lop to
the _utmost of your capacity_ your particular salable qualities.

You do not need qualities _you_ now wholly lack. You should not attempt
to "salt" the gold mine in yourself with the characteristics of _other_
men who have succeeded by the development and use of capabilities that
were natural to _them_, but that would be unnatural to _you_. It is
worse than futile--it is foolish for you to imitate anybody else. Just
be _your_ best self. Make the most of what _you_ have that is salable.
You require no more to assure your success.

[Sidenote: Selling the Truth About Your Best Self]

Every individual has distinct characteristics, and is capable of doing
particular things, of which he may be genuinely proud if he fully
develops and uses his personal qualifications. _When all the truth about
his best possible self is skillfully made known to others_, chances for
success are certain to be opened to the ambitious man. If he lacks the
salesmanship key, the doors of opportunity may always remain closed,
however well he deserves to be welcomed.

_You_ possess "goods of sale" that have real _quality_, that are
_durable_, that will render _service_ and afford pleasurable
satisfaction to others. _Your_ goods can be sold as _surely_ as quality
phonographs, durable automobile tires, serviceable clothes, or pleasing
books.

Maybe you can "deliver the goods" with smiles, or hearty tones, or ready
acts of kindness. Any one can easily be friendly. But have you developed
_all your ability_ to smile genuinely? Have you cultivated the hearty
tone of real kindness so that now it is _unnatural_ for you ever to
speak in any other way? Do you perform friendly acts of consideration
for others on _every_ occasion, as second nature?

If your honest answers to such questions must be negative, you are not
a good salesman of your best self all the time.

[Sidenote: Your Salable Qualities]

Your most salable quality may be dependability, rather than quick
thinking. If this is the case, concentrate your salesmanship on making
impressions of the true idea of _your reliability_. Your greatest
success will be achieved in some field of service where dependableness
is a primary essential. You may be _naturally unfitted_ to make a star
reporter, but _peculiarly qualified_ to develop into the cashier of a
bank.

Should you happen to be unattractive in features, your job is to
transform your homeliness into a _likable_ quality--not to try to m