Some sales trainers will tell you that the location of your sales presentation is of critical importance in making the sale; unfortunately, they don't all agree what that location should be. Some say that it should be made in the prospect's office, others in your office and still others in a neutral zone such as a restaurant. I'm going to break with these folks and say that the only place where truly successful selling takes place is right between the salesperson's ears.

The most important playing field in sales is and always has been your mind. Look at any sales superstar and you'll see this is true. The truly great ones in any field succeed because they have developed the mindset for success. For some, this mindset has developed naturally because of good genes and a nurturing environment. For most of us, though, developing the right mindset takes a significant amount of work and a constant vigilance to guard any progress we make.

The reason for this is that we are under a constant barrage of negative messages from the world around us. We take in so much negative information on a daily basis, it can be a real challenge to keep our success mindset intact. What are some steps we can take that will help? Try these:

First, limit the amount of negative information you voluntarily take in on a daily basis. The easiest way to do this is by simply turning off the news. Another way is to limit your dealings with people who insist on focusing on negative subjects. Of course, it's impossible to shield yourself entirely from negative input; just do your best to limit your exposure. Think of it as smoggy air: you know that it's bad for you, right? Does the fact that you can't avoid it entirely, though, mean you should go wrap your lips around the nearest tailpipe and suck it all in? Of course not.

Second, replace the negative with something positive. A good book, a motivational CD, some upbeat music: whatever makes you feel good about yourself and what you do. There are some great programs you can buy or check out from your local library that you can pop into the CD player in your car and turn your drive time into learning time. Be proactive with your mental intake.

Third, develop an optimistic outlook on life. Focus on the good things, the things you are grateful for. Remember that no matter how bad things might seem right now, there is almost always someone who is in a worse plight than yours. Optimism is a choice. You get to choose in each moment how you are going to react to what the world is offering you. The more often you choose to react with gratitude and optimism, the more you will see the world respond with more things to be grateful for.