Napoleon Hill's Success Masters

by Napoleon Hill

  ENTREPRENEUR TIP

  Looking for a recession-proof business? Many experts point to franchises as safer bets to weather financial storms. Look for businesses that provide essential or critical services or staple items that never go out of style.

  Pioneer Hybrid in Marengo, Iowa, is now drying its seed corn with an exotic fuel. Guess what it is. No, not solar energy. Not nuclear energy. Hybrid corn is now being dried by burning corn cobs.

  Now why didn’t we think of that a long time ago? Because oil was $2 a barrel and we didn’t have to. Now oil’s going to be $11, $12, $13 dollars a barrel, and these alternative energies begin to make sense. And there’s a downtown office building in suburban Milwaukee, West Allis, which is entirely heated and cooled without any gas, without any oil, electricity, or solar energy—by harnessing the body heat of its 7,000 occupants. And Americans, Lord willing, you and I are going to be together someday a decade from now talking about sources of energy we are using in our everyday living which I can’t tell you about yet because the words for it aren’t in the dictionary yet. So soon, we will forget the petroleum industry that made us the powerhouse of this planet, which was born before the turn of another century, and all because there was a fuel shortage. There was a fuel shortage so acute in the 1860s that a Boston newspaper headlined “The Lights Will Go Out All Over the World” because of a shortage of whale oil. That’s why we started punching holes in Texas. We were running out of blubber.

  Now running low on petroleum, we just might even rediscover the value of elbow grease. Oh, my dear Americans who are the energetic minority, and confidentially, we always were, are on the threshold of the greatest national social, political, and economic rearrangement in a hundred years, and because there are so many goof-offs, there has never been so much room at the top.

  You know, this is going to be rough on us reactionaries these next ten years. But if we can somehow keep our intellectual arteries sufficiently pliable to accept and adapt to inevitable change, oh, what a time to be alive.

  SELLING OPTIMISM

  And now the last thing that I’d like for you to remember is something that ought to reinforce your PMA. Every optimist in history has been right. And every pessimist in history is buried in an unmarked grave.

  You know of all the times when man could live there is no more perfect one, no more exciting one, than this. This is really a very rare moment in the history of the world. In our own country, the smoke shrouding Capitol Hill has been ventilated and our economy is back in high gear; by all standards 1977 will be a very green year. Environmental pollution, air and water, everywhere that it’s measured is measurably less. On campuses, admission deans everywhere tell me that now the preoccupation, even in the freshman and sophomore years, is with vocational education.

  Historians will not find many of our any 200 years when we have enjoyed less social ferment, fewer labor strikes, less disease, and more take-home prosperity. Even the crime fever, at least you would agree, is subsiding.

  At year end, 1976 has shown an unprecedented investment, public and private, in developing inexhaustible supplies of clean air; music is almost singable again; uppers and downers are a fading fad and the comb is making a comeback.

  On the doorstep of 1977, our nation’s most underappreciated minority, our farmers, are about to move up. Dollar shrinkage is some less than last year and much less than anywhere else. Americans have led the world in exploration of other worlds, and if we’ve not found life there, the fallout from our adventuring has contributed so much to a better life here. And the horizons for women have been pushed back beyond the kitchen window. A rather long way beyond.

  Physically, our sons and daughters are now so improved over any heretofore that we can’t reprint the record books fast enough to catch up with our taller, healthier, faster, stronger athletes, and there has been no other time nor other place where builders and manufacturers and merchants and advertisers have been in such vigorous competition with one another and with themselves to provide for you some things better, better tasting, better for you, longer lasting, or more beautiful. And with all the bounty and the beauty that would surely lull us to sleep, we’re still just enough blessed with some unsolved problems and inspiring challenges to keep us awake. So it’s little wonder that ours is the only land where people are standing in line trying to get in instead of dying trying to get out.

  And you in the front lines of this new economic renaissance, you of all people are right where the action is. Boy, what a thrilling time this is to be an American. You know, of all the recent bumper stickers, the one I like best says, “America—she ain’t perfect, but we ain’t done yet.”

  SELLING SELF-DISCIPLINE

  We cannot herald this land of the free without at least some apology, when you know you can’t go out to the airport and get on an airliner without submitting yourself and your luggage and even your underwear to search. Not because there’s tyranny in government, but because there’s anarchy in the unbuttoned brains of a handful who don’t deserve to be free so the rest of us can’t be. That’s why I say self-government without self-discipline won’t work.

  And you who bristle about the alphabetical agencies that usurp your prerogatives, let’s imagine that there were no Food and Drug Administration. Let’s just imagine that starting tomorrow there is no FDA, then how many roaches will be the allowable limit in your bottle of ketchup? Come on now, how much would be too many bug droppings in your oatmeal? And would you without government supervision market lethal blowguns as Christmas toys? Self-government without self-discipline won’t work.

