Book review: Greatest Salesman in the World
Overview
This self-help classic from best-selling author Og Mandino has been around since 1968, and yet a surprising number of people in my generation and younger have not read it or even heard about The Greatest Salesman in the World
However, if you read it thinking it’s going to be a manual for how to become your company’s top salesperson, you’ll be hugely disappointed. The Greatest Salesman in the World
While it may seem a bit dated, the book still has some great concepts to take away from it. Read on for more, with my buy or don’t buy recommendation at the end.
The Parable
The book is actually a very readable parable about a young man named Hafid in ancient Jerusalem in Biblical times. The young man learns from a very wealthy and successful trader — a man who has a chain of stores and many employees — and wants to know his secrets of success. Well, the trader is dying and the boy is like a son to the man, so he shares his secrets by telling the story of how he learned the secrets to success.
When the trader was a young man himself, he was given 10 scrolls by an old rich man, with the mandate to guard them with his life but to pass them on before he died. And thus, by passing these secret scrolls to the young man, the secrets to success are preserved for another generation.
The 10 Scrolls
One by one, the old man reveals the 10 scrolls to the young man. The first scroll (”the scroll marked one”) is titled “Today I begin a new life” and contains instructions for forming the habit that will lead to the successful adoption of the principles contained in the following scrolls. The young man is to read from the first scroll once in the morning, once after his midday meal, and once before he goes to bed, and then do the same for each subsequent scroll, one per month.
The first scroll is an empowering scroll, telling him he has the power to change his life by changing his thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, actions and habits. So far, so good.
But the second scroll is entitled “I will greet this day with love in my heart.” And you ask yourself: “What does this have to do with salesmanship?” Again, if you’re looking for how to be a better salesman, this will probably disappoint you. What the second scroll exemplifies is the positive philosophy contained in this book (and all of Mandino’s subsequent books) — a positivity that I believe can truly change your life if you commit yourself to it.
The other eight scrolls are also great advice, but the scroll marked three is my favorite — “I will persist until I succeed”. Check this out:
In the Orient young bulls are tested for the fight arena in a certain manner. Each is brought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks them with a lance. The bravery of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade. 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.
I will persist until I succeed.
Effects of the Habit Changes
From that short excerpt from the scroll marked three above, you can see from the language how strong each scroll is. Repeating this to yourself every day for 30 days is guaranteed to have some effect on your thinking, and thus your actions.
Many, many people have read this book (more than 13 million copies sold), and many of them have reported life-changing results from the positive concepts contained within it. I cannot guarantee such results for you, but I know that for myself, they are pretty inspiring (in fact, I made the premise contained in the scroll marked one the foundation of the April Challenge).
Does it sound too corny to you? I understand that sentiment, believe me. But as I mentioned in My Story, the effects of positive thinking can be great. It is the one habit that helped me achieve all the others I’ve been successful with. Now, I don’t credit all of my positive thinking to this book, but it (and others) did have an influence, and if you’re looking for ways to utilize the power of positive thinking, this book would be a great start.
Conclusion
I think I’ve been very positive toward this book so far, and with good reason. But in this conclusion, I think I should temper this review with a caution: it’s a good book, with good principles, but it’s not for everybody. If the stuff I’ve written about above seem too corny, and you don’t think you’ll actually try to implement any of the ideas mentioned, don’t buy the book. It would still be an interesting read, and something to think about, but it’s really not for people who are not willing to make positive changes in their attitudes or actions.
If, however, you really think you can change your life, and that your success depends on your habits and your attitudes, this book could start some very powerful changes. It won’t do the work for you, but it could be a seed of positivity that begins some pretty great things for you. In this case, I would give a buy recommendation for this book.
If you’re interested in this book, check it out here: The Greatest Salesman in the World
- Posted on 10 April 2007 in Books |
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Comments (9)
barbara trumpinski-roberts Says:
April 10th, 2007, 15:20 pm
This book is very likely available at most public libraries. It’s okay. I put it up there with Mandino’s other books and with books like ‘Who Moved my Cheese.’
I just found your website…Thanks!!!!
Habben Says:
April 10th, 2007, 16:55 pm
I read this book when I was in my twenties - about 25 years ago. It had a huge impact on me. Before I read it, I sort of let life happen. I’m not sure if I would recommend it to someone now, but at the time, there weren’t so many good choices available.
inspirational quote maniac Says:
April 13th, 2007, 5:20 am
I guess the author’s life is as inspiring as the his book.
Once a failed salesman who nearly took his own life with a $29 pistol, Og Mandino’s life actually took a twist when he read a book by Clement Stone.
Inspired, he went to Mr Stone’s office, applied for a job as an insurance salesman, hired young potato farmers as his agents, work tirelessly and eventually broke the company sales records.
