Some 15 years ago, I was on a business trip to Sao Paolo, Brazil. I needed some food and went in to a McDonalds restaurant. I approached the cashier.
– One six pack Mcnuggets with sweet & sour sauce please, I said quickly.
– What, I don’t understand said the girl in front of me
– SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE I responded, a little louder and a little slower. And I realized, while saying it, how stupid I behaved…
To highlight my stupidity, I’ll take a detour and talk about a much smarter person, i.e. Thomas Edison. It is said that Edison needed 1000 attempt before he got the light bulb to actually shed some light. Imagine that. 1000 attempts!
Did he have perseverance? Yes, indeed.
Did he give up? Actually yes! He gave up no less than 999 times.
If anyone asked him how it felt to fail so many times, he said: “I never failed. I just found 999 ways to not get the bulb to shine.”
The idea is simple: Keep your main goal. The end result, or the effect you are after. But leave all roads that don’t lead to your goal. Try another way. And another.
Back to Sao Paolo, Brazil. When I quickly realized that my performance didn’t lead to the desired result, I simply pointed at the sauce I wanted. And so I reached my goal.
What goals do you have? Which effect are you seeking? Start walking and adjust along the way. Have perseverance. Endure. While giving up, quickly.
Best whishes
Antoni Lacinai
