What’s more important to you? The will to prepare or the will to win?

That is a question the Vice President of Sales for Hertz equipment rental division asked me as we were flying together to his national sales meeting, where I was giving the keynote.

Without thinking, I said, “The will to prepare.” He responded, “That’s my guy.” He explained that most people get it wrong, thinking the will to win is what pushes them over the finish line. That’s not true.

Fast-forward to the New York Yankees’ number 99: Aaron Judge, centerfielder, and arguably one of the best home run hitters in modern history. Two years ago, he won the American League batting championship. This year, he’s on target to break his own record and leads in about eight offensive categories.

Why is Aaron so good? Well, take it from Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was just traded to the Yankees. What marvels Jazz when he looks at Aaron isn’t just the majestic home runs—though they are a beautiful sight. What really surprises him is how much preparation Aaron Judge puts in daily.

I researched it. Aaron gets up at 6 am every day and has a balanced breakfast. Then, he follows his routine of cardio, weights, and stretching to stay in shape. He arrives at the stadium hours before the game starts, often spending time honing his batting skills. He starts by perfecting his stroke on a tee, then moves to live pitching. After that, he heads to the video room to review his swing and study the opposing pitcher. He limbers up on the field before the game starts. You can easily say that Aaron puts in about six hours of work before he even swings at the first pitch.

You see, what matters most is not what you do in the sales call. What matters most is what you’re doing before the sales call to get yourself ready. Being good today at what you do is no longer enough. You must be great because everyone is looking for that little edge to push ahead, steal that deal, and get that reward.

So next time, before a sales call, ask yourself: “What’s more important, the will to prepare or the will to win?” Act accordingly.

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