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Back in the day, a certain Henry Ford was planning something quite revolutionary indeed with his cars (the engine, to be specific!) – an idea which at the time was almost as novel as the idea of a motor vehicle had been a few years back.

He wanted to produce a (later famous) V-8 style engine in which ALL eight cylinders would be cast in one block – and he would have it no other way.

Although it was possible theoretically, it had never been implemented in practice before.

And all his engineers shook their heads to a T when commanded by Ford to do it his way anyway.

“It can’t be done”. “It’s never been done before”. “It won’t work!”

And so forth – – and yet, Ford would have none of it. He insisted and the engineers were left with no choice if they wanted to stay on in the great man’s employ.

They toiled for six months, and at the end of it – no result. They reported this to Ford, who told them to (in his own words, when they started) “stay on the job no matter how much time it took”.

The answer was the same – keep trying.

Another six months went by. Same response. It really seemed impossible at that stage, and they reported this back to Ford.

He responded with the now-famous comment – and one of my pet quotes if there ever was one.

Go right ahead. I want it – and I shall HAVE it!

More time was spent. More effort was expended … and finally, one day it happened. The engineers found a way to do the unthinkable – – but the most important story behind this isn’t the engine itself – its Ford’s unwavering persistence and DETERMINATION to keep on keeping on no matter what!

Back in the day, when I was on my mission to get the fittest I had ever been in my life, I’d climb the hill I mention all the time in my blog posts and emails DAILY. I’d do this at 5:30 A.M. – an hour which I was NOT (as y’all know!) in the least bit comfortable waking up, and yet, most days, astonishingly enough I didn’t even need an alarm to wake up.

I’d climb that hill day in, and day out. Come hail, rain, sun or shine – I’d be out on that hill – in fact I remember slogging up it many a times in pouring rain too!

And the results are there for all to speak.

It wasn’t always pretty. I’ll admit that.

It wasn’t always fun either. Contrary to what most people think, when you actually get down to brass tacks and start DOING, it can be anything but fun sometimes.

But I did it – day in, and day out. Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap. I kept chiseling – and the result occurred and it was beyond my wildest imaginations to be honest.

Persistence, my friend – is an oft-ignored and un-glamorous component of the success process – – but it’s one of the MOST IMPORTANT!

If Ford, Edison, and plenty of other successes had something in common other than a willingness to, as Napoleon Hill correctly states in Think and Grow Rich, use their BRAINS – it was persistence and gumption in spades!

It was a will to keep on keeping on when all seemed lost – or impossible – or outlandish – or outrageous – or what have you.

And keeping on keeping on not only progresses you that much further along the way to your previously “un-achievable” goal – but does something far more important – that being to convince your own mind at a deeper level every time you try one more time!

Claude Bristol made a great point in his little book The Magic of Believing when he said repetition is the only way of really DRIVING HOME suggestions made to the subconscious mind – which once firmly implanted therein start to take root through external actions.

Repetition of the same chants, the same incantations, the same affirmations lead to belief – once that belief becomes a deep seated conviction; thing begin to happen!

If there is ONE takeaway from “Think and Grow Rich” – or the “Magic of Believing” – or some other inspirational manuals I’ve been fortunate enough to read – it is the ABOVE.

In “T.N.T. – it rocks the Earth“, Bristol used the example of a chisel – or a hammer – or any other tool used to break a huge stone – or solid concrete doesn’t just break it at the first go.

It’s the deadly repetition – the tap tap tap of that chisel with FORCE that eventually causes the object in question to disintegrate, and the holes or dents to start to appear – and widen – until the job is done.

Think about that above line once again, my friend. It’s really that important, and it works the same way in terms of life as well.

When Edwin Barnes showed up at Edison’s office with his outrageous demands to work not FOR Edison – but WITH him – despite his lack of qualifications, money, or even a decent set of clothes at the time – he had nothing going for him except persistence.

He DID land a job – but working for Edison initially as a sweeper.

For FIVE long years he toiled with seemingly nothing to show for it, but he was doing one thing during all these years, albeit unknowingly – that being to strengthen his desire to achieve the stated goal as each day passed!

When nothing seems to be working – or changing on the outside – remember that they might well be and USUALLY ARE changing – and for the better!

No tangible progress sometimes mean progress has been made in other more tangible and infinitely more important areas!

Barnes got his chance after 5 years, and he used it so well that he retired a rich man (before the age of 30 if I’m not mistaken – correct me if I am though).

The same thing happened with me when doing pull-ups.

For a long, long time I struggled to get past 25 total reps in a workout. And again, it wasn’t always pretty.

Some days were bad. Some were great. Some were outright TERRIBLE – and yet – I persisted, and one day, the “barriers” broke – and I flowed on to rep after rep after MORE reps in the pull-up – – something which to be honest I had never really thought would be possible!

So if there’s one takeaway from today’s email … it is to be persistent, my friends.

When all seems lost and “nothing seems to be working for you” fitness wise – or life wise – remember to keep doing the thing – and doing it with the right attitude.

Eventually that dam will burst – and when it does – LOOK OUT. You’ll be on cloud nine for sure upon seeing the results, and thats putting it lightly!

Alright, my friend. That’s it for now. I’ll  be back again later!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – If you enjoyed this tale, I’ve got plenty more uplifting and inspirational tales for you in Gumption Galore. Be sure to grab a copy right here – – https://0excusesfitness.com/gumption-galore/

P.S. #2 – Remember too that I’ve got inspirational fitness tips similar to what have been mentioned these emails in Fitness Central. If you haven’t taken a look at that book as yet, I highly recommend you do so right now – – https://0excusesfitness.com/fitness-central/