When you think of self-made millionaires, what images immediately pop up in your mind? Do you see a well-dressed individual surrounded by a posse, jet-setting from one exciting place to the next in private planes, exotic cars and yachts? Or do you see someone sitting all alone in boxer shorts and a tee shirt behind a desk, computer or stack of books at 5 am in the morning?
The fact is, most of that journey towards success is, at best, insanely boring where nothing happens day after day, despite your superhuman efforts. Or, at worst, it’s a walk through hell in which you must overcome one hurdle after another, one let down after another, one disappointment after another, one rejection after another or just simply being ignored by those who, with a snap of their fingers, could alter your life forever. In other words, it’s not a life you would wish on your worst enemy.
What keeps you in the game is your belief that what you’re doing will pay off down the road. It’s knowing, with unfailing faith, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Passion and a love for your work is the source of your energy, motivation and enthusiasm, despite the stifling nothingness or painful hardship you must endure. You simply must love what you are doing and believe in yourself and your cause. That belief and passion is what enables you survive the journey of nothingness and hardship.
The next time you see a self-made millionaire, pause and consider that that individual very likely spent much of their life walking through hell, so that one day they could be living the life of their dreams. Don’t envy their exciting, new life. Instead envy their persistence in getting there.
About Thomas C. Corley
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