The Greatest Salesman in the World Book Summary

Book Summary

15 min

Audio available

Brief Summary

"The Greatest Salesman in the World" is a classic self-help book written by Og Mandino. It tells the story of Hafid, a poor camel boy who becomes an exceptional salesman under the guidance of a wise mentor. The book is structured as a collection of scrolls, each containing a valuable lesson or principle for success. Through Hafid's journey, the book explores themes of persistence, self-belief, discipline, and the power of positive thinking. It emphasizes the importance of developing good habits, maintaining a positive attitude, and treating others with kindness and respect. "The Greatest Salesman in the World" offers practical wisdom and inspiration for anyone seeking personal and professional success, highlighting the transformative power of mindset and character in achieving one's goals.

About the Author

The most widely inspirational and self-help author in the world, Augustine "Og" Mandino II was an American author. His books have sold over 50 million copies and have been translated in more than 20 languages. He served as president of Success Unlimited magazine until 1976. He was also inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame.

Topics

The Greatest Salesman in the World Book Summary Preview

Do you want to form better business habits, and eradicate bad ones?

No matter what your job is, there are benefits to learning how to sell something, whether it be a product, an idea, or an opinion.

This is what Og Mandino teaches us in his book ‘The Greatest Salesman in the World’. Written in the form of a parable and set in biblical times, the story tells of a young man named Hafid who is struggling to make a prosperous life for himself. Hafid suddenly finds a whole different world before him when a wealthy old businessman reveals to him 10 scrolls, each scroll containing a powerful lesson about how to create a successful business - and thereby, the secrets of success are passed onto the next generation.

“Never feel shame for trying and failing for he who has never failed is he who has never tried.”

As Hafid learns, you yourself hold the key to building a strong and successful business: it is made up of love, persistence, and prayer.

Key Insights

A significant portion of your profits should be given to those who are less fortunate than you. It may sound challenging initially, but giving to people who are more hard-up than yourself ensures a profound sense of happiness and accomplishment. As they said, ‘what comes around, goes around’!

Always conduct yourself with love in your heart. The Beatles weren’t wrong; sometimes love is all you need! It’s easy to let yourself become overwhelmed by negative thinking but a successful salesman makes an effort to act with love and focuses on seeing with the eyes of happiness and good fortune. Through loving ourselves and others, we can connect with people in a meaningful way and achieve our goals.

Always persist. And then persist some more! The successful salesman doesn’t give up in the face of adversity. Failure is an opportunity for learning, and should not be a factor that causes one to give up.

Let your unique qualities become assets! Each one of us is different and has different strengths. Don’t copy others or feel like you have to conform; hone in on what your strengths are and what makes you special, and you’re guaranteed to succeed.

Living in the present moment is a powerful thing. Don’t focus on what went wrong in the past or what might happen in the future; the now is all we have and a successful salesman knows this. Be proactive and seize the day!

Feel your emotions but don’t get lost in them. Being at the mercy of emotional rollercoasters can spell trouble for the salesman. Do not invest in anger, overconfidence or fear, but instead take a step back from difficult situations and aim for emotional equilibrium.

Take a moment to see the funny side! Things go wrong sometimes, and the best medicine is often to laugh it off and carry on. Being able to laugh off a difficult or annoying situation takes away some of its power and allows you to reevaluate your action plan and move ahead in a productive...