Hi again,
Once in a while a story comes along where it is possible to demonstrate the human spirit prevailing. This story absolutely fills the bill and is a great example of someone whose persistence in following the dream prevails.
Please enjoy.
Chris
(Original Post: http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/01/28/guest-post-how-do-you-get-to-be-a-ceo/)
I was sent this link recently by a friend and thought you might enjoy it too.
By Greg Spierkel, CEO of Ingram Micro (IM). Based in Santa Ana, California, Ingram Micro is No. 69 on the Fortune 500, with $35 billion in 2007 revenues and 15,000 employees in 34 countries. Spierkel, who stepped up to the CEO position in 2005, is also on the PACCAR (PCAR) board.
I’m frequently asked by students and new associates, “Ho
w do you get to be a CEO?” I smile, knowing that there’s no simple answer.
But I’ve learned from some early personal experiences.
Even Rock Stars Do Their Homework. In 1979, when I was 22, some friends and I were traveling through France and decided to hit Cannes during the famous film festival. We were watching the paparazzi take pictures of all the stars when we noticed one guy who didn’t look like all the rest. What stood out wasn’t so much his long dreadlocks. It was his purple spandex jumpsuit. And even though he was holding a video camera up to his face, we could tell it was none other than Bob Marley.
We decided to walk up to him. And we were glad we did because this turned out to be of the most interesting moments of my life.
Marley hadn’t achieved worldwide fame yet and couldn’t believe someone actually knew who he was. In fact, he was so excited that he asked us to join him for coffee. We ran across the street to a beachside café and sat down for about 15 minutes. While you might imagine that we talked about music, we actually talked about what makes someone a star – what makes someone stand out. Bob Marley told us that he was there to film celebrities so he could study the footage and try to unlock the mystery of star power.
Now we all know that he solved that mystery. I learned from Bob Marley and others that raw talent and the right connections will get you only so far. Real success requires homework, ingenuity and learning from the best.
Embrace boring assignments. A few months after traveling around Europe, I started my first job out of university at Bell Canada, Canada’s largest communications company. I was hired to develop a national e-mail service. This was back in 1979, the early days of desktop PCs. After three years of struggling to market the product, I volunteered to lead the sales effort. It was a job that no one wanted.
But I wanted the job because I had been a product developer, and I knew that my intimate knowledge would help me sell the product. Within a year, sales took off. After that, I was assigned to a number of low-profile projects that most people would have said no to. But I learned that doing a great job, particularly on a menial or unwanted assignment, was the way to stand out. Most people want to be put only on winning teams. I say look at all opportunities. Excel where people least expect you to.
Opportunities ignore personal lives. At 29, I was living in Ottawa enjoying a nice career working for Mitel, a multinational manufacturer of PBX, software and semiconductor products. I was asked to lead a small acquisition in Hong Kong. I was single with no kids but still had my share of fears. I didn’t know the language and didn’t have the deep experience I thought I needed. But within three weeks of getting the offer, I packed my bags and moved to Hong Kong.
This job led to a string of bigger assignments over the next 20 years, taking me through six countries. Along the way, I met my wife, Rhiannon. And although the discussions definitely got more difficult after we had kids, we moved with my various promotions – to Singapore, Belgium and the U.S. My two boys, 15 and 12, have seen more of the world than most kids. They also have a keen appreciation for other cultures. These guys are true global citizens.
Hope you enjoyed the article.
Chris
Watch and listen as Carl Sagan helps us revel in our own significance. Watch as he highlights our pettiness, our futile feelings of self importance when compared against the pale blue dot.
…and yet our ultimate brilliance, self reliance and mutual interdependence seems even more important as a result.
The Pale Blue Dot.
Chris & Ann
Our kids recently decided to do a little play for us based on some “Hi-5″ songs. The results were hilarious and my wife used her new Macintosh to publish it on YouTube. Ella is 7, Jack is 6 and Finn is 4. See if you like what you see!
Best Wishes
Chris & Ann
These beautiful images of waves were taken by Clark Little whom many consider the premier photographer of surf. He has dedicated his life to photographing waves and has published a selection of the best images of his career. Below he captures magical moments “inside the tube”, as surfers say.
