It appears that in the rank and file of success, persistence always paid off. Did you ever read about Steve Jobs and how he got booted off a company he founded only for him to work harder, start two new companies - NeXT and PIXAR, in the face of great uncertainty and public disgrace? He kept on doing what he knew best and today, back at Apple, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest inventors of our day. Or did you hear the story of Bill Zanker, founder of The Learning Annex who has so many experiences of the power of persistence, in fact one time, after Bill received a ‘No’ on his request to have Murray Klein of Zabar, a New York food store, speak at The Learning Annex, he (Bill) kept sending him flowers everyday until Murray was tired of the gifts and just had to hear bill out? Bill was creative; he was a possibility thinker and that is true persistence - a solution of doggedness, creativity and tireless activity. Bill said he has used that method several times to convert nos to yeses and you can do the same too.
The power of an idea
Let me bring your mind to something: when you understand the power of an idea; a simple thought, then you know how easy it is to give in and give up. Persistence needs power, drive and excitement to flourish and be fruitful. A simple, ‘let me postpone this’, ‘let me move this’, ‘I really cannot accomplish this’ can veer you off your way and keep you at the same level in life for a long time. Now let me share more on persistence with you from my own personal life.
Stay in the zone
I know persistence pays…every time. In June 2009 I had to move to a strange part of the country to fulfill a national decree that every graduate should do a compulsory one year service to the country. With this development graduates were randomly scattered across the country where they were expected to live for a period of one year and at the same time assimilate the culture of the people there, all part of National integration. Good idea? Yes. However many graduates remain presumptuous, unknown to them it is an experience of a lifetime one that can boost your ego, spirit and resume or chew you up and spit you out. It was for me an opportunity to tap into the power of persistence once again. Let me tell you the story.
When the postings were read, I was sent to Kaduna state. I had never been there nor did I have any relations there. Practically, I was on my own. In Kaduna, you are either posted to the villages or to the city. The village was not the better option of the two by far. And sadly, I was posted there. One night in Pambegua village was enough to stir me to challenge the circumstances that stare me in the face and I was going to change that posting; a task I was prepared to take head on. Pambegua was horrible, no light, lots of bushes, few cars, sporadic phone network…just terrible. Some of my mates that were posted there were going to resign to their fate but I said not me! People were surely going to change their postings and I must be one of them. I resolved that even if it was one posting that was changed It was going to be mine. The next days saw me receive more nos than I had ever received in my entire life, and unlike some super success stories, the nos did not make me any stronger rather they made me weaker and upset. No after no and my hope was dying out but I always did something; I never for once lost faith or used my mouth to state the obvious which was that this case was getting hopeless. Rather I encouraged myself with bible stories and words that strengthen. So you can say; the nos made me weak but my mouth made me stronger. The nos came from other people who I had to meet but my mouth is here with me always so I was never really soul-battered.
Strategy and/or chance
Persistence can pay off through a fantastic strategy ( like that of Bill Zanker) or a chance happening especially after you have exhausted all possibilities. My advice is always this; hang in there. Keep your head up and expect great things. Some people may call that living in a fantasy world but they forget that all the inventions they use in their daily life was one man’s fantasy one day. Why should you leave your own fantasy for another generation to invent? No, by all means fantasize and pull your fantasy into their reality. As for me in Kaduna, no strategy could help me anymore so I just hung in there and kept on going to the secretariat where I knew I could have the posting changed. Mind you all this while, time was passing and serious trouble was looming if time passed beyond a certain date. But right there is another lesson on persistence. In keeping afloat, sticking with the game and hanging in there, you have to keep yourself in the zone of possibility; in the environment that is enabling; share proximity with your aspiration, do not go home and expect. Stay in the zone and expect.
A chance meeting
One girl I did not know and did not know me, was so instrumental. She had a very good rapport with the officials at the secretariat and even that was not about to pay off until we made a very bold move. Bold moves are big moves; make them and you would surely be glad you did. We walked up to the director of the secretariat, a very busy man. That evening he had several high level officials waiting to see him, but we found our way in and spoke with him for less than a minute and his immediate response to our bold move was…no! This was the biggest man to help out in this thing, even if we contacted the president of the country, the approval still had to be done through him! So we had to try again, the same day, he said no but the third time, he signed the papers and I was reposted to the city. Persistence pays!
Remember all we discussed here:
1. Make up your mind to experience the power of persistence in your life and you will
2. People may turn you down but do not turn yourself down with the wrong words; if you must talk, talk yourself up.
3. Whether it is a chance occurrence or a great strategy that pays off, persistence only works for those that remain within reach, assessable; within the zone
4. Take bold steps, they fell really great and they could pay off big time
5. Try, try, try again. One is not sufficient a number to make true impact, once is not sufficient to judge an effort fruitless.
So I am sure you would agree with me when I say: Persistence, my goodness…we need that sometimes.
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