Years ago, a former boss and mentor of mine shared a principle that stuck with me. He owned a few duplexes, and his rule was simple: if a tenant was two months behind on rent, eviction proceedings began on the first day of the third month.

His reasoning? “If you can’t pay one month’s rent, you’re certainly not going to pay two.”

And you know what? He was never wrong. That rule worked, and it made me think: this same principle applies to hitting your monthly sales quota.

A Lesson in Priorities

I once worked with a salesperson who, early in the month, walked past my office. I called him in and asked, “What’s your goal this month?”

He stuttered. Hesitated. He didn’t know.

I contained my disappointment and calmly told him his quota. “Now, how are you going to reach it?” I asked. “Think about it, make a plan, and we’ll meet next Tuesday at 10:00 to discuss.”

The following week, we met and this time, he knew his quota. Good start. I then asked, “What’s your apartment rent each month?”

He answered immediately. No hesitation.

“You have a roommate, right?” I asked. “What’s their share of the rent?”

He knew that too.

“Now suppose your roommate couldn’t pay their share one month. What would you do?”

“I’d probably ask them for it every day until they caught up.”

“And if they didn’t?”

“I’d have to make up the difference and find another roommate.”

I nodded. “So you agree that the landlord wouldn’t accept just half the rent and call it good?”

“Of course not,” he said.

“Exactly,” I replied. “And your quota is no different. There is nothing less than your full quota that is acceptable. That’s not how this works.”

 Rent Is Fixed — So Is Your Quota

When it comes to rent, people know the number. They know the consequences of missing it. They budget, plan, and prioritize to make sure it’s covered.

Sales quotas should be treated the same way and have the same priority, if not greater.  More money can solve a lot of problems.

When you know your number, you know how hard you need to work. That awareness drives urgency and responsibility. You won’t hit your quota through guesswork or hoping things “pick up later.” It takes:

• Discipline — Day-in, day-out commitment to pipeline activity.
• Focus — Concentrating on leading daily goals of high-impact tasks that move the needle.
• Efficiency — Sharpening skills through debriefing and using better tools to work smarter for future appointments and conversations.
• Accountability — Owning your results without excuses or delays. You owe it to yourself, your team and your employer.

Quota Debt Is Real

Let’s be clear: sales doesn’t work on a rollover system. You can’t “make it up next month.” If you miss your target this month, the pressure increases next month. And unless something changes — your habits, your skillset, or your effort — you’re just carrying a deficit forward, making it harder to catch up.

Just like rent, your quota is non-negotiable. Falling behind forces painful decisions: do more with less time, work more hours, make up ground while handling new responsibilities, or worse, fall further behind and damage your credibility.

Stay Ahead, Stay On Track

Don’t wait for quotas to catch up with you. Stay ahead of your:

• Behavior — Make proactive calls, follow up diligently, and qualify ruthlessly.
• Tasks — Don’t delay outreach, proposals, or internal collaboration.
• Responsibilities — Know your metrics, report consistently, and seek feedback.
• Obligations — Own your number, your calendar and time; and your career path.

When you treat your sales quota like your rent — something fixed, non-negotiable, and mission-critical — you’ll operate with the urgency, clarity, and consistency that drive results.

Thanks for reading — and remember, quota isn’t optional.

Last week someone came up to me at a networking event and introduction themselves and shared they first heard me present at a chamber event in 2002. I asked them what they remember from that talk, because I may have to walk some of my advice back.

Our market changes everyday and sometimes the advice I gave, is no longer true. [Read more…]