The first study on how pressure costs sales revenue.

20 questions · 5–6 minutes · completely anonymous.

When the findings publish, every contributor gets the full report

SECTION 1 - ROLE & BACKGROUND

How many years have you been in a sales role? *

4 - 7 years

8 - 12 years

13+ years

What industry do you primarily sell into? *

Financial Services / Insurance / Wealth Management

Pharmaceutical / Medical Device / Healthcare

Other

Did you hit 100% or more of your sales target in the last 12 months? *

Yes - exceeded 100%

Close - 80 - 99%

Missed - 60 - 79%

Significantly missed - under 60%

SECTION 2 - PRESSURE SYMPTOMS

How often do you experience physical or mental symptoms of pressure — voice tension, racing heart, mind going blank — during high-stakes sales moments? *

Rarely - almost never

Occasionally - a few times a year

Regularly - it genuinely affects my pipeline activity

Frequently - it's a consistent challenge

Which of these have you experienced? *

Mind went completely blank

Voice became shaky or tight

Lost my train of thought and couldn't recover

Gave unnecessary concessions to reduce the tension

Talked too fast or too much

Avoided the difficult question or topic

None of the above

check all that apply

When you’re in a high-stakes sales meeting and feel the pressure mounting, what specific thought goes through your head? *

When you have a major sales meeting coming up — one that would meaningfully change your quarter — how do you typically feel in the 24 hours beforehand? *

Calm and confident

Mild nerves that improve my preparation

Significant anxiety that affects my sleep or focus

Dread - I avoid thinking about it

When I miss a big opportunity, I feel like I've failed as a person — not just in the role. *

1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree

My self-worth is closely tied to whether I hit my sales target. *

1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree

I can separate a bad sales month from how I feel about myself generally. *

1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree

A performance slump affects how I feel in my personal life too. *

1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree

After a major lost opportunity or badly handled call, how long does it typically take you to return to full performance? *

Within the hour

A few hours - I'm off for the rest of the day

A day or two

A week or more

Have you ever avoided making a call, sending a message, or pursuing an opportunity because the fear of rejection felt too significant? *

Never

Rarely - once or twice, not a pattern

Occasionally - a few times a quarter

Regularly - it genuinely affects my pipeline activity

SECTION 4 - PREPARATION & TRAINING

How do you typically prepare for high-stakes calls? *

Research the prospect and review notes

Rehearse my opening and key points out loud

Role-play with a colleague, manager or coach

Use an AI roleplay tool (Hyperbound, Second Nature, Mindtickle, etc.)

Work through objections mentally

I have a physical mental pre-call routine

I don't do specific preparation beyond standard research

check all that apply

How realistic does your practice or roleplay feel compared to the actual pressure of the real conversation? *

Very realistic - it genuinely prepares me

Somewhat realistic - useful but not the real thing

Not very realistic - it doesn't replicate the pressure

I don't practice or roleplay

Have you ever been through training specifically designed to help you perform better under pressure — not general sales technique, but the mental and emotional side of high-stakes moments? *

Yes — and it made a lasting difference

Yes — but it had limited lasting impact

No — but I’d be interested

No — and I don’t think it’s necessary

SECTION 5 - REVENUE IMPACT

In the last 12 months, how many opportunities do you believe you lost — at least in part — because of how you performed under pressure? *

None

1 - 2 deals

3 - 5 deals

6+ deals

What is your best estimate of the total revenue value of those deals? *

Under $50,000

$50,000 - $250,000

$250,000 - $1M

Over $1M

What percentage of sales target misses in your organization do you believe are caused by how people perform under pressure? *

Less than 10% — not a major factor

10–25% — a minor but real factor

26–50% — a significant contributor

Over 50% — it’s the primary cause

SECTION 6 - HIGH PRESSURE SCENARIOS

Which of these high-pressure scenarios affect you most? *

Mind goes blank mid-demo or mid-presentation

Unexpected executive joins my meeting last minute

CFO or procurement pushes back aggressively on price

Competitor is 20–30% cheaper and the deal is stalling

End-of-quarter closing pressure

Cold call or prospecting anxiety before I dial

Delivering bad news to a client under scrutiny

check all that apply

SECTION 7 - OPEN FEEDBACK

What is the single biggest gap in how your organization currently supports you to perform at your best when it matters most? *

If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about how you or your team handle high-pressure moments, what would it be? *

If you would like to receive the published findings please provide your email

The first study on how pressure costs sales revenue.

SECTION 1 - ROLE & BACKGROUND

SECTION 2 - PRESSURE SYMPTOMS

SECTION 3 - MINDSET

SECTION 4 - PREPARATION & TRAINING

SECTION 5 - REVENUE IMPACT

SECTION 6 - HIGH PRESSURE SCENARIOS

SECTION 7 - OPEN FEEDBACK