Dear John,
“Little did I know, being stuck in bed for weeks would change the course of my life in ways I never thought possible...”
Last we spoke, Dad and I were sitting at lunch after a round of golf together…
And I was sitting in awe.
He took a sip of his sweet tea, and continued the story of how his career almost ended before it ever started...
“You see, after my stomach episode, I was stuck in bed for weeks. And initially, I was anxious that I wasn’t going to be able to accomplish much...Boy, was I wrong! What jolted me back to reality was a realization. I stepped back, looked at my situation, and realized that I finally had 3 things anyone needs to take a step up in life...”
Dad finally had...
A VISION and MESSAGE that he was determined to share and…
TIME to execute and build (courtesy of this near-death experience).
An opportunity to deliver, thanks to a person who believed in him and his true potential!
He had gotten his “big break” thanks to one, true believer who put him in the right position to succeed and whose support never wavered - and now it was up to him to capitalize on it - and he was as determined as ever to do so.
So rather than doing what any of us would be tempted to do (feel sorry for ourselves) he leaned into belief.
He used hope and belief as fuel to take action toward his goals - and he used those 6 weeks to pour himself into his mission - writing that book!
Now all he had to do was find a publisher!
After shopping it to over 20 publishers, he was met by the resounding sound of another roadblock…
...crickets.
“Despite the positive reaction I was receiving whenever I spoke on stage, publishers simply were not interested in the book. I’m tellin’ you, I went to publisher after publisher and simply got crickets. And one day, I ran into Mary Kay Ash. She asked how the book was coming along. I shared that the message was resonating extremely well with folks. I knew I was making an impact on the speaking trail, but I simply couldn’t scare up any interest from a real, live publisher.”
Again, a true believer came alongside Zig to help further his mission.
“She told me: Zig - publish it yourself. I will buy your first 5,000 copies. You continue to speak and share that message. It has wings and I know it changes lives profoundly. ”
Her belief in Dad, and his life-changing message was rocket fuel for him.
After the book was published, Dad’s speaking career really took off, and books flew out of the boxes at every stop, leading a gaggle of publishers breaking a trail to Dad’s door.
That book that was sweeping the nation would soon become known as See You At The Top.
Now I know dad wasn’t just sharing this story to toot his own horn.
Far from it. He was sharing it to express two invaluable lessons.
First: Persevere in the pursuit of your goals. If we’re hitting a roadblock in life, we must change our perspective and ask ourselves - how might this challenge be a blessing in disguise that can actually help fuel us toward your goals?
Second: Express your belief in others! Let your friends and family know that you believe in their potential. Whether through consistent words of encouragement, or sharing tools and resources, we should always be asking ourselves, “how can we set up others for success?”
That is what Mary Kay Ash did for Zig Ziglar - and because she did, millions and millions of lives continue to be impacted positively.
I can’t tell you how grateful dad was for that - and I am too.
That is why you will see Mary Kay Ash on dad's wall of gratitude here at Ziglar Headquarters.
