A Salesman called at my door the other day, selling me something called “Self-Esteem” in a jar. Should I buy it or not?
He told me that everybody needed Self-Esteem and that I should try it. He claimed he knew many people who had it and they were all happy, successful people. I still wasn’t sure, I never knew I needed it, I never knew I did not have it. The salesman was insistent that it would change my life and that I would feel better if I tried it. But I am a stubborn guy and so I shook my head to decline his offer.
“Answer me one last question before I go.” He said, “do you have any Self-Esteem already?” I thought for a moment and visualised all the cupboards in my kitchen and all the jars and cans inside them and, I had to admit, none of them were labelled “Self-Esteem” … “No” I replied.
Then the salesman handed me a little jar, a little jar of “Self-Esteem”.
“Take this free sample.” He said, “try it today and if you like it, then you can buy a full jar from me when I call tomorrow. If you don’t like it, then tell me tomorrow and I shall never bother you again.”
Off he went, leaving me with the sample in my hand.
Later that day, I opened the little jar and I tasted the Self-Esteem. I liked it, it felt good and I felt happy and I felt successful. What a wonderful taste, what a wonderful feeling this Self-Esteem gave me. I loved it and wanted more of it but soon the little sample jar was empty.
I knew I wanted more Self-Esteem but I did not despair for the salesman had said he would call the next day.
The next morning came and I got out of my bed, I washed, I dressed and I ate breakfast. Then I waited for the salesman to call. I waited and I waited. I waited all morning for the salesman to call with my Self-Esteem.
I waited through the morning and into the afternoon. As I waited I recalled how good it had felt to taste Self-Esteem. The longer I waited, the more I longed for it again. The more I longed for it, the more convinced I became that Self-Esteem could change my life and change my wellbeing. With Self-Esteem, I could become a better, happier and a more successful person, just like those other people the salesman said he knew.
It was late in the afternoon when the salesman returned.
“Hello” he said,” did you try Self-Esteem?”
“I did.” I eagerly replied, “and I loved it. It made me feel great, it made me feel happy, do you have some more I could try?”
“Of course, I do and, I’ll tell you something. As you have been a good and trusting customer in trying my little sample, I shall let you have your first jar at a discount price.”
“Oh, thank you, that would be wonderful”
So, I paid his price and he handed me my first full jar of Self-Esteem.
After he had left, I had my first doubts. Had I paid a fair price? Would the full jar work as well as the first sample? There was only one thing to do; give it a try.
So I tried some Self-Esteem from the full jar.
It felt good, it felt great, I felt that I could do anything on Earth. I was happy, I was successful and all I had done was to taste Self-Esteem.
The next week, the salesman called again and asked how I had gotten on with my first jar. I told him it was wonderful and I had been very careful to keep a little bit left in the jar so that I didn’t run out before he called.
He smiled and said not to worry about that, he could do me a deal on two new jars of Self-Esteem so that I could have more of it each day until he called again.
That week I was more generous with the Self-Esteem and, each day, I had a little more and each day I felt better and better in myself. I felt all the better for having more Self-Esteem.
I had had so much Self-Esteem that, when the salesman called again, I only had a little bit left again. He smiled once more and told me that today he could offer me three jars but for the price of only two.
“Thank you“ I said and I realised I did not know the name of this salesman, this purveyor of Self-Esteem.
“Call me Tony” he said in response.
“Thank you, Tony” and he departed once more, leaving me with three full jars of Self-Esteem.
With three jars of Self-Esteem, I no longer felt the need to be careful how much I had. So I gave myself more and more Self-Esteem every day. I started boosting my Self-Esteem twice or even three times a day. It felt good, it felt great, I felt like a new man.
However, before Tony returned, I had used up all the Self-Esteem I had. I was shocked and upset but I remembered how good it had felt and I realised how much I needed Self-Esteem. I looked at the empty jars, at my empty Self-Esteem and I felt unhappy, I felt depressed, I felt the most miserable man on Earth.
It would be at least another day before Tony would call again. I would have to spend that time without any Self-Esteem.
When Tony called, I sensed he could tell that something was wrong.
“I have run out of Self-Esteem.” I told him. He smiled but it was not quite his usual friendly smile, it was a smile of recognition, of concern.
“That happens to many people when they first experience Self-Esteem. It is a very powerful thing that you now have and sometimes you want more and more of it but sometimes it seems a little less effective than it usually does. You have to be careful how you use your Self-Esteem and only give yourself more when you really need it.”
I thanked him for his advice and I bought three more jars from him. Not, this time, at the price of only two but I felt I still had a good thing.
From then on, I used my Self-Esteem more carefully and only sought out more when I really needed it. I still felt good, I still felt great but best of all was the reassuring knowledge that there was always more Self-Esteem to be had when I really needed it.
For nearly three months more, Tony called round to sell me Self-Esteem. I came to regard him in the highest regard, for he had improved my life and how I felt.
