This past weekend I was able to make a brief sojourn to Hannibal, Missouri, a Mississippi river town, having visited our brilliant and innovative clients STEP Heat in St. Louis. It was on Hill street in Hannibal in 1835 that Samuel Clemens started his life adventure. From very humble beginnings and childhood explorations, emerged one of America’s greatest writers who was also a humorist, entrepreneur, publisher and lecturer, once lauded as “the father of American literature,” by William Faulkner.
This literary genius became fatherless at 11 and went to work to support his family (he was sixth of seven children). At 13, he became a printer’s apprentice, a career that was a choice in many towns. He continued to write, work, and follow his passions, riverboating and adventuring across the West, throughout Europe and the Middle East and beyond, all becoming fodder for his future tales.
From financial hardship to international success, he shared his wisdoms and prophetic writings gleaned throughout a wildly rich journey hoping to impact life as he knew it. He hung out with Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, Ulysses S. Grant, royalty and the every man. Like many great thinkers and successful individuals, often their accomplishments are remembered as though the successes were bestowed upon them. Yet that is so far from the complete picture. So often the greatest successes that have become indelibly etched in history are the hardest earned. Taking time to truly discover the adversity and failures that are often the nexus of great success illuminates lessons more valuable than the newest algorithms or educational certificates.
Like the hardships that fueled Mark Twain’s journey, the adversities on the road to success are often financial, where the expenses for concept development likely far exceed the available capital to continue. Last year this adversity caused many to close their doors and dreams and either pivot to developing a new product or jump ship entirely. The adversities can be personal, the loss of a family or team member, a natural disaster, a time crunch- homeschooling over-riding business, stresses on the supply lines with parts or ingredients delayed in transit. The adversities can be spiritual when the challenges seem to outweigh the enthusiasm to succeed.
True greatness does not happen overnight. True greatness is not ephemeral. True greatness is the culmination of the courage to face adversities and challenges, the curiosity to seek new ideas, the wisdom to separate fact from fiction, the integrity to choose the moral option. True greatness takes persistence, perseverance and yes, humor.
“With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.”
“There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.” – Mark Twain
Yes, take your humble idea and persevere. We are here to help you be in the less crowded group.
–Gillian