قراءة كتاب The Psychology of Salesmanship
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always drawing man onward and upward. Hope backed by Will and Determination is almost invincible. Learn to look on the bright side of things, to believe in your ultimate success. Learn to look upward and forward—heed the motto, "look aloft!" Cultivate the "rubber-ball spirit," by which you will be able to bounce higher up the harder you are thrown down. There is a subtle psychological law by the operation of which we tend to materialize our ideals. The "confident expectation" backed by actions will win out in the end. Hitch your wagon to the Star of Hope.
VII. Enthusiasm. Very few people understand the true meaning of the word "enthusiasm," although they may use it quite frequently in ordinary conversation. Enthusiasm means far more than energy, activity, interest and hope—it means the expression of the "soul" in mental and physical actions. The Greeks used the word as meaning "inspiration; moved by the gods," from which arose the later meaning of "inspired by a superhuman or divine power." The modern usage is defined as: "Enkindled and kindling fervor of the soul; ardent and imaginative zeal or interest; lively manifestation of joy or zeal;" etc. A person filled with enthusiasm seems to move and act from the very centre of his being—that part which we mean when we say "soul." There is a wonderful power in rightly directed enthusiasm, which serves not only to arouse within one his full powers, but also tends to impress others in the direction of mental contagion. Mental states are contagious, and enthusiasm is one of the most active of mental states. Enthusiasm comes nearer to being "soul-power" than any other outward expression of mental states. It is allied to the soul-stirring impulse of music, poetry, and the drama. We can feel it in the words of a writer, speaker, orator, preacher, singer or poet. Enthusiasm may be analyzed as Inspired Interest. As Walter D. Moody says: "It will be found that all men possessed of personal magnetism are very much in earnest. Their intense earnestness is magnetic." The best authorities agree that Enthusiasm is the active principle of what has been called Personal Magnetism.
An old writer has well said: "All of us emit a sphere, aura, or halo, impregnated with the very essence of ourselves, sensitives know it, so do our dogs and other pets; so does a hungry lion or tiger; aye, even flies, snakes and insects, as we know to our cost. Some of us are magnetic—others not. Some of us are warm, attractive, love-inspiring and friendship-making, while others are cold, intellectual, thoughtful, reasoning, but not magnetic. Let a learned man of the latter type address an audience and it will soon tire of his intellectual discourse, and will manifest symptoms of drowsiness. He talks at them, but not into them—he makes them think, not feel, which is most tiresome to the majority of persons, and few speakers succeed who attempt to merely make people think—they want to be made to feel. People will pay liberally to be made to feel or laugh, while they will begrudge a dime for instruction or talk that will make them think. Pitted against a learned man of the type mentioned above, let there be a half-educated, but very loving, ripe and mellow man, with but nine-tenths of the logic and erudition of the first man, yet such a man carries along his crowd with perfect ease, and everybody is wide-awake, treasuring up every good thing that falls from his lips. The reasons are palpable and plain. It is heart against head; soul against logic; and soul is bound to win every time." And as Newman says: "Deductions have no power of persuasion. The heart is commonly reached, not through the reason, but through the imagination, by means of direct impressions, by the testimony of facts and events, by history, by description. Persons influence us, looks subdue us, deeds inflame us." Enthusiasm imparts that peculiar quality that we call "life," which constitutes such an important part in the personality of a salesman. Remember we have analyzed enthusiasm as inspired earnestness—think over this analysis, and grasp its inner meaning. The very word "enthusiasm" is inspiring—visualize it and let it incite you to its expression when you feel "dead." The very thought of it is a stimulant!
VIII. Determination. The Salesman needs the quality of dogged determination, persistence, and "stick-to-itiveness." This bulldog quality must be developed. The "I Can and I Will" spirit must be cultivated. Determination is composed of several constituent faculties. First comes Combativeness or the quality of "tackling" obstacles. This is a marked quality in all strong characters. It manifests as courage, boldness, resistance, opposition, and disposition to combat opposition rather than to yield to it.
Allied to this faculty is another which bears the very inadequate name of Destructiveness, which expresses itself in the direction of breaking down barriers, pushing aside obstacles, making headway; pushing to the front; holding one's own; etc. It is the quality of the man who makes his own paths and builds up his own trade. It is the "pioneer" faculty of the mind which clears away the ground, lays foundations and builds the first log-cabin.
Then comes Continuity, the faculty which is well-defined as "stick-to-itiveness," which enables one to stick to his task until it is finished. This faculty gives stability and staying qualities, and enables a man to finish well. The lack of this quality often neutralizes the work of other good faculties, causing the person to "let go" too soon, and to thus lose the fruits of his labors.
Finally, comes the faculty of Firmness, which gives to one the quality of tenacity, perseverance, fixity, decision and stability, accompanied by a certain "stubborn tendency" which holds the other faculties together. A certain amount of this quality of "jackass courage" is needed in the mental make up of a Salesman. If a person is 'set' to a certain extent it enables him to maintain his position without the constant wear and tear upon his will that is met with by those lacking it. This faculty prevents one from being "sidetracked," and enables him to "put his hand to the plow and look not backward." It holds the chisel of the will up against the metal of circumstances until the work is accomplished. It enables one to be like the rock against which harmlessly beat the waves of opposition and competition. It enables one to see his object, and then to march straight to it.
IX. Secretiveness. We mention this quality, not because it is one which plays such an important part in the world of Salesmanship, but because the tendency of the average Salesman is to talk too freely regarding matters which should be kept to himself. This failing on the part of the Salesman is due to the free expression which his work necessitates. He should remember, however, that many a good plan has miscarried by reason of the tendency of the Salesman to "blab," or to "give away" his hopes, plans and expectations. The Salesman should think thrice before speaking regarding any matter of office or personal policy, plans, methods, or other things which he would not like his competitors to know. It is a safe rule, laid down by a very successful business man, that one should "Never speak of anything that he is not desirous of his principal competitor hearing—for hear it he will if one speaks of it." The world is full of the "little birds" who delight in carrying tales—the "walls have ears" with microphone, wireless telegraphic attachments. Be a diplomat in matters of the kind to which we have referred. A little thought should convince that if you yourself do not