The majority of people are so petrified of failure that they paralyze themselves into inaction. The Japanese have a fascinating way of looking at success, …”Fall seven times; stand up eight.” A wonderful tribute to sticktoitivity! I have framed this statement for my office because it provides a fitting summary of most important ingredient to succeed. Perseverance and Commitment.

Life constantly tests us for our level of commitment. As simple as this may sound it is one ingredient that separates winners from losers. The one skill that winners acquire, is an understanding that growth is only possible if you have courage to change what you have been doing, if it is not achieving result you desire. Sometimes success is learning how to fall and recognizing that from that fall you will learn to grow. And growth is what a fulfilling life is all about.

When I worked as an investment broker many years ago I found that most successful traders I worked with often lost on 90% of their trades. Yet in spite of this terrible win/loss percentage their investments were incredibly lucrative. Might it be that they knew something about success that rest of us only pay lip service to? The one comment that I recall these superstars reiterating was that its not how much you make when you are right but rather how little you lose when you are wrong. Imagine losing on 90% of your trades and still being wildly successful. That is a fitting example of sticktoitivity!

My best teachers have been my failures. My failures taught me that I was so petrified of failure that unfortunately failure became my focus. Not experiencing failure is quite different than experiencing success. My focus for years was on not experiencing failure….although I would’ve argued differently!

The ten-year period which followed stock market crash of October 1929 is referred to as Great Depression. This time frame is considered to be worst and most difficult of Modern American History by business historians. Unemployment was as high as 27% among White Americans and reached 60% in African American community. In Mississippi, on a single day in 1932, one quarter of entire state was auctioned off. Scarcity and limitations were everywhere to be seen. The Gross National Product of country, that unit of measurement which represents everything that is produced nationwide fell by as much as 43%. The prices of wheat and corn and cotton fell so low, crops were left to rot in fields. Many businesses and families were wiped out.

We all try to forget unpleasant moments in our lives. However, central premise of any meaningful philosophy is to look back upon hardest times of our lives and locate wisdom and insight necessary from which success and joy can occur. It has been my experience that usually within anxiety there are seeds of wisdom for us to learn from if we will only learn to look and understand experience. When you examine your business, life or relationships it is tough times that will teach you most.

During rough times of Great Depression music business also almost collapsed. American record companies, which had sold in excess of 200 million records in mid 1920’s, had seen unit sales drop by 97% by mid 1930’s. To put it mildly, things were tough! Even giant Victor phonograph company stopped making phonograph players altogether. However, there was a tiny silver lining in all of this hardship. A certain type of music was gripping regions of country and offering hope. There was no political message attached to tunes. No lyrics. It was an earthy, rhythmic, emotional and dynamic music. Its purpose was to make people dance. Huge parties would emerge that would often last for days. Even today music historians marvel how a distinctive and repetitive bass line and energetic rhythm could change focus of an entire community.

To classify this music as infectious would be an understatement! At its inception this music would be played solo by only one piano player. Since times were tough sometimes two piano players would share same instrument. Later, there would be as many as six musicians on three pianos all contributing to infectious power. The result was a celebration of creative energy that everyone could recognize. It was magical. In spite of economic hardships, people could find genuine joy even if only for a short moment.

The celebrations grew. House parties would turn into block parties. The refrains and melodies would often be played non-stop for what seemed like hours at a time. Top Musicians of day could locate work easily once they mastered this art form. Hope was born against horrendous economic landscape.

Then in 1938, legendary Jazz Promoter John Hammond saw a huge business opportunity. He organized and promoted a concert in New York City featuring three masters of this art form. When Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade "Lux" Lewis performed in Carnegie Hall, it launched a national craze. Businesses and clubs had to hop on bandwagon and get with program. Newspapers began to assign special editors to cover ‘music beat’ and report about this incredible energy as its popularity spread into clubs. Soon all of “happening” places were featuring top musicians playing these infectious energetic tunes. Club owners seeking to get good reviews and “cash in” would do whatever necessary to bribe music editors so they could acquire good press. Bribes of free food, free drinks, free women were commonplace. Musicians and club owners understood that one bad review from critics would kill good times! Or so they thought…

The name of this musical art form was Boogie-Woogie. The slang term that musicians gave to critics was Boogie Man!

Yes Boogie Man was monster who could criticize and sit in judgment. In spite of his inability to create or understand music they somehow were qualified to evaluate it. The Boogie Man, like an executioner could determine fate of musicians and club owners with his words. The Boogie Man was fear incarnate. He could kill party as quickly as review could be published. The Boogie Man was bad news! Funny thing is most people do not believe in Boogie Man. At least that is what they tell you to your face! However within this story is understanding of how success and joy is born and how it dies. Did you “get it?”