You learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without trouble. There is always a seed of hope.
Og MandinoRead
Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet each struggle, each defeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence and thus each obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better... or quit. Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward; turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw away your future.
Interpretation
Obstacles are essential for achieving success, as they help develop skills and resilience.
This quote by Og Mandino emphasizes that obstacles and challenges are not merely hindrances but vital components of the journey toward success. Each struggle and defeat contributes to personal growth, sharpening one’s skills and building the strength, courage, and confidence needed to overcome future challenges. In essence, the way we respond to setbacks shapes our future opportunities and determines our ultimate success.
In practice
A motivational speaker may use this quote to encourage an audience facing challenges in their careers.
You learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without trouble. There is always a seed of hope.
Why do we continue to breed little minds who can find no recompense for their own failures other than to belittle and mock the talents, even the dress, of others? When will everyone realize that we are all equal in the eyes of God?
The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what the task may be. This is a habit followed by all successful people since the beginning of time. Therefore I saith the surest way to doom yourself to mediocrity is to perform only the work for which you are paid.
Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces.
Each day is a special gift from God, and while life may not always be fair, you must never allow the pains, hurdles, and handicaps of the moment to poison your attitude and plans for yourself and your future.
All the gold in the world cannot buy a dying man one more breath--so what does that make today worth?
There's a certain reason why certain people win because they have a winning mentality and they bring it into the locker room, into the gym every single day. You can't have enough of those people.
Going to the Portland Trail Blazers, who actually took the time to invest in me, was perhaps the best thing that ever happened to me in my career. I got to a small market where I could focus on basketball, basketball, basketball. No distractions.
Maybe if I didn't have the talent in chess I'd find the talent in something else. The only thing I know is that I have talent in chess, and I'm satisfied with that.
Success is a result of consistent practice of winning skills and actions. There is nothing miraculous about the process. There is no luck involved.
If you do the work you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.
There are many designers who have much greater talent as a designer than I do, but they may not have my drive, they may not work as hard, they may not have the focus, the desire... You have to have a talent because, at the end of the day, if the pants you design don't make someone's butt look great, they're not going to buy them.
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