Zig Ziglar - Zig: The Autiobiography Of Zig Ziglar

Contents

Dedicated to my mother,
Lila Wescott Ziglar.
Kindgentlewise
pillar of strength and shining
example for all who knew her.

You, _______________________________________,
will find the help, hope, and encouragement in this book
that will serve as a reminder that if man can take
moldy bread and make penicillin out of it,
just think what a loving God can make
out of you.

Thank You

There are so many who meant so much to me in my life that identifying them all would be impossible. However, as always, there are some who played bigger roles than others and thats particularly true of this effort.

In apportioning our thanks, we begin with this books editor, my daughter, Julie Norman. The countless hours she spent, her love for me, and her knowledge of my life, along with her marvelous insights, made her an invaluable asset in getting this story down and getting it straight. She has a unique talent in connecting the links, and since she is of a different generation and a different gender, she brings balance to our work together.

Laurie Magers, my faithful executive assistant for the last twenty-five years, as always did yeomanlike work in transcribing my dictation, recalling events and details that had slipped from my memory bank, and working in tandem with Julie. She contributed mightily to the effort this book represents.

Bruce Barbour, our friend and agent, was more than generous with his time and his thoughtful suggestions. He made the book better balanced and stronger, and he enhanced the message.

Margaret Langstaff, for stepping in and smoothing out the rough edges. Her ability to tweak the text in just the right places contributed significantly to the quality of this work.

Of course, I must here recognize the person to whom I refer throughout all of my books and talks, the one who gives my life special meaning and brings joy and delight to me on a daily basis, and who after more than fifty-five years of marriage is still the light of my life (my crush on her is obviously permanent). Im talking about my wife Jean (the Redhead). Her support and love during the writing of this book, as well as her candid advice, have meant a great deal to me and to the outcome of this project.

The twenty-six people whose pictures occupy my Wall of Gratitude and to whom I refer throughout the book played huge roles in my life, and I want to recognize them individually: Lila Wescott Ziglar, Jean Abernathy Ziglar, Sister Jessie, Suzan Ziglar Witmeyer, Mrs. Dement Warren, John R. Anderson, Walton Haining, Mrs. Margaret Worley, Mrs. J. W. Parker, Jobie Harris, W. P. (Bill) Cranford, P. C. Merrell, Bob Bales, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Dr. Emol Fails, Hal Krause, Harry Lemmons, Frank Grubbs, Bernie Lofchick, Cavett Robert, Dr. and Mrs. W. A. Criswell, Fred Smith, Mary Kay Ash, Mary Crowley, Dr. Kenneth Cooper.

In addition, I owe a special thanks to the seminar leaders who over the years made it possible for my name to be spread in the marketplace when I spoke at their seminars.

Then, of course, there are the other members of my family. My son, Tom, who is our president and CEO, and Richard Oates, my son-in-law, who is our chief operating officer, kept things going in our organization during extraordinarily busy times. As I frequently tell people, although I am in on the major decisions, my primary function is to make speeches and write books. My family and staff are critical to my efforts because they free me to do my thing while not having to get involved in the day-to-day responsibilities necessary to keep the ship afloat. Thats critical as we work together to fulfill our mission, which is to be the difference makers in the personal, family, and professional lives of enough people to make a positive difference in the world.

I especially want to recognize my niece, Virginia Everett, for helping me keep the facts straight. She has spent countless hours working on the genealogy of the Ziglar family, and her resources were a tremendous help.

I am forever indebted to my late sister, Turah Ziglar Allen, the family matriarch, who helped me reconstruct some of my early childhood memories and other incidents that had an impact on my life. She was a little mother as much as a big sister to me.

To the countless other people who have played roles in my life, who were the unseen friends and helping hands that over the years have been difference makers in my life, thank you. Your letters, words of appreciation, and support have all been extremely meaningful.

My publisher, Doubleday and Waterbrook Press, and their editors have been gracious and very helpful in every way possible. Eric Major led the editing effort and worked diligently with my staff and me to achieve the best possible end result. I am sincerely grateful to all of them.

This work has been a real labor of love, and vitally dependent on the involvement of both the obvious persons as well as anonymous contributors to my life. Without all of them this book would never have been written or published. Im truly grateful to all of you. May God bless you.

Sincerely,
Zig Ziglar

Foreword

Autobiographies often flaunt, exaggerate, rationalize, and end up on bookstore bargain tables. But not this one! Zig Ziglar invites you to travel a road filled with colorful characters, humorous stories, and hope.

Zig is a man with a story. More important, he is a man with a message for you. His faith-based, high-performance system has created a new way of thinking for men and women worldwide. The principles he shares are distinct and grounded in enthusiastic discipline.

The measure of a public man is taken in the private moments. Gimmickry and hype rarely survive the heat of real life. As someone Zig calls mentor and friend, I know the man who inspires thousands. I also know the man who grieves, yet not like those without hope. Zigs gift is not optimism but the clear understanding of the power of gratitude. His methods work because they are born of profound appreciation and awe. In his life he demonstrates that the light of gratitude dispels the darkness of discouragement.

His lifes foundation is commitment: to God, to family and friends, and to all those his life touches. You hear him say, If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want. Those closest to him know that he walks the talk. In reading his story you will be encouraged to take the next step in your plan and keep on stepping until youve reached the goal. The benefit of reading the life stories of our heroes is to understand and apply, take a thought and make it an actionthen you will truly have understood Zigs story.

Fred Smith
Businessman, Author, Lecturer,
Consultant, and Mentor to many

Introduction

When I was born, the doctor handed me to my mother and said, Mrs. Ziglar, you have a perfectly fine, healthy baby boy. Nine days later he picked me up and sadly shook his head, indicating that I was dead. Yes, I died when I was nine days old. However, my family has told me that my grandmother walked to me, picked me up, held me in her hands, and started talking to me. Of course, we all know that she was not really talking to me