“With ordinary talent and
extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.”
Thomas Buxton
Everything we’ve talked about in this chapter requires one very strong trait to keep on track, and that is persistence. Having the ability to keep going, even if you feel totally beat and defeated, comes from approaching everything you do in a positive frame of mind, and by staying focused on your goal and committed to the promise you’ve made. You can learn to persevere at any age or stage of your life. All you need is the desire and enthusiasm to make it a part of your daily practice of living.
When I was 12 years old, my family was facing a very challenging time. We had lost everything and the creditors came to our house and tagged all of our belongings to be sold. The impact that has on a young boy is so significant, especially when they took my fish tank! The creditors put an orange price tag on it that read $10 and they carried it off. I learned that day that everything could be taken away from you that you own, but you control your thoughts, feelings, emotions, and fears. I didn’t like the way I was feeling. I asked my dad, “How do people become rich?” My dad said “Son, they work hard.” Then I asked my dad, “How do I get a job?” He said, “You go out and ask someone if they’ll hire you.” There was a car wash down the street from where we lived, and I thought, that would be a good place to work. So I got on my bike and rode down there with great determination and asked the owner if he would hire me. “No,” he said. They didn’t need anyone, but he thanked me for coming by. Feeling absolutely stunned and rejected, I went home and told my dad. I explained to him that they didn’t need any help and asked him what I should do next? My dad explained to me that I needed to keep going back and asking for a job until they hired me. So, the next day I went marching down to that car wash, and again asked the owner for a job. He replied as he did the day before, telling me no and thanking me for coming by. I thanked him anyway and went home. The next day, I went down to the car wash and asked the owner a third time. He said, “Weren’t you here yesterday and the day before? I told you then, and I’m telling you now; I don’t need any extra help!” By now I was really frustrated because my dad kept telling me to keep going back until they hired me. All I was getting was pure rejection.
The fourth time I returned, I said to the owner, “Maybe you need someone to sweep the floor. I’ll do anything you ask, but please hire me.” Finally, the owner said to me, “You know what? Why don’t you sweep up the parking lot?” And it happened: I got my first job. I turned all those “noes” into a “yes” just by staying persistent. Within seven months, I was running that car wash, making $2 an hour. I worked seven days a week, all day Saturday, and every day after school for over a year. I worked so hard every day and I was able to save $800 of my own money. I was always on time and I learned that it was the power of persistence that got me that job. It was also my clear focus and passion that kept me motivated to not feel rejected every time I was turned down.
Anybody reading this book has heard “don’t take no for an answer” at least a thousand times. A good salesman will take seven rejections before they stop trying to make a sale. Ninety percent of all sales are made between the fifth and seventh try. Saving no is easy the first time, but persistence will make it harder for anyone to keep telling you no, just like my car wash story. Each time I got a job, I did it with persistence. And persistence is the driving force behind seeing any challenge through. John F. Kennedy once explained, in a speech, that the word “crisis” in Chinese is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity. Hopefully, it won’t take a crisis for you to recognize that you need to make some changes in your behavior.
article
written by Jason Boreyko
home page