The Greatest Salesman In The World

The Scroll Marked One

Today I begin a new life.

Today I shed my old skin which hath, too long, suffered the bruises of failure and the wounds of
mediority.

Today I am born anew and my birthplace is a vineyard where there is fruit for all.

Today I will pluck grapes of wisdom from the tallest and fullest vines in the vineyard, for these
were planted by the wisest of my profession who have come before me, generation upon
generation.

Today I will savor the taste of grapes from these vines and verily I will swallow the seed of
success buried in each and new life will sprout within me.

The career I have chosen is laden with opportunity yet it is fraught with heartbreak and despair and
the bodies of those who have failed, were they piled one atop another, would cast a shadow down
upon all the pyramids of the earth.

Yet I will not fail, as the others, for in my hands I now hold the charts which will guide through
perilous waters to shores which only yesterday seemed but a dream.

Failure no longer will be my payment for struggle. 

Just as nature made no provision for my body to tolerate pain neither has it made any provision for my life to suffer failure. Failure, like pain, is alien to my life. 

In the past I accepted it as I accepted pain. Now I reject it and I am prepared for
wisdom and principles which will guide me out of the shadows into the sunlight of wealth,
position, and happiness far beyond my most extravagant dreams until even the golden apples in the
Garden of Hesperides will seem no more than my just reward.

Time teaches all things to him who lives forever but I have not the luxury of eternity. 

Yet within my allotted time I must practice the art of patience for nature acts never in haste. 

To create the olive, king of all trees, a hundred years is required. An onion plant is old in nine weeks. 

I have lived as an onion plant. It has not pleased me. Now I wouldst become the greatest of olive trees
and, in truth, the greatest of salesman.

And how will this be accomplished? For I have neither the knowledge nor the experience to
achieve the greatness and already I have stumbled in ignorance and fallen into pools of self-pity.
The answer is simple. 

I will commence my journey unencumbered with either the weight of unnecessary knowledge or 
the handicap of meaningless experience. Nature already has supplied
me with knowledge and instinct far greater than any beast in the forest and the value of experience
is overrated, usually by old men who nod wisely and speak stupidly.

In truth, experience teaches thoroughly yet her course of instruction devours men's years so the
value of her lessons diminishes with the time necessary to acquire her special wisdom. The end
finds it wasted on dead men. Furthermore, experience is comparable to fashion; an action that
proved successful today will be unworkable and impractical tomorrow.

Only principles endure and these I now possess, for the laws that will lead me to greatness are
contained in the words of these scrolls. What they will teach me is more to prevent failure than to
gain success, for what is success other than a state of mind? Which two, among a thouand wise
men, will define success in the same words; yet failure is always described but one way. Failure is
man's inability to reach his goals in life, whatever they may be.

In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have successed lies in
the difference of their habits. Good habits are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked
door to failure. Thus, the first law I will obey, which precedeth all others is --I will form good
habits and become their slave.

As a child I was slave to my impulses; now I am slave to my habits, as are all grown men. I have
surrendered my free will to the years of accumulated habits and the past deeds of my life have
already marked out a path which threatens to imprison my future. My actions are ruled by appetite,
passion, prejudice, greed, love, fear, environment, habit, and the worst of these tyrants is habit.
Therefore, if I must be a slave to habit let me be a slave to good habits. My bad habits must be
destroyed and new furrows prepared for good seed.

I will form good habits and become their slave.

And how will I accomplish this difficult feat? Through these scrolls, it will be done, for each scroll
contains a principle which will drive a bad habit from my life and replace it with one which will
bring me closer to success. For it is another of nature's laws that only a habit can subdue another
habit. So, in order for these written words to perform their chosen task, I must discipline myself
with the first of my new habits which is as follows:

I will read each scroll for thirty days in this prescribed manner, before I proceed to the next scroll.
First, I will read the words in silence when I arise. Then, I will read the words in silence after I
have partaken of my midday meal. Last, I will read the words again just before I retire at day's end,
and most important, on this occasion I will read the words aloud.

On the next day I will repeat this procedure, and I will continue in like manner for thirty days.
Then, I will turn to the next scroll and repeat this procedure for another thirty days. I will continue
in this manner until I have lived with each scroll for thirty days and my reading has become habit.
And what will be accomplished with this habit? Herein lies the hidden secret of all man's
accomplishments. As I repeat the words daily they will soon become a part of my active mind, but
more important, they will also seep into my other mind, that mysterious source which never sleeps,
which creates my dreams, and often makes me act in ways I do not comprehend.

