I have nothing but admiration for the pluck shown by the young men and women at Occupy Wall Street in Los Angeles. The city was dealt a series of unseasonably cold winter storm, yet they remained steadfast in the shadow of City Hall.
I understand where they’re coming from. No, I really understand. Seventy five years ago, when I left college to find my first job in New York City, we had the mother of all recessions called the Great Depression. Even back then, we understood this particular economic downturn was something extraordinary. Yet, when I was finally offered my first job after two months of searching, I planned to turn it down because it was in sales.
Stupid, right? No, just young and idealistic. I was bound and determined to be a writer, and the only corporate position I was prepared to take was in the company’s advertising department. Sales not only didn’t interest me, but I considered it beneath someone of my talents.
On my way to what would have been my final meeting for the position in question, I was walking in Manhattan toward Fifth Avenue, when I heard a loud noise. I looked across the street to the Empire State Building where I saw the body of a nicely dressed young man ““ about my age ““ on the sidewalk. He had just jumped from the world’s tallest building.
I proceeded to my meeting somewhat numb, but no longer conflicted about the offer. I accepted the job. And you know what? I excelled at sales! After a couple of years I was making the equivalent of almost $153,000 annually. A few years later, I was the company’s top salesman. The knowledge and contacts from my experience there became the foundation for my own company, and my first fortune.
Here’s the moral to my story: The path to success ““ whether in business, family or any other aspect of your life ““ is rarely, if ever, direct or entirely uphill. The lowest point in my career came 20 years later when I almost lost the business that I had built from the ground up. But it is in the twists and turn of events, when forced to exercise more endurance and hard work than I thought I had, that I’ve achieved my greatest successes, including inventing the machine that automated the credit card industry.
Yes, I know how tough the job market must be at the moment. And those of you in the Occupy Wall Street movement are to be applauded for opening all of our eyes to the current economic disparity that exists in this country, and for what will be ““ with a little collective will ““ the catalyst for needed changes. But at some point soon, you’ll need to come in from the cold and focus on starting your careers and getting on with your lives.
But where do you start in such a downtrodden economy? If you can’t find a job, then make your own. I know, that’s easier said than done. But here’s the interesting thing. You’ve already learned one of the great lessons in business that took me years to understand: If you don’t have all the skills or resources to implement an idea, team up with someone who has what you lack.
By virtue of having been part of Occupy Wall Street ““ what with its various departments, pooled resources, scheduled activities and marketing capabilities (impressive, I might add ““ by any standard), you’ve already acquired most of the background needed to start your own business. No pun intended, but you will find that the experience you gained at your City Hall encampment has been an excellent school of hard knocks.
Today at age 95, I’ve weathered 15 economic recessions, suffered two broken hips, and I’m living with Parkinson’s disease. Nevertheless, I’m currently embarking on a new career just like you. Yes, I’ve become that writer that I’ve always wanted to be. For me, every day is an opportunity to invent and innovate. I soar happily ahead at the challenges that await me.
Times are tough. They have been before. My advice to you is to leverage what you’ve learned, turn your ideas into jobs and help build a better future.
The icon of American invention, Thomas Edison once said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Heed Mr. Edison’s advice: Don’t give up before you’ve even really begun!