#i\ll reply to the 2 things i owe eventually))

[coffinseas]

[justfangstvdto]

Open Coffin | Chapter 03 “Here to pick up the pieces” (Part 2)

Pairing: Kol x Reader (eventually)

Chapter Summary: Klaus leaves Y/N no choice then obey his compulsion as her brothers each have to fight their own battles.

Warnings: skipping a few scenes since you all know the canon info´s anyway, blood, typical tvd violence

Word count: 4012

Tags & Author Note at the bottom. Feedback is welcomed and appreciated.

Open Coffin Masterlist

<— Chapter 02 

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Recap: “I want you to start walking and don’t stop until you reach the next town borders.” he smirks as you nod and turn around.

Normally you would have been protected by the small amount of vervain you take in every day, but being locked up in the back of a truck prevented you from doing that.

“There is nothing worse for you than abandoning your brother who is about to dig into his true nature, now is there?” Klaus adds smirking in triumph.

No there certainly is not…

Y/N | Gym

Klaus watches you leave the gym with a satisfied smirk on his face “That takes care of that problem, now where were we? What are you waiting for, Stefan? Kill them.”

“No! Stefan don´t. He’s not going to hurt me. He already said-”But before Elena could finish her sentence Klaus violently strucks her across the face and she falls on the floor. 

Stefan quickly runs for Klaus but he stops him by grabbing his throat.

“She means nothing to you? Your lies just keep piling up.” Klaus notes, his eyes boring into Stefan’s.

“Let her go! I´ll do whatever you want, you have my word.” Stefan promises.

“Your word doesn’t mean much. I lived by your word all summer, during which time I never had to resort to this…” He begins to compel him as well “Stop fighting.”

“Don´t do this, don’t do this.” Stefan begs.

“I didn’t want to. All I wanted was you allegiance. Now I´m going to have to take it..” Klaus replies sternly.

“Don´t��Don´t…Stefan begs once more.

“You will exactly do as I say when I say it. You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey.” Klaus compels him “Now kill them. Ripper.”

Stefan eyes slowly travel over to his prey and he vamps out and rushes towards them Dana´s scream filling the echoey gym halls and reach your ears as you leave through the main entrance.

Damon | Middle of nowhere

“This isn’t going to work.” Jeremy tells Damon and Katherine firmly, sitting on the picnic table, his phone beginning to vibrate next to him. Katherine grabs it and saw a message from Bonnie.

“I think your witchy girlfriend is worried that you’ve run away with your ghostly lover.” Katherine chuckles.

“Stop with the teeny bopper drama.” Damon orders narrowing his eyes once again “Focus.”

“I´m not helping them.” Anna tells Jeremy.

No, it´s okay to help.” Jeremy promises.

To Damon and Katherine there is only empty space, but Jeremy could see her clear as day “They are looking for a way to stop Klaus.”

“I don’t care. Katherine is not a friend to you. Neither of them are.” Anna crosses her arms stubbornly over her chest.

“What´s she saying?” Damon asks impatiently.

“Well, she doesn’t want to help you.” Jeremy shrugs.

“My advice?” Katherine looks at Damon and lowers her voice so only he could hear her “ If you want to make an omelet, you have to break a few eggs.”

Damon understands what she is referring to and turns his head “Jeremy I want you to know, it’s nothing personal” he grabs Jeremy´s hair and slams his head against the table he has been sitting on.

“Ow! What the hell!?” Jeremy growls.

“Jeremy!” Anna calls out in concern.

“Anna, I know you can hear me.” Damon yells into the void “Tell us what you know. The sooner, the better for your little boyfriend here.”

“They’re looking for Mikael.” Anna told Jeremy.

“Mikael!” Jeremy calls.

“Mikael. Is that his name?” Katherine asks.

“Who´s Mikael?” Damon asks giving her a clueless look.

“The vampire who hunts vampires.” Anna explains to Jeremy “You don’t want to wake him. He will kill all of you.”

“What´s she saying?” Damon looks at Jeremy who had been watching Anna talk.