Now I find these pictures a wonderfully different perspective. Taken ‘inside the tube’ of the wave. Enjoy for no other reason than they are great shots.
Chris
Sun . glints off wave
Clark Little/SWNS
Sand . in surf
Clark Little/SWNS
Tubular . shining
Clark Little/SWNS
Beach . surf crashes down
Clark Little/SWNS
Molten . liquid gold
Clark Little/SWNS
White . tumultuous water
Splash . stunning shot
Clark Little/SWNS
Red . mysterious shot
Clark Little/SWNS
Break . wave crashes down
Clark Little/SWNS
The See-Through Sea Shell
What if our planet consisted of just 100 people in the same proportions as our actual planet?
Really, makes you think, doesn’t it? Appreciate what you have now? I sure do.
To everyone’s success
Chris
ps You can sign up for our newsletter by clicking on the image to the right and entering your details.
I’ve got two videos here for you to enjoy. It shows two very average people with a very un-average gift and being given the opportunity to live their dream. Watch them. Watch Simon Cowley’s reactions. I think you’ll get the message that you should never judge a book by its cover…
“Absolutely Yes!”
Here’s To Your Success.
Chris
ps You can subscribe to our newsletter by clicking the image to the right and entering your details.
I’ve just finished watching the documentary “Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy”. It tells the story of an expedition to the top of Mt Everest by a number of different climbing parties that went tragically wrong. It interviews those who survived and honors those who failed. I sat transfixed as Beck Weathers tells the story of being abandoned for dead and having a life defining moment where he realised he wanted to live for his family’s sake and got up and walked down the hill (see the picture below of what he arrived back looking like!). It also tells of the frantic effort to provide help by some in abominable conditions and the self-preservation that others focussed on. As Beck Weathers, comments you find a lot about people’s true nature and motives at 27000 feet when your life is on the line.
I went through a phase a few years ago of reading as many mountaineering books as I could. I was in awe of the bravery, the training and the effort these people went to to scale these peaks. It started with “Touching The Void” which tells the story of two English climbers in South America where one of them breaks their leg at the top of the mountain, fell over the edge of a cliff, and yet somehow survived! I remember starting the book rather matter of factly and reading the book straight through until 3am in the morning to finish it. I couldn’t put it down (seriously, go and read this book!!)
I then went on to read “Annapurna“ which tells the story about climbing prior to Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay’s ascension to the top of Mt Everest when Annapurna was the highest unscaled mountain in the world in the 1950’s. It tells of the success of the climb to the top, but the terrible toll on those who climbed it and the effect on their bodies. The frostbite to toes, fingers, noses etc required many amputations. It almost became matter of fact as the doctors had to remove items.
The next book I read was Jon Krakauers’ “Into Thin Air“ which is also about the 1996 tragedy on Mt Everest involving Rob Hall, Scott Fischer, Beck Weathers and others. This is an amazing tale of the human toll on life and what can go wrong in mountaineering.
So why am I telling you this story? What’s the point? Well what amazes me is the commitment that these people have had to achieving their goals. These people were willingly prepared to sacrifice parts of their bodies, and even their lives, to stand on the highest mountains in the world. It’s pretty easy to judge them and say they were insane. Indeed, the Taiwanese climber interviewed in “Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy” admits that if he had known that the loss of both of his hands and his nose then he probably would not have signed up. But these people were prepared to do whatever it took to realise their dreams.
And there is a lesson in life here also. For all of the glory of the upside of the goal achievement there is also a very inglorious dark side. The example of Mt Everest amplifies the upside and the downside but it is true of smaller goals as well. There is a consequence for everything we do that we must be aware of. This should not be used to deter us from pursuing our goals and taking risks but that we must be prepared to pay the price. It may not be as drastic as having to have a finger or a hand removed but there is a consequence nevertheless.
Are you prepared to do what it takes for the opportunity to stand on the summit and have all that you have conquered below you? If you are, then you should be commended…you’ve earnt it and all the rewards that result. And if you aren’t, well maybe you’re prepared to tackle a slightly smaller mountain a bit more within your reach and prepare for the big assault.
In this post I’ve picked a video from YouTube that features part of an interview with Beck Weathers called “The Dark Side of Everest” (part 2). If you enjoy this I’ve also included links to all 5 parts in the series also.
