ion he explores, in paying quantities and
practicable for mining. Though he has every reason to feel confident of
the richness of a particular field, he may nevertheless be so
unfortunate as not to discover the gold lode or profitable placer
deposit. He is helpless to control the _existence_ of the indications of
success. They are predetermined by nature. By no effort of his own is he
able to increase or decrease the fixed quantity and quality of the
golden chances about him. He can only increase his _likelihood of
discovering_ gold. Even the most intelligent, skillful prospecting will
not make a miner's success certain.

You, the salesman prospector for opportunities to succeed, are not so
limited. There are particular things you can do, and particular ways of
doing them, that will _assure your finding chances_ to make sales of the
best that is in you. If you learn the scientific principles of
prospecting for opportunities, if you make yourself highly skillful in
looking for and digging into the success chances that surround you
always, there will be nothing uncertain about your prospects to succeed.
You will know _surely_ that you _have_ prospects, just _what_ and
_where_ they are, and their _full worth_ to you.

Of course, prospecting is only _part_ of the selling process; so your
knowledge and skill as a prospector will not suffice to guarantee your
_complete_ success. However, at this preliminary stage you can be
certain that your search for rich chances to succeed will not be a
barren quest.

The present chapter will help you to make sure of gaining for yourself
such opportunities as lead to complete success in the field of your
choice. We will observe and understand how the skillful salesman
prospects for the purpose of increasing his sales efficiency. We will
study the principles and methods of prospecting he uses successfully;
for his practices, applied to your job of selling yourself, will
certainly improve your chances to succeed. We will see also how your
very best prospects can be _created_ by masterly salesmanship.

[Sidenote: Hard Work Necessary]

At the outset comprehend that no other step in the selling process
involves so much _hard work_ as you will need to do in order to find all
your possible chances of success and to make the most of them. It is
necessary that you look _intelligently_, most _earnestly_, and
_constantly_. You must expect to spend a great deal of time and energy
in your quest f