Certain Success by Norval A. Hawkins

N >> Norval A. Hawkins >> Certain Success

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The little man even doubts the existence of big manhood. He cannot
comprehend such size. A pint measure, however much it is stretched, is
utterly unable to contain a bushel. But the larger measure easily holds
either a pint or a bushel. Similarly if you are big in _manhood_, you
can comprehend alike the little man and the big man. You will be able to
deal successfully with both.

[Sidenote: The Clothing Of Manhood]

It is not sufficient, however, that you grow to the full stature of your
biggest man possibilities. It is necessary also that you be _clothed in
the characteristics of manhood_ in order to be _recognized_ as a man.
When you were only an infant, you were safety-pinned into a square of
cloth once doubled triangularly. You graduated to rompers at a year and
a half or two. Then you put on knee-pants, and afterward youth's long
trousers. Now you wear the clothes of a full-grown man. You would not
think of dressing in knickerbockers, or rompers, or--something younger,
to present your qualities and services for sale. Yet your outer garb is
much less important to the success of your salesmanship than is your
_clothing of manhood._

[Sidenote: What is Your Man Power?]

If you hope to assure yourself of man's-size success in life, plan that
wherever you are you will make the instant impression that you are
"every inch a man," not just an overgrown baby or boy. Follow the
example of Paul, that incomparably great salesman of the new ideas of
Christianity. He wrote in his powerful first sales letter to the
Corinthian field, "When I became a man, I put away childish things."
_Compel respect_ by your sound virility. Have a well-founded
consciousness that in manhood you are the equal of any other man, and
you can make everybody you meet feel you are a man _all through_.

What is your size as a sales _man_ now?

Ask yourself this question, and answer it frankly. In order to make sure
of selling yourself into the opportunities you want, you must take your
own measure and fit your manhood to the selling process you have begun
to learn. Beyond a doubt you are now a sales man of _some_ size. You are
selling your physical or mental powers, your services of this kind or
that, with a degree of efficiency directly proportionate to your
man-power.

[Sidenote: The 1/4 m.p. Man]

If you are only a 1/4 m.p. salesman at present, you lack three-fourths of
the man capacity needed to handle with certain success all the
opportunities of full-size manhood. You were not limited by Nature to 1/4
m.p. size. You were born with _full man capacity_. You are like a
gasoline motor developing but a quarter of the power it was designed to
produce--not because of any structural fault in the engine, but simply
for the reason that it does not function _now_ as it was intended to
operate, and as it can be made to work _in the future_ if it is
overhauled and put in perfect condition. The full power capacity
originally built _into_ the motor needs to be brought _out_. Likewise
_your_ man-power plant requires to be made as efficient as possible, in
order to assure you of full man-capability for achieving success.

Maybe your chief fault is poor fuel, and what you most need is good
"gas." You have not been filling up your mind with the right ideas. Or,
perhaps, your piston rings leak; and you lack the high compression of
determined persistence. Another fault might be in your carburetor--you
are not a good "mixer." Or your spark of enthusiasm may be weak. It is
possible, too, that your fine points are caked over by the carbon of
accumulated bad habits. Maybe you have a cracked cylinder--your health
is partly broken down. The fault is in your timer, perhaps. You are not
"on the job" when you should be.

[Sidenote: Your Manhood Can Be Re-built]

No matter what ails your particular engine, _it can be repaired or
rebuilt into a full one-manpower motor of efficiency_. If you limp and
pound along with but a quarter of your capability, it is your own fault
for not overhauling your power plant. Don't continue as a 1/4 m.p. man and
blame anybody else, or curse your bad luck because you can't make speed
and carry the load necessary to succeed. _Stop trying to go on crippled
or clogged in manhood_. Run yourself into the repair shop right away and
"get fixed."

You can make your manhood over.

There is full-man capability in you. You can get it all out and put it
to work for your success.

You have the ability to re-make your _character_ entirely, without
changing _your individual nature_.

You must accomplish transformation into _your best self_ before you can
make the most of your opportunities to sell your abilities and services.
It will not suffice that you just are _willing_, or _desire,_ to become
a first-class salesman of your particular "goods of sale." Merely
acquiring information or _knowledge_ of the selling process is not
enough to assure your success in life. Even the most skillful _practice_
of all the sales principles and methods you learn will be insufficient
to guarantee your success--if you do not develop your full _man
capacity_ for sales-man-ship.

