10 Steps to Become the Greatest Salesperson in the World – Part 10

“I will pray for guidance.” – from The Scroll Marked X, The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino

Man is born with an innate spiritual need, a hunger that longs to be fulfilled. Since the beginning, we’ve sought to fill that need by discovering the nature of God and the meaning of life. Everyone has, at one point or another, asked “Why am I here?” To deny the reality of that impulse is to deny our nature.

No matter what your belief system, I’m sure you’ll agree that we all want something more than to spend our days just providing for our necessities; we want to know that what we’re doing has a purpose, a meaning greater than ourselves. This scroll speaks to that part of you.

Mandino makes it clear that he’s not preaching religion; he’s simply speaking as a man conscious of his spiritual need. He points out that we all possess the impulse to cry out for help in times of need and, he reasons, we wouldn’t have that impulse if there weren’t some superior power able to answer. And when you stop to ponder the vast complexity of the universe, you probably agree; it seems reasonable to believe that there’s something greater than us. For now, let’s not get hung up on exactly what that something is or what it should be called; call it what you will, we sense it instictively.

If that’s the case, then, doesn’t it make sense to seek the guidance of that greater power? Whether in prayer or meditation or quiet contemplation, we can find that guidance. If we can quiet the noise of our minds for even the briefest moment, we can get a glimpse. Herman Melville said that “God’s one and only voice is silence”, for it’s in our moments of silence that we’re open to receive the guidance we seek.

What does this have to do with being a great salesperson? Just this: without a sense of something greater than ourselves, we tend to stop striving. What’s the point, after all? Why be great if it really doesn’t mean anything? If we’re nothing more than highly evolved animals, why try to be better?

What do we ask for, though? A promotion and a new Mercedes? Are we simply placing orders at the Universal Cafe? Here’s what Mandino suggests:

“Never will I pray for the material things of the world. I am not calling to a servant to bring me good. 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.”

What a fitting conclusion to this series of principles! We’ve considered 9 ideas leading up to this one that encouraged us to shape our character through patient effort, making tiny improvements, day by day, and never giving up in our journey.

We’ve learned the importance of qualities like humility, persistence, and joy. We’ve seen the necessity of mastering skills like controlling our emotions, laughing at ourselves and living in the moment. We’ve learned that procrastination is our natural enemy and that optimism is a precious asset. And now we bring it all together with a sense of reverent awe and an acknowledgement of our need for guidance.

The real lesson is that no matter how dark the depths we find ourselves in, we’re not alone, and no matter how great the heights we reach, an attitude of gratitude is always warranted.

“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.”