Similarly you should make the most thorough preparation before starting out as a salesman of the best that is in you.  You have to grade your own roadbed, and must yourself lay the rails over which your ideas in trains of thought will be carried to the minds of other men.  You are fireman, engineer, brakeman, and conductor of this Twentieth Century Limited. Your destiny as a salesman of yourself is in the hands of no one else.  Before you travel any farther, take all practicable measures to assure your safe arrival, without delay, at the station of Success.

[Sidenote:  Start Confidently]

When you are thoroughly prepared to sell true ideas of your best capabilities, you should start with confidence that you will reach the end of the line safely and on time.  Don’t attempt to “get there” before making adequate preparation for success.  Remember that a railroad does not commence operating through trains until the track is finished.

If you are prepared now for the actual start in salesmanship—­if you are packed up and ready to leave for your field of opportunity—­ALL ABOARD!

CHAPTER V

Your Prospects

[Sidenote:  Meaning of “Prospects”]

If you were to be asked, “What are your prospects for success?” you probably would answer by stating the things you expect or hope may happen.  We commonly say that a certain man isn’t rich, but he has “prospects;” because he has a wealthy aunt who is very fond of him, or he is employed by a business that is growing fast, or he owns property which seems sure to increase in value, or some other good fortune is likely to befall him.  The literal meaning of “prospect” is “looking forward.”  So most of us have come to think of our prospects as just possible occurrences in the future, to the happening of which we may look ahead with considerable hopefulness.

“Prospects,” in salesmanship has a very different meaning.  The master salesman does not regard himself as merely a “prospect_ee_,” but as a prospect_or_.  He thinks of “prospecting” as the gold miner uses the word to describe his activities when he searches for valuable mineral deposits.  “Prospects” do not just “happen” in the selling process of achieving success.  They do not result from circumstances merely, but must be accumulated by the activity of the salesman.

[Sidenote:  Making Good Luck]

“Your Prospects,” as the subject of this chapter, does not mean your fondest hopes, or confident expectations.  We are studying the ways to assure your success.  If your prospects depended on mere happenings, they would be highly uncertain; because what you hope and expect may occur, may never take place in fact.  The master salesman does not depend on such prospects. He makes his own luck to a very large extent by skillful prospecting; as the trained prospector for gold tremendously increases his chances of discovering a rich lode by thoroughly and intelligently investigating a mining region.  We are to consider now the prospects you are capable of controlling, the opportunities you can bring within reach by your own exploration of possible fields of success.