How My Past Failure Led to My Present Success

How My Past Failure Led to My Present Success

This is from the website http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/

I found it helpful to hear and read – probably similar to many things each of us go through in one way or another. I hope it helps you. Leave Feedback!

Written by Michael Port | January 17, 2013 |  The measure of a person is not how well they start, but how well they finish. Anyone can start. Following through and finishing is another story altogether.

Looking back on my life, there isn’t too much I regret. But, there is one thing…I regret not following through on my acting career.

I was right on the cusp of break-through success and I quit. I threw up my hands and quit. I was so close and I quit.
In 1997, as a 27 year-old “working” actor, I was on shows like Sex & The City, Law&Order, Third Watch, All My Children, and more. I did TV commercials for companies like Budweiser and tons of VoiceOvers for companies like AT&T.

At first, I put everything into my acting career. I attended one of the best graduate school in the country. I had a great agent. I was on the cusp of doing big things.

But I quit.

I couldn’t take the rejection. I didn’t like waiting around or leaving my future in the hands of others: casting directors, agents, producers, etc.

If I’m going to be honest about it, I felt alone and scared. So, I gave up and quit.

I remember the day I told my agent. I heard a thunk (quite literally) when his jaw hit his desk. I was right at the cusp of going from working actor to known actor but I wouldn’t go all the way.

I wouldn’t follow through. I wouldn’t take the time necessary to build something real. I gave up.

I tell you this story — and, it’s not one I often tell — because I don’t want you to look back on your life and have a shred of regret. I don’t want you to quit — whatever it is you’re doing — unless you have a more important dream — then quit the worthless thing and pursue the worthwhile thing.

Bottom line: it takes far more fortitude to finish something than it does to start it, especially as an entrepreneur. And that’s why I’m successful today. I will no longer give up. I’ve learned my lesson.

It’s possible likely you are feeling pressure in your business are wondering if you should go on. You must. You cannot quit. You can not give up.

Sure, you might say, it’s easier for me because I’ve already passed the early hurdles of entrepreneurship. But I too face my own personal and professional challenges while finding new opportunities to build the business, extend my brand and be of service to you.

I want to help you do the same. Maybe you’ll let me mentor you in The Alliance. I’ll get you finishing what you start. That’s for sure.

Maybe you won’t let me mentor you. But, man, I’ll tell you… if I had a mentor who’d already accomplished what I wanted to accomplish when I was an actor, I probably wouldn’t be writing this to you today. That’s why I’m so committed to helping you finish what you start. I don’t want you to give up. I don’t want you to fail.

And, please, don’t get me wrong, I love the work I do today and I’m not going back to acting. But failing, and having regrets that you didn’t follow through on a dream, is something you want to avoid at all costs.