When the Price Is Right to Stay in the Game…

Spoke to a seller yesterday. Ten years in the game, pondering whether it's time to hang up his hat. You know how it is—after a while, you start wondering, "Is this it? Am I still in the right place?"

So I asked him, "What does it feel like... in sales, when you’re winning?"

He looks at me, kinda smiles, and says, "It’s like playing The Price Is Right. You’re spinning that big ol’ wheel, waiting for your shot at the dollar."

And I thought, well, that's interesting.

He talks about the cycle—like you’re moving through those stages: technical wins, legal reviews, negotiations. Every spin, you're trying to land that $1.00, right? That's when you know you're golden.

And when you’re there, when you’ve got a deal on the line—oh boy, it’s like you’re on stage. Suddenly, everybody wants a seat at your table. You’re the star of the show.

“How can I help?” “Let’s grab dinner with the client.” “Get me involved.”

I mean, come on—there’s no better feeling in the world, is there? Getting someone to a "yes." It’s the rush. The thrill of breaking through their defenses, those conscious biases. Building trust.

That’s the reason most of us got into this thing in the first place. But then... I asked him another question.

"So, what’s it feel like when you're... not winning?"

And his face—oh, that face—he starts talking about how the moment there's no deal on the line, it's like everyone just... disappears. The room empties, lunch table's deserted. One minute, you're the popular kid; the next, you're sitting alone, like the last person to leave a party nobody told you was over.

Funny how he defined winning and losing, just like that—a deal or no deal. Black and white.

But here's the thing: a career in sales, it’s not really about the deal, is it? No, no. It's about controlling that little voice inside your head. The one that talks to you when no one else is around. The voice that tells you who you are, especially when you’re not on stage.

In my own career, let me tell you—I learned more about myself staring at the back of that wheel, watching it spin, than I ever did standing in front of it. That’s when the real growth happens. That’s when you find out what you're made of.

Because the secret to this profession? It’s all in your mindset. Especially when you don’t have two spins at the dollar. When the deals aren't lining up, when the crowd’s gone, and it's just you and that nagging thought in your head: "Am I only worth what I close?"

The A-Players—they know how to shut that voice down. They know their worth isn’t just tied to the numbers. It’s deeper than that. It’s how you handle the quiet moments. The ones that test you.

And when you’ve mastered that thought? When you’ve made peace with it? That’s when you know... the Price Is Right to stay in the game.