I think it was maybe 8-10 years ago when I read an interview with Matthew McConaughey where he said that a book called “The Greatest Salesman In The World” by OG Mandido had changed his life.
He was so passionate about the power of the book that he read it every year.
I thought this strange for a couple reasons:
1) Matthew McConaughey isn’t a sales person
2) I’d never heard of this book, or the author, and I had considered myself pretty “with it” in regards to sales content
I had to read this book.
The book can be categorized as a spiritual self-help book that follows the story of Hafid, a poor camel boy who achieves a life of abundance. The book's core teachings are delivered through ten ancient scrolls containing principles of salesmanship and personal success.
The key scrolls (AKA chapters) contain these principles:
Form good habits - "I will form good habits and become their slave"
Greet each day with love - "I will greet this day with love in my heart"
Persist until you succeed - "I will persist until I succeed"
Be master of your emotions - "I am nature's greatest miracle"
Live each day as if it were your last - "I will live this day as if it is my last"
Control your thoughts and emotions - "Today I will be master of my emotions"
The power of laughter - "I will laugh at the world"
Multiply your value each day - "Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold"
Take action now - "I will act now"
Pray for guidance - "I will pray for guidance"
It’s recommended that you read each scroll 3x a day for a full month before moving on to the next.
You won’t necessarily learn any tactical sales techniques from the book, but you will learn interpersonal tools that will help you succeed in sales.
The core message throughout these passages is about persistence, positive habits, taking immediate action, and maintaining an optimistic mindset through the ups and downs of sales.
Here are some of the principles and quotes from the book and how they relate to modern SaaS sales:
"I will persist until I succeed"
Perfect mindset for those long enterprise sales cycles
When your champion goes dark after 6 months
When you're grinding through outbound prospecting
When a competitor swoops in last minute
"The only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in their habits"
Top AEs aren't just naturally gifted - they have disciplined follow-up systems
They block time for prospecting no matter what
They practice their demos and objection handling regularly
They prospect even when deals are flowing
"I will act now"
Stop waiting for the "perfect moment" to follow up
Reply to their email right away
Think of ways to pull deals from next month into the current month
Pick up the phone instead of scheduling "time to call"
"What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it"
Every discovery call is an opportunity to impact someone's business
Each follow-up is an opportunity to advance a deal
Prioritize revenue generating activities above all else
Time spent mentoring junior AEs compounds over careers
"Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough"
When you miss quota Q1, but Q2 is a fresh start
When your entire pipeline pushes to next quarter
When you’re let go due to performance
When your champion leaves mid-deal
"I am rare and valuable like precious gold"
When you're tempted to discount just to hit quota
Remembering your value when prospects try to commoditize you
Standing firm on pricing because you know your solution delivers
Having confidence in competitive deals
"I will greet each day with love in my heart"
Approaching prospects with genuine curiosity about their challenges and a true desire to help them
Staying positive with difficult stakeholders
Being patient when educating non-technical buyers
"I will live this day as if it is my last"
Not pushing deals that aren't a good fit
Being honest with prospects about implementation challenges
Leaving each customer interaction better than you found it
"Today I begin a new life"
Every quarter is a fresh start
Each call is a new opportunity
Every lost deal teaches something valuable
Each day brings new chances to improve your skills
"Today I will multiply my value"
Understanding your customer's fears and dreams
Developing business acumen beyond features/benefits
Building relationships across your organization
These principles are particularly relevant in today's environment where:
Sales cycles are getting longer
More stakeholders are involved in decisions
Technical knowledge is increasingly important
Building trust is harder in remote/hybrid environments
Lastly, here are some practical ways to implement these principles in your daily routine:
Morning Routine (7:30-9:00)
Start with "Today I begin a new life" mindset
Review your top 3 priorities before opening email
Check LinkedIn for trigger events from key accounts
Block out focus time for important tasks before the day gets away
Pre-Call Ritual (15 mins before each meeting)
"I am rare and valuable"
Review past conversations and notes
Check company recent news
Set clear meeting objectives
Take a moment to center yourself
During Calls
"Greet with love in my heart"
Start with genuine curiosity about their day
Listen more than you talk
Take detailed notes about personal details
Focus on understanding before pitching
Post-Call Process
"Act now"
Send follow-up within 2 hours while fresh
Update CRM immediately
Schedule all next steps
Share relevant resources promised
Weekly Habits
"Multiply my value"
Block 2 hours for learning (product, industry, skills)
Review lost deals for patterns
Practice demos or pitches
Connect with internal experts
Dealing with Setbacks
"Persist until I succeed"
Keep a "wins" folder for tough days
Do post-mortems on lost deals
Turn objections into FAQs
Find mentors who've overcome similar challenges
