Have you ever really wanted something? Maybe it was when you were a kid, and you really wanted that bike—that PlayStation—or maybe a date with the person you were crushing on. I am going to bet that you were pretty relentless in your quest, constantly talking about it, bothering your parents etc. Well that right there…your persistence in getting what you wanted…is known as Stickability which is a critical factor in accomplishment and success.
According to the Dictionary, Stickability is defined as a person’s ability to persevere with something; staying power. The sentence that follows the definition: “the secret of success is stickability” is spot on, and is something we need to understand if we want to attain our goals.
When we look at successful business people, we often wonder how they achieved their success. In all honesty, sometimes we think—why is it them and not me? Those who study the business world claim to know the answer: the secret ingredient that makes some people succeed when others fail is the ability to keep going even after things go wrong.
So how do we do that? It sounds simple yet infuriatingly challenging at the same time. I have found for myself that the best way for me to employ stickability is to begin with a conviction in my dream, my plan, my goal, my mission—whatever it is that I am trying to accomplish. This is not enough though, and here is a very important piece: you must be careful who you share your dream with because there will be those who try to talk us out of it, finding ways that it cannot be done. You must surround yourself with at least one positive supporter although the more the merrier. Hanging out with the winners makes you a winner too.
Stickability also requires that we reframe the obstacles in our path as opportunities. A story about the beginnings of Apple shows how barriers can be vanquished when you stick to your vision. When microchips came out; they were expensive, and Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs could only afford a single one. Rather than dwelling on that challenge, they embraced it. Steve took a HP device that used 20 chips to go from point A to point B.
He took away five and got it to work. Took away another five and got it to work. Until finally he deduced how to go from point A to point B using his one and only chip.
Not because they were trying to be cool, innovative, or sleek, but because they could only afford one chip. By looking at this situation as an opportunity, they found the quickest, shortest and cleanest path and by doing so, changed the face of personal computing. (Forbes Magazine, Apr 15, 2014)
Can you imagine if the Steves gave up? If they didn’t have stickability?
And how about another “Steve”—Stephen King? He received 60 rejections before selling his first short story, “The Glass Floor,” for $35! But he did not give up. Aren’t you glad that he stuck it out? Anyone who has ever enjoyed his books and movies—like I have—is obviously very happy.
Many of our beloved public figures have used their own stickability to overcome their situations. They wanted to succeed—and stuck with their vision. Oprah, J.K. Rowling, Tyler Perry and Colonel Sanders were all on the verge of giving up, but their inner drive forced them to keep trying. They tapped into their own stickability and the rest is history. Think about a world without Oprah! Or without KFC! It makes me sad 😊
Now think about what you want—what you really want—and how you can make it happen. Stick with the winners…and get going!
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Helpful Resource:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxgWSjAPH7k