  The National Advertising Review Board is trying self-regulation, trying to police advertising claims so that government won’t have to, and just this week it told Alpo, Please stop implying that your pet food product is all meat when it’s not. You and I can remember in the old pre-regulated days when the insurance salesman said anything to get his foot in the door and promised anything to get a customer commitment. And the FTC is probing some practices of which we cannot be proud. How safe would coal miners be without governmental scrutiny? So the number of government regulatory agencies has doubled in ten years.

  A few misused freedoms and we’re all that much less free. But self-government without self-discipline won’t work. A New York manufacturer will lock his fire doors and boaters will make toilets of beaches. But now you know what? We’re fishing in the Great Lakes again. And the Cuyahoga River in Ohio does not catch fire anymore. And the air is measurably cleaner.

  All I said that you might possibly have missed was that self-government without self-discipline won’t work. We are making measurable, provable progress in cleaning up our air and cleaning up our water, but what a shame that government had to do it. Yet the more responsibility we vacate, the more government will move in and free enterprise will be that much less free.

  Did it ever occur to you that the Declaration of Independence about which we’ve been making such a fuss this bicentennial year also included an important declaration of dependence also? I’m not sure that the declaration of dependence is not even of transcendent importance. It’s in the next-to-last paragraph where the founders of our nation called upon the guidance and blessing of almighty God.

  Now, Paul Harvey, you’ve gone from commentating and started preaching. And I don’t mean to, but faith is a responsibility infinitively higher than any to which I would aspire, but I can’t separate goodness and badness from today’s news and explain it because every ugly headline on page one is because somebody’s emotions got out of whack. He might have been smarter than all get out, smart enough to be an atomic scientist or a professor, bank official, but if he was emotionally colorblind, don’t you see, he was an unguided missile inevitably destined to self-destruct.

  Self-government without self-discipline won’t work. Now, on the sunshine side of the ledger, there is not one of these problems which bedevil us today which wouldn’t respond but to a formula as simple as do unto others.

&nbs
p; I mean all of them. Crime, pollution, inflation, every one of them. We don’t need more laws, piled on laws, seeking salvation by legislation. All we got to do is revert to obedience to the basic ten. Said another way, we have to resell our home folks on the foundation stone of our Americanism.

  ENTREPRENEUR ACTION ITEM

  Using Sales Secrets to Position Yourself as an Expert

  In “Selling,” Paul Harvey uses the American experiment as a basis for his lessons on the nature of selling. Whether you are selling a concept, an experience, or an experiment, it’s all about positioning yourself as a trustworthy expert. That’s especially true if your product, idea, or concept is traditionally considered a “tough sell,” like the concept of self-discipline he writes about above.

  If, as Harvey posits, everyone is a salesperson at heart, then we all must have the same approach, right? Not so fast. Your sales approach (and what you’re selling) depends largely on your goals. And if you feel confident and knowledgeable about the product, service, or idea you’re selling, then you are well positioned to not only sell it, but yourself as well. The most successful salespeople in the world don’t come across as salespeople. Instead, they carry themselves as experts in their industry who can solve key challenges for their ideal prospects. Simply put, if you’re in the business of selling, then you’re an expert in whatever you sell. It’s up to you to make sure your prospects know it. While your prospects only see what’s going on at their own companies, you can offer them a valuable bird’s eye view of trends across the entire industry. But do your customers see it that way? If not, it’s because you’re coming off as salesy instead of as an expert.

  The following eight simple keys will help you build a reputation as an expert in whatever you sell, so you can earn prospects’ trust and start to achieve your sales goals.

  Don’t Think Like a Salesperson

  If you want to come across as an expert to your prospects, you must first stop being “salesy.” That means you have to stop thinking like a salesperson. When you think like a salesperson, you jump at any chance to pitch your product or service. Instead, slow down and listen. Strive to identify if your prospects are a fit in the first place. Practicing thoughtful intentionality is the first step toward being viewed as an expert in the eyes of your customers.

  Adopt a Doctor’s Mindset

  Instead of thinking like a salesperson, try adopting the mindset of a doctor. I’ve never met a doctor who used a pitch like, “We have this incredible new procedure that I just can’t wait to tell you about! It’s going to change everything!” Rather, good doctors ask questions to make sure they understand your pain before making a diagnosis. Mimic this approach by making it your goal to understand your prospects’ deepest frustrations before you propose a solution.

  Lose the P.E.P.

  Most salespeople are full of P.E.P.—persuasion, enthusiasm, and pitching. They’ve been told this is the key to closing more sales, but it isn’t true. If you have to persuade a prospect, then they probably aren’t a good fit for what you sell. Enthusiasm comes off as salesy and insincere, and pitching is the opposite of trying to understand a prospect’s problem. Instead of turning your sales meeting into a P.E.P. rally, adopt a genuine approach to understand and diagnose key challenges. When you do, prospects will view you as an expert they can trust.

  Share Challenges You’ve Observed

  As an expert, you have valuable industry information that your prospects would love to know. Capture their attention and increase your perceived value by sharing some of that information at the start of your conversations with prospects. Try listing a few examples of challenges you’ve seen in their industry. This will provide value, give the prospect something to relate to, and serve as a launching pad for a great discussion.

