MKE WEEK 15 – Movie Review – Door to Door

For my second movie review, I chose Door to Door.  I had heard the story of Bill Porter, but I had no idea that a movie was made about his life.  It was amazing!

This was homework for the Master Key Experience – we’re supposed to “connect the dots” and link the lessons we are learning to the lessons in the movie.

This was pretty easy for this movie – lessons galore and mostly pretty obvious (I think).  But I think I picked up a few extra lessons too.  Here we go:

1. Definite Purpose: Bill wanted to be a salesman.  More than that, he wanted to HAVE a purpose, to be of value, NOT to be a burden on his mother or society.  Even though he had cerebral palsy and was difficult to understand, he made the extra effort to be the best he could be.
2. Plan of Action: Once he actually got the job as a Watkins salesman (he talked the manager into giving him a chance by offering to take the worst area of Portland.  “what do you have to lose?” he said) – his plan was to walk from house to house and just keep knocking on doors until someone would listen.  He also had a few standard scripts: “May I be completely candid?”
3. Positive Mental Attitude: Bill had this in spades.  It was pretty obvious that his mother had not treated him like a cripple, and that he saw possibilities and opportunities instead of obstacles.  On his first day, his Mom made him a sandwich that had the words ‘persistence’ and ‘patience’ stamped one on each side.
4. Master Mind Alliance: At first it was just him and his mother, but out of necessity he found that he would have to create new alliances, though he was fiercely independent.  When his mother became ill he had to find some innovative ways to get ready for the day.  He got dressed (sort of), then headed over to a local hotel where the concierge would help him with buttons and tie, and the shoe-shine man would tie his shoes.  In exchange, he entertained them with stories and jokes.  He also hired a girl to help him with deliveries and she did so much more for him, and became a close friend.
5. Tolerance/open-mindedness: Bill didn’t care when he realized that one of his customers was in a same sex relationship – he commented that everyone deserves someone to love and God doesn’t make mistakes.
6. Love/family:  He didn’t give up on his Mom when she developed dementia.  When she commented that she didn’t want to be a burden to him, he just told her “now we’re even”.
7. Lessons from Og Mandino: I have not read all the lessons in The Greatest Salesman yet, but perhaps Bill Porter did.  He certainly created good habits, he greeted the day with love in his heart, he persisted until he succeeded, and he knew that he was nature’s greatest miracle!  He knew he was one of a kind and he developed his strengths and unique talents, and was eventually recognized as a top salesman for Watkins.

There are probably a few more gems within this story, but I will let you find your own lessons.  Have a great week!

And just so you know, I do have a Watkins lady!  You can find your own at: https://www.watkins1868.com/