You're sat there, start of the day, with a list of strangers to call in C-suite positions.

You don't want to call them.

Let's be honest: it goes against everything your parents taught you. "Don't speak to strangers" was the number one rule for years, and now it's 90% of your job description.

This feeling isn't laziness. It's call reluctance, and it's one of the biggest, most natural hurdles in a sales career. It's the psychological friction that happens right before you dial.

At this moment, you have two choices. The path you pick doesn't just define your day; it defines your career.

Choice 1: The Path of Avoidance (The "Fake Work" Day)

This is the path of least resistance. It's the one your brain, which is wired to avoid rejection, wants you to take. It looks something like this:

  • You go in half-heartedly.
  • Make a few dials, make it look like you're doing something.
  • Make a cup of tea. Check some internal emails.
  • A few more dials. Lunch.
  • Back to the desk. Put some fake call notes into the CRM.
  • A couple more dials, go home.

Deep down, when you're on this path, you're praying for the voicemail. You're secretly thinking, "please don't answer" so you can spend the next 20 minutes meticulously logging 'Left Voicemail' and 'No Answer' into your CRM.

"You're busy, but you're not productive. You survive the day, but you don't succeed."

This path feels safer in the moment, but it's a career-killer. It builds anxiety, destroys your confidence, and guarantees you miss your targets.

Choice 2: The Path of Engagement (The "Real Growth" Day)

This is the other option. It's the harder choice, but it's the only one that pays.

This is the path where you make a conscious decision to engage, fully, with the process. It's not about being fearless; it's about acting despite the fear.

This path looks completely different:

  • You call each prospect with purpose.
  • You ask for permission to speak, showing respect for their time. ("Hi, I know I'm an interruption... have you got 30 seconds?")
  • You lead with problems you solve, not the product you sell.
  • You have real conversations, listening more than you speak.
  • You ask thoughtful questions that uncover genuine pain or opportunity.
  • You book qualified meetings that actually lead to revenue.
  • You make sales and, ultimately, build your career.

This path is tough. You will get rejected. But something incredible happens when you choose it consistently.

What You Gain By "Just Getting On With It"

Next time you're sat there, struggling for motivation, I want you to stop thinking about the 100 calls you have to make. Instead, think about what you gain from making them.

1. You Get Free, Live Market Feedback

Every single call is a data point. When you choose engagement, you're not just a salesperson; you're the eyes and ears of your entire organisation.

  • Does the prospect hang up immediately? Your opening line might be wrong.
  • Do they say, "We already use [Competitor]"? You've just learned who your real competition is.
  • Do they say, "That's not a priority for us"? You've just learned about a market-wide shift.

This feedback is gold. It helps you refine your pitch, and it makes you an invaluable asset to your marketing and product teams.

2. You Build Unstoppable Resilience

Cold calling is a personal development programme disguised as a sales job. By choosing to face rejection every day, you are building a "superpower" that bleeds into every other part of your life.

You learn to handle "no." You learn to separate professional rejection from personal worth. This resilience, this ability to get knocked down and get straight back up, is a skill that leaders actively hire for. It's not something you can put on a CV, but it's something every interviewer can spot.

3. You Actively Progress Your Career

Every call is a rep. Every conversation is a lesson. Every meeting you book is a tangible result.

Whilst the person on Path 1 is standing still, you are learning, growing, and building a track record of success. You're not just learning from each call; you're proving to yourself and your managers that you can do the hard, valuable work that others avoid.

The Choice is Yours, Every Single Morning

Call reluctance is a feeling. Engagement is a decision.

The fear you feel is normal. It's human. But it's not a stop sign; it's a signal that what you're about to do matters.

So next time you're staring at that list, acknowledge the feeling, and then make the right choice. Don't just make your dials to hit a quota. Do it for the feedback, for the resilience, and for the career you're building.

Choose growth. Pick up the phone. If you or your team need structured support to build this confidence, our SDR training program teaches the frameworks and mindset that turn call reluctance into call readiness.