"My good friend and outstanding motivational sales technician the late Dick Gardner called these steps "gradients" and used the following examples to emphasize the point: The boy who is introduced to a young lady and immediately tries to kiss her will lose any chance for serious consideration as a suitor. The student who attempts to move directly from simple arithmetic to geometry will face a hopelessly impossible situation. The salesman who introduces himself to the prospect and immediately starts trying to "write an order" will miss the sale and create ill will in the process. The suitor, the student, and the salesman would all have skipped too many steps, or gradients, and would have failed. Each of them would have had infinitely better chances at success had they taken all the steps. Now, obviously, some people can take the steps faster than others, but if you take all the steps you will be far more certain to get the things you really want."

"As you start on your stairway to the top, your first step will be the development of a healthy self-image. The second step is the recognition of the worth and ability of other people, as well as the necessity of effectively living and working with them. The third step is a strong goal orientation. You need a plan to build a house. To build a life, it is even more important to have a plan or goal. The fourth and fifth steps are that you must have the "right" mental attitude and be willing to work. Within the pages of See You at the Top, you will learn that you really "enjoy" the benefits, rather than "pay" a price. I say this because the price of success is much lower than the price of failure. This is obvious when you compare the failures in life to the successes in life. Don't be misled, however, because you do have to work, but the difference between work being a drudgery or a joy is an adjustment in your thinking. The sixth step is that you must also have a burning desire to excel. You must have lots of "want to"—and, you must live in a free enterprise system so you can control your own destiny."

 

Compiled by Thomas George
editor@Wisdom-of-the-Wise.com