born_rich-第21章

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a　few　days　ago；　in　which　it　quoted　the　chief　surgeon　for　the　
operation；　Dr。　William　DeVries。　According　to　the　newspaper；　
he　said　that　his　credo；　with　respect　to　surgery；　had　always　
been…〃Rehearse　。。。　rehearse　。。。　and　then　rehearse　some　more！　
For　if　you　'stick　to'　this　principle；〃　he　continued；　〃when　it　
comes　time　to　perform　the　actual　operation；　the　procedure　will　
have　become　almost　routine　for　you。〃　

Dr。　DeVries　is　an　exemplary　case　of　an　individual　who　
gave　that　little　bit　extra。　For　he　took　the　time　and　effort　to　
rehearse　the　operation　on　the　screen　of　his　own　mind；　before　


he　actually　performed　it　in　the　hospital　operating　room。　
（Incidentally；　that　Razor's　Edge　difference　has　enabled　Dr。　
DeVries　to　become　a　world　renowned　surgeon；　who　is　destined　
to　be　〃written　up〃　in　the　annals　of　medical　history；　not　to　
mention　the　fact　that　it　enabled　him　to　prolong　the　life　of　one　
Dr。　Barney　Clark！）　

Another　excellent　illustration　of　〃going　that　extra　mile〃　by　
trying　one　more　time；　is　offered　in　the　same　historic　event。　For　
Dr。　Robert　Jarvik…only　36　years　of　age…and　the　man　who　
designed　the　world's　first　artificial　heart；　is　another　prime　
Razor's　Edge　candidate。　For　you　see；　Dr。　Jarvik　is　also　a　man　
who　was　rejected；　at　least　three　times；　by　every　medical　school　
in　the　entire　United　States　of　America。　In　fact；　he　was　even　
advised　by　one　teacher；　whose　course　he　was　failing；　to　apply　
to　dental　school。　

But　Robert　Jarvik　was　a　man　with　a　vision；　and　he　would　
not　be　denied　it。　He　intuitively　grasped　that　he　was　the　master　
of　his　fate；　and　he　must　have　innately　understood　the　Razor's　
Edge　concept…for　he　would　not　accept　defeat。　As　a　result　of　his　
remarkable　perseverance；　he　was　finally　accepted　into　the　
University　of　Utah　School　of　Medicine；　Salt　Lake　City；　in　1972。　
A　mere　decade　later；　young　Robert　Jarvik　achieved　a　medical　
breakthrough；　the　likes　of　which　had　never　been　seen　before。　

Speaking　of　her　husband；　Dr。　Jarvik's　wife　Elaine　said；　
〃He　has　qualities　which　are　very　difficult　to　measure…he　is　
creative；　and　that　is　something　you　cannot　measure　with　a　
test。〃　Clearly；　young　Robert　Jarvik　entered　the　fierce　
competition　for　a　place　in　medical　school；　with　none　of　the　
conventional　assets…superior　grades；　a　prestigious　academic　
degree；　and　a　high　score　on　the　medical　entrance　exam。　
Nevertheless；　he　did　possess　those　all　important　intangibles：　
namely；　perseverance　and　a　consuming　passion　to　be　
successful。　

Now；　I　am　in　no　way　suggesting　that　all　of　us　will　one　day　
make　medical　history。　Still；　we　might　resemble　Dr。　Jarvik；　in　
the　sense　that　our　particular　talents　and　aptitudes；　like　his；　


may　not　translate　well　onto　standardized　tests　of　ability。　
Therefore；　like　Robert　Jarvik；　it　may　be　necessary　for　us　to　
bring　our　particular　talents　to　bear；　through　tenacity；　
perseverance；　and　courage；　and　just　〃one　more　bite　at　the　
apple；〃　may　be　all　that　is　required　for　us　to　succeed。　

Napoleon　Hill　devoted　an　entire　chapter　in　his　classic　
book；　Think　and　Grow　Rich；　to　the　subject　of　〃persistence。〃　He　
said；　〃There　may　be　no　heroic　connotation　to　the　word　
persistence；　but　the　quality　is　to　the　character　of　man；　what　
carbon　is　to　steel。〃　

In　another　part　of　that　same　chapter；　he　wrote；　〃I　had　the　
happy　privilege　of　analyzing　both　Mr。　Thomas　Edison　and　Mr。　
Henry　Ford；　year　by　year；　over　a　long　period　of　years；　and　
therefore　the　opportunity　to　study　them　at　close　range。　
Therefore；　I　speak　with　actual　knowledge　when　I　say　that　I　
found　no　quality；　save　Persistence；　in　either　of　them；　that　even　
remotely　suggested　the　major　source　of　their　stupendous　
achievements。〃　

