按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
steel。〃 Hill also pointed out in another part of the same
chapter； that the only thing which separated Thomas Edison
or Henry Ford from the rest of the people in the world was
persistence。 For both of these great men had an image and
they would not let anyone or anything dissuade themthey
were persistent。 One illuminated the world； the other put the
world on wheels。 Both were； of course； richly rewarded。
In a previous chapter； we explained money is a reward for
service rendered。 These men provided a tremendous service to
millions of individuals and their reward was in direct
proportion to the service rendered。 So build your image of
prosperity and be persistent。 The way for your image to
materialize will be shown to you。 Persistence Always Pays
A number of years ago； John Kanary； a friend and
business partner of mine； was discussing Hill's chapter on
〃persistence〃 with me。 We both seemed to be equally
impressed with the importance of this quality； as well as with
the necessity of a person having it； if they were to reach any
worthwhile goal。 After a time and nearing the end of our
discussion； we each agreed we would read the chapter on
〃persistence〃； once every day for thirty days。 I don't even have
to ask John to find out if this exercise helped himI know it
did； and the exercise has most certainly benefited me on
numerous occasions。
There is an interesting story concerning John Kanary；
which would be very appropriate to share with you here； since
it illustrates both the power of 〃imaging；〃 as well as
〃persistence。〃
Although I had known John Kanary for a couple of years
and had talked with him on many occasions； I certainly did
not know him as intimately as I do at the time of this writing。
It is important that I bring this out here； as I will be referring
back to it shortly。 The incident I am about to relate； took place
in 1971。
I was living in Chicago at the time and had just
pleted a speaking engagement in Edmonton； Alberta。
When I returned to my room； there was a telephone message
for me to call John Kanary； in Belleville； Ontario； Canada。 I
returned the call and after a couple of minutes of small talk；
John said it was rather important that he meet with me； as he
had something he wanted to discuss and he preferred not to
〃go into it〃 on the telephone。 I asked John to wait while I
looked over my calendar； it was； in the vernacularpacked
tight。 I was busy； to say the least； almost every day I had
either a seminar or speaking engagement in a different city in
North America。 I explained this to John and told him that
although I would love to visit； I really didn't know when I
could。 John was persistent； so I said； 〃Listen； I'm leaving
Edmonton for Chicago tonight at midnight。 To get to Chicago I
have to go through Toronto。 I'll arrive there at 7 a。m。 I'll have
to change terminals and I leave from the second terminal； one
hour and fifty minutes later。 I'll be happy to talk to you then；
although I don't promise to be too alert after flying all night。〃
It is also worth mentioning that John had to get up early
enough to drive the 125 miles from Belleville to Toronto； to
meet my 7：00 a。m。 arrival。 I remember that all John said was；
〃I'll be there。〃
The next morning I sat in the airport coffee shop and
listened as John explained how he 〃wanted to do what I was
doing。〃 He wanted to conduct seminars。 He also explained that
he was prepared to pay the price； whatever it might be。
As I listened； it was like hearing a popular song on the
radioyou keep hearing it； over and over again。 In almost every
seminar I conduct there is a man or woman in the seminar
who wants to do 〃what I am doing。〃 I've heard it in Biloxi；
Mississippi； Butte； Montana； Los Angeles； New York； Moncton
and Montrealit was an old tune。 Now； here I was in Toronto
with a friend who； as I have already mentioned； I did not know
that well； and he was asking what 〃he had to do。〃
As I was listening； the same images； which I had with all
the others； were flashing through my mind。 I was
remembering all the traveling and the fear of standing up and
speaking in a large hotel ballroom crowded with people who
wanted you to get them excited； but who were mentally
putting you on trial at the same time； thinking； 〃Does this guy
know what he is talking about？〃 In many situations； such as a
sales convention； you had forty minutes from beginning to end
in which to build rapport with a few hundred strangers and
get them excited about themselves。
The years of staying up nights reading and studying； the
years of learning by attending seminars all over the continent；
the years of working for next to nothing to prepare oneself to
hold the attention of a group of people all day in a seminar；
these were the images racing across my mind。 It had taken me
eleven years to get to that point。
But how do you say； 〃No； you'll never do it；〃 when
someone like John asks you； especially when the essence of
what you teach is you can do anything。 Yet； how can you say
〃yes；〃 when everyone you know； with the exception of two or
three others besides yourself； cannot earn a living in the
public speaking business unless they are a celebrity。 （And that
is a whole different story。）
When John Kanary finished； I told him what I had told all
the others： 〃Yes； you can do it； but it's tough。 Make sure you
understand that； John。 It's tough。 You will have to do a
tremendous amount of studying； because you not only have to
know what to say； but you must also have the answers to a
thousand and one questions arising as a result of what you
say。 Some of the questions will e from professional people
medical doctors； engineers and lawyerswho； in most cases；
know what they are talking about。 So you not only have to be
right； but confident as well； or you will be discredited with
your entire audience； and that only has to happen a couple of
times and you're 〃out of business。〃
You not only have to study these ideas； but you must use
them as well； or there will be no conviction in your talks。 （Not
to mention the fact that you will be a walking physical
contradiction to what you teach。） It is next to impossible； for
example； to have a sick person teaching 'health'。
You must develop showmanship and voice control； and
on and on it goes。 In short； John； for every one who makes it；
a thousand fail miserably。〃
Usually when this is explained； the person says they still
want to go ahead； but you never hear from them again。 John
was no exception； in one sensehe still wanted to go ahead。
However； in every other way he was an exception。 I did see
him again。 I told him what to read and what to do and he read
it and did it。 John read hundreds of bookshe 〃devoured〃
them。 He narrated them onto tapes and then played the tapes
in the car。 At his own expense； he followed me all over the
country and sat in hundreds of seminars。 He wrote thousands
of pages of notes and studied them diligently。
Finally； I would have him open and close the seminars。
Then he would conduc