June/July 2007 newsletter article
How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling, by Frank Bettger
At the end of this famous book, Mr. Bettger writes, “Many years later, when I was groping in the dark, desperately trying to learn how to sell, I picked up a book that had a tremendous effect on my life, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin…
Franklin chose thirteen subjects which he felt were necessary or desirable for him to acquire and try to master, and he gave a week's strict attention to each subject successively. In this way, he was able to go through his entire list in thirteen weeks, and repeat the process four times in a year... I followed his plan exactly as he told me how he used it. I just took it and applied it to selling…
Remember, Franklin was a scientist. This plan is scientific. Reject it, and you reject one of the most practical ideas ever offered you…
Franklin’s thirteen subjects (just as he wrote them down, and the order in which he used them)
1. Temperance - Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. Silence - Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order - Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution - Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. Industry - Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity - Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice - Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation - Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. Tranquility - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity - Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. Humility - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.” |