“He´s a vampire and a hunter, and you guys would be idiots to wake him.” he replies and looks back to Anna “What do you mean, wake him?”

“It´s time to go and find the keys.” Damon tells Katherine and she agrees with a nod.

Stefan | Mystic Falls Gym

Stefan is feeding on Chad, his screams have died out by now and Dana was already dead at his feet “´It’s always so nice to see a vampire in his true element. The species has become such a broody lot..” Klaus notes.

“No. You did this to him.” Elena spats.

“I invited him to the part, love. He´s the one dancing on the table.” Klaus countered as Rebekah storms in the room rushing for Elena.

“Where is it?” she yells “Where is my necklace?”

“What are you talking about?” Klaus asks rather annoyed

“She has my necklace. Look!” Rebekah hands him Elena´s phone and he saw the necklace that he needed around Elena´s neck.

“Well, well. More lies.” Klaus looks at Stefan.

“Where is it?” Rebekah asks again, her voice dangerously low.

“I don’t have it anymore.” Elena promises.

“You’re lying!” Rebekah screams, dark veins appearing under her eyes and she hurries over to Elena biting her neck but Klaus pulls her off.

“Knock it off!”

“Make her tell me where it is, Nik!” Rebekah screams like a child that has lost its favorite toy. Klaus walks over to her and looks into Elena´s dark brown eyes “Where’s the necklace, sweetheart? Be honest.”

“I´m telling the truth. Katherine stole it.”

“Katerina. Of course. Well, that’s unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since we’re doing this the hard way, let’s put a clock on it, shall we?” he grabbed a remote and the board atop the gym buzzes once the clock appears“ 20 minutes” he walks over to Stefan and compels him once again  “If Bonnie hasn’t found a solution by then, I want you to feed again. Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to. If she tries to leave, fracture her spine.”

He smirks at them and leaves, Rebekah following close behind.

Damon | Random highway

Jeremy is still sitting on the bench slowly falling asleep while blood trickles down his forehead where his head hit the table earlier.

“Don’t fall asleep, Jer.” Damon calls out as he approaches him “You might have a concussion.”

Thanks for the concern, dick.” Jeremy retors.

“Oh, stop pouting” Katherine orders “He took one for the team. Everyone back home will thank you once Klaus is dead.”

“Where’s my phone?” Damon asks, feeling like he must have lost it somewhere.

“Do you need to check in with Elena? Make sure it’s okay you pummeled her little baby bro?” Katherine smirks.

“You know you have it.”

“What can I say? I needed you present here and now.”

Damon holds out his hands “Katherine, phone, now.” She sighs and gives it to him and he looks at it “Bonnie’s been texting me.”

“What is it?” Jeremy asks concerned.

“It’s Klaus.”

“No turning back, Damon.” Katherine reminds him.

“Shut up, Katherine.” he hisses.

“Hey, look at the big picture. The best shot at taking out Klaus is by finding Mikael.” she tries to keep him on the task at hand once more but with no avail.

He looks at Jeremy and presses the car key to his chest “Stay with her so Anna can guide you. I’m going back.”

You’re going to get yourself killed.” Katherine calls out and Damon turns his face to her “The Damon I remember wouldn’t have been that stupid.

“I wouldn’t have done it for you.” Damon deadpanns and takes off.

Stefan | Gym

There are only a few minutes left on the clock and Stefan begins pacing up and down the wooden floor.

“Stefan, you can control this. When that buzzer goes off, just…just drink from me.”

You don’t get it. I can’t stop, Elena! I’m a ripper!A ripper doesn’t stop! I listen to the words that come out of your mouth, and all I hear is the sound of your heart pumping blood through your body.” his voice is cold as he drags his fingers through his disarranged hair “And when that clock ticks down…I’m going to have to feed on you. And you want to know what’s worse? I’m not going to be able to stop.”

“I don’t believe that. You can fight it. You just have to want it bad enough.” Elena assures him.

“Why, because I love you?” his voice breaks.

