While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Cycles. They're everywhere. Our bodies, our minds, our economy, our ecology. Some cycles don't move towards an equilibrium. They spin out of control. Sometimes that's good and sometimes that's bad. Learning to differentiate vicious and virtuous cycles can be the key to making small choices that lead to the latter and avoid the former.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! This is part two of an enhanced audio version of the Deeper Thought article "Physical immunity matters. Psychological immunity matters more," by Vince Fowler including an interview with the author. Full text with sources below. For the most up to date and accurate information about the novel Coronavirus please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at https://www.cdc.org. Here's some fat to chew on... while we've all heard about the importance of maintaining and improving our physical health and immunity... what about our psychological immunity? Here in the days of Covid-19, regardless of what your job is in the world of selling or where you are in the world (selling), we've got jobs to do so let's get at it... and stay safe while we're at it.  We've probably all been told that the best way to stay safe is to;  wash your hands keep 6 ft apart wear a mask when you can't stay 6 ft apart drink more whisky, especially anything over 60% ABV as it is both hand and throat sanitizer 😉 That's it? Really? Come on... aside from the wisdom of consuming fine whisky, all I have to do is wash my hands, wear a mask and stay six feet away from others? Are there no other preventative measures?

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! This is part one of an enhanced audio version of the Deeper Thought article "Physical immunity matters. Psychological immunity matters more," by Vince Fowler including an interview with the author. Full text with sources below. For the most up to date and accurate information about the novel Coronavirus please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at https://www.cdc.org. Here's some fat to chew on... while we've all heard about the importance of maintaining and improving our physical health and immunity... what about our psychological immunity? Here in the days of Covid-19, regardless of what your job is in the world of selling or where you are in the world (selling), we've got jobs to do so let's get at it... and stay safe while we're at it.  We've probably all been told that the best way to stay safe is to;  wash your hands keep 6 ft apart wear a mask when you can't stay 6 ft apart drink more whisky, especially anything over 60% ABV as it is both hand and throat sanitizer 😉 That's it? Really? Come on... aside from the wisdom of consuming fine whisky, all I have to do is wash my hands, wear a mask and stay six feet away from others? Are there no other preventative measures?

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! This is an enhanced audio version of the Deeper Thought article "Sales Professionals Stoke The Personal Fire Within Them" written by Larry Levine, including an interview with the author. EXCERPT Are you stoking the fire of passion and pride that drives you to do the hard work to be a true One-Percenter.  Ignite the fire from within! In order to be extraordinary and rise above the sea of empty suits, you must abandon your excuses, limiting self-beliefs, and damaging thoughts.  I encourage you to replace them with a set of higher self-expectations.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! How comfortable are you with taking risks? I don't mean skydiving or swimming with sharks. I want to want to talk about other kinds of risks. What about standing up to your manager? And I don't mean, like, you know, pushing your manager around, I mean, like sticking up for yourself, like breaking the chain of command a little bit. What about speaking up for what you feel is right, versus what you're being told to do? What about being willing to do things in your sales process a little bit differently than the way you were trained?

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. If you don't have time to do it, right, you definitely don't have time to do it twice. These are thoughts that I have in my head on a regular basis. It really bothers me to do something without doing it to the best of my ability. Which really gets in my way sometimes, because there are a lot of things that I want to do. When you want to do that many things, and then you can't do them all really, really well. It creates some conflict, right?

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Where are the situations where you are willing to lean in when most of your competitors are running away? When you see a change in your marketplace. When you hear people saying, "I can't sell face to face anymore, therefore I'm just going to sit here on my hands and wait until things get better." You're not moving forward if you're sitting still. But are you leaning forward? Are you accelerating? In most mature industries the players are all capable of going fast. They're all capable of going far. But sometimes the strategy is the biggest difference.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! This is an enhanced audio version of the Deeper Thought post "You Give Sales A Bad Name" including an interview with the author, Liz Wendling. Beware of false sales prophets looking to sell you on closed deals without hard work. There is no magic formula to more sales and the more you automate what should stay personal the further you'll get from true success. We're skipping Easy Street on this edition of Deeper Thought. It is human nature to seek the easy way out. It is disappointing to observe how some people today look to hop on the fastest train on which they find the least discomfort. I call it the you-mean-I-have-to-work-at-this syndrome. Every day capable men and women let opportunities fall through the cracks and leave money on the table because they choose easy over effective when it comes to sales. Loads of people prefer the quick-fix over a long-lasting solution. These people give sales a bad name.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! We all have head trash, thoughts that cloud our brain and muddle our decision-making processes. Jeff's head trash started piling up around a recent car purchase. He'll tell you how he started some waste management inside his noggin.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Jeff sits down with the current producer of Deeper Thought and former producer of The Why and The Buy, Doug Branson for an impromptu but important discussion about the anxieties that keep us from realizing our full potential.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! One Zoom meeting, endless possiblities. Jeff discusses his latest outreach efforts and the fruit they are producing.  "Give yourself an opportunity, make the request. Spend some time with someone who exists in your space professionally that you don't know. Start with someone who's got some familiarity with you. Make the investment, it's really worthwhile. You're going to get different perspectives. You are going to learn some things about the way they operate their business. You're going to be able to show them some of the things you do that operate in your business."

