Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Success System That Never Fails

Top positive review

A Timeless System

Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2011

I had never heard of W. Clement Stone until just a few days ago. I stumbled across the kindle version of this book, and it was so cheap I figured I might as well give it a try. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it surpassed my expectations. Though this book is obviously dated (the author mentions bath houses and speaks of his ability to continue the success of his business during the great depression), the lessons in it are timeless. If applied correctly, there's no doubt in my mind that anybody can learn from them.

I also enjoyed that much of the advice was practical. He does mention prayer often, and though he doesn't specifically call on the law of attraction, he does mention many of the ideas of it. If you're not a spiritual person, then simply take that with a grain of salt, and move on to other portions of the book. You will still get a lot out of it. This book is about more than 'think good thoughts and things will come to you'. Nope, it's about evaluating yourself, your values, your motivation and taking action. Make no mistake, it is abundantly clear that the author worked his butt off to enjoy the success and riches that he accomplished for him and his family.

There are some books that I keep on my shelf (or in my Kindle) because I know I can benefit from reading them over and over again. This is one of those books. There is just too much good information in it to soak it all up in one reading.

20 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Almir

It's Okay

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2018

Read full review and summary of this book on my blog: imeducatingmyself.com/the-success-system-that-never-fails-william-clement-stone-review

This is the Self-Help book that is written by a Insurance salesmen William C. Stone, and it talking about habits that you need to acquire in order to become successful. But the book is not written in way that it presents exact steps that you need acquire – the content in this book contain stories from which you can learn what is the right habit(s) that you need to acquire. I will try to write some of the habits that I learned from this book, but it’s not anything new for me, I already know these habits from other books.

Some of the habits presented in this book in no particular order are:

Education – This is one the most habits in my opinion, and if you don’t have skills that you can use to earn more money – than you need to learn new ones. But with the internet these, majority of new skills can be learned through books and courses which are less expensive than going to college. But I won’t agree that college isn’t important these days, that’s another topic.
Practice – Everything that we learn will not be useful if we don’t put that knowledge into good use. Because the best way to learn something is to just practice it until you master it.
Know-how – This habit is combination of two above, we need to try narrowing down our interest and not try to learn too many things. When your focus it’s not on too many things, then we can learn as much as possible abou that specific industry, and through practice mastering that skill. It’s useless to learn about stock market, clothing manufacturing, reparing and restoring cars, being a chef all at once – you’ll learn a bit of everything, but nothing that can be called specialized knowledge.
Action – We need to take action if we want to succeed in life. Nothing will came to us by itself, if we don’t get up and go and grab things that we want.
What is riches for you? – We need to seek in ourselves what is true riches for us. In my case, I think is having a house (that I don’t need to mortgage for the next 20 years), good wife with happy marriage, kids, and having enough money that I don’t need to worry am I going to be able to pay next bills, education for kids, vacation; also to be able to help my parents. This is something that vary from person to person – and everybody need to find it in them selves.
Believer – There is a part of this book that is telling that we need to be religious, pray for success in order to that success come to us. I have to be honest on this one and say that I’m not much into religion; but I have moral ethic that I follow.
Respectful (Respect yourself, and respect others as well) – This one doesn’t need much explanation except “Don’t do unto others, what you don’t want others to do unto you.”
Think Win/Win – This is one is very well known, if you doing business with other make sure that you negotiate deals that is beneficial for both sides, not just for you and damaging for other. This won’t last long, and sooner or later we can end up without business partners and associates.
There are more things that can be learned from this book, but I don’t want to make this review too long.

I have to say that if you are looking something easier to understand, that you might want to read The Law of Success, Think and Grow Rich!:The Original Version, Restored and Revised, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

This books are much more easier to read and to understand, and they are written for beginners in mind that are looking for good Self-Help, Self-Improvement, Self-Development books. And if already read those books, than you won’t find anything new in this book. If you want something to boost your confidence to take more action, than by no means go ahead and read it. But I would suggest that is better to read again books from Napoleon and Stephen.

6 people found this helpful

570 total ratings, 196 with reviews

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From the United States

Almir

It's Okay

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2018

Verified Purchase

Read full review and summary of this book on my blog: imeducatingmyself.com/the-success-system-that-never-fails-william-clement-stone-review

This is the Self-Help book that is written by a Insurance salesmen William C. Stone, and it talking about habits that you need to acquire in order to become successful. But the book is not written in way that it presents exact steps that you need acquire – the content in this book contain stories from which you can learn what is the right habit(s) that you need to acquire. I will try to write some of the habits that I learned from this book, but it’s not anything new for me, I already know these habits from other books.

