Hill took pains to exemplify success from all levels of beginning. The story of Dan Halpin is just one such example.
Dan Halpin’s Story
Dan Halpin’s story, provided by the author, is an excellent example of what it means to rise out of the low-man position.
During his college days, Dan was manager of the famous 1930 National Championship Notre Dame football team, when it was under the direction of the late Knute Rockne.
Perhaps he was inspired by the great football coach to aim high, and not mistake temporary defeat for failure, just as Andrew Carnegie, the great industrial leader, inspired his young business lieutenants to set high goals for themselves. At any rate, young Halpin finished college at a most inopportune time, when the depression had 
made jobs scarce, so, after a fling at investment banking and motion pictures, he took the first opening with a potential future he could find—selling electrical hearing aids on a commission basis. Anyone could start in that kind of job, and Halpin knew it, but it was enough to open the door of opportunity to him.
Curing Dissatisfaction
For almost two years, he continued in a job he didn’t like, and he would never have risen above that job if he had not done something about his dissatisfaction. He aimed, first, at the job of Assistant Sales Manager of his company, and got the job. That one step upward placed him high enough above the crowd to enable him to see still greater opportunity; also, it placed him where opportunity could see him.
Halpin built himself such a good record selling hearing aids, that A. M. Andrews, Chairman of the Board of the Dictograph Products Company, a competitor of the company Halpin worked for, wanted to know about that man Dan Halpin who was taking big sales away from the long established Dictograph Company. He sent for Halpin. When the interview was over, Halpin was the new Sales Manager in charge of the Acousticon Division. Then, to test young Halpin’s metal, Mr. Andrews went away to Florida for three months, leaving him to sink or swim in his new job. He did not sink! Knute Rockne’s spirit of “All the world loves a winner,” and has no time for a loser inspired him to put so much into his job that he was later elected Vice-President of the company, and General Manager of the Acousticon and Silent Radio Division, a job which most men would be proud to earn through ten years of loyal effort. Halpin did it in just over six months.
In The Sites Of Success
And so we hear it once again—if you continue to take the same actions, you get the same results. You also get lost in the field of others who are doing the same. If you want opportunity to be able to find you, you need to do something different and be in its line of site. Take action today to set yourself out above the crowd!
Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
SeanRasmussen.com © 2004 – 2009
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I take on what describe in the paragraph, my life has taken a new direction and in doing so it means that ways have to be changed to be successful. I working at it and enjoy the challenge.
Hi Sean,
It makes a lot of sense: If you don’t like the results you are getting than you need to change what you are doing to get different results. A simple philosophy but so true. It can be used in many areas of your life for change and improvement.
Jill.
That’s a story that university graduates around the world should read, whether or not they graduate in bad or good economic times. There’s a lot to be said about the person who goes out and makes things happen.
Lina Nguyen´s last blog ..Taking the leap to work for yourself
Hi Sean,
I think for opportunity to see you, you need to be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. Even if you’re in a job you don’t like, you need to do the very best you can so that it can lead you to a job that you will like.
It’s about having a work ethic where you work harder and smarter than just about everyone else. You have to get results that get you noticed. Once you get the results, the opportunities will present themselves.
Reading that post I had the picture of “Opportunity” playing treasure hunt with us. Only the ones who pay attention, see the clues and act on them get to the prize which is great opportunities in life. It doesn’t follow us trying to convince us to take it. But when we keep our eyes open and take action, opportunities are all around us.
Let’s take them!
Renee´s last blog ..Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind
Hi Renee,
Isn’t it amazing though how many more opportunities we see when we start working on creating the right mindset we need to succeed? A few changes in attitudes and beliefs and a whole new world opens up.