Winners surround themselves with other winners. A winner knows he's a winner. He doesn't need second-raters and yes-men around to feed his ego. He knows he'll win more, and go further, with associates who not only can keep up with him but who also are capable of teaching him something.

Rough spots sharpen our performance. And more often than not, obstacles can be turned into advantages. You just can't let your disappointment get in the way.

You'll never please everyone, but you only have to please a few people to get an offer.

Keep the customer actively involved throughout your presentation, and watch your results improve.

The truth is, success often occurs for reasons we don't expect, under circumstances over which we have little control and sometimes unrelated to our own efforts. There is only one other lesson that success should teach us: Be as amazed by your own success as your friends are. If you truly are, you stand the best chance to repeat it.

You can't hurry creativity, so take time to ponder your ideas. Sit back and take time to think things over. That's usually how the best ideas bloom.

If you can't say yes, it's no. Don't sugarcoat it. Don't talk yourself into yes just to seem like a nice guy. No one ever went broke because he or she said "NO" too often.