I want to share with you an excerpt from “The richest man in Babylon” written by George S. Clason. It is a story that will demonstrate the title to this article, but also show you that the successful make decisions quickly. To be successful means to be a person of action always. Most of the time, your gut feeling is right.
“Returning from the city one evening after a disheartening ten days’ journey in search of camels, i was much angered to find the gates of the city closed and locked. While my slaves spread our tent for the night, which we looked to spend with little food and no water, I was approached by an elderly farmer who, like ourselves, found himself locked outside.”
” ‘Honored sir,’ ” he addressed me, ” ‘from thy appearance, I do judge thee to be a buyer. If this be so, much would I like to sell to thee the most excellent flock of sheep just driven up. Alas, my good wife lay very sick with the fever. I must return with all my haste. By thou my sheep that I and my slaves may mount our camels and travel back without delay.’ ”
“So dark it was that I could not see his flock, but from the bleating I did know that it must be large. Having wasted ten days searching for camels I could not find, I was glad to bargain with him. In his anxiety, he did set a most reasonable price. I accepted, well knowing my slaves could drive the flock through the city gates in the morning and sell at a substantial profit.”
“The bargain concluded, I called my slaves to bring the torches that we might count the flock which the farmer declared to contain nine hundred. I shall not burden you, my friends, with a description of our difficulty in attempting to count so many thirsty, restless, milling sheep. It proved to be an impossible task. Therefore, I bluntly informed the farmer I would count them in at daylight and pay him then.”
” ‘Please, most honorable sir,’ ” he pleaded, ” ‘pay me but two-thirds of the price tonight that I may be on my way. I will leave my most intelligent and educated slave to assist to make the count in the morning. He is trustworthy and to him thou canst pay the balance.’ ”
“But I was stubborn and refused to make payment that night. Next morning, before I awoke, the city gates opened and four buyers rushed out in search of flocks. They were most eager and willing to pay high prices because the city was threatened with seige, and food was not plentiful. Nearly three times the price at which he offered the flock to me did the old farmer receive for it. Thus was rare good luck allowed to escape.”
And there you have it. I don’t believe that it was good luck. It was the effort the buyer put forth to find the camels that attracted the good deal, but he failed to act on it. In order to have success, one must learn to make decisions quickly. Opportunity comes and goes very quickly at times, and if you are not committed to action, then procrastination and missed opportunities become more familiar to you.
David Allred is the author and creator of CFW. David has been teaching entrepreneur minded people how to earn a full time income working from the comfort of home for nearly a decade.
Think about it. Never miss your kids’ events, set your own schedule, choose your own income and enjoy a lifestyle and income which most people only drool over!
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