Is Tech Sales Actually the Most Stressful Career?

INTRO

If you're thinking about tech sales or already in it, you've probably heard both sides. Some say it's a dream job. Others say it’s chaos. This post is the real talk; what the job actually feels like, what makes it stressful, and how to survive the hard parts without burning out. If you’ve ever asked yourself “Am I cut out for this?”, this one’s for you.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• What actually makes tech sales stressful
  
• How top reps handle the pressure
  
• Why most people quit too early
  
• What to focus on if you're falling behind
  
• How to build a routine that keeps you sane
  

CONTEXT: WHY THIS MATTERS

Tech sales attracts ambitious people. But a lot of them don’t know what they’re signing up for. They think, “I’m social, I can sell,” and get hit like a truck within a few months.
The truth is, you’re not just smiling and dialing. You’re dealing with uncertainty, pressure, and a moving target. Most people get crushed not because they’re bad, but because they never learned how to handle the stress that comes with the job. That’s what this episode unpacks.

IT'S NOT JUST A JOB. IT'S A MENTAL GAME.

Let’s start here. Tech sales isn’t like school or a typical office job. You don’t get a list of tasks, knock them out, and move on. You can do everything right and still lose the deal. You can make your 50 cold calls, send the perfect emails, and still come up empty.

That uncertainty? That’s the stress. And if you’re not mentally ready for that, it sneaks up on you fast.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE WALKING INTO

We’ve seen it over and over. Someone goes from a steady, structured job into their first sales role, and they think it’s gonna be chill. Maybe they crushed it in school, or they were the social one in their friend group. Sales looks easy from the outside.

Then reality hits. It’s 2:30, your caffeine’s worn off, and you’ve got another 25 calls to make. You’re staring at Salesforce, no pipeline, and starting to spiral. That’s when people panic. Or worse, check out completely.

THE WAY OUT IS TO BREAK IT DOWN

The only way to survive that mental spiral is to get super clear on what drives your results. Don’t think about “hitting quota.” Think about the steps in between.

Let’s say you need a million dollars in pipeline. Cool. That means you probably need 20 opps at $50K each. So how many meetings does it take to get 20 opps? And how many calls and emails to get those meetings? That’s your focus. Not the scoreboard.

When you understand the inputs, the stress starts to go down. You stop wondering if you’re doing the right things, and just start doing them.

WHERE YOU START MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK

Look, if your first job is at some random startup with no training, no process, and no track record, of course it’s going to feel impossible. That’s not your fault.

If you’re new, you want to be somewhere with a playbook. That doesn’t mean you have to go to Salesforce or Oracle, but pick a place with real market fit. Somewhere you can learn the motion. Somewhere you can see someone else hitting quota and know it’s possible.

SALES DOESN’T REWARD YOU IMMEDIATELY

When you're an SDR, you can get little wins every day. Book a meeting, log it, feel progress. As an AE, that’s gone. You can work your face off for six months and not close anything. Then in month seven, everything lands.

Eric talked about this in the episode. He didn’t close a single deal for seven months after getting promoted. But he kept going. The back half of the year? Crushed quota. Exceeded his annual number in less than 6 months.

The key isn’t getting lucky. It’s staying consistent long enough for the work to finally pay off.

MOST REPS QUIT RIGHT BEFORE IT STARTS WORKING

This part sucks, but it’s true. Month four rolls around. You’ve done all the right things, but nothing’s landed yet. That’s when people check out. They start looking at job posts. They stop putting in effort.

Meanwhile, they were a month away from booking a monster meeting or closing their first deal. That’s the heartbreak of sales. You don’t lose when things go wrong. You lose when you stop showing up.

CONSISTENCY MATTERS EVEN MORE THAN SKILL

You can write the best cold email in the world. If you only send ten of them, it won’t matter. Same with cold calls. You can go 60 dials with nothing, then book four meetings in the next ten. That’s how it works.

Connor used to tell his reps: when it’s cold, it’s cold. When it’s hot, it’s hot. The reps who stick with the process during the cold streaks are the ones who come out on top.

THE MONEY IS REAL, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

People love to flex the 300K W2. Here’s the part they don’t tell you. It doesn’t come in a steady stream. It comes in waves.

Eric shared how he made more in one month ($70k+) than he did in an entire year as an engineer. The next four months? Crickets. That kind of volatility isn’t for everyone. It looks cool on TikTok. But living through it is another story.

YOU NEED A LIFE OUTSIDE SALES

This one’s simple. If your whole identity is quota, you’re going to crack. Maybe not this month, maybe not this year, but soon enough your motivation will run dry.

Get a hobby. Lift weights. Roast coffee. Go outside. Do something that takes your brain off work. Skiing, running, volleyball, whatever gets you into flow state. Not Netflix. Not more screens. Something real.

Sales is a grind. But it’s not your entire life. Don’t forget that.

THE STRESS NEVER FULLY GOES AWAY. BUT YOU GET STRONGER.

There’s no version of this career where you don’t feel stress. Even five years in, with big paychecks and momentum, the pressure shows up. But it feels different. You learn how to manage it. You build routines. You get smarter with your time.

Compared to jobs with no upside, tech sales stress is worth it. Compared to jobs that pay more but own your life, like investment banking or medicine, tech sales gives you way more freedom.

It’s not easy. But if you’re wired for it, it’s one of the best career moves you can make.

FAQ

Q: Is tech sales stressful?
A: Yes. But the stress is manageable if you focus on what you can control and stick with the process.

Q: Do you get fired if you miss quota?
A: Not usually. Most good companies give you 6 to 12 months to ramp. The key is effort and improvement.

Q: Why do new reps burn out so fast?
A: They focus on results instead of inputs. They expect instant wins. And they don’t have a way to reset outside of work.

Q: How do I know if I’m cut out for this?
A: If you’re willing to deal with delayed gratification, keep learning, and stay consistent, you’ll be fine. If you need immediate wins every day, this career might break you.

Q: What’s one thing that helped you stay sane in sales?
A: Having something outside of work that gets you into flow state. For us, that’s working out, skiing, coffee roasting — anything that gives your brain a break.
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→ Want to build a high-performing sales career without burning out? Join Tech Sales Ascension to learn how top reps have broken into the best companies in the world, and how they structure their routines, manage stress, and stay consistent through the ups and downs.

TL;DR

• Tech sales is stressful because outcomes are unpredictable
  
• Most reps quit before their hard work starts to pay off
  
• Focus on inputs, not results, and stay consistent
  
• The money is real, but it comes in waves
  
• Have a life outside of sales to stay mentally sharp