[Sidenote: Essentials of the Master Sales Man]

The result of the necessary changes and growth in _your_ manhood will be
an enlarged conception of _all_ men--your greater capacity to understand
and to handle _any one else_ successfully.

It is entirely possible for you to develop and cultivate every essential
quality of the master sales-_man_, and still to be just _yourself_.

[Sidenote: Good Appearance]

The high grade professional salesman makes the best _appearance_ of
which he is capable. Surely you can do that, too. You can train yourself
to grace and ease in your bearing. However unsatisfactory your features
may be, you certainly are capable of looking pleasant, and therefore of
being attractive. It is possible for you to have well-kept hands and
hair; to wear suitable, clean clothes; to be neat.

[Sidenote: Physical Capacity]

First-class salesmanship requires, too, a high degree of _physical
capacity_ for the most effective performance of the selling process. You
need health, virility, energy, liveliness, and endurance, in order to
sell effectively _the idea that you are physically able_ to fill the job
you want most. Physical incapacity is a handicap in almost any vocation.
It can be remedied. It _must_ be remedied as fully as possible in your
case. You may not be very robust naturally, _but you can make the most
of the constitution you have_, with certain success as the incentive
for your fullest possible physical development. Few of us are as well as
we _might_ be.

[Sidenote: Mental Equipment]

Whatever your physical shortcomings, there can be no doubt that you are
capable of developing all the essential _mental_ equipment of the
successful salesman. You only need to comprehend a few elemental laws of
mind science; and then to _train_ yourself to the utmost of your
particular ability--in perceptive power, alertness, accuracy,
punctuality, memory, imagination, concentration, adaptability to
circumstances, stability, self-control, determination, tact, diplomacy,
and good judgment.

Does this seem like a long list of difficult accomplishments? Examine
the items, and realize how easy it is to develop these mental qualities
of masterly sales_man_ship.

Perception is simply looking at things with your mind as well as with
your eyes.

Alertness is no more than mental sharp ears.

Accuracy results from taking pains to be right.

Punctuality is a habit of mind that anyone can develop.

Memory is acquired by practice in remembering things.

You use _some_ imagination every day--use _all_ your imaginative power.

Likewise you occasionally concentrate your thoughts. More exercise in
concentration will develop this mental characteristic.

You adapt yourself to circumstances when necessary, or when you choose.
You can train yourself so that you will be prepared to meet anything
that may happen.

You have a degree of stability of character, otherwise you never would
accomplish anything. Increase your steadfastness by sticking to more
purposes.

Similarly determination, self-control, tact, diplomacy, and good
judgment are merely the natural results of _continual practice_ to
develop these mental qualities.

[Sidenote: Emotional Qualities]

The principal _emotional_ or _heart_ qualities required in masterly
selling are ambition, hopefulness, optimism, enthusiasm, cheerfulness,
self-confidence, courage, persistence, patience, earnestness, sympathy,
frankness, expressiveness, humor, loyalty, and love of others. Think of
these one by one, and realize how many of them you already possess to a
considerable degree.

You may not be optimistic; perhaps you lack self-confidence, or maybe
you are wanting in courage. But with the possible exception of these
three "heart" qualities of the master salesman, you are not deficient
now in the emotional essentials of successful salesmanship. You need
only a _higher degree_ of each.

Develop all your capability in the other qualities, and you will find
you have become an optimist. Your self-confidence, too, will grow as
fast as you increase your ability. When you are full of optimism and
self-confidence, you will not find it difficult to create courage within
yourself. _Then you will have the complete emotional equipment of a
master salesman._ The exact way to develop courage with certainty is
explained in the second chapter of "The Selling Process," with especial
reference to the professional salesman, who _must_ meet his prospects
courageously in all circumstances if he would succeed.

[Sidenote: Ethical Essentials]

Nor is it hard for you to qualify yourself _ethically_ for mastery of
the selling process. Surely your intentions are right. You mean to be
honest and truthful. You can be of good moral character. You expect to
be reliable. It should be easy for you to love your chosen work.

