If you feel it, you will be it. Fake being enthusiastic until the real energy kicks in and inspires you.

Have you ever wondered how salespeople manage to stay so upbeat and positive, even though every day people tell them no? A salesperson probably gets ten rejections for every successful sale.

The secret is enthusiasm. And luckily, being enthusiastic is something anyone can learn.

So what’s the first step? You simply need to act enthusiastic to eventually be enthusiastic.

Consider Frank Bettger, who before becoming a salesman was a baseball player in the minor leagues. Although Frank was ambitious and eager to join the big leagues, he failed to show that ambition on the field and eventually got fired.

So what exactly was Bettger’s problem?

He was paralyzed by his fear of failure. And in trying to hide his fear, he made safe plays and appeared unexcited by the game.

After being fired, Bettger played for a lesser league, taking a huge pay cut in the process. He naturally wasn’t enthusiastic about his new position. But he made sure not to let it show. Instead, he forced himself to be enthusiastic about his new team.

Interestingly, Bettger’s initial “fake” enthusiasm helped him overcome his fear of failure, allowing him to focus more on the game itself. His playing improved, he inspired his teammates and he was even able to negotiate better pay.

You might be thinking, “Sure, good for Bettger, but how does this help me?” Enthusiasm isn’t just for people who play sports for a living; it’s also the key to success for salespeople.

Once he retired from baseball, Bettger became an insurance salesman, but after ten months on the job he already wanted to quit. He realized however that his lack of enthusiasm for his new job was holding him back, just as it had when he was playing ball.

Bettger worked hard to be enthusiastic, and took this new attitude to his next sales meeting. As a result, he nailed it and made his very first sale!

So if you act enthusiastic, you actually start feeling enthusiastic. And enthusiasm makes everything easier!