The Power of Being in the Now in Sales and Business Development

Sales| success mindset| Habits| Business Development

December 11, 2025•3 min read

This week I was getting ready to leave town for a trip. The day before, I was feeling stressed, realizing I had more on my 'to do' list than time to do it. When I looked at the clock in my office, and it was 5 PM, I was tempted to continue my work for another hour or so. A voice in my head said 'stop!' I knew if I did not close my laptop and leave my office, I would jeopardize the most important tasks to ensure I would be on time for the airport the next morning. Most importantly, packing my bag!

This scenario reminded me of a key thought process that gets us 'stuck' In sales and business development. We worry over the future of 'what if I don't get it all done,' or we look at the past with 'I should have done this or that different.' Our minds often live anywhere except the present moment. We replay past conversations, missed opportunities, or deals that slipped away—carrying guilt or regret like unnecessary weight that I often call 'the backpack of bricks.' Or we jump ahead into the future, worrying about goals, quotas, or outcomes we can’t yet control.

Both patterns pull us out of the only place where success actually happens:
the now.

Being present—the ability to stay grounded in the current moment—is one of the most underrated performance advantages in sales. When you’re present, you listen more intently, ask better questions, think more clearly, and make decisions from confidence rather than fear. Presence turns conversations into opportunities and actions into progress.

But when you’re stuck in the past or anxious about the future, it becomes easy to procrastinate, avoid outreach, or hesitate on follow-up. Your energy shifts from purposeful to reactive. Momentum stalls.

Tips to Stay Present in the Now

1. Use the 60-Second Reset.
Before calls or meetings, pause for one minute. Breathe deeply. Release past thoughts and future worries. Step into the moment with intention.

2. Focus on the next right action.
Instead of the whole pipeline, chooseonemeaningful step you can take right now. The example of me saying 'stop' is an example of choosing to listen to your inner voice and trusting it.

3. Turn off “mental multitasking.”
When you’re speaking with a prospect, listen fully. Don’t rehearse your next line or mentally check your inbox. Being present is not only physical, it is mental, emotional, and psychological.

4. Set time-bound reflection windows.
Reflecting on the past or planning the future is helpful—when scheduled. Don’t let it leak into your performance time. Power sessions are a great way to stay on track with tasks. Set a timer for 15, 30 or however many minutes you need to finish a task.

5. Use presence prompts.
Keep a sticky note with: “Be Here Now.”It interrupts autopilot thinking.

Common Mistakes That Block Presence

Ruminating on past missteps
Future-tripping over outcomes
Trying to control what you cannot control
Overloading your to-do list
Avoiding uncomfortable tasks

When you master the power of the present, you reclaim your confidence, your clarity, and your ability to take decisive action—right now.

Amy Lemire CSP

Amy Lemire CSP DTM works with success-driven leaders and teams who want to be more, make more, and sell more with confidence, with momentum. She is the creator of “The Best Version of You: Success Habits Breakthrough” Program. For the past 10 years, she has trained thousands of sales and business professionals on standards of excellence, and mastery of the keys to success and the ‘Sales Confidence Code.’ Her focus is on how to win the inner game of self-confidence to drive peak performance results in sales, business, and speaking, through the mastery of success habits. After spending 2 decades in business-to-business and medical sales and training, Amy founded AIM Training and Consulting International. She is a certified “Habitfinder” Leadership Coach. Amy is the author of 2 books: “From Zero to Sales Hero,” and “From Zero to Speaker Hero.” Amy was recently designated as a Certified Speaking Professional, in March 2023, by the National Speakers Association, for delivering over 300 hours of training and speaking. She is also a VISTAGE-certified speaker. Amy is a Distinguished Toastmaster, the Past President of National Speakers Association, St Louis Chapter, and a Member of the National Speakers Association. She has been recognized as a Fortune 500 top sales performer and sales trainer for over 3 decades. When she is not working you may find her at local rock concert, personal development seminar, or at home with her husband Nigel and her cat Brianna.

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