The Dark Side of Everest - Part 1
The Dark Side of Everest - Part 2
The Dark Side of Everest - Part 3
The Dark Side of Everest - Part 4
The Dark Side of Everest - Part 5
Until next time may you successfully scale the mountains you aspire to.
Chris
ps Feel free to sign up for our newsletter using the form to the right. We’d love to keep in touch and bring you other stories like this.
%8Fv%91%92q%1D%7D%12%88%98%99%9A%1B%9C%10%88%89%9Fy%93%A2%86%1A%9E%A7%8B%8C%2F%AB%18%A5%AE%A0_%AA%8E%AC%90%B5%B6%60%19%A3%0D%AD%BC%AF%A1(%B2%9D%BB%C3%C4h%BF%C7%A4%C9%CA%A8%A9A%CE%0E%B4%D1%BD%7B%10%C0%0A%C2%D8%D2%C5%DB%D5%0C%D7%DF%CB%B7%13%B9%C8%97x%02%EE%02%2B%B0%D47%13%DEln%1E%EF%EF'%F2%2B%F6Zd%3A%E8%1Bhb%9A%3Fv%F7%DAp%18%C8%90%84%C1%13%D0%C6%94%CB%C0%B0%E2%08f2%14%02%2Ce%8A%FFb%C5%86U%B4%B5(%B3%91%A3%C0%8F%20%CD%CD%E2%08h!%CA%94*%AD%B1l%99%EF%25%C1%98%0Bf%D2%1Ca%F3fL%9D%F8X%F4%D4g%0EhG%17C%F7%0D3%EA%23%A9%3B%5EL%818u%054%C9P%AA%2C%DF%D8%C4%FA%8F%CAK%AE%08%15Y%AC%15%F6%13%D1%A5%3Bq%AA%5D%CB%B6%AD%DB%B7p%E3%CA%9DK%B7%AE%DD%BBx%F3B4%DA%F5%1B_a%7F'%16%0D%0C%89%B0%E0h%86%13%F3%FD%A9%B8qV%95%8E%23%F7%85*%D9Me%B5%97%BB9f%1BY%AF%E7%CF%A0C%8B%1EM%BA%B4%E9%D3%A8S%AB%C6A%92r%D0Se1%C5~s8P%ED%24%26a%DF%1E2%13%EC%E4%1CUu%F7%06%12%D5wn%E0%C1%5D%0F%9FQ%1Cq%F2%83%3A1%3FO%F8Xzt%EA%C7%DB6%AFs%5D%EE%F4%95%D5%25%BEv%D1Z%7Cv%F0%BB%EB%05%CC%B8%DERz%99%BF%D5kd%11%91%C3y%F9%F3G%D4%2F%B1%DF~%FF%08%BC%F9%E9%F7_I%EDaW%12t%01%3EP%DE3%B3%B9g%DB%80%9A-%A8%20%84%8CAha%7C%90Q%A8!%85~a%B8!%87%CE5%18%8C%88%E4%80%88%16%89%25%26%C8%A0%8A%19%A2%98%93%8B%11%B2%D8!%8C1J%08%A0%89%9F%BC%97b%81%F8%C9x%A2%8F%F0%F1%D8%A3%8D%CA%E8%B8%23%91%2B%02)%9C%92%232y%24%92%C6%A55%E4x~%E0H%9B%95%04%60%89%A1%22%5B%06%09%E5%8D4%9Aa%A4%97RNY%26%97X%D6x%E6%3ANv%91%A6%9ATr%D7%26%15of%19%26%99q%E6(%A4%7Fs%929%E3Q%EE%7D%89%1Eiu%AAVhj%87%A2%96%E8i%8B%9A%D6%A8%A3%7B%AE%C6'%A0%AE%24%00%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%0A%00%02%00W%000%00%00%03%FFH%BA%DC%FE0%BE%40%83%BC8%EB%3D%2B%E5%60(J%9E7%9E(WVi%EBv%EB%2B%BF%EB7%DFgm%E1%3C%A8%F7%23%81P%90%FA%A1%00H%40k8D%19G%C9%24%8A%C9%CC%D5N%D1%E8%89%DA%1C%3DCYi%90%2B%F4%5EEa%B1%88%DC%F5%9DAi%F5%9A-%FAn%E2%CA%14%9B%E8%8E%C1%E3.%7B!v%19x%2F%82*o%1A%86%87%88%1A%84%12xy%8Dd%89~%8B%803%7B%7C%19%90%10%928%8E%18%9E%0F%8C%A1t%9D%8A%91%99%3C%A2%24%AA%11%A6%AD%A8%17%A4%0C%B2%B3%B4%11%B6%0A%A0%40%0A%AE0%25%18%B8%3D%9B%B5%B0%0D%BE%BF%C0%BA%10%97%B1%AC%10%03%D4%03%81%CE%C2%C4%D2%0F%D5%D5K%D8G%DB%0D%DD%E4z%952%E2%E3%E4%E5c%5C3%E9%0C%EB%F2%EDm%E8Y%18%F2%F3se%3CZ%19%F9%FA%98%09%04%18P%E0%2F%82%EB%0C2C%C8N!