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The Strangest Secret

In 1956 Earl Nightingale produced a vinyl LP record of a motivational talk called The Strangest Secret. It was the first motivational recording to sell 1-million copies. 

Mike and I discovered this recording about 7 years ago and committed to listening once a day for 30 days, which turned into 60 days, which turned into 90 days. We have literally listened to it hundreds of times over the years.  

Want to know the story behind the message? 

After a career in the Marine Corps, Earl bought a small Franklin Life Insurance Agency, where each Saturday morning, he would give little pep talks to the salesmen, hoping to inspire and motivate them to be the best salesmen they could be.

One day, Earl told his office manager that he planned to take a fishing vacation and would be away for a few weeks. Because the salesmen relied so heavily on their weekly pep talks from Earl, the manager expressed concern that sales would drop during Earl’s absence. Earl came up with the idea of recording something that could be played while he was gone.

Earl thought about what he might write, and then, in the middle-of one night he woke knowing exactly what he wanted to say. He got up, went to his typewriter and wrote a short message. The next morning, he went to Columbia Record and recorded the message which contained what Earl believed to be the most valuable information he had ever learned.  

Earl gave the recording to his manager and went on his fishing trip. When he returned, he was amazed to learn that everyone who had heard the record, wanted one for themselves. Earl pressed more records for the salesmen. The salesmen played it, not only for themselves, but for their families and friends, and when the others heard it, wanted one, too.  Over the next years, without marketing or advertising, more than a million records were sold, the only recording of its kind to ever go Gold.

Personally I think it’s interesting that this brilliance was born out of his “need” to take a few weeks off and go on a fishing trip.  What have you been neglecting that you “need” to do?  As they say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” 

Enjoy this message – I suggest you put it on as you get ready for your day.  Let it enlighten and change you: https://youtu.be/NbBHR_CD56M  

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