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One of the most inspiring quotes I ever heard regarding perseverance was
by Brian Tracy. He said:
"The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that
successful people fail many more times than unsuccessful people."
I personally experienced the wisdom of that understanding right after my
first book was published. Like many authors, I envisioned hundreds of
bookstore customers lining up for me to benevolently sign copies for them.
I'm afraid to say, it didn't quite happen like that. I was living in Atlanta
at the time and arranged my first signing at The Phoenix and Dragon -- the
largest spiritual/inspirational bookstore in the city. The store was
celebrating its 15th anniversary and had authors scheduled to appear
throughout the three-day event. I was scheduled Sunday at 5pm -- the last
day and time slot of the celebration.
Brimming with anticipation, I was put into a private signing room in the
beautiful store, and for the next hour and a half, had little more to do
than to read my own book, and wonder for what purpose in the world I had
felt so driven to spend four years writing it.
Despite a nice sign placed outside the room exhibiting images of both me and
my book, The 9 Insights of the Wealthy Soul" not a single customer entered
the room. As each minute passed, I became increasingly anxious.
Do they not like the title? I wondered. Do they not like the book cover? Do
they not like what 'I' look like?
After 90 minutes of this torture, I was absolutely distraught. For the four
years writing the book, I had felt a sense of mission and purpose like never
before in my life. Had God just been fooling with me?
Working a full 8-9 hour day in my holistic clinic, I had lived
on a strict regimen during the four years of getting into bed by 9:30pm, so
I could quiet my mind and feel a sense of surrender before turning out the
lights at 11. I would sleep with that silent potentiality, so I could wake
up at 5:30 in the morning and have two pristine hours of writing before
heading into my clinic. Before I ever began each session writing, I would
close my eyes for 10 minutes and end my meditation whispering, "God, please
grant me the words to touch just one person's life."
I truly was inspired, and despite my ascetic lifestyle, I knew that's what I
had to do to maintain the grace in my words with which I wanted my readers
to eventually be touched.
Now, sitting there alone at my first book-signing, I wondered if my entire
life wasn't just a big joke. I watched the minutes agonizingly tick by on a
clock on the wall. At 6:25pm -- just before the store's closing -- defeated,
I began to get myself ready to leave.
At that moment, just when I couldn't feel any worse, a middle-aged couple
walked in the room. Trying to regain my composure, I managed to hide my
emotions and introduced myself. The moment I shook their hands, I felt
something shift inside me. I began to give them a summary of my book:
"Well," I started hesitantly, "It's called The 9 Insights of the Wealthy
Soul and it's a story of a WWII pilot, my dad, and the lessons he was giving
me in wealth accumulation while he was facing a terminal illness. And each
lesson in the story becomes much deeper lessons about life and death, and
finding the greatest spiritual meaning anytime we are facing our greatest
adversities."
Both the man and the woman's eyes were now glued on me. I felt a tingle go
up my spine. There was something different about the way they were looking
at me that I couldn't quite identify. But I didn't know what else to say.
However, additional words were unnecessary.
The couple turned to each other, and the husband nodded solemnly to his
wife. She then told me, "I think we'll get the book." My heart began to
pound. But instinctively, despite the impulse to jump in the air, click my
heels and wring their hands to thank them for being my first readers ever
and saving my life, I realized the woman was trying to say something else.
"The reason we're buying it," she said hesitantly, "is because our son
committed suicide two years ago." She took my hand. "Maybe your story will
help us get over it." I felt my eyes glisten. I was speechless.
In that moment, I knew if I never sold another copy of the book, my four
years of writing it had served its purpose. My prayer to God of asking for
the words to touch just one person's life had already been answered.
Although I would have many more challenging years until my book caught on
and saw substantial distribution, this couple's story was all the motivation
I needed at that point to keep me moving ahead. Thanks to them, I would come
to the realization that the greatest of lives are made all in the same way:
One challenge... one hurdle... one step... and one small victory at a time.
Courtesy: Michael R. Norwood |
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Michael R. Norwood