%10%86%DD%1C%1E%84HMb%0F%8A%15-%F2%C0%A8%F1%13%22%C3%8E%0F%09%82%0C%99o%E4%C4%86%26IZK%A9!%01%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%1F%00%02%00W%000%00%00%03%FFH%BA%DC%FEKH%01%AB%BD8%EB6%E7%FE%60%A8u%9Dh%9E%22%E9%A1l%5B%A9%92%2B%CF%04L%D1%F8i%E7%7C%B8%F7%A2%81p%C0%FA%9D%02%C8%40k8D%19E%C9%24%8A%C9%D4%C1%8EQ%A9%89%DA4%3DAYm%90%2B%F4%5E%A1a%E4%89%DC%05%7D5i%F1%98%9C%3A%83%E3K%B6%CF%BE%89%2B%F3tn%7Cpx.lD%1Fo%17~3%87%88%23%83%8B%8C%8Dz%1B%8A%15%93%94%95%19%97%0F~%7F4%87%96%91%98%859%A2%9C%A4%9E%A6%A7%9B%17%9D%0D%99%3C%A8%AF%AA%B1%AC%B3%B4%2F%B6%0B%9F%40%0B%BA%10%B0%0A%B2%40%8E%B5*%92%B8%C6%AE%C2%24%18%C5%BF%04%C1%0F%25%CAa.%00%DA%00%18%D4(%D1!%DB%DB%DD%812%CB%20%E2%E9%17%CD%2C%E7%1A%E9%F0%E4U8%D8%22%F0%F7%19%F39Q%26%F7%F8%D2%D2%FC%FD%03%D8C%E0%40%828%0C%C6C%C8C%A1%3A%86%09%1D%8E%83HC%E2D%8A3%2Cj%C3X%D1%14%22%C7%88%0A%3F%E6%08)r%A4%C0%92%05%17%A2L%B9%D1D%02%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%3C%00%02%00B%00B%00%00%03%FEH4%3C%FA0%CAI%AB%9D%AD%DD%CD%7B%CD%99'%8E%16%A8%91hj2i%3B%AE%8E%2Bo%F0l%7F%EB%ADG%B5%2B%FC%82%DD%A3%97%02%02%85%8B%5C%D1x%DC%11I%CC%A6%EE)%8AJo%D4%8E%F5j%CBr%B6A%A1%F7%02F%26M%D0%ADy%5C)%AF%95Z7%92%3D%91%CF%E1%1Bp%F8%8D%8E%5B%CDCx%16v%7C%20~Q%80%81%7Ddj%89%0At%0Az%8E%8F%82u%8D%93%90%92%93%94!%8C%7F%9B%8A1%83%97.%01%A6%01%3B%84(%A7%A7%3A%A4%AB%AC%AC7%AF%22%B1%B6%AEL)%B6%BB%A9%5C%1E%BB%BC%A0%1B%C0%C1%C2%15%C4%C5%C6%12%C8%B7%CA%14%CC%B1%CE%13%D0%B2%D2%11%D4%AD%D6%D7%D8%A8%DA%10%DC%DE%CB%D0%E1%D3%C8%E4%CF%C4%E7%C7%CD%EA%EB%A6%ED%F0%F1%F2%F3%F4%F5%F6%F7%F8%F9%FA%FA%00%FD%FE%FF%00%03%024%26%B0%A0%C1%7F%A0%0E*4%B8i%A1%C3%81%93%1EJ%04%D0p%A2%C3%84%16%0F%12%CC(%03PA%02%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2CN%00%0A%000%00W%00%00%03%ECH%BA%BC%F3%A3%C9I%2B%85%D0%EA%7Dq%E6%E0%E6%7Da)%8D%A4%A9%A2%A9Z%B2%91%BB%B2%B2%0B%D7%E6%8D%87p%BCs%BA%9F((%B4%10%8B%1D%14r%A8%5CV%8ENF%2F%9A%1CQ'%D3k%03z%E5%AA%04%60%81%91%B6%0B%87%9F%CD%9Ay%5D%C5%A8%D7%EC%B6%CF%04%AF%8F%1F%B2%BA%9D%AA%DF%3B%FB~H%80p%7C%83fQ%86%87%7F%89%60%85%8C%8E%86Z%89Z%0A%83%94%0B%80%97%0C%81%9A%95g%9D%A0%A1%A2%A3%A4%A5%A6%A7%A8%A9%AA*%01%AD%AE%AF%B0%B1%B05%B2%B5%B6%AF.