We’ve been very fortunate during the past few months to have received some great feedback from teachers, parents, and other youth leaders. In conjunction with that feedback, the month of February this year offers a rare occurrence: within this month’s 28 days, we’ll be celebrating:

• National Youth Leadership Month
• National Parent Leadership Month
• Plant the Seed of Greatness Month and 
• International Boost Self-Esteem Month

If you’re working with young people in a classroom situation, Big Brothers or Big Sisters, a church group, Boys or Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, Youth Leadership Councils, S.A.D.D., Brownies or Cub Scouts, YMCA or YWCA, a 4-H Youth Development Program, your own immediate family or any one of the many other youth organizations, we’d like to encourage you to share the wisdom of the ages as a strong leadership influence on the young people in your life.

Plant the Seed of Greatness, Boost the Self-Esteem of the young people in your life, demonstrate your Parental Leadership, and encourage Youth Leadership in your community—whew! That’s quite a tall order, but when you think about it, combing the potential of all four challenges may be a very powerful strategy indeed! This is a rare opportunity for us at a time when our young people aren’t seeing a lot of good examples in today’s chaotic environment. In addition, the media certainly isn’t contributing in any way.

Then why not utilize our illustrious past to share examples of how so many people and organizations, from every walk of life, have overcome negativity, barriers, and serious challenges to not only emerge successful but also make a very positive impact in so many ways?

Over the past several years we have shared dozens of short, motivational anecdotes that can and should be shared with today’s younger generation in hopes of offering inspiration and hope at a time when we certainly need it.

Listed below are the names of people and organizations you might want to discuss with the young people in your life. Each anecdote can be read in less than a minute or two. Simply click on the subject title link of your choice below, and you’ll find the three to eight narratives listed there. Download and reprint as many as you like and get them into the hands of as many young people and adults as you possibly can. Reprint them in your newsletters and bulletins. We need these stories today more than ever before.

We’ve already heard from several teachers, counselors, and parents who have used these anecdotes with great success to the delight of the young people with whom they shared.

Download, print, share, and discuss these many narratives to assist you in your quest of contributing to each of this month’s four opportunities – National Youth Leadership Month, National Parent Leadership Month, Plant the Seed of Greatness Month and International Boost Self-Esteem Month.

When the Going Gets Tough – 1

• Lucille Ball
• The Beatles
• Benjamin Franklin
• Sir Isaac Newton
• Babe Ruth
• Chicken Soup for Soul Series

When the Going Gets Tough – 2

• Beethoven
• Katie Couric
• Home Depot
• Walt Disney
• Helen Keller
• John F. Kennedy
• Grandma Moses

When the Going Gets Tough – 3

• Garth Brooks
• Carly Fiorina (HP)
• The Gap
• Kinko’s
• Dr. Suess
• Sam Walton

When the Going Gets Tough – 4

• Peter Benchley (author)
• Thomas Edison
• Ulysses S. Grant
• Thomas Monaghan (Dominos Pizza)
• Edgar Allen Poe

When the Going Gets Tough – 5

• Ray Kroc (McDonalds)
• Jay Leno
• Joe Louis (boxer)
• Willie Nelson
• Fred Smith (FedEx)

When the Going Gets Tough – 6

• Alexander Graham Bell
• Thomas Edison (2)
• Lee Iacocca
• Marilyn Monroe
• H. Ross Perot
• Elvis Presley
• Xerox
• Wilma Rudolph (athlete)

When the Going Gets Tough – 7

• Johnny Cash
• Sigmund Freud (psychiatrist)
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Supreme Court Justice)
• Sylvester Stallone

Inspirational Individuals Who Overcame Obstacles

• Charles Dickens (English novelist)
• Hank Williams
• J.K. Rowlings (Harry Potter author)

Key to Success? Ya Gotta Get Up!

• Dr. Seuss (2)
• Michael Jordan
• Henry Ford
• Apple Computer
• Coca-Cola
• Walt Disney (2)
• Beethoven (2)
• Xerox (2)
• Trivial Pursuit!
• Helen Keller (2)
• Gone with the Wind
• The Wizard of Oz

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

During a recent trip to the west coast, I had occasion to spend some time with a client in the historical Silicon Valley.

Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, this high-tech economic center is home to a large number of innovative business leaders, such as: Yahoo, Google, eBay, Oracle, Microsoft, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Cisco.

It seems peculiar, indeed, to be able to view so many iconic trademarks gracing state-of-the-art structures situated in such close quarters. In short, it’s quite a neighborhood!