“Yeah! That’s right, Stefan. Because you love me. You’ll fight because after everything that we’ve been through, you owe me that!” Elena tells him as tears roll down her face.

“You know what, you’re right. You’re right. I owe you everything. Because through all of this, you are the one thing that has kept me from giving up; from turning it all off. But I can’t help what I am, Elena. The more blood that I get, the more I want, and if I get so much as near yours…You are dead.” Stefan confirms.

Stefan looks at the clock and realizes that only a few moments are left “Elena, you’re going to have run.”

“But Klaus said that if I run-”

“I know what he said, but if you stay, it won’t matter.” The clocks is getting closer and closer and Stefan begins to panic  “Elena, please, please, please. Elena, there’s no other way.”

“There is another way, Stefan. It’s for you to fight.” Elena tells him as the buzzer rings, signifying that the time as run out. “Stefan…I love you. Fight, Stefan. Don’t give up.

“I can’t hold it.” he vamps out and charges towards Elena. She screams but Stefan manages to rush past her to the opposite wall “Elena, run! Go!”

Elena takes off and runs through the school, passing through numerous of hallways, while Stefan tries to hold onto everything in his way so he does not have to hurt Elena. But eventually, he rushes out of the gym and crashes from side to side through the hallways. Elena goes through another door and bumps into Klaus once again.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this.” Klaus smirks.

Stefan runs into the cafeteria and grabs a wooden mop that the janitor placed there, and he takes it and breaks it on his knee. He holds the remaining makeshift stake in front of him and stabs himself in the stomach. Klaus enters moments later with Elena firmly in his grasp.

“Now this is fascinating. I’ve never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl. Why don’t you turn it off?

“No!” Stefan growls.

“Come on. Your humanity is killing you. All the guilt must be exhausting.Turn it off.” Klaus suggests.

“No!” Stefan growls again.

“Stefan…” Elena whispers.

“You’re strong.”Klaus reaches Stefan and removes the stake “But you’re not that strong. Turn….it…..off.”

“No!”  Stefan shoves Klaus away from him and ignites Klaus´short temper with that action. He pins Stefan against the wall and compels him yet again.

“Turn it off!” He yells and Stefan respond immediately this time, his face features hardening and his eyes turning emotionless.

“What did you do?” Elena whimpers

“I fixed him” Klaus himself seems oddly surprised by his own rash action “But I think a test is in order, don’t you?” He charges over to her and holds her firmly against his chest “Ripper…Perhaps you’d like a drink.. from the doppelgangers neck?”

Dark veins crawl up Stefan’s eyes and he zips towards Elena and bites her neck.

Y/N | Near the Mystic Falls border

You have been walking for quite a while, trying with all your might to resist Klaus´ compulsion, sadly with no avail.

 You are near your hometowns border leading to the next town. As your eyes fall upon the city sign, a memory manifests itself in your mind

New Orleans 1912

“Kol, do you ever miss your home?” you ask tracing your fingers over the letter Stefan had sent you.It has been a few weeks since you briefly reunited with your brothers for your uncle’s funeral, but as usual, things did not work out quite the way you hoped“The one in Mystic Falls I mean?”

The sound of Kol flipping several pages fills the rounded walls of the tomb “No.” he replies “Why? Do you?”

“I miss how close we were.” you reply folding the letter and putting it aside “But the town itself? No. If I never set foot in this city again it´ll be too soon.”

Kol looks up and notices your slightly furrowed eyebrows. He closes the book and walks in your direction “You’re worried about your brother, aren’t you?” he asks. You nod.

“Listen, Y/N” he gently rests his hands on your shoulder, his brown eyes staring into yours “from what I gathered, your brother seemed to have handled this situation before. I am sure he will again.”

“If you mean ripping people apart, then yes, he´s handling that very well.”

“No, what I mean is that you are not at fault for the choices he makes. You should not feel responsible to clean up his messes. Not anymore.” his right hand drops down and brushed over yours, holding onto it carefully “And for what it’s worth, you will always have a home here. Even in a tomb like this.”

