Video of the Week: Lessons in Perseverance - Diana Nyad

Diana Nyad had a dream for the past 30 years. She wanted to be the first to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. That is on average about a 60 hour swim on a good day. The waters between Cuba and Florida are filled with sharks and jellyfish. But she survived. Ms. Nyad is also 64 years old. And this wasn't her first attempt, it was her fifth. But as Julie Andrews once said, "Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th." So in honor of Ms. Nyad, here is an interview not long after she completed her historic swim. Remember her mantra, "Find a way."

Video of the Week: Juggling Life: Redefining What's Possible: Jennifer Slaw at TEDxPrincetonLibrary

In today's video, we learn about juggling. I know, I know, who wants to learn about juggling. But the there are benefits to learning how to juggle. Jennifer Slaw, a professional juggler, discusses how juggling has helped her and how she has used juggling to help others. More importantly, she discusses the lessons she has learned from juggling, including how to handle failure and the importance of patience. This is a short video today, so if you have 20 minutes to spare, take time to watch. Have a great day, folks!

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Quote of the Week: Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart...

Quote: Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Must have patience, persistence, and perseverance to succeed.

-Sharlotte Jackson

A lot of people want to be an entrepreneur. But do you have what it takes? Do you understand that things will not happen overnight? Chances are you aren't going to get your big break after your first business meeting. You may not get it on your tenth. The truth is, things aren't going to happen on your time table. Do you have the patience for that? No? Entrepreneurship may not be for you. 

Do you have persistence? Do you have the gumption to move forward while obstacles stand in your way? There are times when your dreams will be put on hold. Setbacks happen. Business isn't always going to be sunny. Detours occur. When Walt Disney first started his company, he had to go work for someone else for awhile because business slowed down. But he didn't give up on his dream. He went one to build one of the greatest animation companies in the world. 

That brings us to perseverance. On this journey called entrepreneurship, there will be many dark nights of fear and uncertainty. There will be doubts and you will question your own competence and confidence. There will be times when the only person who believes in your vision is you. It's during these times where you will have to summon your courage and dig deep to move forward. Milton Hershey had three failed candy companies before Hershey Chocolate Company became a success. But he never gave up on his dream. Are you willing to endure all of this? Are you willing to do what it takes to finish the race? If not, then entrepreneurship may not be for you. 

I know, this may seem harsh, but now is the time to face the truth. Before you put the time, effort, money, and energy into whatever business venture you decide to pursue, consider these things. Only you can decide what is right for you. So choose wisely. 

FOCUS

Here is a quick video on focus. Tyler Perry discuss how he became successful. According to him, it comes down to 2 things: The Grace of God and Focus. I think another factor is perseverance. Mr. Perry was able to rise to the top because he followed the path with focus. He was not deterred by failure or the disbelief of others. He kept striving for his goal. What goals are you striving for today? Are you focused? Are you distracted by fear? Are you discouraged by failure? Don't be. Just remember to stay FOCUSED.