From: Dennis Perman DC, for The Masters (Masters9@aol.com) Dear Doctor, This crisp little passage, contributed by outstanding Masters member Dr. Paul Seniw of Monticello, NY, is entitled "Determined To Succeed." "A sky-diving instructor was asked, "How many successful jumps must a student make before he or she can become certified?" He answered, "All of them!" Sky-diving, however, is the exception. Most of life isn't built on a series of successes. We usually do not attempt something new and immediately succeed, then succeed again and again. More likely, we may find it is the other way around. Our successes are often built on smaller failures. We fell off the bike a few times before we learned to ride, and we produced a few culinary failures before we baked a successful layer cake. Tom Hopkins said, "The number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep on trying." And Winston Churchill stated, "Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm." They both agree that discouragement, rather than failure, is the enemy of success. Those who can remain hopeful and focused, though they fail, are those who will eventually succeed. It's good to remember that success may be just beyond the next failure, and you'll get there, not because you're destined to, but because you're determined to." You'd be amazed to discover how many present day chiropractic superstars rose from humble beginnings. My top consultant at the Masters, Dr. Alan Rousso, started off seeing twenty visits a week, and now is regarded as a national expert in new patient acquisition. My second year in practice, I grossed fourteen thousand dollars -- yes, that's for the whole year. Even Dr. Markson talks about failing for seven years before he discovered how to apply the secrets of success. I'm not saying tolerate failure, I'm saying that apparent failures hold valuable lessons and opportunities for growth, if you notice them and learn from them. Tony Robbins taught me that "God's delays are not God's denials," so I have lived and worked as if all things are possible, if I'm committed enough and willing to do whatever it takes. You never know which moment of extra effort, passion and perseverance will be the difference that makes the difference, so never, never, never give up -- chiropractic is too important to the world, and you are too important to chiropractic. As long as you're in the game, you still have a chance to make your dreams come true, so pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back in there! Get going, and go until! Dennis Perman DC, for The Masters