As the words of these scrolls are consumed by my mysterious mind I will begin to awake, each
morning, with a vitality I have never known before. My vigor will increase, my enthusiasm will
rise, my desire to meet the world will overcome every fear I once knew at sunrise, and I will be
happier than I ever believed it possible to be in this world of strife and sorrow.

Eventually I will find myself reacting to all situations which confront me as I was commanded in
the scrolls to react, and soon these actions and reactions will become easy to perform, for any act
with practice becomes easy.
Thus a new and good habit is born, for when an act becomes easy through constant repetiton it
becomes a pleasure to perform and if it is a pleasure to perform it is man's nature to perform it
often. When I perform it often it becomes a habit and I become its slave and since it is a good habit
this is my will.

Today I begin a new life.

And I make a solemn oath to myself that nothing will retard my new life's growth. I will lose not a
day from these readings for that day cannot be retrieved nor can I substitute another for it. I must
not , I will not, break this habit of daily reading from these scrolls and, in truth, the few moments
spent each day on this new habit are but a small price to pay for the happiness and success that will
be mine.

As I read and re-read the words in the scrolls to follow, never will I allow the brevity of each scroll
nor the simplicity of its words to cause me to treat the scroll's message lightly. Thousands of
grapes are pressed to fill one jar with wine, and the grapeskin and pulp are tossed to the birds. So it
is with these grapes of wisdom from the ages. Much has been filtered and tossed to the wind.Only
the pure truth lies distilled in the words to come. I will drink as instructed and spill not a drop. And
the seed of success I will swallow.

Today my old skin has become as dust. I will walk tall among men and they will know me not , for
today I am a new man, with a new life.



The Scroll Marked Two

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy
life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will
remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none
on whom I call can defend against its force.

My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove;
my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt
all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest clay.

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I
will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love
the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will
welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will
acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I speak? I will laud mine enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my
friends and they will become brothers. Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I
scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted to criticize I will bite on my tongue; when I am
moved to praise I will shout from the roofs.

Is it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature speaks with the music of praise for their
creator? Cannot I speak with the same music to his children? Henceforth will I remember this
secret and it will change my life.

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I act? I will love all manners of men for each has qualities to be admired even
though they be hidden. With love I will tear down the wall fo suspicion and hate which they have
built round their hearts and in its place will I build bridges so that my love may enter their souls.
I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me! I will love the failures for they can teach me. I
will love the kings for they are but human; I will love the meek for they are divine. I will love the
richfor they are yet lonely; I will love the poor for they are so many. I will love the young for the
faith they hold; I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their souls
of peace.

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

But how will I react to the actions of others? With love. For just as love is my weapon to open the
hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger.
Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains.
My shield will protect me in the market place and sustain me when I am alone. It will uplift me in
moments of despair yet it will calm me in time of exultation. It will become stronger and more
protective with use until one day I will cast it aside and walk unencumbered among all manners of
men and, when I do, my name will be raised high on the pyramid of life.

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I confront each whom I meet? In only one way. In silence and to myself I will
address him and say I Love You. Though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes,
unwrinkle my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and hisheart will be opened.
And who is there who will say nay to my goods when his heart feels my love?
I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my
body, my mind, my soul, and my heart. Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I
will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. Never will I allow my mind to be attracted
to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I
allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer.
Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I will share it and it will grow and
warm the earth.

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

Henceforth will I love all mankind. From this moment all hate is let from my veins for I have not
time to hate, only time to love. From this moment I take the first step required to become a man
among men. With love I will increase my sales a hundredfold and become a great salesman. If I
have no other qualities I can succeed with love alone. Without it I will fail though I possess all the
knowledge and skills of the world.
I will greet this day with love, and I will succeed.



The Scroll Marked Three

I will persist until I succeed.

In the Orient young bulls are tested for the fight arena in a certain manner. Each is brought to the
ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks them with a lance. The bravery of each bull is then
rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite
of the sting of the blade. Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like
manner. If I persist, if I continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I will succeed.
I will persist until I succeed.

I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep
waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the
sheep. I will hear not those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious. Let them join
the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.

I will persist until I succeed.

The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning; and it is not given to me to
know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure I may still encounter at the
thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never will I know how close it
lies unless I turn the corner.

Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another. In truth,
one step at a time is not too difficult.

I will persist until I succeed.