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Leaders Don't Just Read, They Act. In this introspective episode, host Jeff Bajorek dives into the notion that true leaders aren't just voracious readers - they are doers who implement what they learn. Jeff challenges the idea that reading numerous books every year is productive if you don't actively apply the key principles. He argues that instead of constantly seeking out new books, take the core lessons from ones you've already read and put them into practice. The value isn't in endlessly consuming content, but in executing the good ideas you encounter. Jeff provides actionable advice for getting more from the books and podcasts you engage with. Before picking up something new, revisit a recent book and distill it down to 1-3 key takeaways. Spend 15 minutes reflecting on how to apply those concepts in your own life or work. Consciously implementing even just one insight is more powerful than passively absorbing idea after idea. The best leaders balance learning with doing to drive meaningful change and growth.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! In this episode, Jeff Bajorek discusses the importance of not being too attached to outcomes in sales. He explains that while sales is a results-oriented profession, paradoxically you often perform your best when you aren't overly fixated on the outcome itself. Jeff uses the analogy of a golf swing - if you care too little, you won't take it seriously enough to perform well. But if you care too much and get tense trying to force an outcome, you'll get in your own way and underperform. The key is caring enough to fully prepare and give your best effort, while still maintaining a relaxed state of "flow" where you aren't paralyzed by how important the outcome feels. Jeff argues that adopting this mindset allows you to take calculated risks, ask probing questions, and have dynamic conversations that boring, overly cautious discovery calls lack. When you aren't as emotionally invested in any single deal, you can be bolder and expose new needs that lead to solving bigger problems for the customer. Ultimately, Jeff encourages developing the resilience to trust your process, keep a full pipeline so no single opportunity makes or breaks you, and maintain the perspective that sometimes factors outside your control determine outcomes no matter how well you execute.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Business is not a routine, and sometimes upheavals like the COVID-19 pandemic can shake us out of our normal patterns and open us up to new ideas and ways of working. Host Jeff Bajorek reflects on how the pandemic's disruption led to overscheduling, excessive busyness and a constant feeling of being overwhelmed - chasing your tail on a hamster wheel without making real progress. He admits to biting off more than he could chew during this period and taking on too many commitments. Bajorek argues that this level of busyness is unsustainable and unproductive. To regain control and find a healthy routine, he recommends actively deciding what activities and projects to stop or put down. Clearing that mental and schedule space allows you to prioritize the highest value tasks, organize your time effectively, and ultimately accomplish more than when you were overwhelmed. Bajorek shares how implementing this mindset has created hours of productive time in his day for activities like prospecting, creating content, and simply having downtime - enabling him to be more effective both professionally and personally.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! On this thought-provoking episode of Deeper Thought, host Jeff Bajorek is joined by guest DeJuan to discuss the concept of "redemptive leadership" and how social movements are empowering employees to advocate for themselves in the workplace. They explore the parallels between people standing up for justice in society and employees feeling emboldened to speak up about their needs, especially around mental health. DeJuan shares insightful perspectives on creating an environment where employees feel truly free to be their full selves without fear of repercussions. The conversation digs into high-profile examples like Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka prioritizing their mental wellbeing, and how their courage can ripple through organizations. Jeff and DeJuan examine the conflicts employees may feel in advocating for themselves versus prioritizing team dynamics. Overall, it's a nuanced discussion on the leader's role in normalizing open dialogue around previously taboo personal topics for the betterment of the entire workplace.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Sales and why it works. In this episode, host Jeff Bajorek dives deep into the importance of taking vacations and truly unplugging from work. He opens up about his own struggles with anxiety when trying to disconnect, and how not taking real breaks can lead to an erosion in the quality of your work over time without you even realizing it. Jeff recounts a trip to Italy where he left his phone in the hotel safe, set expectations with clients, and was able to be fully present - an experience that left him feeling refreshed upon returning to work. He encourages listeners to build boundaries, set realistic expectations with customers, and take time for themselves - whether a long weekend away or even just an afternoon off with phones silenced. Jeff argues that customers actually respect and appreciate when you set those boundaries. Unplugging allows you to recharge, reflect, and ultimately provide better service when you're back on the job. The episode is a reminder that vacations are not luxuries, but essential resets that allow you to be at your best professionally.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! In this episode of Deeper Thought, host Jeff Bajorek shares an insightful perspective on dealing with life's difficulties. Drawing from a recent conversation with his 10-year-old son about persevering through challenges, Jeff emphasizes that hardships are opportunities to learn valuable lessons. He encourages listeners to reflect on what current struggles they are facing and consider not just finding solutions, but identifying the deeper meaning behind those obstacles. Jeff also gets candid about his own personal challenges related to his content creation and social media presence. He openly wrestles with finding the right balance and cadence for sharing his thoughts authentically without oversharing or feeling burdened to constantly create more content. His transparency provides a great example of looking below the surface to understand the root issues and lessons we can extract from our difficulties, rather than just putting band-aids on problems. Ultimately, Jeff invites listeners to ask themselves what they need to learn from their own hardships in order to grow.