Part I
Improve your Persistence, Get Rid of Procrastination, and Stop Worrying Uselessly.
In part I, you’ll learn important life lessons on persistence, getting things done, and worrying less for things outside your control.
Thomas A. Edison
1847–1931
Facts: He holds 1,093 patents to his name. His inventions include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the long-lasting, practical electric light bulb.
“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.” — Thomas A. Edison
Fantastic lesson on persistence. Ever-curious, Thomas A. Edison, one of the greatest inventors of all times, shows that failures and in fact, not failures but rather failed experiments.
In the past 12 years alone, I’ve started 6 businesses, and by most people’s standards, they would be qualified as failures. I didn’t grow the companies in size, I didn’t generate sustainable revenues, and ultimately most got shut down.
What people don’t realize is that when you view life as a series of experiments, there is no such thing as failure, as long as you learn something from the experience.
Did Edison learn from his experiences? You bet! How else would he have accomplished that much?
It’s not by accident that some of the most successful people of all times have failed repeatedly. Their curiosity, passion/obsession, and persistence are what made them rise above the crowd.
For those of you who have read my stories before, you know I’m very much into that experimental mindset with the 3 skills I deliberately learn every month. I don’t become a professional in all skills, but the lessons I learn from each is invaluable to my present or future success.
Dale Carnegie
1888–1955
Facts: Carnegie was a poor farmer’s son. He became famous with his book: How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936), a bestseller that remains popular today.
“If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” — Dale Carnegie
Fantastic lesson on getting to action, the skill I ranked as the #2 skill to learn and hone to thrive in 2019 in:
The 3 Most Important Skills to Learn Now to Thrive in 2019
Carnegie inspired many to work on themselves through his teachings. Growing up as a poor farm-boy, he had to make his way up in the world. He is a living proof that no matter the financial background you come from, you can become what you want to become. And that starts with action.
Being a poor farm-boy myself, I can attest that it’s not only possible to thrive even in less-than-optimal situations but it can sometimes be a blessing in disguise.
In High Performance Habits, Brendon Burchard ranks “necessity” in the top 6 habits to lead one to high performance. The poor farm-boy has to go out and get busy. It’s necessary for his survival.
Combine this lesson with that of persistence from Edison and you’ll soon realize that the fear of failure is just that, a fear. It’s not real. One who doesn’t try doesn’t get. It’s that simple.
So go ahead and do what you have to do to become who you want to become. Screw what others are going to say. It’s your life. Make it count. Make it the best it can be, both for you and for people that matter to you.
Marcus Aurelius
121–180
Facts: His work on Stoicism, which later came to be called Meditations, has been seen as one of the greatest works of philosophy. Even though a celebrated emperor, he found the imperial office unappealing.
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius
I won’t lie, Marcus Aurelius probably has some of my favourite quotes in the world, along with Jim Rohn. In fact, I had one of his quotes always next to next desk when I was living in Spain.
The quote above is very important to understand. You can interpret it in different ways, but the way I see it is:
Have you done everything in your control for a situation? Yes, then stop worrying about events you have no control over. And that, to me, is liberating.
How many times have you beaten yourself over something bad that happened, even though there was really nothing you could have done to improve the situation?
I’d bet quite a few times, right?
Letting go of the negative thoughts associated with something that’s out of your control frees your mind to concentrate on other things you have control over, greatly improving your positivity and quality of life.
Conclusion
I hope you learned valuable lessons here. But don’t just read and turn the page.
Save these quotes.
Read them on a regular basis and truly understand them. Remember Carnegie’s quote: go out and get busy. Start with this understanding these epic quotes.
You can do this!