The Greatest Salesman in the World

by Og Mandino

discovered W. Clement Stone's great classic, Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude. . . and my life has never been the same since then.

"Often have I heard you say that no other trade or profession has more opportunity for one to rise from poverty to great wealth than that of salesman."

"Wealth, my son, should never be your goal in life. Your words are eloquent, but they are mere words. True wealth is of the heart, not of the purse."

Strive instead for happiness, to be loved and to love, and most important, to acquire peace of mind and serenity."

Never feel shame for trying and failing for he who has never failed is he who has never tried.

"Failure will never overtake you if your determination to succeed is strong enough."

"Failure will never overtake we if my determination to succeed is strong enough."

"Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough."

Furthermore, experience is comparable to fashion; an action that proved successful today will be unworkable and impractical tomorrow.

What they will teach me is more to prevent failure than to gain success, for what is success other than a state of mind? Which two, among a thousand wise men, will define success in the same words; yet failure is always described but one way. Failure is man's inability to reach his goals in life, whatever they may

In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits. Good habits are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure. Thus, the first law I will obey, which preceedeth all others is – I will form good habits and become their slaves.

Therefore, if I must be a slave to habit let me be a slave to good habits. My bad habits must be destroyed and new furrows prepared for good seed.

For it is another of nature's laws that only a habit can subdue another habit.

I will laud mine enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers.

For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger.

Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation.

Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages.

Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it w...

Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I will share it and it wil...

will persist until I succeed.

Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like manner. If I persist, if I continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I will succeed.

The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning;

I will remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as quit, cannot, unable, impossible, out of the question, improbable, failure, unworkable, hopeless, and retreat; for they are the words of fools.

I will persist until I succeed.

if I persist long enough I will win. I will persist. I will win.

I am nature's greatest miracle.

Vain attempts to imitate others no longer will I make. Instead will I place my uniqueness on display in the market place. I will proclaim it, yea, I will sell

seek constantly to improve my manners and graces, for they are the sugar to which all are attracted.

And nature knows not defeat. Eventually, she emerges victorious and so will I, and with each victory the next struggle becomes less difficult.

will live this day as if it is my last.

will waste not a moment mourning yesterday's misfortunes, yesterday's defeats, yesterday's aches of the heart, for why should I throw good after bad?

Today I will be master of my emotions.

Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts. Each

If I feel depressed, I will sing. If I feel sad, I will laugh. If I feel ill, I will double my labor. If I feel fear, I will plunge ahead. If I feel inferior, I will wear new garments. If I feel uncertain, I will raise my voice. If I feel poverty, I will think of wealth to come. If I feel incompetent, I will remember past success. If I feel insignificant, I will remember my goals. Today I will be master of my emotions.

I will laugh at the world.

This too shall pass.

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible. All are of no value unless they are followed by action. I will act now.

Now I know that to conquer fear I must always act without hesitation and the flutters in my heart will vanish.

I hunger for success. I thirst for happiness and peace of mind. Lest I act I will perish in a life of failure, misery, and sleepless nights.

Henceforth I will pray, but my cries for help will only be cries for guidance.

Only for guidance will I pray, that I may be shown the way to acquire these things, and my prayer will always be answered.