Politics are the major tool used to decide how things get done in an organization.
- Advocating for a project you want to do is politics
- Making the case for your own progression in your career is politics
- Exerting influence to steer away from a direction you feel is incorrect is politics
Politics are important, and you ignore them at your peril.
When you sit and watch others get promoted around you despite your dim perception of their abilities and the heightened opinion of your own, what's different? Were they better salespeople of themselves than you are?
Doing your job perfectly competently and not engaging in any politics makes you the absolute perfect person to continue that job indefinitely. Don't blame others for your immobility.