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A fine, sincere salesman was too serious. He never "read for fun," seldom took his family out for an evening, discouraged friendly callers, and was an unhappy man. His family were "scared of him," and his grim personality repelled the very men he hoped to attract—his prospects. His business went from bad to worse.
Finally as a result of his desperate situation, he saw the light. He "loosened up," laughed more, took life less seriously, and to his surprise found that instead of hurting his business it improved mightily. He and his family are happy now. He has a balanced program of study, fun, recreation, and just plain rest. This is as it should be.
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"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." It also makes him a poor salesman, since dull men are unwelcome wherever they go. So plan a reasonable balance between recreation and a self-improvement program.
A "POCKET-OFFICE"
Many salesmen carry a "pocket-office." This includes a notebook for names of prospects, a weekly plan book, a small manual of technical information, a pocket diary to post future appointments, and clippings from trade journals. These all help a man utilize his time while waiting for an appointment or between duties. I can testify to the tremendous value of this by my own personal experience. Try it.
It's quite common for salesmen to carry a full set of supplies in their cars, but comparatively few adopt the suggestion outlined above. There are small editions of some wonderful books that a man can carry in the pocket of his topcoat. For example, Emerson's essay on "Self-Reliance" is published in a little volume that can be easily carried in one's pocket. I wore out several of these and it was a constant source of strength and inspiration. There are many booklets, magazine clippings, and pamphlets relating to salesmanship as well as other subjects that can always be at hand if a man forms the habit of carrying them with him.
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
The parable of the talents tells the story in a nutshell. If we don't use our talents we lose them. A salesman who fails to exercise his abilities soon finds he is losing out to men who do. Many lazy college graduates after ten years lag far behind bright, ambitious young fellows who never finished high school. Opportunities for self-improvement are all about us— books, libraries, correspondence courses, adult night classes,
136 UTILIZE YOUR LEISURE TIME
just to mention a few. Use your leisure time wisely, and you will be amazed at the results.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS CHAPTER
1. Utilizing leisure time has been the greatest factor in the
success of many of the most successful men.
2. Clerks and tellers who prepare themselves become the fu-
ture officers and executives. They must do this "after
hours"
3. Men in all walks of life can elevate themselves if they will
invest their leisure time in learning more about their work.
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