Daily Mood Quote

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 80 – July 22, 2011

“One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat. Every person is guilty of this mistake at one time or another.”

~Napoleon Hill

One of the things in my life that has changed me is the understanding that there is no such thing as instant gratification. Like “normal” it is a cultural myth and it really can damage ones view of themselves and the world. So many in our culture are looking for that promotion, that pay raise, instant success without putting in the time. They want a job without a degree, raises without merit, acknowledgment without effort, respect without earning it and when they don't get it, they quit. They want it all and they want it now (thank you Queen). I wonder, has patience become a causality of our digital lifestyle, or did it start sooner with the advent of credit cards? I'm not sure, but it is an epidemic in our culture. You can fire up the computer and do book research in minutes, that once took hours and days, plus many trips to the library. You can publish that book instantly online for the world to see. The problem is; just because you can put it out there fast, doesn't mean it's any good, or that anyone will care. Doing, or getting anything of true value takes time; usually more than the majority care to allot to the effort. So, many are left wanting and wondering why they do not have the things they desire or success they seek.

Unfortunately, this behavior begs the question: Have we forgotten how to have patience and wait for something worth waiting for? Or, do we give up because it didn't happen fast enough for us? I believe it's a cultural side effect of our addiction to digital and media immediacy. The 24/7 news cycles and the “instant” online buzz doesn't permit us time to practice and develop successful skills. TNK IM KDDG U?.. we don't even use vowels anymore!

In the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, the point is made over and over that it is the persistence that delivers the goods and nothing can take it's place. Napoleon Hill's book is old (published in 1937) but the insight timeless. In his book, Mr. Hill tells the story of his uncle R.U. Darby who quit his gold mining operation three feet short of a major vein of gold, which was subsequently found by a scrap dealer who had bought his equipment. Mr. Darby learned a painful lesson, but, he used that defeat to turn it into a habit of "not quitting", which ultimately lead to his success. Even genuine talent like Michael Jordan's, who practiced diligently after being cut from his high school's varsity basketball team, needs work and time to become noteworthy. Michael's words -"I think that not making the Varsity team drove me to really work at my game, and also taught me that if you set goals, and work hard to achieve them—the hard work can pay off."

In the movie, Angels in the Outfield, Danny Glover as California Angels (a pro baseball team in the 1990s-now known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim...I'm not kidding) Manager George Knox relates a simple but powerful truth: “You oughtta know how one incident can change the course of events.” But, if you quit that incident will not have the opportunity to happen. Persistence through adversity is the key to real and lasting success.

How will you view a temporary defeat today?

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Thank you for reading