Henceforth, I will consider each day's effort as but one blow of my blade against a mighty oak.
The first blow may cause not a tremor in the wood, nor the second, nor the third. Each bolw, of
itself, may be trifling, and seem of no consequence. Yet from childish swipes the oak will
eventually tumble. So it will be with my efforts of today.

I will be liken to the rain drop which washes away the mountain; the ant who devours a tiger; the
star which brightens the earth; the slave who builds a pyramid. I will build my castle one brick at a
time for I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.

I will persist until I succeed.

I will never consider defeat and I will remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as quit,
cannot, unable, impossible, out of the question, improbable, failure, unworkable, hopeless, and
retreat; for they are the words of fools. I will avoid despair but if this disease of the mind should
infect me then I will work on in despair. I will toil and I will endure. I will ignore the obstalcles at
my feet and keep mine eyes on the goals above my head, for I know that where dry desert ends,
green grass grows.

I will persist until I succeed.

I will remember the ancient law of averages and I will bend it to my good. I will persist with
knowledge that each failure to sell will increase my chance for success at the next attempt. Each
nay I hear will bring me closer to the sound of yea. Each frown I meet only prepares me for the
smile to come. Each misfortune I encounter will carry in it the seed of tomorrow's good luck. I
must have the night to appreciate the day. I must fail often to succeed only once.
I will persist until I succeed.

I will try, and try, and try again. Each obstacle I will consider as a mere detour to my goal and a
challenge to my profession. I will persist and develop my skills as the mariner develops his, by
learning to ride out the wrath of each storm.

I will persist until I succeed.

Henceforth, I will learn and apply another secret of those who excel in my work. When each day is
ended, not regarding whether it has been a success or a failure, I will attempt to achieve one more
sale. When my thoughts beckon my tired body homeward I will resist the temptation to depart. I
will try again. I will make one more attempt to close with victory, and if that fails I will make
another. Never will I allow any day to end with a failure. Thus will I plant the seed of tomorrow's
success and gain an insurmountable advantage over those who cease their labor at a prescribed
time. When others cease their struggle, the mine will begin, and my harvest will be full.
I will persitst until I succeed.

Nor will I allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency, for this is the great
foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good
or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life.
So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of the greatest
principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win.

I will persist.

I will win.


The Scroll Marked Four

I am nature's greatest miracle.

Since the beginning of time never has there been another with my mind, my heart, my eyes, my
ears, my hands, my hair, my mouth. None that came before, none that live today, and none that
come tomorrow can walk and talk and move and think exactly like me. All men are my brothers
yet I am different from each. I am a unique creature.

I am nature's greatest miracle.

Although I am of the animal kingdom, animal rewards alone will not satisfy me. Within me burns
a flame which has been passed from generations uncounted and its heat is a constant irritation to
my spirit to become better than I am, and I will. I will fan this flame of dissatisfaction and
proclaim my uniqueness to the world.

None can duplicate my brush strokes, none can make my chisel marks, none can duplicate my
handwriting, none can produce my child, and, in truth, none has the ability to sell exactly as I.
Henceforth, I will capitalize on this difference for it is an asset to be promoted to the fullest.
I am nature's greatest miracle.

Vain attempts to imitate others no longer will I make. Instead will I place my uniqueness on
display in the market place. I will proclaim it, yea, I will sell it. I will begin now to accent my
differences; hide my similarities. So too will I apply this principle to the goods I sell. Salesman
and goods, different from all others, and proud of the difference.

I am a unique creature of nature.

I am rare, and there is value in all rarity; therefore, I am valuable. I am the end product of
thousands of years of evolution; therefore, I am better equipped in both mind and body than all the
emperors and wise men who preceded me.

But my skills, my mind, my heart, and my body will stagnate, rot, and die lest I put them to good
use. I have unlimited potential. Only a small portion of my brain do I employ; only a paltry amount
of my muscles do I flex. A hundredfold or more can I increase my accomplishments of yesterday
and this I will do, beginning today.

Nevermore will I be satisfied with yesterday's accomplishments nor will I indulge, anymore, in
self-praise for deeds which in reality are too small to even acknowledge. I can accomplish far more
than I have, and I will, for why should the miracle which produced me end with my birth? Why
can I not extend that miracle to my deeds of today?

I am nature's greatest miracle.

I am not on this earth by chance. I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a
mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the
highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.

I will increase my knowledge of mankind, myself, and the goods I sell, thus my sales will multiply.
I will practice, and improve, and polish the words I utter to sell my goods, for this is the foundation
on which I will build my career and never will I forget that many have attained great wealth and
success with only one sales talk, delivered with excellence. Also will I seek constantly to improve
my manners and graces, for they are the sugar to which all are attracted.

