I remember, about 35 years ago, reading two books by Frank Bettger, the baseball player, about how enthusiasm made all the difference in his life. His books made a difference in my life at the time and are still well worth reading and re-reading.
Probably the most famous of his books is "How I raised myself from failure to success in selling". Frank died in 1981 but his books and priceless ideas live on.
In 1907, he played baseball for Johnstown in Pennsylvania for $175 dollars a month. He was young and ambitious but was fired for being lazy. He was not really lazy but had been trying to control his nervousness by being laid back.
His manager told him: "Whatever you do after you leave here, for heaven's sake, wake yourself up and put some life and enthusiasm into your work."
Frank went to Chester, Pennsylvania where he played baseball for only $25 a month. Frank commented: "Well, I couldn't feel very enthusiastic on that kind of money but I began to act enthusiastic."
After a few days he was given a trial at New Haven, Connecticut. No one knew him in that league so he decided to establish a reputation for enthusiasm. Once established, he would be forced to live up to his own reputation:
"From the minute I appeared on the field I acted like a man electrified. I acted as though I were alive with a million batteries."
Frank threw the ball hard and fast around the diamond and ran like a madman to score for his team. All this was on a hot day when the thermometer was 100 degrees. The act he was putting on worked like magic.
His nervousness now worked for him by fueling his energy. His enthusiasm affected the other players on the field and they, too, became enthusiastic. He felt better during the game and after it than ever before.
Next day, the New Haven newspaper wrote: "This new player, Bettger, has a barrel of enthusiasm. He inspired our boys. They not only won the game but looked better than any time this season."
The papers began calling him "Pep" Bettger, the life of the team. Enthusiasm increased his income in ten days from $25 a month to $185 a month. This was a 700% increase.
Bettger insists that he earned the income not for his ability which was the same as before but for his enthusiasm alone. He could not catch or hit better than before. Two years later he was playing 3rd base for the St Louis Cardinals.
Another two years later, he injured his arm and was forced out of baseball. Two years after this, he ended up selling life insurance. He was a miserable failure at this until he went to a public speaking course run by the great Dale Carnegie. Carnegie, like his first manager, told him to be more enthusiastic.
Carnegie then went on to give a talk on enthusiasm to his class. He became so excited that he threw a chair against a wall and broke one of its legs. All this reminded Frank of his early experiences in the baseball world.
"That night, I decided to stay in the insurance business and put the same enthusiasm into selling that I had put into baseball."
During his first sales pitch after this decision, he became so excited that he pounded his fist. He could hardly believe it when his customer listened intently and then bought the insurance policy. He does not equate enthusiasm with fist pounding but "if fist pounding is what you need to arouse yourself inside, then I am overwhelmingly for it. I know this: When I force myself to act enthusiastic I soon feel enthusiastic."
Frank went on to become a great salesman and a man who has inspired many other salesmen and ordinary citizens to live their lives with enthusiasm.
A salesman who is enthusiastic can outsell a non enthusiastic salesman who has much greater knowledge. The enthusiastic person is like a magnet. He or she attracts and inspires others to do what they thought was beyond them.
You can acquire enthusiasm simply and quickly by forcing yourself to act enthusiastically. It also helps to re-read your favourite inspiring passages daily.
Frank, himself, was inspired by a great quote from Walter Chrysler. When Chrysler was asked to give the secret of success, he listed qualities such as 'ability, capacity, and energy' but added that the real secret was 'enthusiasm.'
"Yes, more than enthusiasm," said Chrysler, "I would say 'excitement'. I like to see men get excited. When they get excited, they get customers excited and we get business."
Enthusiasm can make a huge difference. We could all benefit by being enthusiastic about something that we currently find boring. We could be amazed at how excited we become and how skilful we become. We could also notice that the fire of our enthusiasm soon spreads to other people.
We could end up in the 'major leagues' of whatever we become enthusiastic about and we could have more friends, more fun and more money!
John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams. They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.
The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now!" The book can be found at this URL http://www.motivationtoday.com
You are welcome to publish the article above in your ezine so long as you do not alter it and keep the resource box as it is.
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareAs a speaker and trainer, people often approach me after... Read More
People often ask me how I became successful in that... Read More
We live in the information age, dominated by the development... Read More
"Write checks on a regular basis to those who you... Read More
Success is a word that is much used in our... Read More
If you are like me you have probably lost a... Read More
Back from my amazing summer excursion, a month long drive... Read More
No matter how young or old you are, you must... Read More
Our lives and the circumstances we live in are largely... Read More
If you've been walking this earth for any length of... Read More
Is it possible to get rich quick using the power... Read More
Take a page from Eastern wisdom Meditation, martial arts that... Read More
Many different daily tasks require a strategic process to be... Read More
Mary and Susan were friends for years. They grew up... Read More
* Perfectionism is a time waster.Strive for excellence on important... Read More
What is Optimum Performance? This question raises different responses from... Read More
How can anyone with the brain of a cockroach make... Read More
Noted author and self-worth teacher Eric Butterworth* says, "Poverty is... Read More
Congratulations! You are the president of your own nation, and... Read More
Personal missions statements (PMS) are just nothing but the winning... Read More
I am going to tell you something you already know... Read More
Have a therapeutic meltdown It's crunch time: you're two days... Read More
Most of us fear change, because - as we've all... Read More
Affirmations are emotionally driven statements of intention and faith that... Read More
1. Be Courageous. Flex your risk muscle and step out... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..We all want to improve our top line - our... Read More
Here are 3 powerful steps you can take to free... Read More
When you analyze the traits of successful people, you will... Read More
After 13 years of being married to the same woman... Read More
In the first part of this article you learned some... Read More
Create a truth and step into it There is a... Read More
Have you ever felt as if you are beating your... Read More
The only thing in life we have direct control over... Read More
Three key words to remember: weigh, count and measure. Now,... Read More
You have complete control over your thoughts. Thought patterns develop... Read More
Asking questions is one of the most basic ways that... Read More
On March 27th 2005, Oxford won the annual boat race... Read More
If failure is the roadway, then Perseverance is the vehicle... Read More
The other day I went shopping at the local consumer... Read More
All of us could work on our skills in influencing... Read More
Everyone talks about how to be successful through hard work... Read More
Napoleon Hill coined the concept of the mastermind alliance in... Read More
Both the worst and the best of the great achievers... Read More
Fear.Everything in this world has its opposite.Good has bad.Optimism has... Read More
What is Optimum Performance? This question raises different responses from... Read More
Do you still keep that all important 'Inner Spark Alive'?... Read More
Bill is a man for the people, of the people... Read More
What's holding you back?One of my clients came to me... Read More
I confess, I love westerns. There is nothing like those... Read More
Why do diets end up in gained weight? Why do... Read More
Success |