%B7%BA%B6%AC%BB%BE%B8%26%BF%C2%01%BD%C3%BB%B9%C6%B7%B4%C9%B2%AB%CE%CF%D0%D1%D2%D3%D4%D52%00%D8%00%A5%D9%DC%A2%DC%DF%DA%9D%E0%DF%E2%E3%E4%94%E6%E3%E8%E9%E0Z%EC%ED%EE%EF%DD%F1%F2%D8%F4%F5%EB%F5%E1W%FA%FB%FC%F8%F9%D8%95K%17%8A%A0%B7s%A3%E6QH%00%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2CN%00%1F%000%00W%00%00%03%E9H%BA%DC%FEn%C8%01%AB%BDmN%CC%3B%D1%A0'F%608%8Eez%8A%A9%BAb%AD%FBV%B1%3C%93%B5v%D3%B9%BE%E3%3D%CA%2F%13%94%0C%81%BD%231%A8D%B6%9A%8F%1C%14R%9B%F2L%D6%AB0%CB%EDz%BF%E0%B0xL.%9B%CF%5C%81z%CDn%BB%DB%B3%B7%7C%CE%5E%D1%EF%F3%13~%0F%1F%F1%FF%02z%80%7Bv%83tq%86oh%8B%8C%8D%8E%8F%90%91%92%93%0A%01%96%01f%97%9Ac%9A%9D%98%60%9E%9D%A0%A1%A2%5D%A4%A1%A6%A7%9E%5C%AA%AB%AC%AD%9B%AF%B0%96%B2%B3%A9%B3%9FY%B8%B9%10%00%BE%00%2F%B8%15%BF%BF%C1%B0%BD%C4%C5%C6%A7%C8%C9%C07%CC%0F%CE%CA%D0%A5%D2%D3%CF%3B%B1%C3%D8b%D8%BE%DE%DDa%DF%D9_%DFc%E7%E3%E2%EA%D3%E1%EB%E6%EF%5E%E4%EE%CE%E8%F1%5D%E9%EC%F5%FA%FB%60%F9%FE%ED%E8%11%23%D3%CF%1E%B8)%09%00%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%3C%00%3C%00B%00B%00%00%03%F9H%BA%DC%FEP%8DI%AB%BD6%EA%1D%B1%FF%15'r%60%F9%8D%E8c%AEY%EAJl%FC%BE%B1%3C%BB%B5y%CF%F9%B9%FF%C0%A0pH%2C%1A%8F%C8%A4r%C9l%3A%9F%D0%A8tJ%10X%05%D4%D7u%9B%1Dm%BF%D8%AE%06%FC%15G%C8%60%B3%03MV3%D8mw%15%5E%96%CF%E9W%FB%1D%1Fv%F3%F3v%7FVz%82F%01%87%017%7FD%88%88%8AxC%8D%8D%3Bt%91%92%87%40l%96%97%89%99u%11%00%A1%00%1C%9C%98A%5C%1A%A2%A2%A4%A5O%AA%AA%1B%A5%A6L%AF%AB%B1%ADM%B5%A1%AC%B8K%BA%A3%BC%97%B9%BA%23%B2%B4%C4%22%C6%BE%C8%C9%BDH%BF(%B2%9D%CF%CC%CD%9CJ%D0%D1%CAG%D9%DA%D7%D4%B5%2F%DBE%DD%DE%C2%DC%D5%E6%92%E8%E1%E2%E3B%E5)%EFA%F1%F2%DFD%F5%EA%8E%E4%E9.%E7%FC%EDvLb%F7J%8F%83%7Cv%10%CAQ%E8%86%A1%1A%87%0F%0B%1A%7C%00kb%83%04%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%1F%00N%00W%000%00%00%03%FFH%BA%DC%FE0%CA7%EA%988%EB%CD%89%FD%5D(%8E%CDg%5Ed%AAJ%A7%B9%BE%B0%D7%BAq%1D%CE%AD%ADkx%BE%FF%90%DE%09Ht%08i%C5%E4%11%94%2C.-M%E5%13%15%05N5%80%2C%E0'%E8%0AFO%8CV%AB%F3z%C1%C7%C9x%5C3%9BIB%F5%3A%DBvwU8%C9%9C%1C%B3%9F%F1H%10%7Bt%13%01%86%01%18~w%2BL%11%83%5B%85%87%86%89%8AQ%8F%90%11%92%92%13%8A%8BE%8F%18%9A%87%94~I%97%A1%A2%88%9C%9D%9F%83%19%A9%AA%AB%A5%40%A0%AF%A9%1A%AC%3F%B5%A8%A2%B8%95%3B%BB%BC%9A%1B%B95%A7%1A%B0%C4%C50%C1%C2%9B%CA%B3%CC%CD%91%BD%D0%D1%2B%D3%D4%C3%1C%CB)%D9%DA%CF%DC%BF*%DF%12%C9%1D%DD%22%E5%E6%B7!