[Sidenote: Spiritual Capacity]

There remains, finally, the essential of _spiritual capacity_ for
selling. It comprises idealism, vision, faith, desire to serve, ability
to understand other men. Perhaps you are deficient in some of these
spiritual qualities now. But with idealism all about you in the spirit
of the world cannot you, too, lift your eyes to higher purposes than the
satisfaction of merely selfish desires? Are you not able to look
broadly, instead of narrowly at life? You know you must have faith--that
you cannot make sure of success if you doubt. Your mission as a true
salesman of yourself should be to serve your prospects by satisfying
their real needs for the abilities you have. Love of others results from
serving them with what you can supply that they lack.

In no respect, then, from personal good appearance to spiritual
capacity, need you be other than _your best possible self_ to qualify
for certain success with the selling process.

[Sidenote: Change and Growth Necessary]

Reference has been made repeatedly in these pages to the necessity for
_change_ and _growth_ in your man character before you can become a
master salesman of your full capability for success. Of course you
cannot change your _nature_ into a different _nature_; any more than one
form of life can be transformed into an entirely distinct form of life.
It is impossible to develop a carrot into a calla, or to make a dog of a
pig. But the _elements_ of any particular form of life may be altered,
most radically.

[Sidenote: Develop Use, Activity and Quality Of Elements]

So you can develop: (1) the _use_; (2) the _degree of activity_; (3) the
_quality_, of any element in your present salesman equipment.

For example, it is generally recognized that suitable clothes help to
create a good impression. Therefore you should _use_ to the _highest
degree of activity_ and of _quality_ what you know about the effect of
dress in helping to create a good impression. But, to particularize, do
you (_use_ your knowledge) polish your shoes, even if it is no more than
flicking off the dust with your handkerchief, every chance (_highest
degree of activity_) you get when they need it? And when you polish your
shoes in the morning preparatory to starting your day's work, do you
just give them "a lick and a promise," or do you "make 'em shine?"
(Highest degree of _quality_.)

[Sidenote: Animal Training]

The "stupid" pig can be taught to do as phenomenal tricks as the
"intelligent" dog. It is possible to train a pig so that he will appear
to be able to discriminate among colors, to tell time, even to perform
simple operations in arithmetic. At the circus or vaudeville we sit in
wonder while the "educated" stupid pig, alertly afraid of the trainer's
whip, performs stunts of seeming _intelligence_. Under the stimulus of
fear he acts like a quick-thinking dog. In truth he _has_ been changed
by training, from the _pig characteristic_ of utter stupidity to the
_dog characteristic_ of rudimentary intelligence. But in _nature and
form_ he remains just a pig. If you should see him among other pigs in a
pen, you never would mistake the "educated" pig for a fat puppy.

In the trained pig the _use_ of his pig mind is developed to an unusual
degree of _activity_ and of _quality_ to save himself from punishment
and to gain the tidbits that reward his performance of tricks. The
purpose of the trainer is accomplished by changing and developing the
_mind functioning_ of the pig. No trainer would attempt to change the
_nature_ of a pig--to develop a pig into an elephant, a different
_creature_. Only _characteristics_ can be changed or developed.

[Sidenote: Plant Development]

Luther Burbank has accomplished with plants even more extraordinary
changes and developments in characteristics than have been achieved by
the most expert trainers of animals. He could not make a carrot into a
calla; but he did take the dwarf natural calla plant and develop it into
a splendid lily that bears flowers measuring a foot across the petal. He
also multiplied the characteristic colors of the natural calla and has
evolved great blossoms of a score of shades, from pure white to jet
black.

The noted plant wizard developed, too, the naturally small, hard, dry,
sour prune and transformed it into a juicy, sweet fruit that is bigger
and more delicious than our common plum.

He also succeeded in altering radically an element of the natural
walnut, which had a characteristic covering skin of bitter tannin over
the meat inside the nut shell. For countless centuries walnut trees had
been in the habit of covering the meat of their nuts with this tannin
skin. Luther Burbank trained selected walnut trees to give up this fixed
bad habit, and to produce nuts the meats of which were not enveloped in
bitter coverings.