The Silicon Valley originally referred to the region’s large number of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers but eventually came to refer to all the high-tech businesses in the area; it is now generally recognized as a leading high-tech sector. This technical hub boasts a large number of engineers and venture capitalists.

In this lap of luxury, one could easily assume that local residents were weathering the nation’s current economic storm better than most. Then, of course, one should never assume.

My first night in town, I visited a grocery store located a few blocks from my hotel in the center of the city in search of a few office supplies. Entering the store, I must admit I was shocked to see a large end-cap display of SPAM luncheon meat … known to many as "America’s Mystery Meat." SPAM, a gelatinous 12-ounce rectangle of spiced ham and pork, may be among the world’s most maligned foods, dismissed as inedible by many food elites. However, through several wars and recessions, Americans have turned to this glistening canned product from Hormel as a way to save money while still putting something that resembles meat on the table.

Apparently, it’s happening again. At a time when U.S. unemployment numbers continue to grow, employees at the Hormel Foods plant are currently working at a furious pace and piling up as much overtime work as they want.

Two shifts of workers have been making SPAM seven days a week since July, and they have been told the relentless work schedule will continue indefinitely.

Apparently consumers are rediscovering relatively cheap foods, SPAM among them. A 12-ounce can of SPAM costs about $2.40 and is reported by many to be quite tasty. The Hormel plant is producing about 150,000 cans of SPAM per shift. This iconic hard-times food must be popular as it has produced a SPAM fan club, a SPAM museum, a SPAMmobile, a SPAM store, and even SPAM festivals.

How ironic to find this economic offering stacked head high in the heart of what is considered to be one of the wealthiest regions of our country. It is certainly a sign of the times.

I recently received a note from the wife of a gentleman who attended one of my keynotes last year. After the program he and his wife were browsing our website, and she was drawn to one of our features, “When The Going Gets Tough.” She said she was attracted to the inspirational content and the brevity of each anecdote which allows her to fit it into her class schedule on a regular basis.

She noted that her students have enjoyed hearing and discussing these various accounts and found them a means of encouragement for those times when things simply aren’t going as well as hoped.

At one time or another we’ve probably all enjoyed telling our children or grandchildren how difficult it was growing up back in the day — walking to school in a snow storm, uphill, both ways; having to actually walk up to our TV sets and physically turn a knob to change channels or adjust the volume; having to cope with a party line or actually dialing our telephone; and having to use a camera rather than a cell phone to take pictures.

While things may have seemed tough as we look back, I shudder to think what today’s young people will have to deal with in the coming decades. A quick glance at our current media gives you an idea of how rapidly things are changing: we’re about to have our first black President, female President, or oldest President in our history; jobs are quickly becoming our largest export, our national debt is growing to unequaled heights, reality TV has taken over the airways, and more people voted for American Idol than they did in our last Presidential election! Makes my childhood snow storm look like spring break in Aruba!

Our young people are destined to fall from time to time. Probably more so than we did. Sometime they will be pushed down. Some will try to hold them down. Our message to them is simple: “Ya gotta get up!” That will be their key not only to survival but to attaining success in their chosen endeavors.

Today’s generation must study examples of those in our past who have fallen many times and managed to go on to fulfill their dreams. That what this series is all about. When you study successful people, you’ll see that they’ve made plenty of mistakes and experienced many challenges, but when they were knocked down, they kept getting up … again and again. For instance,

• Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book was rejected by 23 publishers.
• Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team as a sophmore — no potential!
• Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he finally succeeded.
• Apple Computer was rejected by Hewlett-Packard and Atari.
• Coca-Cola sold only 400 Cokes in its first year!
• Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper. The reason? Lack of ideas!
• Beethoven’s violin teacher declared him hopeless as a composer!
• IBM, GE, and RCA all rejected the Xerox machine!
• Parker Brothers turned down Trivial Pursuit!
• Helen Keller, totally deaf and blind, graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College, and went on to become a famous author and lecturer.
• An MGM executive advised against investing in Gone With The Wind saying “Forget it. No Civil War picture ever made a nickel!”
• Another famous MGM memo emerged after the first showing of The Wizard of OZ … it read: “That rainbow song’s no good. Take it out!”

