Push Ahead

What do you want out of life? A good career? A good marriage? Kids with good character? Whatever you’re after, success won’t come easy. You gotta stick with it until you get where you want to go.

If your dreams seem out of reach, don’t be dismayed. You’re in good company. Colonel Sanders, the man who started the KFC restaurant chain, was rejected by over 1,000 investors before he got a single yes. KFC now operates almost 20,000 stores around the world.

Perseverance was also key for Dyson, the vacuum cleaner company. Its founder, Sir James Dyson, struggled to get his company off the ground. He created 5,000 prototypes before inventing his popular Dual Cyclone vacuum, the fastest-selling vacuum cleaner ever made.

And don’t forget good ol’ Walt Disney. Over 300 banks denied his request for the loan he needed to start Disneyland. Over seventy years later, Disney is still one of the world’s strongest brands.

Obstacles are part of every success story. They rise up before us and tempt us to quit. To overcome them, we need strength, commitment, and – most of all – determination. That’s the only way to reconcile a broken marriage or to rescue a wayward child. It’s the only way to overcome an addiction, a medical problem, or a career setback.

When life stands in your way, don’t shrink back. Push ahead.