Don considered himself a musician. He played the tambourine in junior high school, but he wasn’t very good. He also thought of himself as a singer, but he couldn’t have carried a tune in a bucket. Years passed, and when all of his school friends were going to college and pursuing careers, Don nurtured his dream of becoming a singer–songwriter by moving to Nashville, Tennessee. Once there, Don made the most of his limited resources. He bought a used car and slept in it. He took a job working nights so he could visit record companies during the day. He learned to play the guitar. As years passed, he kept writing songs, practicing, and knocking on doors.
After many years, Don finally got a song on the radio and it made the country hit charts. More time passed and Kenny Rogers recorded one of his songs. “The
Gambler” was the title song for one of the best-selling country-music albums of that time. Since then, Don Schlitz has had 23 number one songs on the charts. As a result of his focused determination, the teenage dreamer had become a success. Don had done five things essential to success, without even knowing it. They are the following:
1. Define your goals. Set a goal and picture yourself accomplishing that goal.
2. Seek out those who know more than you do. Model your efforts on theirs, adjusting and improving as you go.
3. Pursue your vision with determination. Successful people don’t quit. The biggest difference between those who are successful and those who aren’t is usually not talent, but persistence.
4. Make an emotional commitment. You will sometimes want to quit after too many losses, but you have to pull yourself together with enthusiasm and commitment.
5. Review and renew your goals. As you reach your goals, set new ones. Go to the next level.