Everyone seems to enjoy and appreciate learning how well-known people from all walks of life have overcome obstacles to achieve their current level of success. On our web site, we currently offer a total of seven segments under the title: When The Going Gets Tough. Within those seven segments, you’ll find a total of 41 short, interesting, anecdotes that will certainly add a little inspiration and encouragement to your daily grind. There is much to be learned from observing the efforts of others as they strive to succeed. We feature snipets concerning both individuals and organizations.

In the future, all additions to this series will appear here on the blog for your convenience. Share these stories with your children and grandchildren as there is much to learn from the tribulations and triumphs of those who have attained great notoriety. Current and future leaders can also benefit from revisiting these interesting revelations.

Check our first blog installment as well as those on our website. We look forward to adding future examples as well.

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

Everyone seems to enjoy and appreciate learning how well-known people from all walks of life have overcome obstacles to achieve their current level of success. Over the years, I’ve compiled a number of short anecdotes that have provided inspiration and motivation in times of need. I shared a few of these narratives in the newsletter feature on our web site. The response was such that we continued to add these short inspirational pieces. We currently have a total of seven segments under the title: When the Going Get Tough:

• When the Going Gets Tough – 1
• When the Going Gets Tough – 2
• When the Going Gets Tough – 3
• When the Going Gets Tough – 4
• When the Going Gets Tough – 5
• When the Going Gets Tough – 6
• When the Going Gets Tough – 7

Within those seven segments, you’ll find a total of 41 short, interesting, anecdotes that will certainly add a little inspiration and encouragement to your daily grind. There is much to be learned from observing the efforts of others as they strive to succeed. We feature snipets concerning both individuals and organizations. For instance, you’ll find such well known characters as:

• Lucille Ball    
• Jay Leno
• John F. Kennedy
• Sam Walton
• Garth Brooks
• Marilyn Monroe
• The Beatles
• Katie Couric
• Ben Franklin
• Beethoven
• Thomas Edison
• Sigmund Freud

We also feature a variety of organizations including:

• Xerox
• Home Depot
• The Gap
• Fed-Ex
• Kinko’s

For the convenience of our blog readers, we’ve decided to continue this feature within these pages. We encourage you to visit these earlier anecdotes.

In the future, all additions to this series will appear here on the blog for your convenience. Share these stories with your children and grandchildren as there is much to learn from the tribulations and triumphs of those who have attained great notoriety. Current and future leaders can also benefit from revisiting these interesting revelations.

For our first blog installment in this series, we offer the following narratives.

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens worked in a London factory pasting labels on bottles of shoe polish. He later became one of the most popular authors of all time, producing such well-known novels as A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Great Expectation, Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities. Can you imagine working in that factory every day next to a fellow employee possessing that kind of potential? You may very well be doing just that right now.

Hank Williams 

Hank Williams spent his early childhood selling peanuts, shining shoes, delivering newspapers and doing other simple jobs as he moved frequently throughout southern Alabama with his mother and sister. He was born with a mild undiagnosed case of spina bifida, a disorder of the spinal column, which gave him life-long pain—a factor in his later abuse of alcohol and drugs. He later became one of the greatest country and western singer-guitarist-songwriters in history! He also become an icon of country music and rock ‘n’ roll, and was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. A leading exponent of the honky tonk style, he had numerous hit records, and his charismatic performances and succinct compositions increased his fame. He was the first performer to receive six encores at the Grand Ole Opry, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Academy of Country Music, and has received a vast number of Grammy awards for his work. His songbook is one of the backbones of country music, and several are pop standards as well. He has been covered in a range of pop, gospel, blues and rock styles. His premature death at the age of 29 helped fuel his legend.

J.K. Rowling 

J.K. Rowling’s first marriage to a Portuguese television journalist ended in divorce after less than one year. She then moved with her infant daughter to Edinburgh, Scotland, where she lived on welfare benefits in an apartment infested with mice. It’s hard to believe that in under 10 years someone can go from surviving off of government assisted living to becoming one of the richest people in the world. She did so by creating the Harry Potter teenage wizard book series, selling over 350 million copies in 55 languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek. Rowling has parlayed Harry Potter into a global brand worth an estimated $15 billion. She is the 136th richest person in the world and the thirteenth richest woman in Britain. Forbes Magazine named her the 2nd richest female entertainer in the world and the 48th most powerful celebrity. She’s one of only five self-made female billionaires and the first billion-dollar author. The empire has grown to include movies, toys, videos, clothing, Band-Aids, cologne, and even gross-out Jelly Belly beans infused with such Hogwarts flavors as earwax, dirt and booger.

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.