“Thank you. You´re a good.. friend, Kol”

“Friends..right.” he forces a smile and retrieves his hand,  Something has changed in Kol´s eyes, but you cannot quite make out what it is.

Is he…is he hurt?

Y/N | Present time

Bright high beams rip you out of your nostalgic memory as the care comes to a step next to you, a voice calling out you have not heard in a while.

“Y/N? What the hell are you doing?” Damon asks backing up his car slowly..

“I´m taking an involuntarily late-night walk.” you reply and turn your head to your older brother “Klaus compelled me.” you clarify.

“How do you know Klaus?”

“Long story.” you wave him off knowing that eventually you have to fess up “But we don’t have time for this right now. Just go and help Stefan.”

“Right.” he nods and stops the slow-rolling car “Get in.”

“I can´t. But I´ll come back as soon as I can.” you shake your head. You know all too well that Stefan is in danger right this moment and there is no second to spare. Sure, Damon could have sped you to the next town border and turn around to head for Mystic Falls. But maybe the minutes he would have wasted on breaking your compulsion may be the minutes to save Stefan´s life.

“But-”

“Just go, Damon!” you cut him off, gesturing him to finally listen to you.

Damon nods and drives off leaving you to continue your not so lovely late-night walk

Klaus | Highschool

Moments later Klaus enters the classroom where Rebekah, Tyler and Caroline are currently in “Well, the verdict’s in. The original witch says the doppelgänger should be dead.

Rebekah grins and rises from the seat she sat in “Does that mean we can kill her?”

"No, I’m fairly certain it means the opposite."

"What?!" Rebekah hisses. not amused in the slightest.

"Call it a hunch…”Klaus begins and slides a  vial with blood over the table while Rebekah brings her arms around Caroline and restrains her .”Elena’s blood. Drink it.”

"No! No, no, no, Tyler, don’t!” Caroline screams.

“If he doesn’t feed, he’ll die anyway, love. Consider this an experiment” Klaus shrugs as Tyler grabs the vial and gulps it down “There we go. Good boy.”

Tyler immediately starts coughing and falls from the desk he has been lying on and groans and writhes in pain once he hits the floor. He holds his head in his hand and continues screaming until suddenly, he looks up and his eyes changed into a bright amber color with prominent black veins underneath.

“Well, that´s a good sign” Klaus smiles, satisfied with the result

Elena | Mystic Falls Hospital

Later on the same night, Elena wakes up in a hospital with a nurse by her side. “Where am I?”

“In the hospital sweetie. You suffered through a terrible ordeal” the nurse replies.

“I have to get out of here.” Elena sits up but the nurse gently forces her down again.

“Ah. Not an option. You´ve lost a lot of blood.” she gestures to the filled blood bags on the table in front of her

“Wait you’re taking my blood?”

“Of course. It´s very important for your friend Klaus.” the nurse replies and Elena starts struggling, trying to get free but the nurse injects her with another set of sedatives “Don’t fight it, sweetie. He told me you need plenty of rest.”

Elena´s sight blurry and she falls back on the pillow fast asleep.

Meanwhile in front of the Hospital

“So the doppelganger isn’t the problem.” Rebekah concludes “Her blood is the solution.”

“Seems so” Klaus sighs.

“How did you know?”

“Well, you know how much the original witch hated me.” Klaus explains “Do you honestly think I would do anything other than the opposite of what she says?”

“A thousand years in the grave and she’s still screwing with you.” Rebekah huffs.

"Well, it makes sense if you think about it from her perspective. It was her fail-safe in case I ever broke the hybrid curse. The doppelgänger had to die in order for me to become a hybrid, but if she was dead…”

“Then you couldn’t use her blood to sire yourself a new species.” Rebeka concludes.

“Leaving me alone for all time.”Klaus nods, sadness overshadowing his being for a mere second.

“Is that what this is about? Your obsession with hybrids?” she looks at him, hurt that she is not good enough for his brother to be happy “You just don’t want to be alone?”

