The Greatest Salesman in the World - Og Mandino

Og Mandino (1923-1996) was an essayist and psychologist and is considered one of the world's leading specialists in writing personal development books. His main message is "do it now", with the aim of forming good habits through repeated behaviors. His works are strongly influenced by Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, and Emmett Fox. His best-known work is "The Greatest Salesman in the World," which has been translated into numerous languages and has sold over 50 million copies. His other books include "University of Success" and "Mission: Success!"

Here are some of his most valuable pieces of advice: 

1. Do something now, because now is all you have. And enjoy today's happiness today! 

There is only now. Nothing else. Og Mandino wrote: "Tomorrow's tasks I cannot do today, so I will leave them for tomorrow; today I do today's tasks and do them well." This is one of the most useful tips for achieving goals and being happy, and at the same time, one of the most frequently forgotten tips. Focusing on the present implies, first, not ruminating on the past, which cannot be changed, and, second, not worrying about tomorrow, before which nothing can be done. Everything has its moment. The secret is to make each moment special. To put all our heart and mind into what we do, whether it is work or leisure time.

2. Many people stop being men to become philosophers. 

Truth is not learned, it is lived; it is not discovered from theory but from practice. It is true that philosophy, reading, and reflection are tools of unquestionable help in the process of personal transformation, but they never replace one's own experience, which is the true teacher of life. You are your own teacher. Plato stated, "He who learns and learns and does not practice what he knows, is like he who plows and plows and does not sow." And Aristotle said, "What we have to learn we have to learn by doing it." Wisdom has to do with personal experiences.

3. Learn that the person who gives with one hand will always reap with two. 

Generosity always produces returns on all levels. First, on a personal level, because it helps us to feel good about ourselves. There are studies that have empirically demonstrated how people who apply themselves in solidarity activities are happier. And second, because whenever something is done for another person, that person has a certain need to compensate that good deed with another that surpasses it. Giving is the smartest way to receive.

4. One must practice the art of patience because in nature nothing is done in haste. 

Nature is wise and if one observes how it works, one can decipher many clues and behavioral patterns that are enormously useful for our daily lives. One of them is that nothing happens by chance, every effect is the product of a cause, even if a priori we do not know how to identify it; and another is that things that are worthwhile take time before they become reality. The seed is not planted today for its fruit to be available the next day. Patience is a virtue that always appears when we review the biographies of personalities who have left their mark throughout history. 

5. Put your uniqueness on display for the market. 

Architect Frank O. Gehry, the architect of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao said: "Your best work is the expression of yourself. You have to understand that your signature is unique. If you start from there, you have a chance." You are special because you are unique, just like everyone else. You have knowledge and skills that set you apart; what it's all about is giving them a chance to express and manifest themselves. If you are aligned with your talent, there will always be a demand for that talent to shine and fill a gap in the market. And most importantly, you will feel good about yourself.

6. Small attempts, repeated, will complete any venture. Systematic and intelligent persistence is the key to success. 

Ron Scolastico noted, "If you go to a very big tree every day and take five whacks at it, it will eventually have to come down." It's not about doing extraordinary things on a one-off basis, but about doing ordinary things every day. Consistency is a key success factor. Expertise or professionalism in any area is a matter of hours of dedication. This is revealed by different researches that show that being a benchmark in any discipline requires 10,000 hours of hard work. And there are two enemies that keep us away from this goal: first, jumping from one subject to another without mastering any discipline; and second, being in a hurry to achieve results. In short, lack of focus and lack of patience keep us away from our goal.

7. People always respond positively to joy and enthusiasm. 

Joy opens doors. Human beings are social beings, and we like to be surrounded by people who are kind, friendly, enthusiastic, cheerful, fun, smiling, energetic... If that is your attitude, good things will happen to you. You will be offered opportunities to join projects and companies. Your attitude largely determines your life. No matter how many titles and awards you accumulate, if your attitude is not the right one, if you are not a team player, you will fall far short of your potential.

8. Nature knows no defeat. 

Every experience, both personally and professionally, and beyond the final outcome, is an opportunity to learn and grow. Every experience is, in itself, a success, useful information that, well digested, helps to continue moving forward. To have an open attitude towards life is to be in a better position to achieve our goals. For the universe there are only consequences, and, depending on how they are interpreted, they acquire one or another aspect. Failure is just an idea, a concept, something subjective that some see as defeat and others as learning. Our personal and professional development has a lot to do with how we interpret everything that happens to us.

9. What is success if not a state of mind?

People are states of mind with legs, and, depending on whether they are of one or another caliber, the results will also be of one or another nature. Three things are important for this. First, the internal dialogue we have with ourselves. And, it is necessary to cultivate the mind with positive thoughts. Second, we must be careful in which areas and environments we move; we must avoid pessimists and defeatists at all costs because emotions are contagious. And third, it is important to know that we can change our mood through our actions; that is, acting with joy makes us feel happy. It is a matter of provoking a certain state of mind, of directing our brain in such a way that our moods are such that they generate behaviors that produce excellent results. The way we feel determines the way we act, and therefore, what we achieve or fail to achieve.

10. I will erase from my vocabulary words like "I can't" or "impossible" because those are the words used by people who have no faith in themselves. 

The law of success is the law of faith: believe in order to see. In fact, what some call "miracles" is nothing more than the material, palpable and tangible manifestation of faith. And we are talking about a faith that, above all, we have when others do not believe in us. That is where the real merit lies, in continuing to swim against the current. The tennis player Venus Williams once said: "You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. That's what makes you a winner." Without self-confidence, no achievement is possible.