A salesman and his wife had an older son who was still living at home
with his parents. Both were a little worried as their son was content
just to remain at home and was still unable to decide about his career
path. This compelled the salesman and his wife to do something. They
decided to perform a small test.
They took a ten-dollar bill, a Bible and a bottle of whiskey, and put
them on the front hall table. Then they hid, hoping he would think
that they were not at home.
The salesman told his wife, "If he takes the money off the table he
will be a salesman, if he takes the Bible he will be a priest. But if
he takes the whiskey, I'm afraid our son will just end up being a
drunkard."
So the parents took their place in the nearby closet and waited
nervously. Peeping through the keyhole they saw their son arrive home.
He saw the note they had left, saying they would be home later. Then
he took the ten-dollar bill, looked at it against the light and put it
into his pocket.
After that, he took the Bible, flicked through it, and took it also.
Finally, he grabbed the bottle of whiskey, opened it, and took an
appreciative whiff to be assured of the quality. Then he left for his
room carrying all three items.
The salesman seeing this, slapped his forehead and said, "Oh no! It's worse then I had ever imagined!"
"What do you mean?" asked his wife.
The salesman looked down at his shoes, and slowly turning his head
from left to right, replied, "I'm afraid our son is going to end up
being a politician."
Moral of the story. True sales professionals realize that the
success, or lack of success in their sales career, is really just the
sum of the choices they have made in their life, so far. Want to
improve your sales results? Simply improve the quality of choices you
make everyday. Or you too, could end up being a politician.
"A politician is a man who will double cross that bridge when he comes to it." - Oscar Levant
