Norval A. Hawkins - Certain Success

Salesmanship Essential to Assure Success

There are particular characteristics one can have, and particular thingsone can do, that will make failure in life certain.

Why, then, should not the possession of particular oppositecharacteristics, and the doing of particular opposite things, result ascertainly in success, which is the antithesis of failure?

That is a logical, common-sense question. The purpose of this book andits companion volume, "The Selling Process," is to answer itconvincingly for you.

Success can be made certain; not, however, by the mere possession ofparticular characteristics, nor by just doing particular things.

Your success in life can be assured; but only if you supplement yourqualifications and make everything you do most effective by usingcontinually, whatever your vocation, the art of salesmanship.

Why Are Some Men Failures Who Deserve to Succeed?

Life can hold nothing but failure for the ill-natured, unsociable,disgusting tramp who is known to be ignorant, lazy, shiftless, aspendthrift, a liar, and an all-around crook. Such a worthless man willmake a complete failure of life because he is so dis-qualified tosucceed.

On the other hand certain success ought to be achieved by thegood-natured, intelligent, reliable man who continually wins friends;the truthful man who has a fine reputation for thrift, honesty,neatness, and love for his work. He seems entirely worthy of success.Yet for reasons that baffle himself and his friends it sometimes happensthat such a man is unsuccessful.

The defeat in life of one who appears so deserving of victory seems toprove that success cannot be assured by the development of individualcharacteristics and by doing specific things. But such a wholly negativeconclusion would be wrong. When a worthy man fails, he loses out becausehe lacks an essential positive factor of certain successthe abilityto sell his capabilities. By mastering the selling process thisfailure can turn himself into a success.

Self-advertised Disqualifications Unrecognized Capabilities

We are sure of the failure of the man who is utterly disqualified tosucceed; not because he has particular faults, but because theyself-advertise and sell the idea of his disqualifications for success.His characteristics and actions make on our minds an impression of hisgeneral worthlessness. Defects are apt to attract attention, whileperfection often passes unnoticed.

Millions of worthy men, otherwise qualified for success, have failedsolely because their merits were not appreciated and rewarded as theywould have been if recognized. Capabilities, like goods, areprofitless until they are sold. Therefore the man who deserves towin out in life can make his victory sure only by learning andpracticing with skill the certain success methods of the mastersalesman.

The Duty to Succeed

Down through all the ages has come the duty to succeed. It wasenjoined in the Parable of the Talents. No one has the right to do lessthan his best. Then only can he claim full justification for hisexistence. The Creator accepts no excuses for failure. Every personalquality, and every opportunity to succeed that a man has, must be used,to entitle him to the rewards of success. He owes not only to himselfand to his fellows, but also to God, the obligation of developing hisutmost capability. If he does not pay dividends on the divineinvestment in him, his dereliction is justly punished by failure inlife. Sometimes he even forfeits the right to live.

Success Cannot be Copied

Many ambitious people, who recognize their duty to succeed but do notknow how to go about it, make a common mistake in thinking. They believethe secret of certain success can be learned from examples; thatsuccess can be copied. So men who have succeeded conspicuously areoften asked to state and explain their rules, for the benefit of othermen who regard them as oracles.

Other Men's Formulas

Doubtless you have read much about Marshall Field, J. Pierpont Morgan,Charles M. Schwab, and similar outstanding business men. You havestudied their principles of success. You have tried to practice theirmethods. But somehow the most careful following of their directions hasnot made you a multi-millionaire, nor can you see riches as a prospect.Naturally you are both disappointed and puzzled. Perhaps you have testedfaithfully for years various formulas of success extracted from theadvice of successful men. Yet you have failed, or have achieved onlypartial and unsatisfying success. You have been unable to solve theproblem that you once felt so sure could be worked out by the rules youmastered.

Maybe you have become discouraged and have given up, in disgust, yourambition for achievement. Very likely you have said to yourself,"Success is so much a matter of luck and circumstances, there's no wayto make sure of it. I've done everything that Marshall Field, J.Pierpont Morgan, and Charles M. Schwab have counseled; but I'm stillplugging along on an ordinary salary. Rules for certain success arebunk. Luck has to break right for a man."

The Element of Luck

Unquestionably good luck has brought success to some men who wouldhave failed without its aid. It is equally beyond doubt that bad luckhas prevented other men from achieving their ambitions. Of course suchsuccesses and failures do not fall within any rules. They are altogetherexceptional, and neither prove nor disprove general principles.

Eliminating the factor of luck, good or bad, the success of any normal,deserving man can be made certain to the extent of his individualcapacity. Some men have different or bigger capacities than others;hence not all successes will be of the same kind, or alike in extent.But any normal, deserving man can assure himself as great a success ashe is fitted to achieve. It is necessary, however, that he do more thandevelop his utmost capability. He must learn to employ skillfulsalesmanship, in order to market his "goods of sale," or personalqualifications, most profitably.

Sales Skill Necessary

Each of us has to make his own pattern of success. "The individualshould develop his individuality," instead of attempting to imitateanybody else. It is even more necessary for him to use mosteffectively all the natural powers he builds up.

A man can assure his success only if he learns how to utilize hispersonal qualifications so as to create and control his opportunitiesto succeed. He should be able to bring himself to good luck, and notexpect anybody or any event to bring good luck to him.