I still think about it from time to time but I know how the pressure is on in the sales world to be "one of the guys". Watch football, drink a lot, play golf, and practically be a preppy frat guy in the corporate world. I used to worry that if I was not "one of the guys", it would hurt me and in some situations, perhaps it has.

Then I started owning up to some of my hobbies that would get shunned by the preppy sales crowd such as doing Brazilian Ju Jitsu and practicing MMA after work. Watching less popular sports like Formula 1 and UFC as opposed to obsessing over the NFL. Going to comedy shows and actually taking acting classes on the side as opposed to guzzling down a bunch of beers on weekends and playing golf.

I also do model photography with one of my friends who is trying to launch his business in that and actually seeing momentum, spend a lot of my weekends on that and have met a lot of interesting people in it.

I feel like proactively distancing myself from the Polo and Khaki Wearing Bro has turned my sales career and quality of life around. It is like I started out in sales wanting to be accepted by them and now the last thing I want is to be a part of that crowd. Like I do not even care if I lose a job offer or get fired because I am not "one of the guys" and I feel so at peace.

If I had to share one piece of wisdom I have learned, it is, don't try to be one of the guys or just someone you are not for the sake of fitting into a sales culture or landing that job offer.

Since making this shift, I have seen the following happen:

Getting job offers from 3 dream companies I wanted to work for as an AE but then turning them down since the base was trash
Having prospects and C-Levels tell me there is something "different" about me and wanting to talk more to me as a result of that (closed 4 deals from it)
More mental peace
Better life outside of work
Toxic work environments do not get to me like they used to

Not trying to be "one of the guys" has massively improved my sales career and quality of life.

Advice? Constant feedback and considering career changes

Paused Raises to avoid Layoffs