I am nature's greatest miracle.

I will concentrate my energy on the challenge of the moment and my actions will help me forget
all else. The problems of my home will be left in my home. I will think naught of my family when
I am in the market place for this will cloud my thoughts. So too will the problems of the market
place be left in the market place and I will think naught of my profession when I am in my home
for this will dampen my love.

There is no room in the market place for my family, nor is there room in my home for the market.
Each I will divorce from the other and thus will I remain wedded to both. Separate must they
remain or my career will die. This is a paradox of the ages.

I am nature's greatest miracle.

I have been given eyes to see and a mind to think and now I know a great secret of life for I
perceive, at last, that all my problems, discouragements, and heartaches are, in truth, great
opportunities in disguise. I will no longer be fooled by the garments they wear for mine eyes are
open. I will look beyond the cloth and I will not be deceived.

I am nature's greatest miracle.

No beast, no plant, no wind, no rain, no rock, no lake had the same beginning as I, for I was
conceived in love and brought forth with a purpose. In the past I have not considered this fact but it
will henceforth shape and guide my life.

I am nature's greatest miracle.

And nature knows not defeat. Eventually, she emerges victorious and so will I, and with each
victory the next struggle becomes less difficult.

I will win, and I will become a great salesman, for I am unique.

I am nature's greatest miracle.



The Scroll Marked Five

I will live this day as if it is my last.

And what shall I do with this last precious day which remains in my keeping? First, I will seal up
its container of life so that not one drop spills itself upon the sand. I will waste not a moment
mourning yesterday’s misfortunes, yesterday’s defeats, yesterday's aches of the heart, for why
should I throw good after bad?

Can sand flow upward in the hour glass? Will the sun rise where it sets and set where it rises? Can
I relive the errors of yesterday and right them? Can I call back yesterday's wounds and make them
whole? Can I become younger than yesterday? Can I take back the evil that was spoken, the blows
that were struck, the pain that was caused? No. Yesterday is buried forever and I will think of it no
more.

I will live this day as if it is my last.

And what then shall I do? Forgetting yesterday neither will I think of tomorrow. Why should I
throw note after maybe? Can tomorrow's sand flow through the glass before today's? Will the sun
rise twice this morning? Can I perform tomorrow's deeds while standing in today's path? Can I
place tomorrow's gold in today's purse? Can tomorrow’s child be born today? Can tomorrow's
death cast its shadow backward and darken today's joy? Should I concern myself over events
which l may never witness? Should I torment myself with problems that may never come to pass?
No! Tomorrow lies buried with yesterday, and I will think of it no more.

I will live this day as if it is my last.

This day is all I have and these hours are now my eternity. I greet this sunrise with cries of joy as a
prisoner who is reprieved from death. I lift mine arms with thanks for this priceless gift of a new
day. So too, I will beat upon my heart with gratitude as I consider all who greeted yesterterday's
sunrise who are no longer with the living today. I am indeed a fortunate man and today's hours are
but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day when others, far better
than I, have departed? Is it that they have accomplished their purpose while mine is yet to be
achieved? Is this another opportunity for me to become the man I know I can be? Is there a
purpose in nature? Is this my day to excel?

I will live this day as if it is my last.I have but one life and life is naught but a measurement of time.
When I waste one I destroy the other. If I waste today I destroy the last page of my life. Therefore,
each hour of this day will I cherish for it can never return. It cannot be banked today to be
withdrawn on the morrow, for who can trap the wind? Each minute of this day will I grasp with
both hands and fondle with love for its value is beyond price. What dying man can purchase
another breath though he willingly give all his gold? What price dare I place on the hours ahead? I
will make them priceless!

I will live this day as if it is my last.I will avoid with fury the killers of time. Procrastination I will
destroy with action; doubt I will bury under faith; fear I will dismember with confidence. Where
there are idle mouths I will listen not; where there are idle hands I will linger not; where there are
idle bodies I will visit not. Henceforth I know that to court idleness is to steal food, clothing, and
warmth from those I love. I am not a thief. I am a man of love and today is my last chance to prove
my love and my greatness.

I will live this day as if it is my last.

