't about intensity; it's about consistency. It's not about rushing; it's about staying steady. And most importantly, it's not about the occasional heroic effort; it's about showing up time after time and maintaining your process with calm determination. 

The next time you feel that urgent push to "make things happen NOW," pause and remind yourself: Real transformation isn't about intensity; it's about consistency. It's not about rushing; it's about staying steady. And most importantly, it's not about the occasional heroic effort; it's about showing up time after time and maintaining your process with calm determination.

👉 The best way to learn to trust and believe in yourself is through consistent action. You’ll know you trust yourself when the voice of doubt, hesitation, and nagging urgency gives way to moments of calmness and conviction. 

Thanks for reading!

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