Opinion: Lessons on persistence from Napoleon Hill

In the book written 79 years ago, the author provides an entire chapter dedicated to persistence. It provides real insight into the characteristics that some stick at it until they win, while others stop either just after they start or stop just before they are about to taste victory.

Rather than be so presumptuous as to paraphrase the great Napoleon Hill, I am going to give you the exact words of the master (now in the public domain).

In the box on the left are some excerpts (and insights) on persistence quoted exactly as they were written seven decades ago. They are still applicable in your sales process today.

The four steps mentioned are essential for success in all walks of life. The entire purpose of the principles of the “Think and Grow Rich” philosophy is to enable one to take these four steps as a matter of habit.

Now, I will grant you that some people will have read this and spit the word “hokey” at the end. Reason? It’s too simple and does not have an immediate “how to” answer attached to it.

The secret of persistence is not an answer; it’s a realization. And if you read the above and didn’t get it, you will get beat by someone who did.

The Napoleon Hill philosophy of persistence is strong, yet soft. The only omission from the strategy is that it leaves out “what” to persist with. Let me give you that answer in a word: value. Something more than you calling to imply, “I’m calling about the money, is it ready yet? Can I come over and pick it up now?”

Want a few value ideas? Here are four. You may not like them. They require work.

1. Get your prospect a sales lead or give them a referral.

2. Give your prospect an idea how to serve his customers better.

3. Give your prospect a list of things he or she can do to improve morale, productivity, absenteeism or profit.

4. Get your prospect some free publicity or social media exposure. Help them win.

Get the idea? See the work? Make your persistence pay dividends for the customer. Look past the work to the victory. If you can see clear to victory, then the secret of persistence is at last yours.

And add to that the final wisdom of Hill: What you need to develop persistence is willpower and desire. In other words, how bad do you want it? And how far are you willing to go to get it? Unless the answer is all the way, you will not persist, you will give up.

Jeffrey Gitomer, author of “The Little Red Book of Selling” and 11 other titles, is president of Charlotte, N.C.-based Buy Gitomer. He gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings and conducts Internet training programs on sales and customer service at Gitomer.com. He can be reached at salesman@gitomer.com