Know how you are perceived by others. We almost invariably do not see ourselves as others see us, and it is essential to know how we come across. We might think we are concerned, friendly and sociable, but if that comes across as interfering, gushy and loud we’ve lost the game. Growing yourself as a professional sales executive means having the courage to ask customer how they view your sales activity when it counts the most. Then do something about how they see you.

Know what makes you angry. If you have a tendency to become angry, know the warning signs and either avoid those situations or withdraw before your blood boils over. It is a myth that allowing one’s anger to overflow has a cathartic effect, especially in sales. Customers will forgive almost anything but anger.

Know how you deal with customers’ stress. If you are affected by a customer’s behaviour and allow their irritation to influence the way you behave, remind yourself that customer behaviour is their way of coping. In these situations, take a deep breath, change the pace or a break to get yourself away from the situation. Chances are the customer is also feeling uncomfortable and would welcome the change.

Know your physical health. If you’re going through life at warp speed and your only respite is a beer at night, sooner or later you’re going to implode. For long-term success, take an honest assessment of your physical health and if you’re not truly satisfied with it, take steps now to make changes. Exercise is important in the sales business where stress can be the norm. Find something you love and it won’t seem like exercise at all.

Know your best time of day. If you’re at your sharpest first thing in the morning, don’t spend the morning hours getting cups of coffee, catching up on the news and reading emails. Spend that time making prospecting calls, giving presentations and doing other activities that require you to be 100.0%. When your brain starts fading in the afternoon you can catch up on less-demanding sales activities. Conversely, if your brain doesn’t fully awaken until the afternoon, don’t schedule the biggest presentation of your career for 08.00. Your audience will regret it as much as you will.