although I don't promise to be too alert after flying all night。〃
It is also worth mentioning that John had to get up early
enough to drive the 125 miles from Belleville to Toronto； to
meet my 7：00 a。m。 arrival。 I remember that all John said was；
〃I'll be there。〃
The next morning I sat in the airport coffee shop and
listened as John explained how he 〃wanted to do what I was
doing。〃 He wanted to conduct seminars。 He also explained that
he was prepared to pay the price； whatever it might be。
As I listened； it was like hearing a popular song on the
radioyou keep hearing it； over and over again。 In almost every
seminar I conduct there is a man or woman in the seminar
who wants to do 〃what I am doing。〃 I've heard it in Biloxi；
Mississippi； Butte； Montana； Los Angeles； New York； Moncton
and Montrealit was an old tune。 Now； here I was in Toronto
with a friend who； as I have already mentioned； I did not know
that well； and he was asking what 〃he had to do。〃
As I was listening； the same images； which I had with all
the others； were flashing through my mind。 I was
remembering all the traveling and the fear of standing up and
speaking in a large hotel ballroom crowded with people who
wanted you to get them excited； but who were mentally
putting you on trial at the same time； thinking； 〃Does this guy
know what he is talking about？〃 In many situations； such as a
sales convention； you had forty minutes from beginning to end
in which to build rapport with a few hundred strangers and
get them excited about themselves。
The years of staying up nights reading and studying； the
years of learning by attending seminars all over the continent；
the years of working for next to nothing to prepare oneself to
hold the attention of a group of people all day in a seminar；
these were the images racing across my mind。 It had taken me
eleven years to get to that point。
But how do you say； 〃No； you'll never do it；〃 when
someone like John asks you； especially when the essence of
what you teach is you can do anything。 Yet； how can you say
〃yes；〃 when everyone you know； with the exception of two or
three others besides yourself； cannot earn a living in the
public speaking business unless they are a celebrity。 （And that
is a whole different story。）
When John Kanary finished； I told him what I had told all
the others： 〃Yes； you can do it； but it's tough。 Make sure you
understand that； John。 It's tough。 You will have to do a
tremendous amount of studying； because you not only have to
know what to say； but you must also have the answers to a
thousand and one questions arising as a result of what you
say。 Some of the questions will e from professional people
medical doctors； engineers and lawyerswho； in most cases；
know what they are talking about。 So you not only have to be
right； but confident as well； or you will be discredited with
your entire audience； and that only has to happen a couple of
times and you're 〃out of business。〃
You not only have to study these ideas； but you must use
them as well； or there will be no conviction in your talks。 （Not
to mention the fact that you will be a walking physical
contradiction to what you teach。） It is next to impossible； for
example； to have a sick person teaching 'health'。
You must develop showmanship and voice control； and
on and on it goes。 In short； John； for every one who makes it；
a thousand fail miserably。〃
Usually when this is explained； the person says they still
want to go ahead； but you never hear from them again。 John
was no exception； in one sensehe still wanted to go ahead。
However； in every other way he was an exception。 I did see
him again。 I told him what to read and what to do and he read
it and did it。 John read hundreds of bookshe 〃devoured〃
them。 He narrated them onto tapes and then played the tapes
in the car。 At his own expense； he followed me all over the
country and sat in hundreds of seminars。 He wrote thousands
of pages of notes and studied them diligently。
Finally； I would have him open and close the seminars。
Then he would conduct part of a seminar himself。 In the
beginning he was full of fear； he was soaking wet。 Sometimes
he would be so worried about what the audience thought of
him； that he would fet everything he knew and； as you
know； an audience can be very cruel。 But despite all this he
continued。 （Keep in mind this was costing him money； he was
not being paid。）
John Kanary had built an image of himself doing 〃what I
was doing〃 and he would not quit。 He was persistent and it
worked。 It always has and it always will。 Today he has earned
the respect of many of the world's largest corporations。 He has
spoken in almost every major city in North America。 He has
also earned more in one day than he was earning in a year
when I first met him！
So if someone with numerous degrees after their name
tells you ImageMaking and Persistence don't work； just look
John Kanary up and ask him。 He will tell you； 〃I know you can
do it； because I did it！〃
