The Greatest Salesman in the World (Book Review)

Over and over again I’ve heard rave reviews of Og Mandino’s The Greatest Salesman In the World.   Notable successful entrepreneurs, motivational speakers, and personal development focused authors have pointed to this book as a highly influential one.  192 reviews on Amazon.com with a four and half star rating…..I had to pick up a copy and see what the scoop was.

 

I really do enjoy a good inspirational novel.  In the past you may have heard me rave about Bob Burg and John David Mann’s The Go-Giver and then you may have read more recently how The One Minute Millionaire by Robert G. Allen and Mark Victor Hansen really pulled me in with such a great story.  This book was another goodie.  Less than 100 pages long and although it started off a bit slow for me, I stuck with it and it definitely got better.  The book is full of powerful life lessons that - if applied – can be life altering.  Some (or all) of this may be things you’ve heard before, but hearing and hearing again is key to transforming your thoughts and actions.

Anyway, in the story, a wise master named Pathros gave his young servant boy Hafid ten ancient scrolls which contained all the wisdom he would need to achieve his ambitions as a salesman.  The boy was supposed to read each scroll every morning and night for 30 days before moving on to the next one.  Here’s your Cliff Notes version of the wisdom contained in the scrolls.  I can promise you that if you want to read the book, reading the description of wisdom on the scrolls below won’t ruin the story at all, so go ahead and read on

Scroll I: Today I Begin A New Life

• Experience is comparable to fashion; an action that proved succesful today will be unworkable and impractical tomorrow. Only principles endure.
• Form good habits and become their slaves

Scroll II: I Will Greet This Day With Love In My Heart

• Always dig for reasons to applaud rather than scratch for excuses to gossip
• When tempted to criticize, bite your tongue but when moved to praise, shout from the rooftops!

Scroll III: I Will Persist Until I Succeed

• Always take another step. If that is of no avail, take another, then another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult.
• Never allow yesterday’s success to lull you into today’s complaceny — forget the happenings of the day that is gone (whether good or bad) and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of your life.
• One of the greatest principles of success: If you persist long enough, you win.

Scroll IV: I Am Nature’s Greatest Miracle

• You have unlimited potential. You can increase your accomplishments of yesterday by one hundredfold or more.
• Concentrate your energy on the challenge of the moment and your actions will help you forget all else.

Scroll V: I Will Live This Day As If It Is My Last

• Avoid with fury the killers of time. Kill procrastination with action.  Bury doubt with faith. Dismember fear with confidence.
• Give thanks each sunrise for the priceless giftof a new day. Remember that time cannot be banked today to be withdrawn tomorrow.

Scroll VI: Today I  Will Master My Emotions

• Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts. Master your moods through positive action.
• Bring joy, enthusiasm, and laughter to your customers and they will react with the same and produce a harvest of sales

Scroll VII: I Will Laugh At The World

• Whenever good humor threatens to depart from you for any reason, remember “This too shall pass.”
• Only with laughter and happiness can you truly become a success and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Scroll VIII: Today I  Will Multiply My Value A Hundredfold

• In setting your goals, consider your best performance of the poast and multiply it by a hundredfold
• Always raise your goals as soon as they are attained; always strive to make the next hour better than the last; always announce your goals to the world

Scroll IX: I Will Act Now

• Your dreams are worthless, your plans are dust, your goals are impossible.  All are of no value unless followed by action.
• Only actions determine your value in the marketplace. Walk where failure fears to walk. Work when failure seeks rest. Talk when failure remains silent.

Scroll X: I Will Pray For Guidance From God

• Ask for guidance so that you can acquire ability equal to your opportunities
• Ask for help to count your blessings each and every day

Wow…that may have been my longest book review ever.  Hope you still enjoyed it!  There’s so much more in this book even though its short so I encourage you to check it out for yourself.  You’ll be able to read it in one weekend if you get just one idea or you’re inspired to do just one thing differently, it will be worth it.