Some of the habits presented in this book in no particular order are:

Education – This is one the most habits in my opinion, and if you don’t have skills that you can use to earn more money – than you need to learn new ones. But with the internet these, majority of new skills can be learned through books and courses which are less expensive than going to college. But I won’t agree that college isn’t important these days, that’s another topic.
Practice – Everything that we learn will not be useful if we don’t put that knowledge into good use. Because the best way to learn something is to just practice it until you master it.
Know-how – This habit is combination of two above, we need to try narrowing down our interest and not try to learn too many things. When your focus it’s not on too many things, then we can learn as much as possible abou that specific industry, and through practice mastering that skill. It’s useless to learn about stock market, clothing manufacturing, reparing and restoring cars, being a chef all at once – you’ll learn a bit of everything, but nothing that can be called specialized knowledge.
Action – We need to take action if we want to succeed in life. Nothing will came to us by itself, if we don’t get up and go and grab things that we want.
What is riches for you? – We need to seek in ourselves what is true riches for us. In my case, I think is having a house (that I don’t need to mortgage for the next 20 years), good wife with happy marriage, kids, and having enough money that I don’t need to worry am I going to be able to pay next bills, education for kids, vacation; also to be able to help my parents. This is something that vary from person to person – and everybody need to find it in them selves.
Believer – There is a part of this book that is telling that we need to be religious, pray for success in order to that success come to us. I have to be honest on this one and say that I’m not much into religion; but I have moral ethic that I follow.
Respectful (Respect yourself, and respect others as well) – This one doesn’t need much explanation except “Don’t do unto others, what you don’t want others to do unto you.”
Think Win/Win – This is one is very well known, if you doing business with other make sure that you negotiate deals that is beneficial for both sides, not just for you and damaging for other. This won’t last long, and sooner or later we can end up without business partners and associates.
There are more things that can be learned from this book, but I don’t want to make this review too long.

I have to say that if you are looking something easier to understand, that you might want to read The Law of Success , Think and Grow Rich!:The Original Version, Restored and Revised , The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

This books are much more easier to read and to understand, and they are written for beginners in mind that are looking for good Self-Help, Self-Improvement, Self-Development books. And if already read those books, than you won’t find anything new in this book. If you want something to boost your confidence to take more action, than by no means go ahead and read it. But I would suggest that is better to read again books from Napoleon and Stephen.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Guiding Echoes with Nicole Antoinette

A Timeless System

Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2011

Verified Purchase

20 people found this helpful

Helpful

Lee McIntyre, Southern California

Great book, with a particular emphasis on success in business ... plus a healthy dose of Stone's autobiography

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2015

Verified Purchase

This book is part instruction and part autobiography. It's a fascinating look at the man W. Clement Stone and how he developed a nationwide insurance business. He gives three keys to success, but I don't feel they are well explained until the very last chapter. You might want to read that chapter first. While there is much here than can be applied to any individual, it seems the writer is focusing primarily on success in business. Having said that, I would repeat that there is much here that can be applied to any individual.

I had to scour the Internet to find a publication date; I didn't see one listed in the Kindle version of the book I received. I believe this was published in 1960, a few years before he and Napoleon Hill wrote "Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude." I'm reading that second book now. If you can only read one, and you're not so interested in the autobiographical aspects of "The Success System That Never Fails," then I would recommend "Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude" as the one book to read, since it's written for a broader audience.

But "The Success System That Never Fails" is certainly worth your time, particularly if you're a sales manager.

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

DareToBeAHero

A Must Read

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2012

Verified Purchase

WARNING: Once you start reading, you may not want to put the book down!!!

If you want to build a sales organization, a business, a non-profit organization or if you want to become a leader then this book is A MUST READ. Although the book was written many years ago before some who read this were even a twinkling in their parent's eyes, the principles shared within by W. Clement Store are timeless. They have also been proven to work. I personally know of some who have put these principles to work and totally changed their business and their life. I know it will change mine also.

The contents rate a 5 star plus. The only reason (and these are minor ones) for the overall rating to be 4 stars (wish I could have rated it 4.95 stars) is because of some typos and misspelled words from time to time. I don't know if they are from the original version of the book or from this particular Kindle version. Nevertheless, these minor flaws are not enough to take away from the lessons given within.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Gord Merrick

PMA I feel healthy, I feel happy, I feel terrific.

