A famous labor negotiator was asked what separated him from the rest, what special qualities or skills he had that made him the best negotiator out there. He responded, “With every ‘no,’ I hear a ‘maybe.’” You can call this tenacity, stubbornness or not knowing when to quit. I call it perseverance. If I had to pick the most important characteristic of a successful person, I would pick perseverance every time.
It’s the essence of success in business and in life: being able to push through the tough stuff and get to a better position. That’s why I like people who have a “can do”, positive, “glass-half-full” approach to life. None of us knows when something is going to come into our lives and knock us down like a thunderbolt. And as the legendary Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone’s got a plan ‘til they get hit.” But having that positive attitude can help you get through the tough times as well as the good ones.
People who have this great quality of perseverance understand that there will be tough times. You won’t find them putting their fingers in their ears and humming loudly, trying to pretend this isn’t really happening. Instead, they take getting through the tough times as a challenge. As Confucius said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we do.”
One of my favorite examples of perseverance is a young coach on my dad’s high school football staff who went on to become one of the most successful coaches in the area. My mom told me she knew this young man was special when she met his wife, who was an absolutely gorgeous woman. She said for a guy like him to get a lady like that, he must have what it took. She pointed out that he must have been a persistent guy, to outlast all the other suitors who must have competed for this woman’s attention.
His wife’s sister once said that he called and called their house but was always told “no” when he asked for a date. Finally, his future wife said “yes” just to get him to go away. Well, more than 40 years later they are happily married and she still looks as stunning as ever. He persevered even though he was told “no” again and again. I’d say it paid off for him.
Have a great weekend,
Ro
Want to meet Ro and enjoy a night of office-comedy fun?
A lot of you have heard me talk about my brother’s and sister’s comedy act, The Water Coolers. I wanted to let you know that they’re going to be playing right up the street in a few weeks at the Blackrock Center for the Arts in Germantown and it’s a hilarious show. It’s a lot like The Capitol Steps except they focus on life and work instead of politics. It tours out of NYC and all of the performers are pros from the city. I saw it when they were playing Off Broadway and I can personally attest not only to the super high quality, but to the fact that it’s incredibly funny and to the fact that we can all relate to it. It’s like our lives, but killer funny.
This page on the Blackrock site tells you a little more about the show and how to get tickets: http://www.blackrockcenter.
I’ll definitely be there with my family. The theater is open for a “happy hour” before the show so hopefully we’ll see you there.
Not bad Ro! Very inpirational and just what I needed today…..a good pick-me-up, for sure!!! Keep em coming!