Life – A series of near misses

I’m currently reading a book by Howard Schultz who is the Chairman and CEO of Starbucks; it’s titled “Pour Your Heart Into It – How Starbucks built a company one cup at a time“. It’s a book about how he was introduced to the company when it was just a retail store selling bagged coffee beans! He talks about his journey from a young boy who was brought up in the projects of Brooklyn, New York to the employee of a coffee store; and about Starbucks’ journey from a small retail store in the heart of Seattle to the multi-billion dollar empire around the globe that it is today. It is a fascinating account, especially because it’s right from the horse’s mouth!

Towards the beginning, he talks about how he had gone from New York City to Seattle to meet the owners of Starbucks to interview for a position and help in the shaping of the growing company. After the dinner meeting, the next day he received a call declining the offer. Howard Schultz at this point, mustered up all the passion he had about the company and protested and somehow convinced the owners how he could offer everything Starbucks was looking for etc, etc. Long story short – he got that job. And he writes the following:

A whole new world had just opened up in front of my eyes, like the scene in The Wizard of Oz when everything changes from black and white to color. This barely imaginable dream was really going to happen…

In the fifteen years since then, I’ve often wondered: What would have happened had I just accepted his decision? Most people, when turned down for a job, just go away.

Similar scenarios have subsequently played out in my life, in other setting and with other issues. So many times, I’ve been told it can’t be done. Again and again, I’ve had to use every ounce of perseverance and persuasion I can summon to make things happen.

Life is a series of near misses. But a lof of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It’s seeing what other people don’t see, and pursuing that vision, no matter who tells you not to.

In daily life, you get so much pressure from friends and family and colleagues, urging you to take the easy way, to follow the prevailing wisdom, that it can be difficult not to simply accept the status quo and do what’s expected of you. But when you really believe – in yourself, in your dream – you just have to do everything you possibly can to take control and make your vision a reality.

No great achievements happen by luck.

I’m just about done with the book, but all I can say that it is facinating to read how a gigantic corporation like Starbucks got started and it is amazing to trace through its developments and understand yet again that any successful endeavor requires hard work, blood, sweat and tears!

As it’s rightly said, Rome was not built in a day.

Get Out There & “Fail”!!

Remember when you learned how to ride a bicycle?

You probably began with training wheels. Eventually, when these were removed, things became more difficult. You struggled to stay upright, maybe even falling a few times and scraping yourself. As you practiced, it’s likely that one of your parents walked beside you shouting instructions, encouraging you and catching you as you lost balance. You were scared … but excited! You looked forward to the time when you would succeed, when you would at last ride free on your own. So, you kept at it every day, and eventually mastered the skill of riding a bike.

Let’s examine how you now approach the development of new skills. Do you move forward with excitement, willing to perform unsuccessfully until you master the challenge? Do you jump at the chance to try something new or to “prove yourself” in the face of unforeseen obstacles? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably “No”.

So what’s changed between our bike riding days and today?