%E9%1C%C7%1D%E7%E8%EFX%AE%22%F3%F4%D7%1D%F7%F8%ED%22%E3B%F4%0B%91O%9F%1BokR%144%E8%89%04%1B%85%FFF%BC%A9%E2l%14%C5(%0B%2F%FE%C8%A8Q%13%07%C7%8E5%3E%82%84!r%E4%8Bj%26%89%84K%A9%20%01%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%0A%00N%00W%000%00%00%03%FFH%BA%DC%0E%10%B8I%AB%BD8%B7%C8%B5%FF%E0%C7%8DRh%9E!9%A2lK%A9%A4%2B%B7%B0%3A%DF%60m%E3%3C%A6%C7%BD%E0%E4%B7%12%1A%17%C4%CEq%99%8C%2C%8FM%C8%13%DA%9CR%89%A7%806%20%1Cx%07%99dv%AB%ED%7D%BF%3E%1D%8AL%C6%9D%CF%97Z%8B%BDu%BF%BDi%25%8B%5E%BF%DD%D1qN.%7Ce%17%02%87%02%18%7FxV%04%84%5C%86%88%87%8A%8BV%8F%90%15%92%92%17%8B%8CK%8F%18%9A%88%94%7FO%97%A1%A2%89%9C%9D%9F%84%19%A9%AA%AB%A5F%A0%AF%A9%1A%ACB%B5%A8%A2%B8%95A%BB%BC%9A%1E%B98%A7%1A%B0%C4%C53%C1%C2%9B%CA%B3%CC%CD%91%BD%D0%D1%83%AE%1F%C9%1F%CB%7B%D9%DA%B7%20%DDc%7C!%DB%DC%BF%DE%E5%E6%E1%E2%E9%26%C7%20%E7%E8%EF%20%D3%C8%ED%EE%D7%F6%EB%26%F3%FAo%D6%F4cW%CDD%3D~mP%FC%03%E8I%60!%85%F9%0C%02jDm%18E%2B%0B%2F%0A%C9%A8%B1%12%07%C7%8E8%3E%82%9C!r%A4%8C%82%26%8D%3C%E3%91%00%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%02%00%3C%00B%00B%00%00%03%F5H%04%DC%FE%F0%A9I%AB%BD%98%C6%CD%5D%FE%E0%D5%8D%5Ch%82d*%9D%AC%A5%BE%40%2BO%B0%3A%DF%F5x%EF%F9%B6%FF%C0%A0pH%2C%1A%8F%C8%A4r%C9l%3A%9F%D0%A8tJ%3D%05%AE%81%AA%0C%CB%D5%9A%B8%E0%AC7%13%06%8F%2F%E5%F0%99%92.%AF%09m%F7%3A%AE%3E%D3%CD%F6%3B%F6%AD%DF%E7%FB%7C%80%81w%3B%02%86%02Fz%85%87%86Et%3F%8C%8CDmA%91%87%8Ex%40%96%97%98WC%9B%8D%20%03%A3%03R%A0%88%A2%A4%A3P%A7%A8%19%AA%AAO%A7!%B0%A4N%AD%B4%B5%A5M%B3%B9%B5%BC%A0'%BA%BBK%BD%BE%B0L%C6%C7%B1J%B8%C2%BA%C5%C1%2C%C3%CD%CA%CB%B6I%D6%D7%ABH%DA%DB%C4F%DE%A9%BFG%E2%E3%C8%E1%E6%1F%D4%E9%9B%3B%ECE%D27%F0D%F23%F4%F5%91%40%F8%F9%A1%3F%FCo%26%00%0CH%60%60%40%83o%10%AEQx%86aCt%0410K%00%00!%F9%04%05%05%00%04%00%2C%02%00%1F%000%00W%00%00%03%E7H%BA%0C%0E%2C%CAIk%7B%CE%EAM%B1%E7%E0%E6%8Da)%8D%A8%A9%A2%A9Z%B2%AD%CB%C1%B1%AC%D1%A4%7D%E3%98.%F2%0F%DF%0E%08%11v%88E%E3%04%A9%AC%00%9B%16%1C4%0A%9B%0E%7B%D6_%26%CB%EDz%BF%E0%B0xL.%9B%CF%A1%80z%CDn%BB%DB%B6%B7%7C%CEv%D1%EFs%15~%0F7%F1%FF%01z%80%7Bv%83tq%86oh%8B%8C%8D%8E%8F%90%91%92%93h%02%96%02f%97%9Ac%9A%9D%98%60%9E%9D_%A1%9E%5D%A4%A1Y%A7%A8V%AA%A5S%AD%A2%AF%B0%97%A9%B3%96%AC%B6%9F%B2%B3%5C%B62%03%C0%03%16%BC.%C1%C1%15%AD6%C6%C6%14%A7%3E%CB%C7%CD%B1%3A%D0%D1%D2%B7B%D5%C0b%DA%C2a%DD%DE%60%DD%DC%E3%DF%DA%E4%D5c%E5%E2%E7%E6%ED%EC%E9%EE%F1%F0%D0%E8%F5%F6%CB%F8%CC%F2%F7%F4%F9%FA%DB%D4%CD%D3wf%9F%86%04%00!