Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
flUJIC TRADE
V O L . X L V I I . N o . 18. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, October 31,
J908. S I N G L $!.OS 0 PFI 9 VEAR: E N T S -
Why keep putting "ifs" in the trade pathway? We have fallen
into this "if" habit and are prone to say " Business will be good if so
and so happens."
Why not cut out the "if" entirely and say business will be good?
There is too much talk nowadays commencing with "if"—far too
much of it.
As a nation we have fallen into the "if" habit. Men say they expect
to prosper in business "if" their party's nominee is elected—"if" the
doctrine taught by so and so can be relied upon—"if" the crops are
ofood—"if" the weather favors and so on ad mfinituni.
Let's have done with it—cut out the "if." Let us say we will win
and no "ifs" about it. That's the kind of spirit to encourage and it is
the sort of spirit that clears all obstacles out of the way. There ought
to be more of it in evidence to-day and nowhere is it needed more than
in the field of business.
I have discovered that the man who has fallen into the "if" practice
usually lacks a certain confidence in his own ability. He is harassed by
doubts and when he is in that mental condition, how can he expect to
enthuse men about him—to make a customer agree with him? He is
not in a fit condition. His nerve force and vital energy are lacking and
they are essential to achieve success.
It takes a red-blooded business man to win nowadays and it takes
a live-wire salesman with a clear head, a strong heart and the magnetic
power of health in every vein. That combination will sweep all the "ifs"
out of the way and make the sales forge ahead.
Do not be handicapped with "ifs." Cut them out of your vocab-
ulary and cut them out of your thoughts and you will do much better.
Think it over—it's worth the while.
EDWARD LYMAN BILL,