The duties of today I shall fu1fill today. Today I shall fondle my children while they are young;
tomorrow they will be gone, and so will I. Today I shall embrace my woman with sweet kisses;
tomorrow she will be gone, and so will I. Today I shall lift up a friend in need; tomorrow he will
no longer cry for help, nor will I hear his cries. Today I shall give myself in sacrifice and work;
tomorrow I will have nothing to give, and there will be none to receive.
I will live this day as if it is my last.

And if it is my last, it will be my greatest monument. This day I will make the best day of my life.
This day I will drink every minute to its full. I will savor its taste and give thanks. I will make the
every hour count and each minute I will trade only for something of value. I will labor harder than
ever before and push my muscles
until they cry for relief, and then I will continue.I will make more calls than ever before. I will sell
more goods than ever before. I will earn more gold than ever before. Each minute of today will be
more fruitful than hours of yesterday. My last must be my best.I will live this day as if it is my last.
And if it is not, I shall fall to my knees and give thanks.



The Scroll Marked Six

Today I will be master of my emotions.

The tides advance; the tides recede. Winter goes and summer comes. summer wanes and the cold
increases. The sun rises; the sun sets. The moon is full; the moon is black. The birds arrive;the
birds depart. Flowers bloom; flowers fade.Seeds are sown; harvests are reaped. all nature is a circle
of moods and I am a part of nature and so, like the tides, my moods will rise; my moods will fall.
Today I will be master of my emotions.

It is one of nature's tricks, little understood, that each day I awaken with moods that have changed
from yesterday. Yesterday's joy wilI become today's sadness; yet today's sadness will grow into
tomorrow's joy. Inside me is a wheel, constantly turning from sadness to joy, from exultation to
depression, from happiness to melancholy. Like the flowers, today's full bloom of joy will fade and
wither into despondency, yet I will remember that as today's dead flower carries the seed of
tomorrow's bloom so, too, does today's sadness carry the seed of tomorrow's joy.
Today I will be master of my emotions.

And how will I master these emotions so that each day will be productive? For unless my mood is
right the day will be a failure. Trees and plants depend on the weather to flourish but I make my
own weather, yea I transport it with me. If I bring rain and gloom and darkness and pessimism to
my customers then they will react with rain and gloom and darkness and pessimism and they will
purchase naught. If I bring joy and enthusiasm and brightness and laughter to my customers they
will react with joy and enthusiasm and brightness and laughter and my weather will produce a
harvest of sales and a granary of gold for me.

Today I will be master of my emotions.

And how will I master my emotions so that every day is a happy day, and a productive one? I will
learn this secret of the ages: Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is
he who forces his actions to control his thoughts. Each day, when I awaken, I will follow this plan
of battle before I am captured by the forces of sadness, self-pity and failure-
If I feel depressed I will sing.

If I feel sad I will laugh.

If I feel ill I will double my labor.

If I feel fear I will plunge ahead.

If I feel inferior I will wear new garments.

If I feel uncertain I will raise my voice.

If I feel poverty I will think of wealth to come.

If I feel incompetent I will remember past success.

If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals.

Today I will be master of my emotions.

Henceforth, I will know that only those with inferior ability can always be at their best, and I am
not inferior. There will be days When I must IN THE WORLD constantly struggle against forces
which would tear me down. Those such as despair and sadness are simple to recognize but there
are others which approach with a smile and the hand of friendship and they can also destroy me.
Against them, too, I must never relinquish control-
If I become overconfident I will recall my failures.

If I overindulge I will think of past hungers.

If I feel complacency I will remember my competition.

If I enjoy moments of greatness I will remember moments of shame.

If I feel all-powerful I will try to stop the wind.

lf I attain great wealth I will remember one unfed mouth.
If l become overly proud I will remember a moment of weakness.

If I feel my skill is unmatched I will look at the stars.
Today I will be master of my emotions.
And with this new knowledge I will also understand and recognize the moods of him on whom I
call. I will make allowances for his anger and irritation of today for he knows not the secret of
controlling his mind. I can withstand his arrows and insults for now I know that tomorrow he will
change and be a joy to approach.

No longer will l judge a man on one meeting;no longer will I fail to call again tomorrow on he who
meets me with hate today. This day he will not buy gold chariots for a penny, yet tomorrow he
would exchange his home for a tree. My knowledge of this secret will be my key to great wealth.
Today l will be master of my emotions.

Henceforth I will recognize and identify the mystery of moods in all mankind, and in me.From this
moment I am prepared to control whatever personality awakes in me each day. I will master my
moods through positive action and when I master my moods I will control my destiny.

Today I control my destiny, and my destiny is to become the greatest salesman in the world!

