The answer lies with training. Whether you’re a musician training for a solo performance, an athlete on the verge of setting a record, or a salesperson about to land a major deal, training is core to how we as humans achieve our goals — and become our best selves.
With the launch of our new training and coaching capabilities, we asked four employees to tell us why they train and how the lessons they have learned come to life in the workplace. We’re proud to share stories of how they faced the impossible — and won. We hope their stories inspire you to do the same.
“Success takes discipline.”
The hardest thing I ever trained for was a marathon. I had never even run double-digit miles, so I knew the training would be tough from the start.
I had eighteen weeks to prepare — which meant I had to hold myself accountable to a rigid training schedule. There were days when I dreaded my next run, but I had to push through it to make sure I was ready.
On race day, I was excited but nervous. When training for a marathon, you run a maximum of twenty miles. This meant that I had no idea what the last six miles were going to feel like. As I ran the race, I kept telling myself, “Just a few more miles, just a few more miles.” Before I knew it, I was crossing the finish line.
This experience taught me that success takes discipline. You can’t just show up to the race and be ready to go. I use these lessons to motivate my team at work: With discipline, dedication, and determination, you can achieve anything.
– Joey Reines, Senior Manager, International Expansion
“To be a corporate athlete, you have to train.”
My career has always been a major focal point in my life. In a previous role, I set my sights on closing a multi-million dollar deal. At the time, I had never closed anything on that scale before, and I knew I would have to train to win the deal.
I was relentless in the pursuit of this goal. My manager and I would spar at every chance. I learned every tactic in the sales playbook, from leveraging champions to sending personalised Christmas baubles to get people’s attention.
I heard “no” a million times in the deal cycle, but I kept at it. Finally, one prospect agreed to a meeting, and I knew that once I had my foot in the door, there was no stopping me. We won the deal, and it was the largest net-new revenue opportunity the business had ever landed.
As a manager, I now try to teach my reps the same lessons I have learned: To be a corporate athlete, you have to train. The relentless pursuit of excellence and tireless repetition is how you achieve mastery.
– Jessica Turner, Manager, SMB & Commercial Sales
“Mastery doesn’t happen overnight.”
I was training for the MS150, a two-day, 150-mile bike ride from Houston to Austin. In preparation for that race, I was riding between 30 and 40 miles each week.
Each and every mile was a test of my endurance. The routes started to get old, and some days it would rain. And when it wasn’t storming, it was hot — Texas hot. But I had to keep training. I had friends donate to my ride; I couldn’t let them down. But most importantly, I couldn’t let myself down. Finishing the race was a personal mission.
On racing day, my friends and I rode 105 miles in one day. Unfortunately, the second day of the race was canceled due to weather. But the lessons of my training stuck with me.
I learned that mastery doesn’t happen overnight — you have to put in time and effort every day. And now I coach my reps to have the dedication they need to keep going, cross the finish line, and find success with every customer conversation.
– Jason Kim, Senior Manager, SMB & Commercial Sales
“Let your confidence take over.”
Prior to working at Highspot, I had always envisioned myself in sports broadcasting, which led me to apply for a job where I would get thousands of fans excited to attend sporting events. I had never done anything like this before, but I really wanted this job. So I began to practice my public speaking skills.
I memorised my lines, I gathered groups of friends and family together to watch me rehearse, and I made sure to practice each and every day. There were moments when I stumbled, embarrassed myself, or forgot what I was supposed to say. But eventually, I learned to lean in and let my confidence take over.
Now as the manager of our onboarding program, I teach each new hire the lessons I learned from this job: It’s okay to fail, as long as you get back up and try again. And that with practice, you can speak with confidence and overcome any challenge.
– Jessica Boyd, Revenue Enablement Manager, Learning and Development
#WhyWeTrain
No matter our profession, industry, or experience, training is what takes us from where we are to where we want to be.
Now it’s your turn. Share your stories of grit and victory and the lessons you learned on social media with the hashtag #WhyWeTrain — and keep on training.
