Last week, I finished reading The Mental Keys for Success in Sales by Michael Anthony, and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised: it’s rare to find a book that talks about sales from such a human perspective and so aligned with what we preach at mb&l.
What resonated with me the most was his focus on the process, not the result.
In my career, I’ve seen how the obsession with the “close” can turn into a source of anxiety and frustration. The pressing quota, the repeated “no,” the end-of-month pressure… all of that clouds the mind and often makes us lose sight of the only thing truly under our control: how we do our work each day.
Anthony lays it out clearly: if I prepare for the meeting, if I truly listen, if I ask smart questions, if I document with discipline what I learned, if I follow up consistently… then the results come. Maybe not immediately, but they come. The process is the anchor that keeps me focused and confident, even when the numbers aren’t visible yet.
The other point that struck me was the management of emotions.
Sales is not just technique: it’s also an inner game. All of us who have sold know what it feels like after a series of rejections, a tough negotiation, or the pressure of meeting goals. Emotions are inevitable, but what makes the difference is how we handle them.
When we learn to observe them, acknowledge them, and use them to our advantage, we stop being at their mercy. We regain calm, empathy, and clarity to move forward with the client.
At mb&l, we’ve been working with this perspective for years: consultative selling is not about chasing results but about building trust step by step, sustaining a disciplined process, and cultivating the right mindset. That’s why this book surprised me so positively: because it puts into simple words what we so often share with our clients and teams.
If you work in sales, I highly recommend reading it. It’s not a manual of techniques; it’s an invitation to reflect on how we think, how we feel, and how we act in each interaction. And, above all, it’s a reminder that results come naturally… when the process and the mind are well trained.
