Life throws you curves but you learn to swerve – Rascal Flats
Looks like the dude in the picture didn’t swerve, huh? Can I get a group “Ouch!”?
Seems like lots of curves being thrown at us these days from personal challenges to client challenges. Just to make it interesting, I’m sure there’s a curve ball or two being thrown at you at work these days too.
So how ya doing in the “remembering to swerve department”?
Thought today might be a good day for a quick pep talk from Uncle Paul.
There are many famous companies that began during a “curve ball fest”:
HP began during the depression of 1939
Microsoft during the recession of 1975
Half the companies which comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average were formed during depressions or recessions
They have all had to swerve several times in their history!
Henry Ford: failed 5 times before the Model T took off. Did he cry about it? I don’t freakin know because I wasn’t there but I do know that the mofo swerved!
RH Macy struggled with the 34th St Store in NYC. It took 7 attempts before it caught on. I don’t recall any picture of Mr. Macy catching one in the “Little Macys” do you?
In the early days of Bell Telephone they discovered a tiny problem. They needed to wire a country and that required a butt load of money. They went to Western Union asked for 100,000.00 and were promptly turned down with a kind F You which stated something along the lines of there being no need for an electrical toy such as the telephone. Did they learn to swerve? I would offer an emphatic Fo Shizzle!
When FW Woolworth began; an established retailer on the same block put a sign outside their store which read “Been in business more than 50 years” Woolworth swerved and put one of their own out which read “First week in business. All new inventory!” That was some fine swerving FW!
Colonel Sanders had a swerving extravaganza when he was told “No” 1009 times before the “Yes” that launched KFC!
The Beatles were rejected by Decca records and were told that guitar music was on the way out. A billion albums later, I believe those lads learned to swerve!
The thing they all have in common is a willingness to embrace the curve ball and do something with it. Easier said than done? Perhaps, but if we chose to go to the sidelines and wait and see, “sit this inning out”, complain, worry etc we have zero chance of hitting a ball we have chosen not to take a swing at.
And so its come to this my friend. Here you are, up at this crazy plate we call life. The pitch has been thrown and wouldn’t ya know it. Its a curve ball!
Maybe its time for you to swerve too!
