Sticking with it: What I’ve learned thus far!
Sticktoitivity is a concept invented by Walt Disney to describe tenacity and steadfastness. Because I found 20 old business cards from companies and positions I had worked for over the past 25 years, I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. When I saw those old business cards, it was like walking into a time warp of memories and emotions. A few of the positions that formed me as I moved forward and upward had been forgotten about. Looking back on all of those changes now that I’m older and wiser, the one thing I’ve gained is a better grasp on what it means to succeed or fail.
The bulk of individuals is paralyzed by fear of failure and hence never take any action. “Fall seven times; rise eight,” is how the Japanese see success. This is a fantastic ode to tenacity! This quote has a special place in my workplace because it captures the essence of what it takes to be successful. Commitment and tenacity.
Our degree of dedication is put to the test regularly throughout life. Despite its simplicity, this is the one factor that differentiates winners from losers in sports. To progress, you must be willing to modify what you are doing if it isn’t working. When you learn how to fail and recognize that you will grow from it, you may achieve greatness. And it is growth that is at the heart of a happy existence.
As an investment broker, I discovered that the most successful traders I dealt with generally lost 90% of their deals. Nevertheless, despite the dreadful win/loss ratio, their investments were extraordinarily profitable. It’s conceivable that they had some insight into the success that the rest of us don’t. I remember these celebrities stressing that it’s not how much money you earn when you’re right, but how little money you lose when you’re wrong that matters. Imagine becoming phenomenally profitable while losing 90% of your transactions. Imagine, if you can, a point of view that says you will be incorrect 90% of the time, but you will be extraordinarily successful if you push through. That’s what I call sticktoitivity in action!
My setbacks have served as the finest teachings in my life. Because of my mistakes, I learned that I was so afraid of failing that it had become my only focus. It’s a very different experience to not have failed then it is to have succeeded. Years of my life were devoted to avoiding failure, even though I would have argued otherwise!
Successful colleagues have taught me that the route to success is frequently a series of trials and tests. If someone is more successful than me, it’s simply because they’ve tried different approaches to achieving their goal more often than I have. Those who have failed in their endeavors have done so because they were too afraid to take risks. Where do you fit in this equation, my friend? What research projects have you put off because you were afraid of the results? If you want to achieve your full potential, you need to break the mold visit.
I have a wonderful buddy who has been working for his company for over five years. He is well aware of the tenfold rise in revenue that his company is capable of achieving. However, he also realizes that to do so, he will likely have to break the mold that led him to where he is now and design a new blueprint. Consider the fortitude it takes to seek a degree of progress set only by your goal, even though others may envy his existing success. This is a deeply held belief in the virtue of tenacity. Sticktoitivity!
Basketball superstar Michael Jordan said it this way in a shoe advertisement: “Throughout my professional career, I’ve missed over 9,000 shots. Nearly 300 games later, I’m still a loser. As a result of being trusted to attempt the game-winning shot 26 times, I have missed each time. Because I’ve tried and failed so many times, I’m here today.” This is an appropriate homage to perseverance. Sticktoitivity!