%F9%04%09%05%00%04%00%2C%02%00%02%00%7C%00%7C%00%00%03%FFH%BA%DC%FE0%CAI%AB%BD8%EB%CD%BB%FF%60(%8Edi%9Eh%AA%AEl%EB%BEp%2C%CFt%0A%DC%40%AD%938%BE%FF%9E%5E%0FH%CC%08%7D%C5%24%E5%88T%3A%1D%CC%E6sJ%88%E6%A8X%2B%96%AA%DDN%BB%5E%A5%F5%1AN%82%CB%C41%DA%1C%5D%B3%99%EEt%3B%0E%3C%D3i%EA%BB%CE%AE%8F%E5%FB3%7C%80%12%01%85%01!%82%83%0E%86%86%20%89%8A%0B%8C%92%1Fs%90%10%92%98%1D%95%96%8B%98%99%1BG%9C%11%9E%9E%1CC%A2%A3%A4%9F%A8%26%AA%A5%AC%AD%AE%93%B0%24%B2%B3%B4%23%B6%8C%B8%B5%BA%85%BC%22%BE%BF%C0!%C2%C4%C1%B6%C7%B9%AE%CA%CB%A4%CD%BD%B7%D0%CE%87%D3%D6%D7%D8%D9%DA%DB%DC%DD%DE%DF%E0%E1%C0%02%E4%E5%E6%E7%E8%E7%DC%E9%EC%ED%E6%DA%EE%F1%ED%D9%F2%F5%EA%D8%F6%F9%02%F4%FA%F5%F0%FD%EE%D6%01L'%AE%A0%C1%83%08%13*%5C%C8%B0%A1%C3%87h%06H%1C%00q%C1%C4%8B%10%2Fj%A4%D8pP%A3F%86%1E7*%0C%E9%11!%C9%92%07O%8A4%A8%F2%23%CB%96%13M%C2%94%98r%26%C7%970%13%CE%5C%98%93%E7I%87%24%2B%AE%ACH%00%23%D1%A3H%93*%5D%CA%B4%A9%D3%A7P%A3J%9DJ%B5%AA%D5%ABX%B3j%DD%CA%B5%AB%D7%AF%60%C3%16I%00%00%3B)
Loading image
Click anywhere to cancel
Image unavailable
Loading image
Click anywhere to cancel
Image unavailable
Loading image
Click anywhere to cancel
Image unavailable
One of the things that I struggle with my kids is when they try something new. The regularly get frustrated that they are not good at it straight away. They are still young and so the concept that “practice makes perfect” is something that doesn’t have a lot of meaning to them. My job is to convince them that they need to keep trying and that if they really want to be good at it they’ll need to keep practicing. To me, this is all about imparting family success.
They have a good excuse…they’re kids. We, as adults, are guilty of giving up ourselves and pretty often its just before we are likely to succeed in our endeavours.
I thought you’d enjoy this news report in the link below to remind you of some of the great people who failed spectacularly before they achieved their dreams. Many of them are now renowned in history for their accomplishments but less well known for the fact that they failed first. But they were different to most of us. They had the courage, and the fortitude to back up, and try again, ultimately succeeding.
News Report - Failures Can Become Success Stories
The lesson is pretty clear…if we want it badly enough we must persist…the darkest hour is the hour before the dawn.
To your persistence in pursuing your own success.
Chris
