The London Olympics start this Friday and hundreds of athletes from around the world will compete for the gold.

For some, this will be their first Olympic games while others will be returning after competing several times.

The veterans bring experience, knowledge and a keen awareness of what is at stake.

The new competitors bring youth, desire and perhaps a sense of awe of being able to compete on the world stage.

Regardless, all the athletes will be well-prepared.

Here are a few things that sales people can learn from any Olympic athlete…

Constant development

To reach the world stage in sports every athlete continually strives to improve their ability in their given sport.

They work hard. They practise (Canadian spelling for my American friends) hard. They constant work at developing their skill.

What are you doing to constantly improve your selling skills?

Focus

Competing in the Olympics requires more than physical skill. It also requires mental toughness and the ability to focus strictly on their objective.

All Olympic athletes have faced adversity, challenges and losses during their journey to the top. Completing intense training and competition for several years is not easy. However, they have learned how to deal with these challenges and stay focused on the end result.

Do you have the ability to stay focused even when times get tough?

A support network

No athlete reaches this level without a strong support network including coaches (physical and mental), support from sponsors and family, and advice from mentors.

What support network do you have in place to help you succeed?

Competitiveness

Every Olympic athlete is competitive by nature. They WANT to win every competition. They hate finishing second or third.

Top sales people hate losing sales, too.

They know they can’t win every deal but they do everything they can to stand out from their competition and to win the sales opportunities that are presented to them.

Belief

Athletes at this level believe they have what it takes to win. The best Olympians use affirmations to get past the mental hurdles and struggles. They constantly tell themselves that they are the best and that tey can win.

Do you have belief in your ability to succeed in sales?

The Olympics are exciting to watch and the athleticism displayed during the games is also awesome to watch.

Are you training like an Olympian so you can win the gold?