Dear Reader,
I dont know who needs to hear this today - maybe a lot of people do. Maybe not many on this list. I'm not sure (though I bet the latter).
But I'll tell you one damn thing, inspiration is something we could all do with a little more of.
Personally, those of us doing our own thing often get hit the hardest by life - and everything else (I realize that sounds "uncaring and arrogant" but try and follow a dream you've got for years, but never have, then when you finally do, watch the world seemingly put up barriers at EVERY stage).
Just when you think you've done it all, when you've hit a high point, BAM!
Life hands you a sucker punch and you're back BELOW where you started with MORE of a struggle to climb up - and out - of the hole.
It ain't anyone's fault either.
Napoleon Hill says it very well indeed in the Chapter on persistence in Think and Grow Rich where he talks about how there is a "hidden guide" (his choice of term is right i.e. guide because you learn a hell of a lot, I mean a hell of a lot during your dark and down times - about life - people - who your TRUE friends are - and a lot more (and how family will almost NEVER support you in pursuit of your dream or goal which is why I recommend NOT telling anyone until you get there i.e "Tell the world what you want to do, but SHOW 'em first" - Napoleon Hill again) who job it is to test men through countless discouraging challenges before finally "relenting" ...
And some of these challenges can be way tougher than you ever imagined - and come at times there could not be possibly "worse" in many regards.
EVERY doer, every achiever in life has been through this phase, often for extended periods, often for a long long time before success finally caved in!
You might not hear about their stories (the tough times part) a lot.
But theyre very much there, believe me, the higher a person rises, you can bet your bottom dollar he had to go through some INSANE struggle to get to where he (or she) is today.
Thats just how life works...
Homelessness seems to be one common factor as well - from Jean Claude Van Damme to Sly Stallone (and it ain't limited to just Hollywood either - it applies to life and business all across the spectrum) - some of the stories you hear about this guys, I gotta tell you, if they hadn't persisted - gone one more round when NOTHING and NOBODY was there for them - you wouldn't even know about them today.
It's persistence, gumption, the knowledge that the long game eventually rents, it's STICKABILITY - it's dedication - all of this ,plus that "intangible" Napoleon Hill talks about in his books.
I'll close this with quotes from Sly Stallone, someone who knows more than most about this sort of thing . . .
From selling his wife's jewelry on the sly to being homeless for a period to having to sell his dog because he literally couldn't feed himself, let alone the dog - working as a movie usher for years - this dude knows a thing or two about struggle.
He ain't the only one either, but Sly with his interest in writing - he pens things in an interesting manner indeed - and it makes his movie dialogs seems all the more believable, you can tell the man has LIVED it himself.
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!
Or this
"going one more round when you dont think you can is what makes ALL the difference in your life"
OR ...
"Being broke is BAD. Really BAD. Have you ever had a dream? A wonderful dream? But You are too broke to implement it? Too tiny to do it? Too small to accomplish it? Life is tough. Opportunities will pass you by, just because you are a NOBODY. People will want your products but NOT YOU. Its a tough world. If you ain’t already famous or rich or “connected”, you will find it rough. Doors will be shut on you. People will steal your glory and crash your hopes. You will push and push. And yet NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. And then your hopes will be crashed. You will be broke. Damn broke. You will do odd jobs for survival. You will be unable to feed yourself. And yes, you may end up sleeping in the streets. It happens. Yes, it does. BUT NEVER LET THEM CRUSH THAT DREAM. Whatever happens to You, Keep Dreaming. Even when they crush your hopes, Keep Dreaming. Even when they turn you away, Keep Dreaming. Even when they shut you down, Keep Dreaming. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF EXCEPT YOURSELF! People will judge you by HOW you look. And by WHAT you have. But Fight on! Fight for Your place in history. Fight for your glory. NEVER EVER GIVE UP! Even if it means selling all your clothes and sleeping with the dogs, IT’S OKAY! But AS LONG AS YOU ARE STILL ALIVE, Your STORY IS NOT OVER. Keep Up the Fight. Keep your dreams and hope alive. Go get it !!!"
And that, friend, is that, like I said, I dont quite know who needed to hear this today, but I'm sure many did.
Even if not, words for the ages basically from a true DOER - legend!
RespecT!
And thats that.
Back soon.
Best
Rahul Mookerjee
PS - For more such inspiration you MUST have at your bedside - check out Gumption Galore and Zero to Hero!
