Resilience – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

It is never too late to be what you might have been. – George Eliot

In case you missed it, a San Antonio, Texas library had an overdue book returned – 82 years late.

The book came with a note stating, “Grandma won’t be able to pay for it anymore.” The book, “Your Child, His Family, and Friends,” was checked out in July 1943. The book was a guide for parents on helping their children navigate personal relationships.

The library said in a news release that it eliminated overdue fines in 2021. The inside cover of the book was stamped with the warning that the fine for overdue books was three cents a day. Not counting for inflation, the penalty would amount to nearly $900 today.

The book was found inside a box filled with other books that had been inherited by the person who sent it back. While it’s a great human interest story of returning the book 82 years past due, it also serves as another reminder for us: it’s never too late to do the right thing, become the person you were created to be, and dream new dreams.

Just in case you need to hear this, allow me to remind you that as long as you have breath in your lungs, God is not finished with you yet. It’s not too late. Here are a few examples of people who dared to believe that it was not too late for them or us.

“Grandma” Moses

Anna Moses loved to embroider, but when her fingers started to fail at the age of 78, she took up painting. Today, she is remembered as one of America’s great folk artists, who painted scene after scene of American rural life.

“Colonel” Harland Sanders

Harland Sanders worked a variety of odd jobs throughout his life, and watched his first attempt at a fried chicken restaurant fail at the age of 65. However, Sanders used his Social Security checks to start franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken, which has become the success it is today.

Henry Ford

In his youth, Ford worked for Thomas Edison, where he developed methods to improve the then-new automobile. It was not until he was 40 that he founded the Ford Motor Company, where he introduced the Model T five years later.

Richard Adams

While he worked as a British civil servant, Adams told his two daughters a story about a rabbit, who insisted that he write it down. After writing it down two years later, he published Watership Down, which instantly became a children’s literary classic.

Sam Walton

Sam Walton ran several stores and failed many times in the process. However, he learned from his failures and applied the lessons to open the first Walmart at 44, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the world.

The examples above are but a small sampling of well-known people who refused to believe that their story was over, given their age. Countless others have similar stories. What are some of the common denominators that these people share, and what takeaways can you apply? Here is what I see.

It’s never too late to dream

No matter your age, as long as there is a dream in you, you can attain it if you don’t give up. Dreams don’t come with expiration dates, just people who give up too soon. Dare to dream and dare to believe you can achieve it.

It’s never too late to fail and try again

The examples of these inspiring people remind us that success doesn’t come without a price and that price often is a string of failures on the road to success. It’s not about whether you will fail, but whether or not you will fail forward.

It’s never too late to believe that age is just a number

Would anyone have really blamed “Grandma” Moses at 78 for not taking up painting when her fingers were giving out? I don’t think so. But she believed in herself, as did countless others who saw their greatest contributions come later in life. The world needs your inspiration and example, and your greatest achievements are yet to come.

It’s never too late to start

As you read this, I simply don’t want you to be inspired. I want you to be challenged to believe that your story isn’t finished. I want you to be inspired to believe that the setbacks, failures, and challenges you have faced have not defeated you; they have helped define you. Your best and most productive days are not behind you; you’re just getting warmed up. Do you believe this?

It’s never too late!

Grit – noun

Firmness of character; indomitable spirit; pluck

Dictionary.com

It always seems impossible before its done – Nelson Mandela

As an aspiring young writer, she was just six years old when she wrote her first book. It was a story about a rabbit. Her first novel came along at the age of eleven about seven cursed diamonds and the people who owned them.

As a divorced single mom, she was once so poor that she relied on welfare to make ends meet. If ever there was a person with the odds stacked against them, it was her.

Yet in spite of all of the adversity and hardship she faced, she had an indomitable spirit within her. Yes, J.K. Rowling had grit.

Her Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone manuscript was rejected twelve times by the Bloomsbury London Publishers. Yes, you read that right – the book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published.

Since then, J.K. Rowling’s books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide in 80 languages. Her net worth is estimated at more than $1 billion dollars.

From humble beginnings to one of the richest women in the world, J.K. Rowling is a profile in grit.

Rowling once said, “I was convinced that the only thing I wanted to do ever- was write novels”. And it was grit, in the face of twelve rejections and a myriad of personal challenges that allowed her to do just that. Her contributions through her books instilled a love for reading in a whole generation of children and adults alike.

In your leadership, there will come a time in which you will have to face down your fears and rejections. It will take grit. Most goals and dreams require it. Click To Tweet

As I stated in the first article in this series, developing leadership grit is a growth process. My best advice? Begin with the basics. Before diving into the next principle, let me remind you of leadership grit principle # 1 – Give up or grow up. If grit teaches us anything it’s this – when adversity comes our way this our choice. We can throw in the towel and quit or grow in our leadership and face our obstacles. No one promised smooth sailing which means that sometimes grit is the best card you’re holding in your hand and if played right is all you need.

Leadership Grit Principle # 2 – Develop resilience or retreat

In leadership, as in life, you will have to develop resilience in order to succeed. Even then, you will have setbacks and failures- just like J. K. Rowlings who was rejected twelve times before her first book was published.

In his book, Failing Forward, John Maxwell states, “Successful people have learned to do what does not come naturally. Nothing worth achieving comes easily. The only way to fail forward and achieve your dreams is to cultivate tenacity and persistence”. And this is one of the hallmarks of grit – doing what does not come naturally.

The challenge here is not to see resilience simply as raw emotion or willpower. Think how different your outcomes would be if you saw resilience in a broader context if attached to your life’s greater purpose.

Would your outlook be different if you saw resilience, not as a survival mechanism but rather the life-blood of healthy relationships, mutual accountability, and a purpose greater than yourself? How do you think this would impact you as a leader? Your organization?

Here’s the key- by myself my resilience has its limits. But when joined together with like-minded people the energy is multiplied. By myself, I might have a few wins. When joined with others, I can have many.

At the end of the day, you can choose resilience or retreat. Your choice will make all the difference in the world.

Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Tag: Resilience

Never Too Late

Developing Leadership Grit (Part 2): Resilience or Retreat