Ben Franklin's Advice

When Benjamin Franklin was almost eighty years old, he wrote his autobiography. Believe it or not about fifteen pages were devoted to one topic, a topic about something that he learned when he was just a small indebted printer in Philadelphia. He believed he was an ordinary man of ordinary ability but if he could master basic principles of success in life he would be successful. However, the pragmatic man in him needed a method to obtain these principles. Therefore, he devised a plan by which he would give strict attention to one principle at a time for one week at a time. His list had thirteen principles. After the first thirteen weeks he repeated the process three more times. Therefore in a year's time he mastered each principle. He reinforced these principles until they became unconscious actions in his life.

Below is a list of some of Franklin's thirteen principles that would help any professional salesperson.

Silence — Speak not but what may benefit others or yours; avoid trifling conversation.
Order — Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
Resolution — Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Industry — Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Sincerity — Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Tranquility — Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable