It doesn’t matter what we do in our lives, there will be times when things don’t go according to our plan. We might feel like everything is going against us, and we simply cannot succeed against the odds. It is precisely at these times that we need to persist through the dark tunnel, until we see the light at the end. After all, quitting is the easiest and surest route to failure.
I am sharing a story that I came across in the book – Three Feet from Gold. This story has kind of stayed with me through the years.
Story adapted from the book – Three Feet from Gold
During the California Gold Rush, there were two brothers who sold all they had and went prospecting for gold. They discovered a vein of the shining ore, staked a claim, and proceeded to get down to the serious business of getting the gold ore out of the mine. They dug very deep and all went well at first, but then a strange thing happened. The vein of gold ore disappeared! They had come to the end of the rainbow, and the pot of gold was not there. The brothers continued to pick away, but without much conviction or success. Finally, they gave up in disgust.
They sold their equipment and their claim rights for a few hundred dollars, and took the train back home. The man who bought the rights hired an engineer to examine the rock strata of the mine. The engineer advised him to continue digging in the same spot where the former owners had left off. The new owner started digging. He dug only 3 feet before he struck gold.
Had they just not quit, the two brothers would have been millionaires themselves.
Walt Disney was turned down 302 times before he got financing for his dream of creating the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’. Today, due to his ‘never say die attitude’, millions of people have experienced ‘The Joy of Disney’. Colonel Sanders spent two years driving across the United States looking for restaurants to buy his chicken recipe. He was turned down 1009 times! If he had quit in the face of rejection, wouldn’t we have missed Kentucky Fried Chicken?
*This post is written for the AtoZChallenge.
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Shirley Corder
Great post! Disney I knew about, but not Colonel Saunders! Thanks for sharing.
Let’s press on!
Shirley Corder recently posted…Q is for Quagga
Shanaya Tales
Glad you liked it, Shirley. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Swathi Shenoy
Sometimes quitting sounds like the easiest option. But what we have to remember is that it is easy but not worthy. We should do what makes us happy and quitting surely doesn’t take us there! Great post Shantala 🙂
Swathi Shenoy recently posted…Quiet Angels
Shanaya Tales
Thank you, Swathi. Very true – Easy but not worthy. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Susan Gourley
That’s a great story. I never new that about the inventor of KFC. Quitting is easy and can become a habit.
Shanaya Tales
Only recently did I get to know about the story of Colonel Sanders. I admire his perseverance. 1009 rejections!
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Shalini
Beautiful stories and examples! Something which I had to read today 🙂 Thanks!
Shalini recently posted…Forever alone No more- Q
Shanaya Tales
Glad you liked it, Shalini. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Tim H
Sometimes quitting & failure are not bad. Take your ego out of the problem and accept that you are not perfect and do not know everything. Then be aware. If what you are doing isn’t working learn what you can, then quit and pivot, and try again. Rinse and repeat until you get the results you want. Failing fast is the easiest and surest route to success.
Tim H recently posted…Destroy Your Excuses (Video)
Shanaya Tales
I agree. We must always re-evaluate and course-correct. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Catherine Johnson
Oh wow that mining story. Those guys must have been so upset to here that afterwards.
Catherine Johnson recently posted…Q for Queenstown and Shine a Light!
Shanaya Tales
Devastated might be the more appropriate word for them. Thanks for stopping by, Catherine. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Geets
The facts that you give at the end of every story are truly inspiring..
Cheers
Geets recently posted…Q- Quench
Shanaya Tales
Thank you, Geetika. Glad you liked it. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Soumya
I feel so inspired every time I come here. And this time was no less 🙂
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Shanaya Tales
So glad you enjoy the posts. Your encouragement means a lot. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Ruchi Singh
Wonderful, full of optimism and encouragment. Keep posting!!
Ruchi Singh recently posted…Quartz Shocker
Shanaya Tales
Thanks a lot, Ruchi. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Devika Fernando
Great post. I knew the story, and I think there’s a great picture on the internet that illustrates not giving up in a similar way.
My link: http://www.devikafernando.com/blog/blogging-from-a-to-z-challenge-letter-q-quotes
Shanaya Tales
Thank you, Devika. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Mee Magnum
What a great story of encouragement. Thank you for sharing!!
–Mee (The Chinese Quest)
Mee Magnum recently posted…The Chinese Quest Meets The Cleaver
Shanaya Tales
Very welcome. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Rajlakshmi
one needs to believe in what they are doing, their passion … I love reading such success stories. thanks for sharing.
Rajlakshmi recently posted…Quietude
Shanaya Tales
Glad you liked it, Raj. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Meghana
Liked the story very much and also the quote. Even the examples u gave are equally inspiring.
Shanaya Tales
Thank you, Megh 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Suzy
Success comes from perseverance. Good story and love the quote.
Suzy recently posted…Love is in the Air – Queen
Shanaya Tales
Glad you liked it, Suzy. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Shilpa Garg
OMG! How sad and disgusted they must have been! Poor brothers…literally and figuratively 😀
It is true, winners are not those who never fail, but those who never quit!
Shilpa Garg recently posted…Q is for Quirky #AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z
Shanaya Tales
Poor brothers…literally and figuratively – LOL 😛
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
June Kearns
Thank you for that post!
It just hit the spot for me this Monday morning.
Shanaya Tales
So glad you found it helpful, June. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
J.S.Pitts
Walt Disney was an amazing man. I love so many of his inspirational quotes. He actually talked the talk, too. 302 rejections!?! Now that’s perseverance!!! Too bad those gold miners didn’t have any of Walt’s quotes.
Scribbles From Jenn – Visiting from the A to Z Challenge
Shanaya Tales
That is right. Too bad. 😛 Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Eli
Yay! Super inspirational post dear! Loved it! So important to stay in here, not to quit, but to go on.You write about it so beautifully – loved the story about the two gold digging brothers… Something to learn from
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Shanaya Tales
Glad you liked it, Eli. Thank you for all the encouragement. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Shailaja
I love stories that celebrate the triumph of the human spirit. Quitting is what seems comfortable especially when you have no encouragement or motivation to see you through. But to surmount it against all odds and keep going. THAT’s the prize at the end of the rainbow. Loving the way you are doing justice to your theme, Shantala 🙂
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Shanaya Tales
Well said, Shailaja. So glad you liked it. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z
Amaryllis T
I like the quote. So appropriate for this stage of the challenge. I am tired but I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
We are almost there fellow A-to-Z challenge participant!!!
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Shanaya Tales
Yes, just about a week to go. Glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Shanaya Tales recently posted…All we need is a Reason to Succeed #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z