PS If you haven’t done so already you can subscribe to our newsletter for FREE by visiting http://www.familysuccessclub.com/newsletter/subscribe now.
A friend sent this video link to me recently and it really got me thinking. Now I’m not a doomsayer or anything of the sort but I think we are all agreed that we are in the midst of some tough financial times. I have to confess it came on a lot sooner than I was expecting. My expectation was that we had another 2-3 years of good times before things got tougher and that was certainly the basis of a lot of my financial planning.
When word of the sup-prime mortgage problems came out I took it as being a localised problem and just assumed it was unrelated to anything I would experience. The resources boom in China was going gangbusters and everything should keep rolling along. I couldn’t see the dependency between some bad debt to low credit users in the US and the main financial institutions, and ultimately me and my family. I also have to confess that I don’t watch a lot of television or read a lot in the newspapers as I find them overly negative and focussed on the “bad stuff” rather than the inherent good things in the world that I like to believe in.
But take a look at the video below and have a look at how much of a hard time, one particular commentator who tried to ride against the “bullish” pack had to go.
The lesson for me is quite clear. The so called financial experts aren’t and when everyone is on the one bandwagon it is time to prick your ears and get suspicious. Start looking for the contrarian view, start to do your own research rather than rely on that of others.
Peter Schiff knew he was right. Its easy to say that he was just a negative doomsayer, but when you listen to him speak you realise that he knew exactly why the system would fail and tried to alert people. He tried to help. However, everyone shot him down because it wasn’t in their interests to listen to him.
It’s okay to question. It’s okay to take a different path to others. You can choose to follow, or you can choose to diverge. It’s your life…and you are ultimately responsible for what it gives you.
Here’s to you and your success
Chris
PS If you haven’t done so already you can subscribe to our newsletter for FREE by visiting http://www.familysuccessclub.com/newsletter/subscribe now.