I will become master of myself.

I wi1l become great.


The Scroll Marked Seven

I will laugh at the world.

No living creature can laugh except man. Trees may bleed when they are wounded, and beasts in
the field will cry in pain and hunger, yet only I have the gift of laughter and it is mine to use
whenever I choose. Henceforth I will cultivate the habit of laughter.

I will smile and my digestion will improve; I will chuckle and my burdens will be lightened; I will
laugh and my life will be lengthened for this is the great secret of long life and now it is mine.
I will laugh at the world.

And most of all, I will laugh at myself for man is most comical when he takes himself too
seriously. Never will I fall into this trap of the mind. For though I be nature's greatest miracle am I
not still a mere grain tossed about by the winds of time? Do I truly know whence I came or whither
I am bound? Will my concern for this day not seem foolish ten years hence? Why should I permit
the petty happenings of today to disturb me? What can take place before this sun sets which will
not seem insignificant in the river of centuries?

I will laugh at the world.

And how can I laugh when confronted with man or deed which offends me so as to bring forth my
tears or my curses? Four words I will train myself to say until they become a habit so strong that
immediately they will appear in my mind whenever good humor threatens to depart from me.
These words, passed down from the ancients, will carry me through every adversity and maintain
my life in balance. These four words are: This too shall pass.

I will laugh at the world.

For all worldly things shall indeed pass. When I am heavy with heartache I shall console myself
that this too shall pass; when I am puffed with success I shall warn myself that this too shall pass.
When I am strangled in poverty I shall tell myself that this too shall pass; when I am burdened with
wealth I shall tell myself that this too shall pass. Yea, verily, where is he who built the pyramid? Is
he not buried within its stone? And will the pyramid, one day, not also be buried under sand? If all
things shall pass why should I be of concern for today?

I will laugh at the world.

I will paint this day with laughter; I will frame this night in song. Never will I labor to be happy;
rather will I remain too busy to be sad. I will enjoy today's happiness today. It is not grain to be
stored in a box. It is not wine to be saved in a jar. It cannot be saved for the morrow. It must be
sown and reaped on the same day and this I will do, henceforth.

I will laugh at the world.

And with my laughter all things will be reduced to their proper size. I will laugh at my failures and
they will vanish in clouds of new dreams; I will laugh at my successes and they will shrink to their
true value. I will laugh at evil and it will die untasted; I will laugh at goodness and it will thrive
and abound. Each day will be triumphant only when my smiles bring forth smiles from others and
this l do in selfishness, for those on whom l flown are those who purchase not my goods.
I will laugh at the world.

Henceforth will l shed only tears of sweat, for those of sadness or remorse or frustration are of no
value in the market place whilst each smile can be exchanged for gold and each kind word, spoken
from my heart, can build a castle.

Never will l allow myself to become so important, so wise, so dignified, so powerful, that I forget
how to laugh at myself and my world. In this matter I will always remain as a child, for only as a
cl1ild am I given the ability to look up to others; and so long as I 1ook up to another I will never
grow too long for my cot.

I will laugh at the world.

And so long as I can laugh never will I be poor. This, then, is one of nature's greatest gifts, and l
will waste it no more. Only with laughter and happiness can l truly become a success. Only with
laughter and happiness can I enjoy the fruits of my labor. Were it not so, far better would it be to
fail, for happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal. To enjoy success I must have
happiness, and laughter will be the maiden who serves me.

I will be happy.

I will be successful.

I will be the greatest salesman the world has ever known.



The Scroll Marked Eight

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

Amulberry leaf touched with the genius of man becomes silk.
A field of clay touched with the genius of man becomes a castle.
A cyprus tree touched with the genius of man becomes a shrine.
A cut of sheep's hair touched with the genius of man becomes raiment for a king.
If it is possible for leaves and clay and wood and hair to have their value multiplied a hundred, yea
a thousandfold by man, cannot I do the same with the clay which bears my name?

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

I am liken to a grain of wheat which faces one of three futures. The wheat can be placed in a sack
and dumped in a stall until it is fed to swine. Or it can be ground to flour and made into bread. Or it
can be placed in the earth and allowed to grow until its golden head divides and produces a
thousand grains from the one.

I am liken to a grain of wheat with one difference. The wheat cannot choose whether it be fed to
swine, ground for bread, or planted to multiply. I have a choice and I will not let my life be fed to
swine nor will I let it be ground under the rocks of failure and despair to be broken open and
devoured by the will of others.

