Have you ever fallen down on the job of writing and felt like you would never rise again? Like that writing life was just a dream, never to be obtained? Were you rejected by agents until you declared you would never submit again? Then found that rejections were just niceties compared to what editors did to your work?
Well, let me be your encourager today.
I found this online about Abraham Lincoln. I thought you would appreciate his life story.
(from Ralph Marston's site)
Failed in business at age 21
Was defeated in a legislative race at age 22
Failed again in business at age 24
Overcame the death of his sweetheart at age 26
Had a nervous breakdown at age 27
Lost a congressional race at age 34
Lost a congressional race at age 36
Lost a senatorial race at age 45
Failed in an effort to become vice-president at age 47
Lost a senatorial race at age 49
Was elected President of the United States at age 52
see? you are NEVER too old to succeed!!
Maybe you are like me and think, okay, if someone as famous as Lincoln could experience such shortcomings and still persevere and succeed, then I should be able to!
I hope this has lifted you up a little. Now GO WRITE!!!
Thank you, Kim! Great post! This reminds me of an anecdote I read once about a very short commencement address given once. I may be butchering the story. Seems some guy stood up after being introduced as the speaker, stood at the microphone and uttered just six words. (Probably the shortest commencement address on record.)
ReplyDeleteHis words?
Never, never, never, never give up.
His name?
Winston Churchill
And we all know Edison's view on failure as well.
Thank you for bringing this to mind for me again. Now back to work.
Amen! All those over-night success stories were years in the making. Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder. :)
Oh, Kim. I LOVE this! We all need to be reminded that most successes are only because people have had numerous failures that taught them perserverence and that they kept on going! Great post!
ReplyDelete