The Greatest Salesman in the World

“You have mastered the art of living not for yourself alone, but for others, and this concern has stamped thee above all, as a man among men.”

The Nature of Success is about more than wealth: Rather, The Greatest Salesman in the World encourages prioritizing others’ needs and sharing success. Likewise, Hafid compliments his bookkeeper, Erasmus, for being devoted to others.

“Time is my most precious commodity and the hour glass of my life is nearly filled.”

Hafid metaphorically refers to his impending death. Like Pathros before him, it is only after a long, fulfilling life that he finally meets the successor meant to receive their 10 scrolls in a cyclical passing of knowledge.

“Were this room filled to its beams with diamonds, its value could not surpass what your eyes behold in this simple wooden box.”

As an old man, Hafid has lived a life of successes and failures and come to amass a great fortune due to his 10 scrolls. For this reason, the scrolls are more valuable than physical wealth.

“Always were my decisions guided by these scrolls; therefore, it was not through my wisdom that we acquired so many gold talents. I was only the instrument of fulfillment.”

In explaining his scrolls to Erasmus, Hafid hints at the necessity of guidance in achieving success. Furthermore, he hints at divine purpose and being an instrument for this purpose. This concept relates to Christianity, though Hafid and the reader are not yet aware that Hafid will cross paths with Jesus.

“True wealth is of the heart, not of the purse.”

This quote explains the importance of acting with love and knowing that love outweighs monetary wealth. This is a Christian principle, as the ideology encourages followers to help the less fortunate by sharing their success.

“The rewards are great if one succeeds but the rewards are great only because so few succeed.”

The Nature of Success is complex and thus difficult to achieve. By design, goals worth achieving take time and persistence, among other things.

“Doubts that have assailed every seller since the beginning of time passed through his mind.”

As a person, Hafid is unique, but his journey is not: He experiences the same doubts as all sellers. As Pathros warned, almost all who attempt to become great salesmen fail because they stop themselves from even trying.

“Why had he committed such a foolish act? He knew not those people in the cave. Why had he not attempted to sell the robe to them? What would he tell Pathros?”

After clothing a newborn Jesus and thus failing to sell Pathros’s red robe, Hafid feels ashamed. He believes that he will be mocked for his decision. In truth, this selfless act propels him to greatness. Without realizing it, Hafid embodies the scrolls’ principles of acting with love and Living for Today.

“Pathros sighed in relief as if a heavy weight had been removed from his body.”

This quote uses the cliché of a “heavy weight” to illustrate Pathros’s relief upon naming Hafid his successor. His dying wish pushes Hafid to pursue sales in full.

“Thousands of your kind are outside and afraid. But you had the courage to come through the window.”

Having grown up in smaller towns, Hafid is overwhelmed by the crowded chaos of Damascus and hides in an inn. However, a courageous sparrow reinvigorates him by proving one must put aside fear to stand out.

“Thousands of grapes are pressed to fill one jar with wine, and the grapeskin and pulp are tossed to the birds. So it is with these grapes of wisdom from the ages. Much has been filtered and tossed to the wind.”

Grapes are often used as a metaphor in the Bible. They were a valued fruit in ancient times, with wine being especially precious. Likewise, the scrolls’ wisdom has been filtered by time and can bring a person from poverty to riches.

“I will greet this day with love in my heart.”

This mantra is repeated several times to reinforce its importance. The second scroll urges its reader to approach every day with love, rather than hatred or anger—which is another Christian principle.

“I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars.”

This quote showcases the dualistic nature of the world and the growth that comes with appreciating both positive and negative experiences. It is also a subtle reference to God’s light, which can guide a person throughout life.

“I will build my castle one brick at a time, for I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.”

This metaphor of a castle represents a person’s potential for greatness and how they must never settle for less. A person’s castle cannot be built overnight, and it cannot be built all at once: It is a gradual undertaking that requires persistence.

“I will increase my knowledge of mankind, myself, and the goods I sell, thus my sales will multiply.”

A key aspect of The Art and Principles of Sales is understanding oneself as miraculous and full of potential. In order to live up to one’s potential, a person must continually develop skills and never accept a single success as their last.

“No beast, no plant, no wind, no rain, no rock, no lake had the same beginning as I, for I was conceived in love and brought forth with a purpose.”

This quote lists things found in nature and how humans differ from them because they are conceived from love—between parents and, by extension, God. Because of this key difference, one proves their understanding of The Nature of Success by living with love.

“With my laughter all things will be reduced to their proper size.”

The importance of laughter should not be understated because it is with humor and humility that a person can gain new perspective of setbacks. This quote is short and simple but drives home a key aspect of The Nature of Success.

“Only with laughter and happiness can I enjoy the fruits of my labor. Were it not so, far better would it be to fail, for happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal.”

This metaphor explores the nature of happiness: A person cannot enjoy the fruits of their success, nor can they hope to continue seeking success, if they are not happy. Furthermore, they must possess humility toward both successes and failures.

“One grain of wheat when multiplied a hundredfold will produce a hundred stalks. Multiply these a hundredfold, ten times, and they will feed all the cities of the earth. Am I not more than a grain of wheat?”

The eighth scroll utilizes the metaphor of a grain of wheat to explain the multiplication of value over time. A human, with far more potential than a grain, can theoretically do even more.

“Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy.”

In this quote, the idea of Living for Today is clearly communicated. While ignoring a person’s physical and mental struggles, it states that procrastination is a product of laziness and should be avoided by those who seek success.

“All creatures that walk the earth, including man, possess the instinct to cry for help. Why do we possess this instinct, this gift?”

The use of “we” implies a sense of community among all living things in their relationship with God. This quote poses a question to the reader, begging them to ask themselves why the instinct to pray is strong in times of crisis.

“I am a small and a lonely grape clutching the vine yet thou hast made me different from all others. Verily, there must be a special place for me.”

In this metaphorical affirmation, the reader is to think of themselves as a unique creation by a loving God. While humans are many, they are all different and have something unique to offer the world.

“And then out of the desert to the East there appeared a slight, limping figure of a stranger who entered Damascus and made straightway through the streets until he stood before the palace of Hafid.”

Echoing the third scroll, the metaphor of a desert is used to illustrate reaching a goal. Fittingly, Paul appears ragged and worn, as though nothing could have stopped him from finding Hafid.