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

To grow and multiply it is necessary to plant the wheat grain in the darkness of the earth and my
failures, my despairs, my ignorance, and my inabilities are the darkness in which I have been
planted in order to ripen. Now, like the wheat grain which will sprout and blossom only if it is
nurtured with rain and sun and warm winds, I too must nurture my body and mind to fulfill my
dreams. But to grow to full stature the wheat must wait on the whims of nature. I need not wait for
I have the power to choose my own destiny.

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

And how will I accomplish this? First I will set goals for the day, the week, the month, the year,
and my life. Just as the rain must fall before the wheat will crack its shell and sprout, so must I
have objectives before my life will crystallize. Insetting my goals I will consider my best
performance of the past and multiply it a hundredfold. This will be the standard by which I will
live in the future. Never will I be of concern that my goals are too high for is it not better to aim
my spear at the moon and strike only an eagle than to arm my spear at the eagle and strike only a
rock?

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

The height of my goals will not hold me in awe though I may stumble often before they are
reached. If I stumble I will rise and my falls will not concern me for all men must stumble often to
reach the hearth. Only a worm is free from the worry of stumbling. I am not a worm. I am not an
onion plant. I am not a sheep. I am a man. Let others build a cave with their clay. I will build a
castle with mine.

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

And just as the sun must warm the earth to bring forth the seedling of wheat so, too, will the words
on these scrolls warm my life and turn my dreams into reality. Today I will surpass every action
which I performed yesterday. I will climb today's mountain to the utmost of my ability yet
tomorrow I will climb higher than today, and the next will be higher than tomorrow. To surpass the
deeds of others is unimportant; to surpass my own deeds is all.

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

And just as the warm wind guides the wheat to maturity, the same winds will carry my voice to
those who will listen and my words will announce my goals. Once spoken I dare not recall them
lest I lose face. I will be as my own prophet and though all may laugh at my utterances they will
hear my plans, they will know my dreams; and thus there will be no escape for me until my words
become accomplished deeds.

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
I will commit not the terrible crime of aiming too low.
I will do the work that a failure will not do.
I will always let my reach exceed my grasp.
I will never be content with my performance in the market.
I will always raise my goals as soon as they are attained.
I will always strive to make the next hour better than this one.
I will always announce my goals to the world.

Yet, never will I proclaim my accomplishments. Let the world, instead, approach me with praise
and may I have the wisdom to receive it in humility.
Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
One grain of wheat when multiplied a hundredfold will produce a hundred stalks. Multiply these a
hundredfold, ten times, and they will feed all the cities of the earth. Am I not more than a grain of
wheat?

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

And when it is done I will do it again, and again, and there will be astonishment and wonder at my
greatness as the words of these scrolls are fulfilled in me.



The Scroll Marked Nine

My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible.

All are of no value unless they are followed by action.

I will act now.
Never has there been a map, however carefully executed to detail and scale, which carried its
owner over even one inch of ground. Never has there been a parchment of law, however fair,
which prevented one crime. Never has there been a scroll, even such as the one I hold, which
earned so much as a penny or produced a single word of acclamation. Action, alone, is the tinder
which ignites the map, the parchment, this scroll, my dreams, my plans, my goals, into a living
force. Action is the food and drink which will nourish my success.

I will act now.

My procrastination which has held me back was born of fear and now I recognize this secret mined
from the depths of all courageous hearts. Now I know that to conquer fear I must always act
without hesitation and the flutters in my heart will vanish. Now I know that action reduces the lion
of terror to an ant of equanimity.

I will act now.

Henceforth, I will remember the lesson of the firefly who gives of its light only when it is on the
wing, only when it is in action. I will become a firefly and even in the day my glow will be seen in
spite of the sun. Let others be as butterflies who preen their wings yet depend on the charity of a
flower for life. I will be as the firefly and my light will brighten the world.

I will act now.

I will not avoid the tasks of today and charge them to tomorrow for I know that tomorrow never
comes. Let me act now even though my actions may not bring happiness or success for it is better
to act and fail than not to act and flounder. Happiness, in truth, may not be the fruit plucked by my
action yet without action all fruit will die on the vine.

I will act now.

I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words again and again
and again, each hour, each day, every day, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing
and the actions which follow become as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words
I can condition my mind to perform every act necessary for my success. With these words I can
condition my mind to meet every challenge which the failure avoids.

I will act now.

I will repeat these words again and again and again.

