Part II: Sales Hustle & Healthy Habits: How I Survive the Daily Grind

It has been two years that I made one of the best decisions in my life with changing my path from a Technical/Technical Management to a Direct Sales career. So far there were a lot of learnings, this is Part II of my ongoing journey report.

This one is for all the healthy habits, 5am Clubbers and Gym freaks. My approach for high-performance doesn't fit the regular run-of-the-mill Instagram influencer daily schedule. You won't find any meditation slots, timeboxing stuff in here.

Let's be real: sales ain't no walk in the park. It's a constant rollercoaster ride filled with challenges hitting you from all directions. So, how do I keep my head above water while chasing those numbers? Here's a sneak peek into my world:

Visualize your goals OK, I promised this won't be an Instagram-like blog, but this point is really important and I am by far no master in it, but if you are interested I can write about my techniques how to do this in another blog. For me one of the most important points is that you train your brain to visualize your goals each and every day. This helps to pre-condition your mind to work towards those goals. This is something that you will do automatically if you have trained it long enough. Many people work with short-,mid- and long-term goal lists, that's not me, I have it all in my head but it is super dependent on how your brain works and what you need.

Morning Madness and Making Sense of It All My day kicks off with a battle against the snooze button, followed by a frantic scramble to find my other sock. Once I've won that battle, it's time for a quick breakfast—usually a granola bar on the go. No time to savor that one, sadly. Most of the times I even cut out breakfast.

Time Blocks and the Endless To-Do List My calendar? It's a colorful collage of chaos! There are blocks for everything: prospecting, calls, meetings, and even a "breathe" slot squeezed in between. But reality hits hard; some days, these time blocks feel more like suggestions than rules. The important thing to remember is that you are the commander of your boat - given that you listen to your body and know when you have those high energy times for tasks that need your creativity, focus and energy.

Lunch? Maybe... Ah, lunch breaks—a mythical creature for many in sales. Sometimes it's a grab-and-go sandwich while multitasking, and other times it's just a quick gulp of coffee between emails. But hey, gotta keep that hustle going, right?

Struggles and Strains, but I Manage Budget cuts? Yeah, been there, done that. Uncertain times? Feels like a permanent resident now. But I've learned to roll with the punches. When one door closes, I try to find another—or at least knock harder on the next one. The single most important thing to remember is that you can only control your thoughts and attitude. Success will follow - even if it takes longer sometimes.

Fitness? It's a Work in Progress Exercise? That's the plan... sometimes. There are days when the only workout I get is speed-walking between meetings. But when I do manage to hit the gym or go for a run, it's a game-changer for my energy levels. Important is that you stay healthy and in control - you need to balance out whenever you feel uncomfortable or you are running into health issues. Aside of that, in my opinion, no need for being the next Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Food for Fuel (or Survival) Eating healthy? It's a challenge when convenience often wins. A salad sounds great, but so does a quick burger on the road between client meetings. Finding that balance? Let's just say it's a work in progress. The one thing you should be asking is, if you are in balance. Yes, fast food is shit - but as long as you manage to balancing it out and have no health struggles, it is okay to eat some time.

Learning, Reflecting, and Juggling it All Amidst the chaos, I try to find moments to reflect. Checking in on what went well, what didn't, and where I can improve. Reading industry news? Sure, when I catch a breather. Learning never stops, even if it's a podcast during the commute. Anyhow, the most important information source for what's going on at your clients is air time with them and being curious.

Closing the day Usually my day ends either with going outside, walking the dog, hunting, spending time with my family or playing videogames - I have learned that most of my energy comes from introvert things, so to have enough energy to spend for extrovert stuff (which by nature Sales is to 99%) I need to recharge. It is important that your family/partner is supporting this, as I sometimes feel a bit autistic after a long day of prospecting or day out at the client.

Reality Check: Hustle Meets Wellness Listen, this routine isn't perfect, and most days, it's a messy juggling act. But I've realized the importance of finding those moments—whether it's a short breather, a chat with a colleague, or sneaking in a healthy meal. It's about survival, adaptation, and learning as I go. Most importantly it is about knowing yourself and I honestly only have learned this up until when I was about 34 years old. I would have loved to know so much about myself earlier, but I am happy that I have reached this state cause I have also seen people never getting there.

One of the things that I did not specifically mention is that you need to have an A-Team around you. In my early days in the role, I was involved in hiring my direct colleagues and I had the chance and time to build the best internal network with so many fantastic colleagues here at Pure Storage, that just work like a clockwork. This will also help you balance out many of the above things and start to get more healthy.

So, fellow sales warriors, let's embrace the chaos! Balancing the hustle with a dash of self-care might not always be glamorous, but it keeps us sane in the midst of this crazy sales world. Here's to hustling hard, staying real, and squeezing in those healthy habits along the way!