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2015

Verified Purchase

Clem Stone's sales door to door era is somewhat dated now in the early 21st century but his lessons are timeless.
Mr. Stone was unfailingly polite and courteous with prospects and with energy, drive, persistence, produce belief, dealing with call reluctance, fear of failure, rejection, barriers, all overcome with relentless drive, nose to the grindstone work ethic, day after day after day, rain or shine, winter or summer, he built one of the great insurance businesses as a high school dropout from the south side of Chicago. All this was accomplished by cold calling, that most salespersons avoid. He called cold calls, "Gold Calls" and as a young man made as many as 100 cold calls each day, door to door in office buildings and later taught his salesforce to do the same. He invented Positive Mental Attitude, PMA teaches you to always look on the sunny side of issues. In sales its contagious and leads to prospects wanting to do business with you. He had a great wife and three kids and supported many causes for disadvantaged youth in the Chicago area and elsewhere. Clem Stone was a great American indeed.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

A 50 Year Old Book that Still Resonates

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2010

Verified Purchase

A 50 year old book that still resonates. It is a typical "self-help" style book that gets you thinking about improving your approach, your effectiveness, your values and your life. W. Clement Stone views the key to success in three concepts - Inspiration to Action, Know-how and Activity Knowledge. These are attained through continuous education, self-improvement, ;earning from others, acquiring both financial and holistic wealth, to embrace our patriotic duty, to align our values and to find the true riches of life. The style is definitely 50 years old, and some of the approach is pretty dated - especially when J Edgar Hoover and Herbert Hoover are noted as great American heroes. Nevertheless, it is a good read if you are into these types of books.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

S. R. Lawrence

Timeless Classic for Sales 101.

Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2013

Verified Purchase

I have been in the sales business for 30 years now. Successful salesperson, sales manager and mentor/trainer. Direct sales was my first job: selling Encyclopedias door to door to Mums and Dads. Just loved it! Advent of the computer saw the end of the books. Life Insurance became my next love- moved on to Finance and Property. Have been retired for some years but have gone back 'on the street' at age 65: cold calling to business!Nothing much has changed with people; they still have the same needs- "Maslow's hierarchy of needs" is still alive and well out there. Find (Sell) to the clients needs- not yours. I actually worked for Clement Stones Combined Insurance: their sales training was (is) immortal - as is this (His) book. Not a University transcript but essential reading if you are one of the courageousness souls who make a fine living selling. 'People who love People'. The System never fails- just do it!

3 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Worth the read

Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2018

Verified Purchase

It was a little dated since it was written so long ago so it's a bit more harder to relate to. I think way too much time is spent on quotes and reviews from people that I've never heard of and that I can't relate to.

With that being said, it's still one of the best personal and professional development books of all time. If a poor man from a poor family can become a multi Millionaire selling insurance, what can you do? What this book does that few do is he gives examples of people that were struggling in various ways and what they did to turn it around.

The author lived to 100 when many used to die in their 50s and 60s. He gave inspiration to famous people like Norman Vincent Peale, Jack Canfield,

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Christine A. Sutherland

Partially Useful

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2013

Verified Purchase

As an atheist I simply don't resonate with talk of god, especially when this is given as part of a recipe for success.

Here is the true "Success System" absolutely free, and doesn't need a book:

Success is about skill. If someone wants to be successful they need to master skills. Of course if your life is a mess that makes it difficult to be an effective student. Some people need help to clear things up so they can function better.

With the mastery of valuable skills which others appreciate and will pay for, success begins to follow.

When one begins to experience success, confidence builds, and before you know it, your "mindset" is also "sorted".

I absolutely hate seeing mindset taught before skills. That is ridiculous. Get the proof first, via the results of SKILLS, and mindset naturally follow.

Helpful

Jean Lamb

Nice advice for certain people, but not as helpful for others

Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2017

Verified Purchase

A lot of the principles in this book will work in the present day, though I doubt few could replicate Mr. Stone's personal sales records. Circumstances have changed since the 1920's, and there are obstacles in the way of other people that he did not have to go through. He admitted that his mother could have expanded her business if she'd had access to capital, but somehow the banks didn't like her as much as they liked him--and he doesn't say that he ever invested any money in her business himself. Sadly, women and minorities still don't have the same access to capital and the network that people like him still do. I would like to see something by someone who had family responsibilities (which Mr. Stone clearly did not) and had to overcome more obstacles than he did.

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