Then one day there was a knock at the door and another salesman stood there.
“Oh, “I said, “who are you?”
“I am Tim, I am your new salesman for Self-Esteem”
“Hello, Tim. What happened to Tony?”
“Tony is now the head of Sales and marketing for Self-Esteem. He is now training new salesmen like me to promote Self-Esteem. As more and more people realise how good Self-Esteem is, we need more people to promote it. Tony could no longer do that all by himself so he has shown more salesmen like myself how to do it. Do not worry, though, he has not forgotten you and he has told me what a good customer you are. So, I can once more offer you three jars for the price of only two.”
“Thank you, Tim.” I took his three jars but felt slightly sad not to be seeing Tony any more.
Tim was a kind and friendly salesman. Just like Tony had been. Each week he would call on me and make sure I had enough Self-Esteem. I came to like Tim almost as much as I had done Tony before him.
Then one day, it was early in the morning when there was a knock at my door. I went and opened the door. On the doorstep was a new salesman.
“Hi, my name is Hal, I am your new Self-Esteem salesman.
“Hi Hal, this is very early in the day to be selling Self-Esteem, isn’t it?”
“I have to sell it early in the morning otherwise other salesmen, some of them quite unscrupulous, would sell it before me. I also feel that having Self-Esteem early in the morning is the best way to start the day, so I like to make sure my customers have their Self-Esteem in good time.”
I could not disagree with this new salesman, I too had found that boosting my Self-Esteem first thing in the morning was the best way to start a day.
“Tell me, Al.”
“Hal”
“Sorry, Hal. What has happened to Tim?”
“Oh Tim, he has become the head of Sales and Marketing for Self-Esteem.”
“But was that not Tony’s job?”
“Oh wow, do you know Tony? He’s now the president of Self-Esteem. He’s a wonderful guy, we all love him and what he has done for people with Self-Esteem.”
“That is great for him, for both of them, Tony and for Tim.”
“Tim told me you were a long-time customer but I did not know you knew Tony. I cannot wait to go back and tell the other salesmen, they will be so envious of me. How many Jars would you like.”
“My usual three.”
Hal became my new salesman and, over time, I got to like him. I did not like him as much as I had liked Tony or Tim but so long as he brought my Self-Esteem, he made me happy. I also got used to him calling early in the morning. At least, if I had run low on Self-Esteem, I knew I would have more in good time when he called.
Then one day, there was a knock at my door.
“That’s strange,” I thought, “it is not the day for Hal to call and I still have plenty of Self-Esteem. Who could it be?”
So, I went to answer the door and I saw an old friend standing on the doorstep; an old friend from school days. We had been great friends in those days but we had not seen or heard from each other in years. He looked good, he looked taller, of course, but we recognised each other straightaway.
“Hello, old friend.” He said, “remember me?”
“Of course, I remember you. How are you doing, where have you been?”
“Can I come in?”
“Of course, of course, come on in and make yourself at home. It’s great to see you again, what a surprise.”
“It’s a great pleasure for me too.” He said, “ I hoped you were still living here, it was the only address I had for you. I was literally walking nearby when I said to myself that I had to look in to see if you were still here.”
“I am and I am so sorry we have not been in touch more.”
We hugged each other, then I offered to make us both a drink.
He looked around the room and then he looked at me.
“Do you know?” he said, “you haven’t changed one bit, you’re still the same as you were all those years ago. I wasn’t sure if I’d recognise you but you’re still very much the same old guy you ever were.”
I stopped and thought about this …
“Do you think so?” I asked, “Do I not seem even a little bit different?”
“Not at all, not one bit. A little bit older, of course, and maybe a bit wider about the waist but I cannot complain about that.” He pinched both sides of his waist as he said this. We laughed but I felt my laughter was not fully genuine.
“Can you not see any difference in me?” I asked.
“Why? Is there something different, something new? Something about you I cannot see? Oh my God, don’t tell me you’re seriously ill … I’m sorry.” Suddenly I could see concern come across his face, as if he had accidently offended me.
“No, I’m not ill. At least not that I know.” We laughed again. “But can you not tell that I am a happier and more successful person?”
“You seem just as happy as you were as a boy.“ he replied, “but then you were always a happy lad. I think that is what made us friends; we were both happy boys playing together. As for being successful, well, I am glad you feel more successful but how can anyone tell how successful you are, when you are still living here?”
That made me think.
It was true, although I felt I had Self-Esteem, I had not done anything with it.
I was still the same person I had always been. I was still living in the same old place. In fact, I found it more difficult nowadays to pay my way in this place. It wasn’t that living here had become more expensive, it was that I did not have so much money to spend as I once had.
Despite Self-Esteem, I was still the same. The only thing that had changed, was my bank account. Which was a lot less than it used to be and I realised how much I had spent on my Self-Esteem. I wondered how much of my money had gone to Tony and to Tim and to Hal. Had my Self-Esteem been worth it when I had done nothing with it?
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