  Ask About Their Challenges

  Once you’ve shared a few common challenges you’ve observed, simply ask, “Do any of these challenges ring true to you?” Simple questions like this create more value when you sell, in addition to engaging prospects and encouraging them to open up to you. If you can get someone to articulate a challenge that they’ve yet to share with anyone else, you’ll immediately gain respect as an authority in your field who can tap into, and ultimately resolve, big problems.

  Know When to Walk Away

  What do you do if you ask, “Do any of these challenges ring true to you?” and your prospect answers, “no?” Well, if a prospect doesn’t have challenges you can solve, then it’s probably not a good fit. When this happens, you must be willing to disqualify. Walk away without looking back so you can spend your time with qualified prospects instead. Customers will respect and trust you more when they notice you aren’t trying to push a product they don’t need.

  Remember the 15 Percent Rule

  Salespeople should never talk for more than 15 percent of a meeting. Talking doesn’t put you in control of a conversation—great questions do. Engaged body language, thoughtful questions, and small prompts such as, “Really?” are all great tools to keep the customer talking. Follow this rule, and prospects will view you as a thoughtful listener and an expert.

  Never Need a Sale

  In all fairness, there may be times when you really do need a sale to pay your bills, but prospects should never be able to tell. When you come across as successful and confident, prospects will believe you don’t need their business. Instead, you’re simply meeting with them because you think your offering will truly help them. Relaxed confidence is attractive to prospects, and an air of success will suggest that you’re an established expert in your field.

  You’re already an expert in your industry. Now it’s time to act like one. Which of these keys will you use to establish yourself as an expert in the eyes of your prospect?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The Story of the Other Wise Man

  Henry Van Dyke

  Henry Van Dyke held several occupations during his life, including educator, clergyman, and writer. One of his best-known publications is the story of “The Story of the Other Wise Man,” a short novel about the wise man who also saw the star rising in Bethlehem, and set out to follow it, yet did not arrive with the other wise men.

  Following is an abridged version of this parable. The main idea in the novel is about finding solutions to problems. If you have accomplished many things, but still have not reached a major goal, this story is for you. At heart, this story is a business parable, designed to walk the reader through the journey of success with all the fits and starts, triumphs and tragedies that remind us we are more than our work. And sometimes, our end goals aren’t really destinations, but rather, catalysts for finding who we really are.

  A CLASSIC TALE WITH A TWIST

  You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East and how they traveled from far away to offer their gifts at the manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man, who also saw the star in its rising and set out to follow it, yet did not arrive with his brethren in the presence of the young child Jesus? Of the great desire of this fourth pilgrim, and how it was denied, yet accomplished in the denial? Of his many wanderings and the probing of his soul? Of the long way of his seeking, and the strange way of his finding, the one whom he sought?

  In the days when Augustus Caesar was master of many kings and Herod reigned in Jerusalem, there lived in the city of Ecbatana, among the mountains of Persia, a certain man named Artaban, the Magi. Artaban was holding council with his friends. He stood by the doorway to greet his guests, a tall, dark man of about 40 years, with brilliant eyes set near together under his broad brow, and firm lines graven around his thin, fine lips.

  “Welcome!” he said, in his low, pleasant voice, as one after another entered the room.

  There were nine visitors, differing widely in age but alike in the richness of their dress of many-colored silks, and in the massive golden collars around their necks, marking them as Parthian nobles, and in the winged circles of gold resting upon their breasts, t
he sign of the followers of Zoroaster.

  “You have come tonight,” said Artaban, looking around the circle of nine men, “at my call, as the faithful scholars of Zoroaster, to renew your worship and rekindle your faith in the God of Purity, even as His fire has been rekindled on the altar. We worship not the fire, but Him of whom it is the chosen symbol, because it is the purest of all created things. It speaks to us of one who is Light and Truth. Hear me, then, my friends,” said Artaban, “while I tell you of a new light and truth that have come to me through the most ancient of all signs. I have kept this prophecy in the secret place of my soul.”

  He drew from the breast of his tunic two small rolls of fine parchment with writing upon them, and unfolding them carefully, set them upon his knee. “They have been shown to me and to three of my companions among the Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. We have searched the ancient tablets of Chaldea and computed the time. It falls in this year. We have studied the sky, and in the spring of the year, we saw two of the greatest stars draw near together in the sign of the Fish, which is the house of the Hebrews. We also saw a new star there, which shone for one night and then vanished. If the star shines again, they will wait ten days for me at the temple, and then we will set out together for Jerusalem, to see and worship the promised one who shall be born King of Israel. I believe the sign will come. I have made ready for the journey. I have sold my possessions and bought these three jewels—a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl—to carry them as tribute to the King. And I ask you to go with me on the pilgrimage, that we may have joy together in finding the Prince who is worthy to be served.”

  While he was speaking, he thrust his hand into the inmost fold of his girdle and drew out three great gems: one blue as a fragment of the night sky, one redder than a ray of sunrise, and one as pure as the peak of a snow mountain at twilight—and laid them on the outspread scrolls before him.