W.Clement Stone’s Success System

By Bigg Success Staff
December 06, 2007

Timeless Principles

W. Clement Stone was a student of success. This paper boy eventually became the head of a billion dollar insurance company. Along the way, he overcame extreme poverty, a tough neighborhood, the loss of his father at the age of three, and many other obstacles.

In his great book, The Success System That Never Fails, he describes the three things he learned as a frightened six-year old boy selling newspapers. These three things propelled him to success.

3-Step Success Formula

• Inspiration to action

What motivates you? Not because you have to do something, but because you want to do it. Are you unhappy with your current situation? Then change it by changing yourself. Do you want more out of your life? Find your passion and pursue it relentlessly.Stone opens the book by writing about his days as a paperboy. He was motivated to do well because he needed the money. He had invested all of his savings in newspapers. Newspapers that would be worthless at the end of the day. He had to sell them. So he kept pushing.

• Know-how

Know-how is knowledge applied successfully. You learn your craft by trying again and again. Every time you try, you either succeed or fail. Either way, you learn. When you succeed, you know what to do the next time. When you fail, you learn what not to do next time.Stone learned that patrons of a corner diner would buy papers to read while they ate their dinners. However, the owner of the restaurant didn’t like this child peddling papers in his place. He kept kicking Stone out. Stone would sneak back in and sell papers. He learned to be persistent.

• Activity knowledge

It’s important to learn from your own successes and failures. It’s even better if you can learn from the successes and failures of others. Get to know your product. Learn the methods that have and haven’t worked for others.Stone knew what to say, because he watched other successful paper boys shouting out the day’s headlines to get their customers’ attentions.

Stone promises a lot, even in the title to this book. He also promises that his system will work if you work his system. What’s your inspiration to action right now?

(Image of sprinter by Gio JL )