--- title: Dissatisfaction Leads to Growth | The Sales Blog description: Dissatisfaction is the key to growth. It’s okay to be pleased, but it isn’t okay to be satisfied. image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2015-07-23-at-9_51_51-PM.png --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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Of course, we want to identify it in a prospective client so we can create an opportunity. But dissatisfaction is more important than that. #### Dissatisfaction is what leads to growth. If you are satisfied with the status quo, then you are not growing. It’s the unhappiness with the way things are that creates the need for change. Growth comes from believing that things can be better. Dissatisfaction provides the answer to the question, “Better than what?” Dissatisfaction is what leads to growth for your clients. But it is also what helps you to grow both personally and professionally. You are dissatisfied with what you are because you know that you can be more. You are dissatisfied with what you are doing because you know that you can do more (and not more activity, more things that create meaning and purpose). You are dissatisfied because you know that you can have more. When you are so dissatisfied with the way things are that you can no longer accept them, you are ready to grow. #### Dissatisfaction is what gets us unstuck. When you are stuck, it’s the dissatisfaction that compels you to take action. Your clients get stuck. They find ways to work around all of the problems and challenges they have rather than investing the time, money, and energy to improve them. It’s the dissatisfaction with being stuck that eventually moves them enough to do something. You help by giving them a vision of what’s possible and helping them become dissatisfied with being stuck. You can get stuck too. When you do, frustration is your ally. It’s your dissatisfaction that compels you to make changes that get you unstuck. There is a reason we all want “breakthroughs.” You are breaking through being stuck. Dissatisfaction is the root of your breakthroughs. #### Dissatisfaction kills complacency. You have two choices when it comes to serving your clients. You can wait until they become dissatisfied before you try to help them with their breakthrough, but by being complacent, you are opening up the opportunity for your competitors to develop that dissatisfaction and competitively displace you. Or you can [proactively create dissatisfaction](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2014/01/28/on-latent-dissatisfaction-and-dissatisfaction/). Creating dissatisfaction keeps you and your client from becoming complacent. And that’s the best client retention program available. But you can’t allow yourself to become complacent either. You need to spend time with people who will help you develop a bigger version of yourself. You need to spend time with folks who will challenge you to be your very best, like a mastermind group or a group of fellow hustlers. You need to feel some pressure to grow. Complacency is a killer. Dissatisfaction is the key to growth. It’s okay to be [pleased](http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2014/11/27/grateful-pleased-and-still-dissatisfied/), but it isn’t okay to be satisfied. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2015](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2015) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on July 23, 2015 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-06-15T5:42:28 PM", "datePublished" : "2015-07-23 22:01:07", "description" : "Dissatisfaction is the key to growth. 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