I believe this book comes from the heart and speaks a lot on attitude and life.
Ronald Libman Says:
September 10th, 2007, 22:30 pm
I read “The Greatest Salesman in The World” when it was first assigned to me by my boss and mentor as a young sales person. Since, I have read it at every turning point, bump, stumble or moment of success of my life. I assign it to my staff as one of their first duties. After reading this book well over 100 time I can truly say”it has changed and enriched my life”
Ronald Libman
National Sales Director
U.S. Messenger
Joy roque Says:
February 5th, 2008, 21:29 pm
AFter almost 25 years, I am reading the book again because it was given as a book review assignment by my son’s teacher. I an taking this opportunity to refresh myself on the fundamentals set forth in Og Mandino’s book. Who knows? I might finally attain immeasurable financial and emotional success!
secret dei... Says:
February 23rd, 2008, 8:47 am
…the book was very inspiring…
^_^
sana endi nalng pina project to ni mis roxas!
kaasar kxe ang haba…!!!!!
from a studdent of ignatius of loyola girl sia haha…
Patricia Bricker Says:
May 8th, 2008, 13:38 pm
I enjoyed your review. I read the book many years ago and just took a course on the subject. I would like to have more input on the scrolls. I have been trying to change my thinking and habits for many years and get lazy when difficulties set in.
I am determined to follow this process. I wish it were magic, but it’s a processa and a way of life.
Patricia Bricker
Clearwater, Fl.
Terry L. Harcrow Says:
July 8th, 2008, 2:58 am
Well, my my my goodness! I don’t know where to start! As a college student. I accepted an offer in a college room in the student union in Oklahoma to sell books over the summer with the Southwestern Publishing Company. With $100 i attended their 2 week trainning program to find out i was on my way to sell a set of great books from one of their divisions door to door in the state of maine the first time the company had ventured their! i loaded up my tennis racket and luxury items i never used because of our schedual of making 30 presentations a day! Wow, what gorgeous country the trip showed me! Our trainning materials contained several inspirational books, but one in particular tugged at me to keep reading it the entire summer of 4 months while selling. At first though scared to knock on the first door. This book gave me a courage that i hadn’t had before. Our method of success was to allow the LAW OF AVERAGES to work for us! Thus out of making 30 presentations… we should average selling 3 per day! 1in 10 , 3 in 30! Oddly enough after sweating and driving around the block 10 times… i finally knocked on Mrs. Jones door, my first! I walked out of there with a sale! My second house, my second sale! The third house, my third sale! Well there is nothing to it! this is easy! I don’t know if i was trying so hard that i just did everything right, or what but over the rest of the summer the real law of averages kicked in and it was a lot of work. Yet i grew in strength and character and ability i never would have thought i had or at least could do! The Book of Inspiration I was reading and leaning on its every word was THE GREATEST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD! I wholesaled $4,000 worth of books in 4 months time door to door and hand delivered them too! That was 33 years ago! In todays economy it could be $10,000 and as much as possibly $15,000 (wholesale) Not bad for a little college student half way accross the U.S. from home! I would greet this day with love in my heart and I the salesman was a servant meeting a need and solving a problem by presenting the best product on the market directly in the home! I persisted until i succeeded by paying for my college the next year myself and even had enough to buy me a stereo, and a few other student luxury things that the hard work bought too! The rest is a mouth full but in short, you’ve heard how you eat an elephant? (answer) a bite at a time! This book and few others have scribed and carved my life that applies more like this… “how do you eat 1 thousand elephants….? a Gulp at a time!” (Terry Harcrow) Scroll # eight says… I will multiply my value a hundred fold, which has brought me to launching in august 08, WorldBestBuyToday.com # 1 when you Google… WorldBestBuyToday.com and yet its still under construction and of coarse yet to launch. How’s that for remarkable. T-shirts to extraordinary, valuable Gifts and Products…only $1. It has the potential of being everyones next favorite website in the world since Ebay and Amazon! Creating a buying frenzy with 1,000’s of products and millions of customers! click on Lets Go Shopping, then click on RailRide to see the remarkable values in store for you! I was just walking through a large hotel once and came across a table manned by people selling books for a conference on the other side of the wall. They were Og Mandino’s. I have chills right now thinking of it! I met him, I heard him speak in person… years after his work had changed my life! A Precious, Wonderful, Gifted and Powerful Man! Thank you Og and thank you God for making my life so rich over the years! The heart thats willing finds a thousand ways, but the heart thats not finds a thousand excuses! Today i will begin a new life! Today I will pray for guidance! I will greet this day with love in my heart! I will laugh at the world! I will act now! I will persist until I succeed! i will multiply my value a hundredfold! I am natures greatest miracle! I am Terry and thank you for letting me share with you!
You are also Natures Greatest Miracle!
God Bless All Of You!
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