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! In this mailbag episode, Jeff tackles questions submitted by listeners on important sales topics. He starts by diving into how to inspire sales leaders to be better coaches focused on their team's activities rather than just micromanaging results. Jeff emphasizes the importance of leaders being present with their teams, not just staring at reports and numbers. He advises leaders to have the courage to challenge senior management if needed to do what's best for their team's development. Jeff then gives advice to a new sales rep struggling with hitting call quotas and improving their numbers game. He stresses not just looking at the math, but mastering the art of quality prospecting through persistent outreach, valuable messaging that resonates, and viewing prospects as people you can truly help. Jeff argues you earn attention and meetings not just through sheer activity, but by building a reputation as someone worth talking to who won't simply be waited out.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Boundaries are essential, but often misunderstood, especially in a sales context. In this thought-provoking episode, host Jeff Bajorek dives deep into the importance of establishing clear boundaries within organizations and teams. He explores how boundaries provide crucial structure rather than rigidity, clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and accountability. Through insightful examples spanning startups to established companies, Jeff illustrates how a lack of boundaries can initially feel liberating but ultimately lead to burnout, confusion, and an inability to scale effectively. Drawing from coaching experiences and conversations with industry peers, Jeff examines the double-edged nature of "startup culture" and its celebrated boundary-free environment. He dissects the illusion of flat organizational charts, open-door policies, and the allure of perks like beer and foosball. Ultimately, Jeff makes a compelling case for why boundaries are vital for long-term success, enabling organizations to maintain structure, foster clarity, and attract the right talent as they grow. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to build a sustainable, high-performing team or business.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Do you ever go back and review your sales calls? In this episode, Jeff Bajorek encourages listeners to be more mindful during sales conversations and take the time to mentally replay and analyze what went well and what could be improved. He reminds us that even the best salespeople make mistakes sometimes and have room to get better. Jeff challenges listeners to trade recorded calls with a colleague and provide feedback to each other on strengths and areas for improvement. Jeff also provides details on the upcoming Outbound conference, happening June 13-18th with virtual and in-person options. He'll be leading workshops at the event focused on enhancing your sales skills. Use the promo code he provides for $100 off tickets. Additionally, Jeff mentions he does weekly live training sessions that listeners can check out at JeffBajorek.live. Continusouly striving to improve through mindful review of your process is key to becoming a polished, masterful sales professional according to Jeff.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! In this entertaining episode, Jeff is joined by sales experts David Weiss and Andy Racic to discuss creative strategies for capturing people's attention in sales situations. They explore unorthodox tactics like wearing strange outfits, pulling goofy stunts, or using an uncertain, self-deprecating tone - anything to get a prospect to change their posture and engage, even if just for a brief moment. The group digs into defining "success" in sales beyond just closing deals, emphasizing the importance of small wins like gathering new contact information, getting responses and engagement, or simply learning something useful for the next call. They advocate focusing on process and incremental progress rather than solely on big events. With humor and wisdom from their sales experience, Jeff, David and Andy provide an insightful discussion on unconventional yet effective methods for breaking through and connecting with prospective customers.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! In this episode, Jeff dives deep into discussing Matthew Pollard's book "The Introvert's Edge: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outperform Extroverts Through Focused Personal Branding." As an introvert himself, Jeff found the book incredibly insightful on how introverts can capitalize on their strengths for effective networking and sales. He praises Pollard's framework for crafting a compelling personal brand narrative and delivering it through purposeful storytelling. Jeff emphasizes that the key for introverts is to get crystal clear on their "why" - their strong sense of purpose that fuels passion and boundless energy for their work. He unpacks other practical strategies from the book like finding your niche, developing a concise elevator pitch, and leveraging both in-person and digital platforms for relationship building. Whether an introvert or extrovert, Jeff highly recommends this book to anyone looking to up their networking game in an authentic way.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! When you go to that fancy steak restaurant to meet with a client or prospect, get the pork chop. "SACRILEGE," you may scream. But Jeff tells you why it's the smartest thing you can do and how you can start a conversation over the chop that could lead to a sale.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! In this thought-provoking episode, host Jeff Bajorek tackles the age-old management question of how to motivate people and get the best out of your team. He dismisses the antiquated "push them" mentality, arguing that trying to forcefully motivate those who don't want to be pushed is an exercise in futility that only breeds resentment. Instead, Jeff advocates understanding what truly drives each individual and aligning their motivations with your goals - making it a mutually beneficial endeavor where you're not "pushing" but rather "showing" them a path forward that enriches you both. Using colorful metaphors and real-world examples, Jeff illustrates how meeting resistance with more force is counterproductive, but leveraging someone's existing ambitions can exponentially increase your combined progress. He drives the point home with personal anecdotes about motivating his sales team, his own children, and even "old dogs" set in their ways - all through finding the intrinsic incentive rather than futilely pushing against the grain. It's a masterclass in emotional intelligence for leaders and managers of all stripes.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! This is an enhanced audio version of the Deeper Thought group post found here. It includes an extended interview with the author Andy Racic on the origins of the piece.  “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” – William Ernest Henley, Invictus Henley isn’t wrong. But, we need to be clear. As seductive as the idea of having control is, as rational people, we simply must accept that so, so much of our life is outside of our control. There is a lot that we can do to change and improve our lives, and there is a lot we can do day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute, interaction to interaction, to guide and influence our fate. That’s what drew me to sales – to improve my “win rate” in any given interaction with people by learning, to quote Liam Neeson, “a very particular set of skills.”

