pector you will need
especially a quality they have in common--"pep."

How eagerly the miner prospector drinks in every bit of news he hears
about a new strike! How alertly the master salesman listens to casual
gossip that holds a clue which may lead to a sale! But the miner and the
salesman prospectors would not benefit in any degree by what they learn
through their perception of prospects if they did not then _act_
intelligently upon the clues secured. Not only should you keep your
eyes and ears open for indications of opportunities to succeed, but you
should be ready in advance _to take instant advantage_ of any you may
discover. What a fool a miner would be if, after finding rich prospects
of gold, he were to lose his chance to someone else because he did not
know how to file a mining claim! Could there be a greater failure in
salesmanship than learning about a big contract to be let, and being
unprepared to bid on it? Before doing any _outside_ prospecting, be sure
you know what you have _in you_. Make certain of your ability to take
full advantage of your chances to succeed when you come upon them.

[Sidenote: Little Doors To Big Success]

Prospects that seem at first glance to be hardly worth following may
lead to other prospects. Merely because your ambitions are _big_, do not
neglect a chance to make a _little_ success. Investigate completely
every minor prospect you find. Until you look into it thoroughly, you
cannot be sure of all that a clue holds. The indication of an
opportunity that seems of slight importance may possibly lead straight
to the bonanza lode.

An elevator boy in an office building made up his mind to rise
permanently in the world; to get out of the vocation in which he was
just going up and down all the time without arriving anywhere in
particular. He prospected the tenants of the building, learned all he
could about them, and determined who were the biggest men. He studied
the directory, asked questions, and finally selected the one big
business man to whom he was resolved to sell his capabilities.

[Sidenote: Persistent Effort After Prospecting]

This man was known to be unapproachable. So, instead of attempting to
interview him, the elevator boy prospected to discover his
characteristics. He found out exactly what qualities were most likely to
please his intended employer. Then he cultivated the tone, manner, and
habits of action that he felt certain would impress the difficult
pro