“What I want is to take my girl, take my hybrid and get the hell out of this one-pony town.” himpatiently “You know, why don’t you, uh, get the truck? I’ll get Elena.” Rebekah scoffs and leaves just before Damon arrives.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up to the party.” Klaus smirks

“Where is she?” Damon asks, instead of asking for Stefan´s location.

“Elena? Ah, she’s making a donation to a greater cause.”He answers, his eyes switching over to the hospital “

Damon goes toward the hospital, determined to save Elena himself but Klaus stops him “I’m afraid I can’t let you interfere, mate.”

“You’ll have to kill me.” Damon replies in all honesty.

“Oh, I would love to kill you, but I made a pledge to your brother, and unlike him, I keep my word. Although, you know what, thinking about it now, he probably doesn’t care that much anymore.” he throws Damon on the hood of a nearby car ready to plunge his hand into him and rip his heart out.

"Don’t you want to know about your friend Mikael?” Damon says while Klaus´hand is wrapped around his throat

Klaus smug expression instantly get overshadowed with fear “What do you know about Mikael?” he asks , his voice trembling.

"Just that he knows you’re here.”he taunts, knowing that he found the big bad hybrids weak spot.

“You’re bluffing.”

"Katherine and I found him. Consider it our leverage.”  Klaus closes his eyes for a second, probably cursing in his mind that his nemesis Katherine found Mikael with Damon´s help. He then throws Damon against another car and Damon falls  to the ground. He gets up a minute later to defend himself against Klaus, but  he has already disappeared. Damon seizes the opportunity and hurries inside the hospital. He  passes a few rooms before he finally find Elena.

“Damon…” she whispers.

“Hey.” he brushed a few strand hair out of her face with a relieved smile is on his face. He puts his arms under her and lifts her out of the bed and carries her out of the room.

Y/N| Boarding House

After you finally reached the town border, you instantly mad your way back to town. You “borrowed” a car and sped back to Mystic Falls where you stopped by the school first. However, Stefan or Klaus where to be found anywhere, so you decided to check your old home.

With squealing tires you bring your car to a stop in the driveway, parking directly behind Damon´s Camaro. You take a deep breath before entering your old home and your mind instantly flooded with nostalgia. You have not been here since you briefly visited in the 50´s.

You use your vamp hearing to determine where Damon and hopefully Stefan are, but you only hear Damon talking to a female voice. You make your way towards the library and you have to realize that to your disappointment, Damon chose to comfort the doppelganger instead of finding his brother.

“Are you serious?”

“Do you ever knock?” Damon sighs, avoiding your glare.

“Never have, never will. Besides, this was my house too once. “ you remind him as your eyes fall upon Damon´s hand on Elena´s knee.

“Well isn’t this cozy?” Stefan interrupts and leans against a pillar at the opposite side of the room.

Damon quickly retrieves his hand and gets up“What are you doing here, brother?”

Stefan walks into the room to the drink table and pours himself a drink.

“Last I checked, I live here. “ he reports “Klaus is gone, but he’s asked me to keep watch on you until he returns. From now on, you’re under my protection.”

“Gone? What do you mean Klaus is gone? Where the hell did he go?” you ask  but Stefan only shrugs.

Stefan looks over to Elena and raises his glass to take a drink “Mmm, by all means. Carry on.” he smiles and leave the room.

Oh this is going to be interesting.And not in a good way. There is no way you can leave now. That means you are here to pick up the pieces once again..

Chapter 04 —>

                                                           Open Coffin Masterlist

Author Note:  Damn there is so much going on in that episode.. But hey finally Kol appeared! Well, in a flashback but still.  Do let me know what you think and if there’s anything you want to see, just shoot me a message or write it down yourself in my Google Doc

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Special thanks to: @shadyladyperfection @laitalianax3 @newurleans

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Thank you for reading. Have a lovely day/night and I hopefully see you next chapter ;)

[topicprinter]

