American born Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich the most successful business book in history, is considered by many to be the most influential self-help writer in history.
Born in 1883 in a one-room cabin on the Pound River in Wise County, Virginia, Hill began writing, at age thirteen, for small town newspapers, and went on to become America’s most beloved motivational author. Fighting against all class of great disadvantages and pressures, he dedicated more than 25 years of his life to define the reasons by which so many people fail to achieve true financial success and happiness in their life.
His big break came when he was asked to interview steel-magnate Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie commissioned Hill to interview over 500 millionaires to find a success formula and write a series of success stories of the famous that could be used by the average person. These included Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford, Elmer Gates, Charles M. Schwab, Theodore Roosevelt, William Wrigley Jr, John Wanamaker, William Jennings Bryan, George Eastman, Woodrow Wilson, William H. Taft, John D. Rockefeller, F. W. Woolworth, Jennings Randolph, among others.
He became an advisor to Andrew Carnegie, and with Carnegie’s help formulated a philosophy of success, drawing on the thoughts and experiences of a multitude of rags-to-riches tycoons. It took Hill over twenty years to produce his classic. The book has sold over 50 million copies, and has helped thousands achieve success. The secret to success is very simple, but you’ll have to read the book to find out what it is!
In chapter 15 “The Six Ghosts of Fear” Hill writes “Indecision is the seedling of fear! Remember this as you read. Indecision crystallizes into doubt: the two blend and become fear! The “blending” process often is slow. This is one reason why these three enemies are so dangerous. They germinate and grow without their presence being observed.”
As I coach business owners and high-income sales professionals, I have observed the ability to make decisions quickly is one of the key differentiators between the highly successful and the mediocre.
I have observed this to be so true that I no longer will take a client that needs to “think it over”, ruminate or procrastinate when they have seen all there is to see and heard all there is to hear.
What about you? Do you pursue prospects that have perfected the art of procrastination or do quickly disqualify them. More importantly, are you a decision maker or are you a procrastinator?
The most successful salespeople know that only decision makers can get others to make decisions. Chances are if you are getting a lot of stalls, put offs and think it overs it is because you are guilty of this behavior yourself.
Funny how our life experience mirrors who we are.