Og Mandino wasn’t always a best-selling author. A one-time insurance salesman who struggled with alcoholism and self-identity, Mandino would go on to write “The Greatest Salesman in the World. ” First published in 1968, the self-help book on salesmanship and personal success has sold over 50 million copies and been translated into more than 25 languages.
His personal journey of self-discovery began after he thought about committing suicide on a cold winter’s day. Who was he? Were his differences from other people important? Did the similarities he shared with others define him?
These thoughts led him to a library in Cleveland, where he stumbled across books on self-help and motivation. He would continue to read literally hundreds of books on achieving success. They changed his life. His self-guided study on achieving goals and creating success led him to understand that as a unique individual, he had value.
“I am rare, and there is value in all rarity; therefore, I am valuable.”
Og Mandino’s quote on being different and embracing that difference has helped many people realize they, too, deliver incredible value to the world.
Embrace Your Differences for More Earning Potential
In his best-selling book on success and goal achievement, Og Mandino devotes a section to embracing the “unique angle” that you and you only can offer. You flaunt and capitalize on your differences from others rather than shying away from them. This gives you a unique and possibly one-of-a-kind skill or approach to bring to the marketplace.
This creates a competitive advantage.
That, in turn, means the possibility of earning more money than others in your field. When you deliver something the same as everyone else, you have to compete on price. Embracing your unique differences allows you to compete on value rather than price.
This means you aren’t struggling to earn more money per hour. You’re not constantly dropping the prices of your products. Your different, authentic approach or product makes it difficult, if not impossible, for your competitors to copy you or offer something similar.
Be who you are. Don’t try to copy others. You were given your unique abilities, skills, outlook, and personality for a reason. You were meant to be you, nobody else.
Look deep inside who you are and use your unique nature to offer something different to the marketplace. This gives you more earning potential, and you also realize a greater acceptance of self and healthy self-esteem.
