Why Most Salespeople Fail
By Rich Galgano
Most salespeople don’t fail because they’re “always trying to close.”
That’s a lazy diagnosis.
Most of them don’t even know how to close.
They fail for a more fundamental reason:
They have no idea what pitch is coming.
The Problem Isn’t Effort. It’s Blindness.
In baseball, swinging without knowing the situation is how you strike out.
Yet that’s exactly how most salespeople operate.
They don’t know:
- The pitch count
- The inning
- The score
- The situation
- Who the pitcher is
- Or what the pitcher’s best pitch actually is
They’re operating without context.
And when you’re blind to context, every pitch looks hittable.
So they swing. Not because it’s the right time to swing,
but because they don’t know what else to do.
That’s how bad pitches get chased.
That’s how deals get forced.
That’s how trust gets burned.
Elite Sellers Don't Swing More
Elite sellers don’t swing more.
They swing with intention.
They know when to:
- Let the pitch go
- Foul it off
- Protect the plate
- Or take their shot
Those decisions aren’t emotional.
They’re situational.
They come from understanding where they are before they act.
Judgment Beats Aggression
Good judgment doesn’t come from being aggressive.
It comes from awareness.
Awareness of:
- The buyer’s position
- The real decision-makers
- What’s been earned
- What hasn’t
- And what leverage actually exists in this moment
When you see the situation clearly, execution becomes simple.
You stop guessing.
You stop forcing.
You stop reacting.
You act with purpose.
Code Yellow
Code Yellow is the space between hesitation and recklessness.
You’re alert.
You’re controlled.
You’re present enough to read the situation before you move.
That’s the difference between guessing and executing.
That’s why most salespeople fail, and why professionals don’t.
That’s Code Yellow.
