Lessons of Perception: Contrasting Paths in the Sales World

Two friends, Jim and Stew, both joined a large sales company right after graduating, demonstrating their strong work ethic.

After three years had passed, the company's director decided to promote Stew to the position of sales executive, while Jim remained in the sales department without any promotion.

Feeling that this was unjust, Jim approached his boss and expressed his dissatisfaction, claiming that hard-working employees were not being appreciated. Recognizing Jim's dedication, the boss wanted to highlight the disparity between Jim and Stew, so he assigned Jim a task. He instructed Jim to find someone selling watermelons in the market and gather some information.

Jim ventured to the market and returned to the boss with the price of $12 per kilogram. Curious, the boss then asked Stew the same question. Stew embarked on his market expedition and returned with detailed information: there was currently only one watermelon seller, offering watermelons at $12 per kilogram or $100 for 10 kilograms. The seller had 340 watermelons in stock, with 48 of them displayed on the table, each weighing approximately 15 kilograms. Stew also added that these watermelons were purchased from the South two days ago, assuring their freshness and good quality.

Jim was astounded by the stark contrast between his own report and Stew's. He realized that there was much he could learn from his friend.

This story exemplifies the notion that successful individuals possess a heightened level of observation. They have the ability to think and plan years ahead, while many others only focus on immediate concerns.