After working with more than 1,000 sales reps, Eric Finch explains the seven traits that separate top performers in tech sales, focusing on mindset, consistency, systems, and work-life balance to help you build a long-term, successful sales career.
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After ten years in tech, starting as an engineer and working my way from SDR to Enterprise Account Executive, I’ve seen thousands of sales reps come and go. Some crush it. Most don’t. And it is rarely about raw talent or charisma. It comes down to how they think, how they work, and how they show up every single day.
If we were sitting at a bar after work and you asked me what the best sales reps do differently, this is exactly what I would tell you. Whether you are breaking into tech sales or already a few years in, this is the kind of advice that compounds over time and separates a good rep from a great one.
Most sales advice online is designed to hype you up, not build you up. It gets you motivated for 15 minutes, then fades. Real growth happens when you treat sales like a craft that you refine, measure, and improve over time.
As I said in the video, “Don’t have the false idea that winners always win. They just keep showing up and iterating until they do.”
If you told me, “I made 50 calls today and didn’t book a single meeting,” I would say, “Good. Do it again tomorrow.”
That is how winners think. They focus on the work they can control, not short-term results. If the job requires 30 calls a day, they hit 30 calls a day, no excuses. They know their metrics inside and out. They can tell you how many calls it takes to get a connect, how many connects to get a meeting, and how many meetings to hit quota.
Average reps get emotional when the numbers do not go their way. Winners stay steady because they know the numbers will eventually balance out. When you focus on inputs, the outcomes take care of themselves.
One of the biggest differences between top reps and everyone else is emotional control.
When I first got into sales, I had quarters where deals slipped through or went dark. Then a few months later, I had a record month that doubled my previous income. The thing that kept me from burning out was learning to stay level-headed.
Winners never let the highs get too high or the lows get too low. If they have a few slow months, they zoom out and look at the bigger picture. If they have a breakout month, they do not start coasting. They know the game resets every quarter. Consistency beats intensity over time.
Early in your career, you want to prove yourself. You want your manager to notice your effort, your peers to respect you, and leadership to see your potential. That is normal, but it is also where many people stall out.
The top reps I have worked with do not need constant validation. They are not constantly posting about their wins or trying to impress their VP. They know that real credibility comes from results, not recognition.
They put in the extra work quietly. They study their product after hours, refine their messaging on weekends, and consistently outperform over time. When promotions come around, they are already ahead of the pack because they were focused on getting better, not being seen.
At large tech companies, there will always be noise. People will spend energy trying to look busy, get in front of the right people, or navigate internal politics.
Winners do not waste time on that. They build relationships, but they never confuse visibility with progress. Their reputation comes from being dependable, hitting targets, and keeping their word.
That does not mean they isolate themselves. It just means they stay grounded and consistent. They let their work speak for them. The people who matter will notice, and the ones who do not were never going to help anyway.
This is where good reps start to become elite. The best salespeople treat their job like engineers treat code. They test, refine, and document what works so they can repeat it.
Average reps start every week from scratch. They wing cold calls, tweak every deck, and try a new email every time. Winners do not do that. They build repeatable systems that keep quality high even when the workload gets heavy.
That is how you sell at scale without burning out. You are not relying on willpower or luck every day. You are relying on a process that works. The more consistent your system, the easier it is to win.
If you want to have a long career in sales, you cannot let it become your entire identity.
I have seen too many reps burn out because every ounce of their self-worth was tied to their performance. The best ones eventually find balance. They pick up hobbies, join clubs, travel, or just do something that reminds them life is bigger than quota.
It is not just about mental health. Being well-rounded makes you a better salesperson. You can relate to more people, connect more easily, and build trust faster. When you have interests outside of work, you bring more energy and perspective back into the job.
This one takes time to learn. Early in your career, say yes to projects and opportunities. You learn by taking on more. But once you have experience, the key to growing is learning what not to do.
The top AEs I know are extremely selective with their time. They do not chase every deal or take every meeting. They know which opportunities matter most and put all their focus there.
Saying no does not mean doing less. It means doing the right things with full attention. That shift separates those who grind endlessly from those who perform consistently at a high level.
Q: What’s the biggest mindset shift between average and elite sales reps?
A: Elite reps focus on inputs and systems, not emotions or outcomes. They treat every day as an opportunity to execute the plan, not chase a feeling.
Q: How do you stay motivated during slow months in sales?
A: Build systems that you trust. When you know your numbers and your process works, you do not need motivation. You just keep executing until the results catch up.
Q: How important is work-life balance in sales?
A: It is essential for longevity. You can grind 70 hours a week for a year, but the people who last a decade in this career build structure, boundaries, and hobbies that recharge them.
Q: How do you handle office politics?
A: Play the game just enough to stay visible, but never let it distract you from performance. Results and reputation outlast politics.
Q: What separates long-term winners from short-term hot streaks?
A: Systems, consistency, and emotional control. The top 10% do not just have good months. They have frameworks that produce good years.
→ If you want to learn the frameworks that top 10% of reps use every day, join our AE Mastery program. It is built for sales reps ready to scale their success beyond hustle and into strategy.
October 2025
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