Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats.

— Og Mandino

Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet each struggle, each defeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence and thus each obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better... or quit. Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward; turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw away your future.

— Og Mandino

Poverty may be a privilege and even a way of life for the monk in the desert, for he has only himself to sustain and none but his god to please, but I consider poverty to be the mark of lack of ability or lack of ambition. I am not deficient in either of these qualities!

— Og Mandino

Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

— Og Mandino

Remind thyself, in the darkest moments, that every failure is only a step toward success, every detection of what is false directs you toward what is true, every trial exhausts some tempting form of error, and every adversity will only hide, for a time, your path to peace and fulfillment.

— Og Mandino

Sound character provides the power with which a person may ride the emergencies of life instead of being overwhelmed by them. Failure is... the highway to success.

— Og Mandino

Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.

— Og Mandino

The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be.

— Og Mandino

The person who knows one thing and does it better than anyone else, even if it only is the art of raising lentils, receives the crown he merits. If he raises all his energy to that end, he is a benefactor of mankind and its rewarded as such.

— Og Mandino

They are the living dead, and we have many of those among us, spending their days whining and complaining and never making any attempt to change their lives for the better.

— Og Mandino