Herman School of Business
How Close Are You To Success?
This time last year I was doing one minute Hermanisms on more than 150 radio stations. They were recorded spots where I would say, “Listen Up…Hermanism Number blah-blah-blah” and share a thought about that one. I figured it would launch me into super-stardom…not quite.
That same month a two page feature article appeared in SPIRIT MAGAZINE the monthly magazine for Southwest Airlines. People saw me and called…some booked speeches…zoom, here we go!
By May there were speeches underway, and another article in a national magazine was being written in which my expert opinion was being solicited…for INC MAGAZINE, hello! Surely this would a moon-shot to riches.
My story is primarily about overcoming failures in life. About looking ahead, not backwards. About putting one foot in front of the other to get where you want to go. Even the economy is trying to help me. If everyone was winning who would need a “Coach” to teach them how to cope with hardship. Well, we are up to our necks in hardship…so the line for my services and message must be around the block by now right? I must be so close to great success I can see it by now.
Next ENTREPRENUER.COM came calling with yet another bit of national exposure. Would that be the last step to overwhelming exposure? Along the way there were also monthly features in NEWSREACH and occasional pieces in EARLY TO RISE, one of the largest E-zines on the Internet.
Pop the Champagne! Right?
In 2008 there were 25 events at which I was able to stand at the microphone and put forth the wisdom I so crave to share. Several consulting clients came from the exposure in 2008. More than 6,000 copies of HERMANISMS had been distributed or sold at the many events.
Are we there yet?
On Tuesday I sat in the audience and heard a speech from a person named as one of the top five greatest speakers in the world. In The WORLD! I have to be honest with you…I didn’t hear anything I didn’t already know. And while he was excellent, I didn’t see the gap between him (TOP FIVER) and me (WAY BELOW TOP FIVER) as being so great. He admitted that his zoom to the top came in part from a lucky break where one of the world’s best speakers overheard him speak walking through a hotel hallway and that “best” guy put him on a national tour as a “warm-up” speaker and it made him rich and successful. But was it lucky? Or, was it the fact that he kept plying his trade in the best way he knew how in whatever venue that would have him until his “break” came along and swept him to great success?
I talked to this great speaker outside as he gave me his latest book for free and I told him I would make a great guest on his national radio show. He said that would be wonderful. Today when he and I talked he asked me to submit materials to his Producer so we may schedule something if it is appropriate. Am I now “this close” to zoom? Is this the last step to the top of the mountain?
The truth is we don’t know, we never know. I am not looking it as the last step, I am looking at it as the next step. It’s not easy getting where you want to go…but if I don’t keep walking I will never get there.
- Posted: 9 January 2009
- Comments: 0
- Category: Business failure
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