Joe Gustafson says, “With the Rio Olympics underway, more than 30 million Americans are glued to their TV screens, watching dreams, angst and sports sagas unfold. Besides eating away at our workday productivity (you know it’s true), the Olympics — and Olympians’ dedication, grueling practice, can-do spirit and grit — have additional relevance in the business world.

Take sales — a realm replete with sports analogies and motivating competition. With nearly half of sales reps today missing quota, according to a new Brainshark-sponsored CSO Insights report, it’s an opportune time to look at what makes some athletes “superhuman” and how some of those qualities might translate to sales, to boost the bottom line.

Here’s a fun perspective, with five ways your sales organization can cultivate sales Olympians:

1. Practice perfection.

Olympians don’t just show up and win medals. And while your sales team might not — figuratively, of course — subscribe to the Michael Phelps six-hour practice and 12,000 calorie/day regimen (often reported during his Beijing Olympics days), self-discipline and solid training are still the foundation for success“.

Why and Where You Should Expand Your Ecommerce Empire

Entrepreneur

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