Certain Success

䑖Certain Success

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Certain Success, by Norval A. Hawkins This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Certain Success
Author: Norval A. Hawkins
Release Date: January 4, 2005 [EBook #14589]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration]
CERTAIN SUCCESS
by Norval A. Hawkins
_Author of "The Selling Process"_

THIRD EDITION
1920 DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE
TO BEGIN WITH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 HOW TO STUDY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 I. THE UNIVERSAL NEED FOR SALES KNOWLEDGE. . 29 II. THE MAN-STUFF YOU HAVE FOR SALE . . . . . 63 III. SKILL IN SELLING YOUR BEST SELF . . . . . 108 IV. PREPARING TO MAKE YOUR SUCCESS CERTAIN. . 137 V. YOUR PROSPECTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 VI. GAINING YOUR CHANCE . . . . . . . . . . . 179 VII. KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER MEN. . . . . . . . . . 209 VIII. THE KNOCK AT THE DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY AND THE INVITATION TO COME IN . . . . . 239 IX. GETTING YOURSELF WANTED . . . . . . . . . 270 X. OBSTACLES IN YOUR WAY . . . . . . . . . . 298 XI. THE GOAL OF SUCCESS . . . . . . . . . . . 332 XII. THE CELEBRATION STAGE . . . . . . . . . . 368

_To Begin With--_
[Sidenote: Salesmanship Essential to Assure Success]
There are particular characteristics one can have, and particular things one can do, that will make failure in life certain.
Why, then, should not the possession of particular opposite characteristics, and the doing of particular opposite things, result as certainly in success, which is the antithesis of failure?
That is a logical, common-sense question. The purpose of this book and its companion volume, "The Selling Process," is to answer it convincingly for you.
Success can be made certain; not, however, by the mere possession of particular characteristics, nor by just doing particular things.
Your success in life can be _assured_; but only if you supplement your qualifications and make everything you do most effective _by using continually, whatever your vocation, the art of salesmanship_.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 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, a spendthrift, a liar, and an all-around crook. Such a worthless man will make a complete failure of life because he is so _dis_-qualified to succeed.
On the other hand certain success ought to be achieved by the good-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 happens that such a man is unsuccessful.
The defeat in life of one who appears so deserving of victory seems to prove that success cannot be assured by the development of individual characteristics and by doing specific things. But such a wholly negative conclusion would be wrong. When a worthy man fails, he loses out because he lacks an essential positive factor of certain success--the ability to sell his capabilities. By mastering the selling process this failure can turn himself into a success.
[Sidenote: Self-advertised Disqualifications Unrecognized Capabilities]
We are sure of the failure of the man who is utterly disqualified to succeed; not because he has particular faults, but because they _self-advertise and sell the idea_ of his disqualifications for success. His characteristics and actions make on our minds an impression of his general worthlessness. Defects are apt to attract attention, while perfection often passes unnoticed.
Millions of worthy men, otherwise qualified for success, have failed solely because their merits were not appreciated and rewarded as they would have been if recognized. Capabilities, like goods, are profitless until they are sold. Therefore the man who deserves to win out in life can make his victory sure only by learning and practicing with skill the certain success methods of the master salesman.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: The Duty to Succeed]
Down through all the ages has come the duty to succeed. It was enjoined in the Parable of the Talents. No one has the right to do less than his best. Then only can he