Believe in Yourself : Part 3

Winning Nice: How to Succeed in Business and Life Without Waging War
By Dawna Stone, Matt Dieter

(Page 3 of 6)

The first was an overwhelming belief in myself. I knew deep down that given the opportunity, I could launch this publication and make it a successful venture. Second, I did my homework. I read everything I could about starting a magazine, I went to conferences, and I met with successful publishers. And last, I had a plan. And it wasn't just any plan; it was a detailed business plan that depicted every worst-case scenario I could think of, along with solutions for overcoming those roadblocks.

So with my husband Matt's support and input, I moved ahead, adjusting the plan when necessary. Today, Her Sports + Fitness is an award-winning, nationally distributed magazine with an expanding list of nationally recognized advertisers, like L'Oréal, Nestlé, Ford, MasterFoods, Reebok, Knudsen, and The North Face, and an ever-growing staff and subscriber base.

Two years after our initial meeting, I ran into George Hirsch and his wife at an awards ceremony. His wife had heard about our meeting, and when George introduced us, she smiled and said, "Aren't you glad you didn't listen to my husband." I just smiled and told her that my meeting with George made me go the extra mile to ensure that Her Sports + Fitness would be a success, and that I would always be grateful for his feedback.

If people tell you that it can't be done, listen to them. Find out why they believe it's impossible, figure out what you need to do to make it happen, and then believe in yourself and show them that anything is possible. To increase your belief in yourself, follow these steps:

• Focus on the things you do well.
• Actively work on the areas that need improvement.
• Overcome your fears by getting out of your comfort zone.
• Reward yourself for a job well done.

Never Give Up

Gert "Ma" Boyle was a stay-at-home mom until her husband, who ran her family's company, Columbia Sportswear, died suddenly of a heart attack. It was 1970, and the firm's lawyers and accountants recommended she sell the company. They couldn't see a housewife running the firm. She was about to sign the contract to sell the company when, according to Gert, "I figured I was going to be poor one way or the other, and I decided to fight for it."

Gert recruited her son, Tim, to manage daily operations while she oversaw marketing. Columbia offered the first Gore-Tex jacket and introduced a two-in-one ski parka. Sales skyrocketed, and with Gert's mantra "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise," the company began a huge marketing push that helped sales grow from $13 million in 1984 to $1.1 billion in 2004. In her autobiography, One Tough Mother, Gert shares her advice: "Don't give up. Be prepared to change strategy. Tap into the wisdom and experience of others who know what you are trying to do. Listen to your customers. Be a team player. Focus on what makes you unique. Don't spend money you don't have. Walk before you run. Always tell the truth. Do your best every day."

Despite a net worth of over $300 million, eighty-three-year-old Gert still works every weekday. And every check is still signed personally by Gert.

We all encounter obstacles and hardships, but those who push past them have one thing in common: they don't throw in the towel. In one moment of determination Gert Boyle completely changed the direction of her life. By having faith in herself, she proved the doubters wrong.

The amateur mountain climber Beck Weathers survived the most tragic Mount Everest climbing season in history by never giving up. On May 10, 1996, Weathers was descending Everest when an unforeseen storm hit. Nine climbers died, and Weathers was left for dead on the mountain. Unconscious for fourteen hours and severely frostbitten, Weathers later said thoughts of his wife and children kept him going and allowed him to trudge back to camp. Weathers lost his nose, right hand, and part of his left hand to frostbite, but his never-give-up attitude saved his life.

For many people their most vivid memory of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta was the gutsy performance by the gymnast Kerri Strug. In the team competition Strug and the other Americans, known as the Magnificent Seven, were in a heated battle with the Russian squad. The United States, which had never won a team gold, needed a strong score in the final event, the vault, to beat the Russians. Several members of the American team faltered, and the gold medal hopes of the entire country were now pinned on Strug, the final vaulter. On her first vault she fell as she landed, hurting her ankle. Struggling with what would later be diagnosed as two torn ligaments, Strug limped back to the start, sped down the runway, and landed on just one good leg. She held her position, then hobbled around the landing area and finally collapsed on the floor, grasping her ankle. Strug's never-give-up attitude and score of 9.712 guaranteed the first-ever gold medal for the U.S. team.

We all have opportunities to overcome varying degrees of challenge in life, and frequently the greatest moments we have involve pushing ourselves further than we thought possible. Although Weathers's and Strug's stories may be extreme, Gert Boyle's story shows that you never know how a small decision can transform your life.

Real-World Wisdom

Sylvester Stallone's early acting career was filled with rejection. To cope with his frequent rejections from casting directors, he turned to writing. After some minor success as a writer and actor, he moved to Hollywood. He shopped his longhand version of the Rocky script and received offers from several producers to purchase the screenplay. But Stallone also insisted that he play the starring role. Despite having just $100 in his bank account, Stallone held out for his starring role and eventually got it. Produced for just $1 million, Rocky went on to win a Best Picture Oscar and gross over $200 million worldwide. The original Rocky and five sequels, including the recent Rocky Balboa, have a combined worldwide gross of over $1 billion, in large part because Sylvester Stallone believed in himself.

Copyright © 2007 by Dawna Stone and Matt Dieter

About the Author

Dawna Stone is a highly successful entreprenuer who has a wealth of corporate experience as an investment banker, management consultant, company president, and senior executive at a publicly traded company. Her business skills as well as her calm, professional demeanor enabled her to win THE APPRENTICE: MARTHA STEWART. Dawna is an inspiration to thousands of women through her magazine, HER SPORTS + FITNESS, and her motivational talks. Still an avid athlete, Dawna regularly competes in sprint and Olympic distance triathlons and has finished the grueling Hawaii Ironman World Championship. She lives in St. Petersburg, Florida where she continues to live her dreams with husband Matt and two dogs Buffett and Valkyrie.