What is Mental Skills Training? And How Can It Help My Sales Team?

Business is a sport. Salespeople are the drivers. No sales = No revenue. No revenue = No business. Simple.

So… we could say salespeople are the most important players in the game of business. But here’s the difference between business and sports today:

More and more, sports teams are recognizing the importance of the mental game. They’re hiring sport psychologists, mental performance coaches, and mental health professionals because they’ve realized something critical—a player’s performance is directly tied to their mental skills.

Take AJ Brown, star wide receiver for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles. During the game, he was spotted on the sidelines reading Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy—a book about the mental side of high performance. He later said something that should make every sales leader stop and think:

“Football is 90% mental and 10% physical for me.”

Now, football is one of the most physical sports in existence. They’re literally out there giving each other concussions for a living! lol Yet, one of the best wide receivers in the world says that for him, the game is 90% mental.

If FOOTBALL is 90% mental, what does that say about business and sales?

More sales training won’t improve someone’s focus. A higher quota won’t make reps more motivated. A better CRM won’t help a salesperson believe in their ability to improve.

If you want to improve a sales team’s performance, you have to train their mental skills.

So… What is Mental Skills Training?

Mental skills training comes straight from sport psychology — the same training elite athletes use to stay focused, confident, resilient, and composed under pressure.

It’s about training the mind the same way athletes train their bodies. Because no amount of sales scripts, tactics, or fancy CRMs will fix a lack of focus, resilience, or confidence.

That’s why more and more sports teams are investing in mental skills coaching for their players.

• If a basketball player can’t stay locked in for an entire play, running more plays won’t help. They need to train focus.
• If a golfer’s heart is pounding and hands are shaking on the first tee, perfecting their swing won’t fix that. They need to train emotional regulation.

This is where businesses can learn from sports. High performers in any field need a strong mental foundation.

But Athletes and Salespeople Are Totally Different… Right?

Eh… not really.

Salespeople may not be risking their physical health daily (unless you’re doing door-to-door sales… then... good luck if you knock on the wrong door ????).

But both athletes and salespeople operate under extreme pressure.

Sure, an NBA player shooting a game-winning free throw in the Finals is under insane pressure. But what about the sales rep going into their final sales call of the day knowing they NEED a sale to pay their bills?

That’s a different kind of pressure. A kind that even elite athletes don't want to deal with.

And yet, most companies ignore this aspect of sales. They expect reps to just "figure it out" — when even pro athletes have mental performance coaches to help them navigate pressure.

High performance isn’t just about tactics. In fact, it has very little to do with tactics. It’s about WHO is executing the tactics & how well they manage their mindset under pressure.

How Can Mental Skills Training Help Your Sales Team?

In sales, reps are on the front lines every day—knocking on doors, sending emails, making phone calls, anything they can do to bring in business. They’re constantly facing rejection, getting ghosted, going days, weeks, or even months without closing deals. And when results aren’t coming in, it’s hard to pinpoint what’s wrong.

Enduring this kind of pressure day in and day out requires more than just tactical skills. It requires resilience to keep pushing after hearing "no" a hundred times. It requires the ability to stay focused when distractions and stress are pulling in every direction. It requires motivation that isn’t dependent on external rewards but comes from something deeper.

These are the same mental skills that help elite athletes reach the top of their game. Kobe Bryant was a huge advocate for mental training. He worked with performance psychology professionals, constantly refining his mindset. He understood that greatness wasn’t just about physical skill—it was about mastering the mental game.

The same applies to sales. If your reps can’t manage their stress, how can you expect them to stay composed when a big contract is on the line? If they have a fixed mindset and resist change, how will they succeed in an industry that’s constantly evolving?

Sales teams need to develop mental skills just like athletes do:

• Resilience: To keep going when rejection is constant.
• Focus: To stay locked in on the right activities instead of getting distracted.
• Stress Management: To handle high-pressure situations without breaking down.
• Intrinsic Motivation: To push forward even when deals aren’t closing.

This is first principles thinking. Mental skills are the foundation. You can’t skip over them and expect high performance.

So… How Do You Help Your Sales Team Build Mental Skills?

If you want your team to perform at their best, it’s time to take a page out of the sports world.

?? Train focus like an athlete. ?? Manage stress like a top performer. ?? Build resilience like a champion.

And if you’re wondering where your team currently stands? Let’s measure it.

I created the Mental Performance Index (MPI) to assess your team’s mental performance and pinpoint where they need the most help.

?? DM me or email me at [email protected] to get your sales team assessed. It includes a FREE 1:1 consult where we’ll break down the results together. Available for sales teams of 10 or more.

Your team’s mental game is the missing link to long-term growth. Build the foundation now, and the results will follow.

With Love,

James