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1-Page Summary of The Greatest Salesman in the World
Overview
The Greatest Salesman in the World (1968) is a book that discusses how to be successful by following certain principles. It’s written as a parable about Hafid, who inherits ancient scrolls from his teacher—the greatest salesman of all time.
Hafid has a mentor who teaches him about salesmanship. Hafid learns 10 lessons from the scrolls that his mentor gives to him, and he uses them to become wealthy and happy. He then passes on those teachings when he dies by giving them to Paul, who uses them for Christianity.
The scrolls instruct that personal discipline and faith in oneself are the keys to achieving greatness in sales. To achieve this, a person must study the scrolls for 30 days before moving on to the next rule. Each rule should be read three times a day so they become ingrained in one’s mind and body.
The Bible teaches that a good salesman should love his customers and be in control of himself. He shouldn’t let the past or future bother him, but rather focus on the present moment to make sales. A great salesman also needs humility and a sense of humor to get through tough times.
In order to be successful, a salesman needs to set ambitious goals and never give up. Even if he fails many times, he must get back on his feet and keep trying. He should not let fear or laziness stop him from working hard. When the day is done, he shouldn’t go home until he’s sold something else. With God’s help, any salesman can do it!
It’s important for a salesman to give money back to society as soon as he starts earning it. Although product quality and professional networks are important, the scrolls teach that self-control is the most essential attribute of all.
Key Point 1: A substantial amount of the profit that a salesperson earns should be given to those who are less fortunate.
Great merchants from the past gave away half of their earnings to the poor. This may seem counterintuitive, but it will ensure happiness.
Andrew McNair, a wealth manager and author of the book Tithe: A Living Testimony (2012), has explained the importance of tithing. He writes that there are two reasons why people should tithe—to remind them that money does not create happiness, and to bring about spiritual fulfillment. People who tithe give away 10 percent of their income to charity or religious groups. This helps them realize that they have enough money and can share it with those who are less fortunate than themselves. Tithing brings joy because it allows people to help others in need without expecting anything in return for their generosity. Those interested in tithing should put together a plan on how much they will be giving each month, as well as when they will start doing so; this includes creating an artificial environment where one is forced to spend less than what he earns right away so he can save more for later use while also setting aside some money for tithes every time he gets paid.
Key Point 2: A salesperson ought to act with love at all times.
It’s easy to be pessimistic and negative. However, making an effort to love the world will bring happiness and success. Acting from love means giving thanks for all the gifts that god has given us—the sun, stars, family, friends, good food, health. It means loving all kinds of people especially those who are different than us and it also means treating our bodies well by not overindulging in sensual pleasures or being lazy. This makes connecting with other people easier which makes selling easier as well.
Expressing gratitude throughout the day can help you cultivate love. Robert Emmons, a leading scientific expert on gratitude, recommends several methods to cultivate it. One is attaching notes to mirrors or computers that remind us of being grateful. Also, remembering bad times helps foster feelings of thankfulness in the present moment. Keeping a journal of things for which we’re grateful and reflecting on them will help us remember what’s important in our lives and appreciate them more fully. Practicing language associated with gifts, blessings, fortune and abundance will transform ordinary occurrences into moments of joy; bringing attention to physical sensations creates an even deeper sense of appreciation for life’s small pleasures such as food or laughter with friends
