PERSISTENCE--Keep On Going and Never Give Up

Do you have the tenacity to keep on going to achieve your goals? Can you continue writing year after year submitting stories and never publish anything? Do you take charge of your goal and stay with it despite all the struggles you may face?

We would if we had the intense emotional drive that is overpowering and compelling as Maxcy Filer did. Maxcy wanted to be an atto
ey in the late 60s. As an African American he saw lawyers as magicians during the Civil Rights Movement—desegregating schools, parks, public places, and local government. He wanted to be a part of this vision. So, after graduating from Law School he began taking the Califo
ia Bar Exam.

Twenty-four years, 47 times and $50,000 later, he still had failed the Exam.

I wonder…would writers have the tenacity to continue writing and submitting stories to publishers if we failed and never published anything in 24 years? He was passionate about his vision and believed in himself.

Do you have Maxcy’s drive? Successful people have positive self-esteem and unbelievable self-confidence. Most important, they don’t let negativity get in the way. During those 24 years Maxcy kept his fervor. Even when Dear Abby wrote to him in her column, “Don’t go into business for yourself. For someone who’s failed the bar so many times, it would be a disservice to his clients to hang a shingle out if he passed.”

Fortunately, Maxcy never gave up. He passed the Bar Exam on his 48th try and opened his own atto
ey practice. Dear Abby ate her words after Maxcy’s son Kelvin, wrote and said how happy he was that his father hadn’t taken her advice. “So am I,” she said writing back. “Tenacity paid off.”

A Bar Official said that Maxcy personified the 3 Keys to Success—“Persistence, Persistence. Persistence.” Successful people know how to focus, concentrate, and persist. Is it worth your time, effort and money to reach your goals? If so, write down your goal and never give up.

Do you know what is the greatest hazard in life? It is to risk nothing. You can avoid the pain and sorrow by doing nothing, but then you cannot learn, feel, grow, and live life as fully as you want. Are you stuck? How do you handle rejection? Maxcy never gave up. Believe in yourself. Don’t let negativity discourage you from reaching your goal.

In 1997 I had a new goal. I signed up for the Los Angeles Marathon first In-Line Skating Event at the age of 61. I practiced skating 20 miles every other day at home for three months. Later, I used a new tag line for my clients, “Winning is like roller skating…it has its rough and bumpy roads yet you keep on going until you reach your goal.” In-Line Skating was experimental with the Los Angeles Marathon. The 2,000 skaters participated only once then the Marathon leaders dropped the skating event. Since I set a goal and followed through, I was Skater Number 1296 and part of Los Angeles Marathon in-line skating history.

Psychologist William James said it all 150 years ago; “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. As you think, so shall you be.”

Next time you get stuck remember these two stories. I hope it will motivate you to keep on going. I challenge you to focus on your goal. Be persistent. Keep on writing and setting goals. Have fun and never give up.