Achieving a level of success, a level we can be comfortable with personally, varies with expectations and goals.

Often we compare our level of success with that of someone we admire or, in fact, someone we envy. We want what they have. We want to be where they are in life. We want it NOW!

This desire is what fuels public fascination with celebrities. They seem to live the abundant life of fame and fortune. What is not seen is their struggles to get there and stay there.

Someone once said - "Overnight success takes about 15 years." It might not take you that long depending upon the level of success you are trying to achieve and how many obstacles you must overcome. My own story is a case in point.

I was a factory worker when a chance meeting opened a door that would change my life. But, like any success story, I had to go through the door and be prepared to work towards success. I had to overcome many obstacles, many put there by others in broadcasting because I did not follow the traditional path they chose to follow. I appeared to be an overnight success, success handed to me on a silver platter.

My co-workers in the factory laughed at me, yet, within 9 months I was on Radio as a News Anchor/Reporter. Within two years I was a Television News Anchor. Within three years I was News Director/Anchor and I have won numerous journalism and community awards. I have interviewed the famous and the infamous. Not bad for a kid from the "across the tracks". Actually, the tracks were right across the street, fronting a steel mill, and the fence to a plastics plant was three feet from our side door.

I'll never forget the owner of the corner store. He told me - "you're a little bum...you're gonna end up in jail". He was still alive to see me Anchor the local TV News. Sweet.

My success was hard work but it was fun at the same time. How did I do it?

First, I was too dumb to figure out why I couldn't have my dream come true.

Second, I ignored negative people and focused on positive role models in books, in movies, and in my community.

If you want to be successful in a certain field, copy someone who is already successful in that field. Find out what they know and do it, without question.

Become too dumb to figure out why it won't work.

I copied Walter Cronkite and, years later, I would sit and talk with him, professional journalist-to-professional journalist, twice. Sweet.

Enough about me. Take a look at this young man:

Failed in Business - Bankruptcy.

Defeated for Legislature one year later.

Sweetheart/Fiancee Dies three years later.

Nervous Breakdown one year later.

Defeated in Election in the same year.

Defeated for U.S. Congress seven years later.

Defeated again for U.S. Congress three years later.

Defeated once again for U.S. Congress two years later.

Defeated for U.S. Senate seven years later.

Defeated for U.S. Vice President one year later.

Defeated again for U.S. Senate two years later.

After 29 years of obstacles he was elected President of the United States.

These were the struggles of President Abraham Lincoln!

If you had been faced with that many obstacles, would you have quit somewhere along the way?

In your own journey towards success, are you ready to quit because someone has convinced you that you can't do it?

Have you ever quit because someone convinced you that you were nuts?

Has anyone ridiculed your efforts, laughed at you, told you that youll never amount to anything?

Remember Abraham Lincoln and keep at it!

I did. You can too.