Success Persistence

Developing the Next Generation of Rainmakers Success: Persistence Recently I was asked: How long did it take before you had any results from your client development efforts? I responded that it was at least two years and maybe more. I was then asked how I stuck with it when I was seeing no results. I responded that I guessed I wanted to develop my niche practice badly enough that I was willing to be persistent. What does it mean to be persistent? I always look to words to inspire me. Let me share some with you. Winston Churchill had a pretty good idea. He said: Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. I have always liked what Calvin Coolidge once said about the importance of persistence: Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. If neither Churchill or Coolidge inspire you, perhaps Jimmy V can do it. Watch this short video clip from his ESPY award speech: http://youtu.be/tIr1VrgZHd0 If you are a regular reader, you know that when I was a teenager I first read Napoleon Hill’s book. “Think and Grow Rich.” The book is really about what it takes to be successful. The title comes from the fact it was published during the depression, so the focus is on making money as a measure of success. In the book, Napoleon Hill lists symptoms of a lack of persistence. Have you ever experienced any of these? One final thought before I let you go: Have you read or listened to the book:  Unbroken? I have not seen the movie, but I loved the book. If you haven’t, I urge you to read or listen to it. I cannot picture how I would have ever been resilient enough to endure what  Louis Zamperini did. He is an inspiration for us all. He passed away at 97 last year. You can watch this CBS segment to learn more about him:  Remembering the “Unbroken” spirit of Louis Zamperini.   I practiced law for 37 years developing a national construction law practice representing some of the top highway and transportation construction contractors in the US.