He lived well …
Today I came across a Zig Ziglar quote that led me to Life is an echo. It is an excerpt from See you at the top. It was rejected by 30 different publishers before it went to print. The editors weren’t impressed with this humble salesperson. Before today, I knew very little about the history of this self-made man. I am so blessed to take the time to learn more. I hope you feel the same.
Zig Ziglar was born …
in the small town of Enterprise in Alabama in 1926. It’s one so small that you really have to be looking to find it. Blink and you’ve missed it. It is the land of cotton, soybeans and corn. It is best known for a monument to the cotton boll weevil and peanuts. Additionally, Dale County is the Peanut Capital of the World. It is as American as it sounds. I’ve been through Enterprise hundreds of times over the years, always on my way to another location. You would think you would have seen the sign that said “birthplace of our most famous son.” But this is where Zig lived his first five years. I can’t help but think of the influence this land had on him.
When I read Life is an echo Today, Enterprise crossed my mind. See you at the top it’s about kindness and effort to do the right thing. It’s about treating people the way you would like them to treat you. It’s about HOPE. It’s about anticipating the good things in people. If you know Zig, then you know that this is his theme song. Zig had a strong belief system that began in the red clay of Alabama.
Reap what you sow
Zig’s father was a farmer. It makes me think of my relative who has a farm a few miles from his birthplace. I learned a lot from him. He is very wise. You can repair and build anything. In fact, it could have been many things. He loved that red clay he was born into and chose to be a farmer. I’ve seen him put on a suit, meet with a banker in town, and finance next year’s crops despite a “very bad year.” It made me realize that farming is hard work. I know that farming is a lot like life. “You reap what you sow” has a true meaning for both farmers and life. Tending. Patching. Looking at. Waiting. Praying Repairing. Studying. Resting. Adjusting. Tests. Crying. Joy. Working. Working. Working.
Less than 2 years after the onset of the Great Depression, Zig’s father moved the family to Mississippi. He moved them so he could run another farm in very bad times. A year later, when he was only 6 years old, his father died of pneumonia. Two days later, his little sister died. He was one of 12 children later raised by a single mother in a slowly recovering country. Can you imagine the pain of that little boy? And yet it accomplished a great deal. If someone had a reason To live a negative life, it might as well be him
Black Monday
I know this story well. My grandfather died exactly 2 months after “Black Monday”. At 27, he left a young widow with 3 young children at the worst possible time. The oldest was my 5-year-old mother. She and her siblings were separated and forced to live with relatives. My grandmother returned to her parents’ home for several years. She made and sold handmade queen-size heirloom quilts for $ 2 each to survive. (I am lucky to have 3 of your quilts. Each one is the work of perfection).
My mother told endless stories. People who didn’t farm were starving. Mom learned to cook whole meals and do tough farm jobs while her mom worked on the farm. At 5 years old, she could kill, clean, cut and cook a chicken by herself! I know how this affected my reality: I was raised by two babies with depression. Knowing all of this, Zig’s positive nature intrigues me even more.
I am including Life is an echo below. Read them. Reflect on the countless masses of men and women that Zig Ziglar helped over the years. He was the one who dropped out of college and became the most famous salesman in the world. Life is an Echo was more than his “swan song.” As you read it, think back to your simple beginnings during the worst financial time America has ever seen. Here’s my conclusion: DO YOU HAVE a good reason why you can’t be successful THIS year?
Zig Ziglar, Life is an echo
Life is an echo. What you send comes back. What you sow, you reap. What you give, you get. What you see in others exists in you. Regardless of who you are or what you do, if you are looking for the best way to reap the greatest reward in all walks of life, you must look for the good in each person and in each situation and adopt the golden rule as the way. of life.
It is a universal truth that you treat people exactly as you see them. It is also true that all you have to do to find the “good” or the “skill” in a person is look for it. Once you find that “good” or “skill” in the other person, you treat him better and he performs better. So it is good “business” and good “humanity” to be a “good seeker.”
Well said, Zig.
Are you struggling to succeed in a slow economy? If so, share some of your stories or tips that keep you motivated and positive like Zig. Just leave a comment below.