Sales wasn’t always a skill or even an interest of mine. But I did always want to go into business for myself- since 3rd grade!At that time I had wanted to start my own wood shop. Every chance I could get, I’d take some scrap wood and make something.I made a really cool small catapult in seventh grade, a wooden ornithopter (that almost flew :( ) in the beginning of high school and then went on to making toolboxes, tables, benches- anything I could think of!Eventually I became a professional carpenter. But a couple years into that I made the hard decision to leave my dream job a hobby and completely switched careers. It was a hard choice- I had wanted this forever.After looking at it realistically, it made sense- but I still felt like I was leaving a part of me behind.I spent months thinking about what career could possibly satiate my creativity and other interests. I figured out that advertising was what I wanted to get into eventually and I learned that the position I wanted required sales experience.So I applied to ALL the sales jobs I could find -anything and everything within a 2 hour’s drive- and after almost giving up…I finally got picked up by one of the companies!Even though it was so difficult to find a company that would offer me a contract, I ignorantly thought to myself “No biggie, I”ll just work here a couple years for the experience and then move on to the next thing on my list. Sales can’t be too hard.”Such false confidence! Imagine me putting my palm to my face right now in disappointment of my naivety.It could have been easy, but instead of going for a more “entry-level” type of sales job (like a low-pressure inside sales gig), I signed on in outside sales as a full commission independent contractor (no base).I made the rashest decision I could!Transitioning from working at a blue collar 9-5 to a self-employed salesman has got to be one of the most ridiculous switches you can make.With a 9-5, you just punch in (in my case literally), do what you’re told and then punch out. The next week (or two), somebody gives you a check and you go on with your life. I didn’t have to think about if I’d have work.I didn’t have to deal with people. I could just focus on my list for the day, keep to my boring self and go home.Now I’m going into a completely different industry. Forget the big step of going from employed to self-employed (that’s hard enough)! This is an environment where I am my own boss- I have to talk with a LOT more people, too. I thought it would be okay!Boy was I wrong!I overlooked how much I would have to deal with people and how much it could hurt. I really hated dealing with people! They didn’t like me so much either.The thing is, social anxiety had been a problem for me since I was youngMaybe at the age of 13 or so when my mom and dad’s relationship started to fall apart. This anxiety consistently made it really hard for me to connect with people.I didn’t have so many friends. Of the ones I did have, I didn’t get close to most of them. At my lowest point, I had one friend (that I fought with regularly) and couldn’t even communicate with my parents. Those were some really tough times for me.And I rarely went out. I learned ways to work around and avoid my issue, but I never really did anything to address it directly. Needless to say, I had a lot of baggage.So selling from a place of social anxiety, I took A LOT personally. I never had to deal with this much before; I had a small circle of friends and the only people I needed to speak to at work were my boss and the one other coworker.This did not bode well for my new job.Now I found myself in a job where the majority of what I do is dealing with people. Being generous, maybe 10% is administrative work (paperwork, applications, licensing, etc.) and 90% is being social- either with colleagues, dealing with my sales mentor and manager or calling leads (complete strangers!!) to sell. Uggh.If you don’t call, you can’t sell- and as a contractor, if you don’t sell you don’t get paid.The only answer from leads and prospects was “NO”Turns out: 99% of the responses I got were no’s. It made me feel worthless! And I overthought everything!Whenever I got the no I took it so personally. I thought it was just that nobody liked me. They said horrible things, yelled at me before slamming the phone down, and even just toyed with me as if I wasn’t human.Once somebody kept me on the phone for 20 minutes before changing tone completely and telling me to screw off. He took 20 minutes out of his day with the sole purpose of wasting my time.After that call I was so depressed I couldn’t make anymore calls that night.It was hard. It was depressingAnd I made a LOT of calls. At first, I aimed for 4 hours of calls per day (on top of training) for the whole business week. I wasn’t mindlessly working off of a script, so I had to think each time I was on the call about the person on the other end.I had to think about how to reply to them and what they were thinking. 40% of the time I would overthink things (common theme?) and just invent a reason not to call the number on the lead card because of where they lived, their name, etc.