Jeff updates you on his life, the hiatus of the show and exciting new (to most of you) content coming to you over the next few months.

While we’re on hiatus preparing for a new season of Rethink the Way You Sell, we wanted to bring you some content from Jeff you probably haven’t heard before. Jeff produced a premium podcast called Deeper Thought from 2020-2022 and you’re about to hear one of those episodes. Enjoy! Surrender is a funny word. On its face, it may seem like "giving up" in a negative sense. But what if you're giving up control, the illusion of control? Giving up on creating an environment that is disadvantageous. It's only when we surrender something that we can then give ourselves permission to have something else.

In this episode of Rethink The Way You Sell, Jeff Bajorek highlights the significance of engaging in open and honest conversations with your customers. He believes in the power of these conversations in forging stronger relationships, asserting that "I have never been done wrong by my instincts. I have never asked a question that I feel deserved an answer. Even if it was a little taboo." Opening up to customers and showing vulnerability, according to Jeff, encourages them to let their guard down and foster a deeper connection. To aid in having these effective discussions, Jeff presents a five-step framework. These steps encompass understanding why the customer initially chose your company, seeking specifics about this decision, determining why they continue to do business with you, asking if they can refer additional clients, and finally, if they can introduce the company to these referrals. Jeff stresses that using this framework twice a year can considerably enhance the growth trajectory through referrals, stating "I gave you the framework. Now I'm going to ask you if you're willing to use it." You will serve your customers even better if you are willing to have the conversations that need to be had. (1:30) Five Questions for Killer Customer Conversations. (3:57) Why you have to ask for more detail. (5:14) Why do you continue to do business with us? (7:05) You’re getting exact messaging for what it’s like to find more customers like them. (9:32) An introduction goes so much further than a referral. (11:45) Why you need to have this conversation with your best customers twice a year. (13:41) Download my latest ebook https://jeffbajorek.com/8reasons Listen and follow my podcast, Rethink the Way You Sell for weekly episodes! Apple: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkapple Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkspotify Google: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkgp Stitcher: https://tinyurl.com/rethinkstitcher Music and Editing by @Doug Branson  Additional Music by @Blue Dot Sessions