168: From Success to Significance: Lessons from OG Mandino’s “Greatest Salesman”
Rediscovering the Principles That Turn Personal Success Into Lasting Significance.
Leaders Are Readers
I’ll admit it — I’ve got more books than I’ll ever have time to read. This morning, I was talking with Carrie from our team about that exact problem. Neither of us can bring ourselves to get rid of books. “I just can’t do it,” I told her. “I have faith I’ll read them all someday.”
That conversation says a lot about how I view growth and leadership. Leaders are readers. Every book teaches us something — about the story, the author, and often about ourselves.
Lately, I’ve been revisiting two classics by OG Mandino — The Greatest Salesman in the World (1968) and Part II: The End of the Story (1988). Reading them back-to-back has reminded me how much we evolve as leaders over time — from chasing success to living with significance.
The Man Behind the Message
Before OG Mandino became a best-selling author, he was a man on the brink of giving up. Born in 1923, Mandino served as a WWII bomber pilot, flying more than 30 missions over Europe. But after the war, his life unraveled — he struggled with unemployment, divorce, and alcoholism.
Then came a turning point. One snowy morning in the 1950s, planning to buy a gun to end his life, Mandino instead wandered into a public library. He picked up Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone — and that moment changed everything.
From that small act of curiosity, Mandino rebuilt his life. He became a salesman, then a writer, publishing The Greatest Salesman in the World in 1968. The book sold more than 50 million copies and became a cornerstone of the modern self-help movement — blending biblical wisdom, positive psychology, and timeless principles for growth.
His story reminds us that purpose often begins in the hardest places.
Book One: The Drive for Success
Mandino’s first book introduces Hafid, a poor camel boy who becomes a prosperous merchant through ten ancient scrolls filled with life-changing principles.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
I will persist until I succeed.
I am nature’s greatest miracle.
These scrolls are the foundation of self-leadership — habits that build persistence, discipline, and resilience. Mandino wrote them as a man determined to master his mind and rebuild his world.
While the language may feel poetic, it’s not just “feel-good fluff.” Modern neuroscience backs Mandino’s approach. Researchers like Claude Steele, Emily Falk, and Shelly Taylor have found that when affirmations align with our core values, they literally reshape the brain — reducing stress, sharpening focus, and building emotional strength.
Mandino’s “scrolls” were more than motivational writing — they were early exercises in cognitive rewiring, long before the science had a name for it.
Book Two: The Shift to Significance
Twenty years later, Mandino released Part II — and the tone had completely changed. Hafid, now an old man, prepares to pass his scrolls to a new generation. The story is slower, more reflective — focused less on achievement and more on legacy.
Book 1 Scrolls (The Striver): Book One speaks to the striver — the leader hungry to grow, to overcome, to achieve.
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
I will persist until I succeed.
I am nature’s greatest miracle.
Book 2 Scrolls (The Servant): Book Two speaks to the servant — the leader ready to pour into others, to let go, and to finish well.
I will trust in God.
I will be a servant to all.
I will finish the race.
By the time Mandino wrote the second book, his life had changed. He was successful, grounded in faith, and deeply aware that significance comes from service, not status. His sequel reflects that truth: you can’t finish the race if you never start it — but success only becomes meaningful when it’s shared.
My Reflection: From Striving to Serving
Reading both books back-to-back made me think about my own leadership journey.
When I first read The Greatest Salesman in the World, I was in that striving season — working hard to build something. But now, Book Two hits differently. It’s about finishing well. It’s about serving others and letting go.
That shift has challenged the way I think about leadership. Early on, I focused on leading myself — developing habits, discipline, and drive. Now, I’m more focused on leading others — helping my team and clients grow, and building something that lasts beyond me.
“You can’t lead others if you’ve never learned to lead yourself.”
From Hustle to Purpose
In today’s culture of constant hustle, Mandino’s second book might be the message leaders need most.
The End of the Story reminds us that ambition has a purpose — but it’s not the end goal. Success is the foundation; significance is the finish line.
Book 1 helps us build — developing courage, habits, and discipline.
Book 2 helps us become — grounded in faith, service, and peace.
Together, they offer a roadmap for leadership that grows from within — starting with hustle and ending in humility.
Reflect + Apply
Which scroll are you living right now?
Are you in a season of striving — mastering the fundamentals and building success?
Or a season of serving — pouring into others and finishing well?
Both seasons matter. You can’t finish the race if you never start it, and you can’t lead others if you’ve never led yourself.
Leaders are readers. If this conversation sparked something for you, I’ve put together a Leadership Reading Guide — a curated list of books that have shaped how I think about growth, purpose, and leadership.
It’s a resource to help you and your team keep learning, leading, and growing with greater clarity and impact.
References and Downloadable Resources:
OG Mandino: The Greatest Salesman In The World
OG Mandino: The Greatest Salesman In the World Part II - The End of the Story
Episode 168: Leadership Guide - Recommended Books