What’s Your Number?

What’s your number?

No… that’s not a pick up line.  Well, it is, and it’s not in this article.

Did you know, everyone’s got a number.  Now you might be thinking your phone number, favorite number, maybe your social security number (unless you’re an illegal alien here – and I heard congress is even working on getting them social security numbers as well – that’s a story for a different time though).

What’s your number though.

Before I get into more detail, let me ask you a question.

Have you ever heard of the all purpose cleaner called Formula 409?  Do you know what that 409 stands for?  Some people say it’s for the birthday of the inventor’s daughter.  The truth though is that it stands for the 409 times it took them to get the formula just right.

What about WD40.   You know, the lubricant.  Do you know what the 40 stands for?  Yeah, guess how many times it took them to get that formula correct.  That’s right.  40.

Albert Einstein took 10,000 attempts to get the light bulb correct.

Cornell Sanders took had to ask 1000 vendors before he sold his Original Recipe chicken which is now worth billions.

Can you imagine if Cornell Sanders gave up after 50 attempts?  Or what if Albert Einstein said, “This light bulb thing will never work,” and he gave up after 100 attempts?   Would GE – one of the largest companies in the world today – have existed if he said that?

Here’s the thing, everyone’s got a number.  A number where they’re either going to give up or reach success.

Michael Jordan is arguably the best basketball player in history.   Did you know that he was cut from his high school basketball team?   Did you know that he missed over 9000 shots?   He lost over 300 games.  He missed the winning shot 26 times.   All on his way to winning 6 NBA championships.  He says, “I’ve Failed Over And Over And Over Again In My Life… And That Is Why… I Succeed.”

So think about what you’re working on.  Think about the things that you have to do.  Think about the challenges that you have in life and then think about what you’re willing to do to achieve success.

Think about that question that started this whole article…

What’s your number?