"If you have talent and refuse to work hard -- so what? It will not make a difference in your life." (www.career-success-for-newbies.com)
There is no magic formula to achieving your goals. Success doesn't just fall into your lap. While committing to your goals is the first step, working towards achieving them is just as important. Be persistent and keep the bigger picture in mind. Know that there will be days where you will tire of the routine. As one blogger says: "Achieving goals isn't always about a daily cork popping ceremony to celebrate something sensational that you did."
John Corcoran, who battled illiteracy for decades, learned that hard work paid off. In Grade 2, when his classmates already knew how to read, he struggled. The letters were all jumbled. His teacher became frustrated with him. The other students laughed at him. Nobody knew that he had dyslexia, an unheard of term at the time.
And yet, despite his inability to read, he was passed from grade to grade. With each year, John was more and more embarrassed about his illiteracy. He could never bring himself to own up to it. High school did not improve the situation. Somehow, he was accepted at college. He made sure he enrolled in classes where the professors gave multiple choice, rather than essay question, tests. Astonishingly, he received his degree and embarked on a teaching career. He made sure that he picked his strong students to read paragraphs, stories or books to the class.
John got married and revealed to his wife that he couldn't read. She was astonished. He went on to make money in real estate. However, the economy bottomed out and John was on the verge of bankruptcy. He had visions of going to court and having to read something on the witness stand. He couldn't keep up the masquerade any longer. First, he mortgaged his house for collateral. Second, he visited the Carlsbad Library and told the librarian he was illiterate. At the age of 48, John, with the help of a tutor, sat down and did the necessary work to learn how to read.
All of a sudden, he was on fire for reading. He read every book and magazine he could get his hands on. He read the road signs aloud to his wife as they drove down the street. And he dusted off the 25-year-old love letters from his wife, reading their contents for the very first time. He went on to deliver speeches about overcoming illiteracy, calling it "a form of slavery". Nothing could replace the time and effort that John put into solving his problem. He did the work and reaped the rewards. For the entire story, read http://www.chickensoup.com/book-story/36251/john-corcoran-the-man-who-couldnt-read.
John Corcoran wrote a book about his life called The Teacher wWo Couldn't Read
John Corcoran wrote a book about his life called The Teacher wWo Couldn't Read
.
John Corcoran courtesy
No comments:
Post a Comment