[Sidenote: Man Making]

Since expert trainers have been able to accomplish such marvelous
changes and developments in the characteristics of lower animals and
plants--not changes in the form of life, but alterations so nearly
miraculous that they seem almost to be changes in nature--is there the
least doubt that you, a _man_, excelling every other animal, and every
plant in consciousness and intelligence, are capable of the most
radical, elemental changes in your present self?

Cannot _you_, then, certainly develop and _use_ to a much higher degree
of _activity_ and _quality_ the MAN characteristics you now possess? Of
course you can! You need but to learn the _science of yourself_--to get
full knowledge of what you are and of what you might be--by studying the
_big, best qualities in you_. After that you will need _to make the
most_ of what you learn about your true self. Intensive self-study will
reveal to you all the possibilities of your enlarged and bettered
personality. When you know you have developed your biggest, best
manhood, you certainly will feel increased power to sell your "goods."

Of all living creatures, Man is the most adaptable, is capable of the
greatest development, and responsive in the highest degree to desires
from within and to influences from outside himself. Only a stupidly
ignorant man would hold to the belief that the elements of his character
cannot be radically changed and developed. At present you may be
handicapped with what you have considered "natural disqualifications"
for success. Then _study_ yourself thoroughly, _one detail at a time_.
Follow this self-analysis by intelligent practice in the active use of
your best qualities, and determine to _change_ your "disqualifications"
into _salable characteristics_ that will help you to succeed.

[Sidenote: No Normal Man Lacks Qualifications For Success]

Certainly a slouch can straighten up, wash his dirty hands and face,
dress neatly, and suggest proper regard for his appearance. The physical
weakling is able to build considerable strength into himself. Dullards,
unless their brains are stunted, may develop surprising intellectual
keenness. Careless men can train themselves to painstaking accuracy.
Individuals who are habitually late may become models of punctuality.
The man of flighty thoughts can concentrate. It is possible to control a
quick, bad temper. Tact, diplomacy, and good judgment can be learned and
used efficiently by the countless thousands of people who now are
tactless, undiplomatic, and characterized by poor judgment.

So it is with the principal emotional, ethical, and spiritual qualities
of the master salesman. _You_ have them _all_, elementally. _Certainly
you can develop any selected element to higher activity and use it_ to
help you sell true ideas of your best capabilities.

Maybe you have fought long and vainly for self-confidence, for courage,
for will power. Perhaps you have realized for years that you are slow in
perception, and have struggled to make yourself take mental snap-shots
of details and conditions. You have wished and willed and worked to be
agreeable and courteous; yet perhaps you lose friends by your
characteristic disagreeableness and lack of courtesy. If, in spite of
all you so far have done to improve yourself, you have been unable to
get rid of your faults and defects, you are apt to question the
statement that you _certainly can_ develop such qualities as you most
desire.

[Sidenote: Decision Will Power Hard Work Insufficient]

No doubt you have _decided_, probably you have _willed_, very likely you
have made a _persistent struggle_ to change your characteristics. You
honestly have tried hard to grow, and to increase your man capacity.
Consequently your failure may have left you rather hopeless about ever
succeeding as you once expected to succeed. Perhaps you have given up
your case as "too tough a job." We will assume that you are not so young
as you wish you were, and that you have committed to memory the
fatalistic, hoary lie, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." But
recall the fixed habit of bitterness the walnut had for centuries, the
color and size of the natural calla, the sour taste of the little wild
prune, which the plant wizard changed most radically without using any
"wizardry" at all. He just _applied scientific knowledge_ in his
training of walnut trees and callas and prunes and other forms of
vegetable life. Have you tried his method of development? Do you know
exactly what he did?

If Luther Burbank had merely _desired_ and _willed_ that the walnut
should give up its old bad habit, he never could have accomplished the
job of development. He might have _insisted persistently_ for a
life-time that the little, sour, dry prune should become more luscious
and larger than the plum; but it would have remained the same in size
and other characteristics as it always had been, despite his continued
determination. Desire, will, and persistence were but preliminary steps
toward the complete accomplishment of his purpose with the prune.