When I awake I will say them and leap from my cot while the failure sleeps yet another hour.
I will act now.
When I enter the market place I will say them and immediately confront my first prospect while
the failure ponders yet his possibility of rebuff.
I will act now.
When I face a closed door I will say them and knock while the failure waits outside with fear and
trepidation.

I will act now.
When I face temptation I will say them and immediately act to remove myself from evil.
I will act now.
When I am tempted to quit and begin again tomorrow I will say them and immediately act to
consummate another sale.
I will act now.

Only action determines my value in the market place and to multiply my value I will multiply my
actions. I will walk where the failure fears to walk. I will work when the failure seeks rest. I will
talk when the failure remains silent. I will call on ten who can buy my goods while the failure
makes grand plans to call on one. I will say it is done before the failure says it is too late.
I will act now.

For now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy.
Tomorrow is the day when the evil become good. I am not evil. Tomorrow is the day when the
weak become strong. I am not weak. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not
a failure.

I will act now.
When the lion is hungry he eats. When the eagle has thirst he drinks. Lest they act, both will perish.
I hunger for success. I thirst for happiness and peace of mind. Lest I act I will perish in a life of
failure, misery, and sleepless nights.

I will command, and I will obey mine own command.
I will act now.

Success will not wait. If I delay she will become betrothed to another and lost to me forever.
This is the time. This is the place. I am the man.
I will act now.



The Scrolls Mark Ten

I will pray for guidance, and I will pray as a salesman..

Who is of so little faith that in a moment of great disaster or heartbreak has not called to his God?
Who has not cried out when confronted with danger, death, or mystery beyond his normal
experience or comprehension? From where has this deep instinct come which escapes from the
mouth of all living creatures in moments of peril?

Move your hand in haste before another's eyes and his eyelids will blink. Tap another on his knee
and his leg will jump. Confront another with dark horror and his mouth will say, "My God" from
the same deep impulse.

My life need not be filled with religion in order for me to recognize this greatest mystery of nature.
All creatures that walk the earth, including man, possess the instinct to cry for help. Why do we
possess this instinct, this gift?

Are not our cries a form of prayer? Is it not incomprehensible in a world governed by nature's laws
to give a lamb, or a mule, or a bird, or man the instinct to cry out for help lest some great mind has
also provided that the cry should be heard by some superior power having the ability to hear and to
answer our cry? Henceforth I will pray, but my cries for help will only be cries for guidance.

Never will I pray for the material things of the world. I am not calling to a servant to bring me food.
I am not ordering an innkeeper to provide me with room. Never will I seek delivery of gold, love,
good health, petty victories, fame, success, or happiness. Only for guidance will I pray, that I may
be shown the way to acquire these things, and my prayer will always be answered.

The guidance I seek may come, or the guidance I seek may not come, but are not both of these an
answer? If a child seeks bread from his father and it is not forthcoming has not the father
answered?

I will pray for guidance, and I will pray as a salesman, in this manner Oh creator of all things, help
me. For this day I go out into the world naked and alone, and without your hand to guide me I will
wander far from the path which leads to success and happiness.

I ask not for gold or garments or even opportunities equal to my ability; instead, guide me so that I
may acquire ability equal to my opportunities.

You have taught the lion and the eagle how to hunt and prosper with teeth and claw. Teach me
how to hunt with words and prosper with love so that I may be a lion among men and an eagle in
the market place.

Help me to remain humble through obstacles and failures; yet hide not from mine eyes the prize
that will come with victory.

Assign me tasks to which others have failed; yet guide me to pluck the seeds of success from their
failures. Confront me with fears that will temper my spirit; yet endow me with courage to laugh at
my misgivings.

Spare me sufficient days to reach my goals; yet help me to live this day as though it be my last.
Guide me in my words that they may bear fruit; yet silence me from gossip that none be maligned.
Discipline me in the habit of trying and trying again; yet show me the way to make use of the law
of averages. Favor me with alertness to recognize opportunity; yet endow me with patience which
will concentrate my strength.

Bathe me in good habits that the bad ones may drown; yet grant me compassion for weaknesses in
others. Suffer me to know that all things shall pass; yet help me to count my blessings of today.
Expose me to hate so it not be a stranger; yet fill my cup with love to turn strangers into friends.
But all these things be only if thy will. I am a small and a lonely grape clutching the vine yet thou
hast made me different from all others. Verily, there must be a special place for me. Guide me.
Help me. Show me the way.

Let me become all you planned for me when my seed was planted and selected by you to sprout in
the vineyard of the world.

Help this humble salesman. Guide me, God.