“He probably already has the product because this lead is x months old.”Or maybe “I shouldn’t bother with her, that’s a really poor region.”There were endless excuses.The night usually went like this: I would call, get a lot of attitude, not get through to anyone and then quit for an hour (or the whole night). It seemed nobody wanted to talk to me. So soon I started losing motivation.I was scared of talking to people.It was terrifying to call. I’d put off calling for one hour and another hour and another hour. Then tomorrow, then the next day. By the time I looked back on my week, I just spent the time organizing emails, browsing the internet or binge-watching tv shows. What a waste!What was more demotivating was when I saw the top performers consistently pulling in $1,500-$5,000 (sometimes $10k+) in commission every week. I wasn’t good enough for this.How did they keep their cool? I felt like they had some type of gift that I wasn’t blessed with and it wasn’t fair. Because I wanted this, too. But I was a failure as a salesperson.I honestly wanted to help people, but I felt like all these prospective buyers thought of me as a sleazy caricature of what I really was.I finally got some help.I was on the verge of quitting- the leads, the training, the pressure- it was too much. I had actually spent time thinking about what other jobs I could get- or if I could go back into carpentry.After a weekly training session with my sales mentor, I felt like I was about to explode. But I figured I owed it to him to at least be frank, since he was giving me such a big chance here.So we sat down and talked about all these doubts I was having- and the conversation actually lasted over an hour. How I wasn’t good enough and could never measure up to these other salespeople on the team.What he said amounted to if I actually wanted this, he knew I could do it as long as I got past this self-doubt. I was doing these people a huge service by calling them- I wasn’t an imposter.So after coming to terms with this, I spent the next months on some deep introspective work learning how to reframe all this.How can I not take these things personally? How can I immunize myself to the pressures and negativity I could face at client meetings and on the phone? Can all this become second nature?I went to work like Rocky in RussiaYou remember that part in Rocky IV where he’s going hard in the woods of Russia? Throwing logs and pulling sleds and chopping trees?That anguish Rocky was feeling swinging axes and running up snowy hills was what I felt. That pain. That drive. In fact, I would say that the mental warfare we wage is often harder than ANY physical challenge we might face.I learned a lot in those several months. You could break it into at least four major categories:I learned how to think of myself properly in the context of these social interactions so that I wasn’t embarrassed and didn’t feel below people.I learned how to think about the entire conversation the right way. Instead of being nervous to get on the phone or meet with people, I reframed the situations in ways to make them welcome (not overwhelming) challenges. I learned how to view the possible outcomes of the call so I wasn’t afraid of them- realistically positive.I put a LOT of work into presenting myself the right way in the BEGINNING of any conversations and then having naturally dynamic dialogue until the end. Effectively, I spoke in a way that negated a significant portion of objections or negative responses I received in the past.I developed systems that forced me to progressively raise the bar for myself and not avoid or half-ass the work I needed to do. This meant forcing myself to focus, to practice, to reply to clients and prospects on time- all of it. I realized if I didn’t constantly move forward, I was slipping back.So what happened when I started taking those actions?Then things changed- fast!Finally I had my first sale- only worth $800, but it was a major confidence boost. So exhilarating- I felt like I was gonna shoot up over the moon when I closed that deal!The progress started to snowball. One sale turned into two, two turned into five, five turned into ten.Before I knew it, I had weeks where I made $2,000, $1,000, $1,500 in commission- I felt like a rock star!From that point on, when I put in the work, I always got results.Fast forward to the time shortly thereafter when I left the company: I had sold over $1.2 million worth of product! It was an amazing accomplishment for me.And the best thing about learning this wasn’t just the financial success. I now understood how I had been able to overcome the social anxiety, how it had held me back so much from making it in sales in the beginning.In fact, I internalized the multiple systems and exercises I created for myself- and those ended up working for other people in helping them overcome their anxieties and bring about similar big changes in themselves.That’s when I knew I was on to something.Something that could be learned, something that I could pass on to other people.And I really want to help people avoid wasting as much time and energy dealing with the internal struggle as I did. So if you want me to clarify anything or answer a question, please leave a reply and I’ll help as best I can!