Philip Nacola； a minister in Santa Anna； California；
preached a sermon on a similar idea one Sunday that I was
fortunate enough to hear when I was living there。 He said；
〃Keep your mind on a higher image rather than a lower
concern。〃 I realize that is not always an easy thing to do； but it
sure pays great dividends for the person who develops the
mental strength to do it； and that is what it takesmental
strength。
Build your image now and develop the mental strength to
hold it。
A number of years ago； prior to Napoleon Hill's death；
Earl Nightingale condensed and narrated Think and Grow
Rich onto a longplaying record。 At the end of the record Mr。
Hill es on to close the record。 He said； 〃And now as I
stretch out the hand of friendship through time and space； let
me remind you； not to go searching for opportunity in the
distance； but reach out and embrace it right where you are。〃
Wattles said； 〃This thinking stuff； permeates and
perates the entire universe。〃 They are both telling us the
same thing。 So build your image now； right where you are。
Don't even wait until you finish this book。 Build it now and let
the remaining pages in this book strengthen the image。 You
don't even have to try； just let the image of a more prosperous
you float to the center of your consciousness。 It's already here；
so let it appear。
For many years now； I have been very aware of the power
that flows through you to acplish good in your life； when
you hold the proper image in your mind； and this great truth
has been responsible for many wonderful things happening in
my own life。 Moreover； I have also seen numerous examples of
what a proper image will do in the lives of other people。
Paul Hutsey's Story
I would be remiss if I concluded this chapter without
sharing Paul Hutsey's story with you。 It all began when I
received a telephone call from Charlie Beck； who was the Vice
President of Sales for the southwestern Home Office of the
Prudential Insurance pany of America； in Houston； Texas。
He invited me to speak at the pany's Regional Business
Conferences； to be held in Toronto； Canada。 He explained they
had four different regions and each region was ing in for
three days to the conference。 （This meant that they wanted me
to work in Toronto for approximately 12 days。） Although I was
living in Los Angeles at the time； Toronto was my home town
where I grew up。 My family and friends all lived there； so
naturally the idea appealed to me。 But I asked Charlie how
long I could have on the program and he said； 〃about an
hour。〃 I think it is worth mentioning； at this point； that I have
not as yet learned to teach anyone much in an hour； and I told
him so。 I explained that if he would give me two mornings on
the programwith each regionI would be glad to e and do
the job for him。 I wanted two and onehalf hours each
morning。
Charlie's southern accent was interrupted by a real deep
belly laugh as he explained that they had never done anything
like that； in the 100 year history of the pany。 All of their
executives had to take part in the program and so they never
gave anyone that much time。 However； I stood firm。 I gave him
the name of a couple of other vicepresidents in his pany
whom I had worked for and I suggested that he call them； to
find out if my idea had any merit。 But as I hung up the phone；
I did so rather reluctantly because I really wanted the job。 I
must admit that I was somewhat surprised； therefore； when
one of Charlie's aides phoned me back to say they were 〃going
for it。〃 He also told me he didn't know how I had talked Charlie
into doing it； but I was given two mornings on the program。 I
made up my mind right on the spot that I was going to leave
these people with something specialand if they chose to use
itthey could literally change their lives overnight。 （Not to
mention what it would do for their sales records。） I was going
to speak on the power of an image or； to be more specific； the
power of a selfimage and the benefits of holding a positive
one。
At the conclusion of the program for one of the regions； a
gentleman came up to me and said it was imperative he talk to
me。 He said he had a problem； and he felt I had the answer to
the problem； because he was impressed with the ideas I had
explained during the seminar presentations。 There were
approximately 200 people in each one of these conventions
and I explained to this man that many of the people wanted to
talk to me； but I did not have the time to talk to everyone
individually； since I was only one person。 I also explained to
him I had another appointment and had to leave immediately
to be there on time。 Still； he was persistent； so I agreed to
meet him the following morning in the coffeeshop for
breakfast。
I can remember our meeting as if it were yesterday。 The
two of us sat down； just inside the door of the coffeeshop at
the Hyatt House Hotel on Avenue Road。 As soon as we sat
down； he started talking。 He informed me that he had to tell