[Sidenote: Luther Burbank's Method]

Burbank worked out in his mind and by actual experiments _distinctive
methods_ of development--_development and changes along particular,
definite lines._ He selected for the prune he _wanted to produce,_ (an
imagined, ideal prune) certain desirable qualities of the plum--the best
plum characteristics. He studied _what produced these particular
qualities in plums_. Then with his exact, scientific knowledge of the
_similarity in nature_ of the plum and the prune, and his equally
definite knowledge of the _differences in their characteristics_,
supplemented by his knowledge of _exactly what produced_ the difference
in the two fruits, he started his experiments with natural prune trees.

He led specimens through a pre-determined scientific process of
training. He succeeded in getting his experimental prune trees to
develop discriminatively, almost as if they had the power of choice,
_particular plum qualities in preference to others._ But the result was
not a transformation of the prune trees into plum trees. The fruit of
the tree he evolved was just a _perfected_ prune. He simply developed
_all the capability_ the prune had originally to be _like_ a plum in
deliciousness.

[Sidenote: Natural Growth Without Struggle]

Note just here one very important feature of the Burbank method of plant
development and change. It did not involve any _struggle_ or _hard work_
on the part of his trees. He merely provided _natural_, but
scientifically _selected_ conditions and food; knowing that his prunes
then would grow naturally in the particular ways he wanted them to
develop, and in no other ways at variance with his plan.

Perhaps the primary fault in your ineffective effort to develop yourself
into the man you want to be, is that it has been a _struggle_. _Natural_
growth always is _easy_. Growth involves a struggle only when one or
more of the _means_ of natural growth are lacking. Luther Burbank wished
his prune trees to develop certain selected qualities of the plum.
Therefore he provided his wild prunes with the same means he had used
effectively _with plums_ to increase _their_ lusciousness. He knew these
means should have a _similar_ effect on _prunes_. When he had provided
the natural means of discriminative development, he left the rest to the
_natural growth_ of his prune trees. They began to develop the selected
plum qualities _easily_, and generation after generation became more and
more like plums.

[Sidenote: Two Bases Of Growth Mind and Body]

Now let us consider briefly: first, the _bases_ of natural, easy growth
of selected man qualities; second, the _processes_ that take place in
the development of desired man qualities, some of which may not have
seemed to exist previous to the evolutionary training; third, the
training _methods_ that should be employed to make these processes most
effective and to produce the particular results wanted and no others.

There are _two bases of development in every one_--the inner and the
outer man. The _real himself_ is the inner man, which psychologists call
the "Ego." But there is something else in the make-up of every man, his
_body_. Each of us recognizes his body--not as _himself_, not as his
ego--but as _belonging to_ the real, or inner himself. A man thinks and
says, "_my_ body" just as he considers and refers to anything else that
is his.

The discrimination between the two parts of "_You_" must be understood
at the very start of your self-development. All your plans for the
growth of the characteristics you need to assure your success should be
based on comprehension of your _duality_. The two "You's" in yourself
not only are distinctly _different_, but they are also very intimately
_related_ in all their functions. Neither your "ego" nor your body is
independent of the other part of your duality. So, of course, both must
co-operate fully in every _process_ of your self-development; and your
_training methods_ should be planned for the bettered growth of your
inner and outer man _as a team_.

[Sidenote: Team-work Processes]

You understand now that your growth should be on a dual basis; that you
have two different men to develop, not just one; and that they must be
handled _discriminatively_, but _together_.

Next it is necessary that you know in _exactly what ways_ the activities
of the mind man, or ego, are related to the activities of his body, or
the physical man. Otherwise you cannot comprehend the team-work
processes by which any desired qualities of manhood can be developed
from their rudiments. Perhaps the reason you have not yet succeeded
fully is that you have been a "one-horse" man and have not trained your
dual self to be an effective _mind-and-body_ team pulling together. It
takes both mind and body to bring to market successfully all the "best
capability" of a man.

[Sidenote: Training Methods]

Evidently, as a pre-requisite to self-development, one should have
knowledge of the particular processes that result _surely_ in natural,
easy, rapid growth. Otherwise he would be more than likely to employ a
wrong or only partly right _method of training_. So as a student of
yourself you need to start with comprehension of your two _bases_ of
development, mind and body. It is necessary next that you acquire
scientific knowledge of the distinct but related _processes_ of
developing your two selves severally to work together as a team. Then
you must learn the particular _methods_ of cooeperative mental and
physical training that are most effective in accomplishing the man
growth you desire.

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