THE TEN SCROLLS
From
THE GREATEST SALESMAN
IN THE WORLD
by
OG MANDINO
The Scroll Marked III
I WILL PERSIST UNTIL I SUCCEED
I will persist until I succeed.
In the Orient young bulls are tested for the fight arena in a certain manner. Each is
brought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks them with a lance. The
bravery of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he
demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade. Henceforth
will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like manner. If I persist, if I
continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I will succeed.
I will persist until I succeed.
I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I
am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to
talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. I will hear not those who weep and complain,
for their disease is contagious. Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure
is not my destiny.
I will persist until I succeed.
The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning; and it is not
given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure
I may still encounter at the thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in
the road. Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner.
Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet
another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult.
I will persist until I succeed.
Henceforth, I will consider each day's effort as but one blow of my blade against a
mighty oak. The first blow may cause not a tremor in the wood, nor the second, nor
the third. Each blow, of itself, may be trifling, and seem of no consequence. Yet from
childish swipes the oak will eventually tumble. So it will be with my efforts of today. will be liken to the rain drop which washes away the mountain; the ant who devours
a tiger; the star which brightens the earth; the slave who builds a pyramid. I will
build my castle one brick at a time for I know that small attempts, repeated, will
complete any undertaking.
I will persist until I succeed.
I will never consider defeat and I will remove from my vocabulary such words and
phrases as quit, cannot, unable, impossible, out of the question, improbable, failure,
unworkable, hopeless, and retreat; for they are the words of fools. I will avoid
despair but if this disease of the mind should infect me then I will work on in despair.
I will toil and I will endure. I will ignore the obstacles at my feet and keep mine eyes
on the goals above my head, for I know that where dry desert ends, green grass
grows.
I will persist until I succeed.
I will remember the ancient law of averages and I will bend it to my good. I will
persist with knowledge that each failure to sell will increase my chance for success at
the next attempt. Each nay I hear will bring me closer to the sound of yea. Each
frown I meet only prepares me for the smile to come. Each misfortune I encounter
will carry in it the seed of tomorrow's good luck. I must have the night to appreciate
the day. I must fail often to succeed only once.
I will persist until I succeed.
I will try, and try, and try again. Each obstacle I will consider as a mere detour to my
goal and a challenge to my profession. I will persist and develop my skills as the
mariner develops his, by learning to ride out the wrath of each storm.
I will persist until I succeed.
Henceforth, I will learn and apply another secret of those who excel in my work.
When each day is ended, not regarding whether it has been a success or a failure, I
will attempt to achieve one more sale. When my thoughts beckon my tired body
homeward I will resist the temptation to depart. I will try again. I will make one more
attempt to close with victory, and if that fails I will make another. Never will I allow
any day to end with a failure. Thus will I plant the seed of tomorrow's success and
gain an insurmountable advantage over those who cease their labor at a prescribed ime. When others cease their struggle, then mine will begin, and my harvest will be
full.
I will persist until I succeed.
Nor will I allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency, for this is
the great foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone,
whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will
be the best day of my life.
So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of the
greatest principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win.
I will persist. I will win.
