I’ve been grappling with a motivation problem around cold outreach. I find myself doing busywork rather than what I need to do to bring in new clients.
And I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in this.
I’ve been in sales for decades. I teach it. Coach it. Live it.
And yet I still often procrastinate on making outbound calls.
It’s not because I don’t know what to do. I do.
I’ve got the tools. The plan. The calendar slot.
And as Barbara often reminds me, I’m extremely disciplined in certain areas and not lazy.
The fact is most of our clients have come from some form of cold phone outreach – and persistent keep in touch.
So why the calling resistance?
I’ve been thinking deeply about this and realised there are 3 main three main drivers behind my hesitation. Maybe you can relate.
Disconnection from Purpose
Cold outreach is uncomfortable for most of us. We all fear rejection on some level.
So it’s critical to understand our personal “Why”.
For me, the why is simple:
- Build wealth for my family.
- Serve clients who truly benefit from my knowledge and experience.
- Intellectual stimulation – Work with smart, interesting people I enjoy being around.
But if I lose that connection and start chasing activity for activity’s sake, the drive vanishes.
Discipline won’t fix that. Purpose will.
Lack of Clarity
“Make some calls” is vague. Who are you calling? Why? What does success look like?
Without clear direction, your brain defaults to busy work, tweaking your CRM, scrolling LinkedIn… and suddenly, the day’s gone.
Change it to something specific like:
Have five valuable conversations with qualified prospects by 3pm.
Doubt That It’ll Work
Even now, I sometimes catch myself thinking:
“What if they’re not interested?”
“What if I’m just bothering them?”
“What if this doesn’t go anywhere?”
That doubt chips away at confidence. And when you don’t believe your actions will get results, your brain protects you – by helping you avoid them altogether.
But here’s what flips the switch:
If you know how to create value in every call, regardless of the outcome, you stop fearing them.
You show up because you know it matters.
I remember reading something from James Clear of Atomic Habits fame.
Discipline is what we rely on when something feels misaligned with who we are.
But when you become someone who naturally has these conversations, it becomes part of your identity, and you don’t need to force it anymore.
You’re not pushing. You’re pulling.
When I see myself as a trusted advisor who belongs in the conversation, picking up the phone isn’t a battle. It’s just part of who I am.
Every time we avoid the call, we lose:
- A potential relationship
- A deal
- Momentum
- Confidence
- Self-trust
While we hesitate, someone else is out there having the conversations we should be having.
So if you’ve been hesitating, like I have at times, it’s not about trying harder or adding hacks.
It’s about:
- Getting clear on what success looks like
- Reconnecting with why it matters
- Believing your actions lead to value
Get that right, and the calls take care of themselves.
And if you want help rebuilding that foundation, that’s what I do. Not by pushing people harder, but by helping them become someone who acts with purpose, clarity, and confidence.
