The Man Who Sold Hot Dogs - 1/25/2009

Years ago, from the platform at seminars, I used to tell a story that I believe would be metaphorically appropriate to put back on the table.  I am urged to do so because of what I am hearing from my current consulting clients and the hundreds of people I regularly communicate with.

I am, like you should be doing too, paying close attention (regardless of your political preferences) to our new passionate, articulate, energetic and positive President Barack Obama.  He is attempting to “speak to his constituents and be an example in an effort to rally the country -- attempting to change the stuck-in-their-stuff, stinkin’ thinkin’ that has created much of the mess in the first place.  Shouldn’t you be doing the same in your little world?

Nevertheless, the story I am about to tell sounds like too many of you. Read it and see if you can at least make a distinction that the theme of the story is your current reality.

The Man Who Sold Hot Dogs.”

Many years ago there was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs.  He was hard of hearing so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes so he read no newspaper.  But, he sold Hot Dogs! That’s what he knew how to do.  That was his passion, his purpose – that was “who he was!”

He put up signs on the highway showing scrumptious steaming hot and fresh hot dogs, proclaiming to all how good they were. Every day he stood on the side of the road and gleefully cried out: "Get your hot dogs here – buy some delicious, mouth-watering hot dogs here!"

And people bought, because his product matched his claim and because he was so positive, energetic and enthusiastic. More importantly, he apparently loved what he did. Naturally, his business increased and flourished (and so would yours – oops, there I go again).

He increased his meat and bun orders. He bought a bigger stove to take care of his growing trade. He was so happy selling Hot Dogs and his customers all seemed to enjoy doing business with him.

All was great, until one day his son came home from college to help him out.

 And something happened…..

His son said, "Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio?  Haven’t you been reading the newspaper? Don’t you know what is going on?

Our country is in crisis, we’re in two wars. The economy is in recession, business is down and unemployment rising.  Whereupon the father thought, "Well, my son’s been to college, he reads the newspaper, he listens to the radio, and he ought to know."

So the father cut down on his meat and bun orders, he took down all his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand on the highway to sell his hot dogs.

And his HOT DOG sales fell, ALMOST OVERNIGHT.  The father then went to back to the son and said, “I’m proud of you son. You are so right and I’m glad that you went to college.  It’s terrible out there and business is indeed bad!”

*******

Ending note:  What do you think would happen if you went the other way and modified your beliefs, altered the way in which you speak to others, the tone in your voice, the certainty with which you speak, the look in your eyes, the appearance of your home or office, the timeliness of your appointments, the freshness of your internal and external marketing, the added Universal and Chiropractic principles that you have been forgetting to include on a regular bases, the “real” education of your patients, clients or customers – all while you add back the “Passion to Serve” attitudes and actions that are essential to happiness and success?????

Back to List of Articles

*