I'm Succeeding As An SDR But I Don't Think I Will When I Become An AE A change in work setting is a challenging thing since one has to adjust with the new operations and work process. Did you just move from an SDR position to an AE position and you’re feeling lost? Don’t worry. You’ve come to the right podcast episode.    This heading is a question Donald saw posted on Reddit by a sales rep who is worried about his change in roles. The idea of becoming an AE scared him because he wasn't confident that he had the skills to become successful and build value.    Making the transition  This individual has been in the SDR industry for nine months and is concerned that his success isn't because of his sales skills but because of his ability to think outside the box. He thinks he’s terrible on the phone and feels that he lacks the ability to connect with clients. He finds it hard to drive business solutions and when he makes the transition to becoming an AE, he’s concerned his lack of experience and skill will get him into trouble.    Although he’s been effective at finding people, building value, and closing skills as an SDR, he didn't see these abilities as a win because he was evaluating himself based on how he rated his interpersonal relationships skills and his ability to  generate opportunities.You may have felt like this too. So, how do you make the transition to this new position?   The Impostor SyndromeImpostor Syndrome is also known as head trash. These are the things that we tell ourselves until we start believing them, even when those things are not true. The mind isn’t capable of separating reality from fiction so “what the mind conceives, the mind believes.”    When we were kids, we could convince ourselves that there was a monster in the closet. The same is true with head trash. When you tell yourself you don’t have certain abilities, traits, or skills, your mind will believe it and you will find yourself acting accordingly. As a result, you may start messing up your phone calls, stop reaching out on LinkedIn, and you’re not going to take action, all because your body has already started believing the lie.  Overcoming your head trash Shift  your head trash to confidence and self-affirmation. Say positive things to yourself again and again and rewrite the program. Stop telling yourself you’re going to fail. The mind is very powerful. Start telling it exactly how great you are.  Your body will follow. This is the first step in doing better.    Now, just because you tell yourself that you’re a good sales rep, it doesn’t mean you will become a great sales rep immediately. The next step is to take action by starting to read books, listening to podcasts, going to training, practicing, and studying industry information.   The impostor syndrome is a common trait in many salespeople, especially those who are just starting. As a beginner in sales, how do you bring value to the table? You may be better in some aspects than others. You may read more books,be more tech savvy, or have more experience. Holding onto the positives, and seeing good results from your current skill set, will help you get past your head trash.    Change your belief system  Changing your belief system will help you adjust your actions and the way you perform. People have a certain swagger and confidence when they feel good about themselves and others can see that. They will see that you’re bringing your best to the table.    The person we discussed from Reddit has to change his belief system. He thought he didn’t have ample skills to help him become an executive. He forgot one of the most important things a sales rep must learn is how to solve problems and he knows how to do this! He’s already doing the toughest tasks in the sales process, prospecting and closing deals.    When a salesperson shifts to an account executive role, he will still have ways to solve problems. A sales rep builds value by learning how to ask effective questions. You don’t even h