If I could go back in time, these are the 7 things I wish I knew about high performance in sales.

(It would have saved me a lot of wasted time and effort.)

1. Sales is very similar to sports

Thinking like an athlete at work is important. When you're "in between the lines" at work, you go. When you're "outside the lines", you rest.

2. Preparation trumps most things

Winging it just doesn't work. All the time spent preparing pays off. It allows you to improvise on the fly. Every minute of preparation matters.

3. Motion > Emotion

The best way to solve a problem isn't to sit at your desk and grind through it. Get moving. There's nothing better than a walk or run to clear your head so you can solve the problem in front of you.

4. Fuel your Mind

Reading books, learning from others, listening to podcasts, etc. There's always something new to learn. Be a work in progress, always.

5. Fuel your Body

This goes back to the "think like an athlete" mantra. Eating the right foods, drinking water & working out consistently undoubtedly lead to better performance.

6. Slow Down to Speed Up

It's easy to "go, go, go" in any career. While working with a sense of urgency is important, sometimes slowing down & being more present is the way to unlock your performance.

7. The Score Will Take Care of Itself Over Time

If you do the right things over a long period of time, sustainable success is there for the taking. You won't always win but you can rest in the fact that you're taking the right steps.

And, of course, all this enables you to serve your clients, colleagues, friends & family.

What would you add to this list?

Finally, please don't forget - we're all in sales.