The Moment Everything Changes: Your Gobsmack Moment

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

There's a paradox at the heart of every transformation that haunts leaders across every industry, every company, every sales team I work with.

They intellectually know they need to change. They can articulate why their current approach isn't differentiated, often better than me. They understand their offerings look like everyone else's, their commercials mirror their competitors', and their selling methodology blends into the noise of every other vendor in their space.

Yet when presented with a proven, different approach, one that could genuinely set them apart, they approach it with mental caution, protective doubt, and a quiet voice whispering: "That might work for others, but not here. Not in my market. Not with my clients."

This isn't just hesitation. It's the psychology of self-preservation creating the very barrier that prevents the breakthrough they desperately need.

The Hidden Half of Success

Almost every leader or sales professional I work with experiences what I call the "gobsmack moment" when they first truly apply a new framework instead of defaulting to old habits. They return from that first client conversation with eyes bright, adrenaline still high, and the same words tumbling out:

"Wow... I can't believe it. It worked."

On the surface, it's simple surprise. Beneath it lies a seismic shift in belief. Because that statement has a hidden first half: "I didn't think it would."

 That protective inner voice had been there all along, creating mental barriers that delayed their transition, made them half-committed, and nearly prevented the very success they were seeking. Their own mindset was the biggest obstacle to their breakthrough.

The Courage to Burn the Boats

History tells us of commanders who burned their ships upon landing on foreign shores, removing the option of retreat. In business transformation, the "I can't believe it worked" moment is often the match that lights those boats.

Once you've felt the power of operating differently, once you've experienced the client saying "This is the best meeting we've ever had with a supplier. It has us thinking strategically, not just technically", you can't unfeel it. The old way stops being a safety net and becomes dead weight.

The shift happens because belief moves from fragile theory to lived truth.

Turning Fear Into Fuel

Here's how you can use this insight to overcome the fear of change that's likely holding you and your team back:

Start with Belief Archaeology Most leaders operate with beliefs they can't even define. Ask yourself and your team a series of catalytic questions, such as: "Do you believe that our current approach of selling technical things to technical people, when our competitors are operating at the C-suite, will give us any chance of winning?" Force the honest "no" that opens minds to alternatives.

Create Safe Conditions for First Attempts The spark of belief needs the right conditions to catch fire. Give your team permission to try something new without the pressure of immediate perfection. The goal isn't flawless execution, it's that first "wow, it worked" moment that reprograms everything.

Double Down on Early Wins When someone on your team experiences their gobsmack moment, don't let them drift back to old habits. Help them immediately build on that success. Belief proven through action creates unstoppable momentum.

Lead by Example (demonstrate) Share your own "I can't believe it worked" moments. Leaders who admit they once doubted the new approach give others permission to move past their own protective hesitation 

The Leadership Question That Changes Everything

Here's the question that separates leaders who transform from those who stay stuck:

When was the last time you encouraged someone to try something they weren't sure would work?

If you can't answer that immediately, you're managing people within the boundaries of what they already believe possible. That's not leadership, that's preservation of the status quo.

True leadership happens when you help people discover what they didn't know they were capable of. When you create conditions where protective doubt transforms into courageous action.

Your Transformation Awaits

The first "wow, it worked" moment is more than a win, it's the ignition point where possibility becomes identity. From that moment forward, you're not just learning new models, you're living them.

The question isn't whether change is necessary. You already know it is.

The question is: What mental barriers are you allowing to delay the breakthrough that's waiting for you?

Because on the other side of your protective doubt lies the transformation you've been intellectually knowing you need but haven't had the courage to fully embrace.

Your clients are waiting for you to become who you're capable of being.

What are you waiting for?

What "I can't believe it worked" gobsmacked moment is your leadership or sales approach waiting to create? Share your thoughts below.