I was at the Supercenter recently and
a lady thanked me for giving her daughters jobs and she
mentioned that one was starting University. We talked a
while longer and I mentioned in 45 years of business, I've
seen a great number of young talented people. I know that
out of our employees there are doctors, ministers, accountants,
school teachers, professors, trades people, business owners,
lawyers, pharmacists and even grocers.
Of course we pride ourselves in picking
the best young people in our communities, but I began to
wonder why there are the disparities between our most successful
graduates and the also-rans. There didn't seem to be a great
deal of difference between them, most of the characteristics
and habits were the same. Seeing these people later we are
puzzled and confused about the directions of some. We pat
ourselves on the backs for the successes, but what of the
failures? Some of these people are growing, contributing
and others simply growing older. Some were set on course,
others were just drifting. The one thing that surprises
us is that talent, ability or schooling has little to do
with their successes.
There was a college professor who studied
his students post-graduation and he wrote:
There seems to be but little difference
between students. But the little seems to make the difference.
All people are endowed with larger qualities of life. But
some possess the single extra heartbeat which often spelled
the difference between success and failure. There is really
no invisible barrier that separates the winner from the
loser. It could be the 'little things,' the extra hour,
the extra call, the ability to stick to it another day when
all others have given up. This is the real difference.
Someone once said, I am certain the great
difference between man, between the weak and the powerful,
the great and the insignificant is Energy, invincible determination,
a purpose once fixed and then death or victory. That quality
will do anything that can be done; no talent, no circumstances,
no opportunities will make a man or woman a winner without
it.
You know, maybe stubbornness is
not really that bad a trait, but try not to be obstinate.
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