Hello, this is Danny Smith and it's a GREAT DAY. You're listening to the LET's Start Something Podcast.
For months, every Monday morning at 8am sharp this salesman would come to Andrew Carnegie's office asking for an appointment. This was in the 1800s and that's what salesmen did, showed up asking for an appointment. Every time, for months and months, the steel tycoon's secretary would turn him away.
Finally, appreciating the man's persistence, Mr. Carnegie listened to his sales pitch and promptly declined. But he told the man, "I tell you what you can do, come back here next Monday and if you give me a suggestion on how to be more productive, and it proves to be correct, I'll pay you $20,000."
That's a lot of money today, but it was a small fortune in 1890.
The next week, the man was back, promptly at 8am, and told Mr. Carnegie, "every day, make a list of six things to do that day. Only six, and focus on getting just those six things done. You'll be more productive."
A few weeks later, the man was sent for and Carnegie welcomed him with a $20,000 check. He told him, "I've given a lot of people, many people, the opportunity I've given you, and was sure you'd be wrong also. But I started using your suggestion and to my surprise, I began getting more done. I then had others in my company follow your suggestion. I can honestly tell you that I've never seen such productivity. This $20,000 I'm paying you is but a small fraction of what you've made me, and will continue to make me, by your persistence."
Wow, what a great story! I've been following this suggestion also and I have also been much more productive. If Andrew Carnegie, one of the all time richest men in the history of the world, was looking for ways to be more productive, I figure the rest of us need it also.
I came across this story last year after asking myself one day "what can I do to focus better?" I don't believe in coincidences.
What questions do you need to be asking yourself?
To that end.....let's start something.
Have a great day!
For months, every Monday morning at 8am sharp this salesman would come to Andrew Carnegie's office asking for an appointment. This was in the 1800s and that's what salesmen did, showed up asking for an appointment. Every time, for months and months, the steel tycoon's secretary would turn him away.
Finally, appreciating the man's persistence, Mr. Carnegie listened to his sales pitch and promptly declined. But he told the man, "I tell you what you can do, come back here next Monday and if you give me a suggestion on how to be more productive, and it proves to be correct, I'll pay you $20,000."
That's a lot of money today, but it was a small fortune in 1890.
The next week, the man was back, promptly at 8am, and told Mr. Carnegie, "every day, make a list of six things to do that day. Only six, and focus on getting just those six things done. You'll be more productive."
A few weeks later, the man was sent for and Carnegie welcomed him with a $20,000 check. He told him, "I've given a lot of people, many people, the opportunity I've given you, and was sure you'd be wrong also. But I started using your suggestion and to my surprise, I began getting more done. I then had others in my company follow your suggestion. I can honestly tell you that I've never seen such productivity. This $20,000 I'm paying you is but a small fraction of what you've made me, and will continue to make me, by your persistence."
Wow, what a great story! I've been following this suggestion also and I have also been much more productive. If Andrew Carnegie, one of the all time richest men in the history of the world, was looking for ways to be more productive, I figure the rest of us need it also.
I came across this story last year after asking myself one day "what can I do to focus better?" I don't believe in coincidences.
What questions do you need to be asking yourself?
To that end.....let's start something.
Have a great day!
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