Surely　you　would　have　to　agree　there　was　a　tremendous　
difference　in　the　accomplishments　of　these　two　men；　as　
compared　with　the　accomplishments　of　most　other　people。　Yet　
by　their　own　admission；　neither　of　these　men　were　
intellectually　superior…in　fact；　in　terms　of　their　I。Q。…　they　may　
actually　have　been　inferior　to　many　other　people。　Nevertheless；　
because　both　men　possessed　the　vital　quality　of　〃persistence；〃　
their　results　in　life　were　invariably　superior　to　those　of　the　
masses。　

Therefore；　perhaps　the　factor　which　will　catapult　you　into　
the　〃big　leagues；〃　which　will　multiply　your　income　from　a　
material；　as　well　as　a　psychic　point　of　view；　will　be　your　own　
ability　to　persist。　So　the　next　time　you　step　out　to　do　
something；　and　〃the　going　gets　tough；〃　just　remember　that　the　
Razor's　Edge　difference　for　you　could　well　be　your　own　ability　
to　persevere。　Just　try　one　more　time…with　enthusiasm…and　you　
could　watch　your　accomplishments　go　from　the　very　ordinary；　
to　the　very　extraordinary！　


Let　me　share　a　brief　anecdote　from　my　own　experience。　
To　complete　this　book；　I　am　forming　a　new　habit。　Each　
morning　I　get　up　before　everyone　else　at　home；　shower　quickly　
and　pour　myself　a　cup　of　coffee　（which　I　drink　on　my　way　to　
the　office）。　I　arrive　at　the　office　before　seven　a。m。　and　then　I　
start　writing。　Since　it　is　absolutely　quiet　at　this　hour　in　the　
morning…no　telephones　ringing；　no　interruption…I　am　able　to　
write　without　any　distractions　and　I　really　enjoy　it。　By　the　time　
the　other　people　arrive　to　begin　work；　I　have　several　pages　
already　written；　so　I　am　then　free　to　get　busy　with　the　other　
work　which　I　have　scheduled　for　the　day。　

Simulation　

Now　try　to　relate　this　story　to　your　own　situation；　for　just　
a　moment。　For　example；　if　you　are　employed　in　a　〃sales〃　
capacity；　consider　the　dynamic　sales　presentation　which　you　
could　be　delivering　in　a　month　or　two；　if　you　did　a　similar　
thing　each　morning。　In　other　words；　if；　instead　of　writing　as　I　
do；　try　to　simulate　a　sales　presentation　with　an　imaginary　
prospect；　or　possibly　with　one　of　your　associates。　（I　used　the　
word　simulate　rather　than　role　play；　because　the　latter　usually　
turns　out　to　be　exactly　what　the　word　suggests…play；　and　the　
exercise　often　turns　into　a　game。　The　word　simulate；　on　the　
other　hand；　came　into　popular　parlance　when　we　learned　how　
astronauts　prepared　for　their　space　missions。　When　they　were　
simulating；　they　were　actually　pre…living　the　in…space　
experience；　as　if　it　were　already　happening。）　Therefore；　I　would　
suggest　that　if　you　practised　your　sales　presentation　in　a　
similar　manner；　every　morning…for　one　or　two　hours…you　
would　witness　an　incredible　improvement　in　your　
performance；　in　a　relatively　short　span　of　time。　With　a　year　or　
two　of　diligent　effort　under　your　belt；　you　would　become　so　
proficient；　you　would　rarely　miss　a　sale。　So　remember；　〃If　the　
need　is　there；　and　the　means　are　there　and　you　still　haven't　
made　the　sale；　it　is　probably　because　you　are　not　good　
enough；　yet！〃　


A　guaranteed　way　to　become　〃good　enough；〃　is　to　do　what　
Dr。　DeVries　prescribed：　namely；　〃Rehearse；　rehearse；　and　then　
rehearse　some　more。〃　For　in　this　manner；　you　will　attain　the　
stature　of　a　true　professional；　and　of　course；　you　will　receive　
the　compensation　a　true　professional　deserves。　And；　although　
I　am　only　suggesting　you　set　aside　one　hour　per　day　for　
preparation；　like　the　actors　in　Zanuck's　movie；　you　will　
probably　be　rewarded　many　times　over。　

Consider　the　following　account。　Several　years　ago；　I　was　
traveling　through　the　southeastern　United　States　with　Rudy　
Michaud；　the　Senior　Vice…President　of　one　of　the　world's　
largest　insurance　companies。　Rudy　had　some　papers　out　that　
he　was　working　on；　as　we　were　flying　from　one　city　to　the　next；　
and　I　was　also　busy　working　on　a　project。　Suddenly　Rudy　
turned　to　me　and　showed　me　some　figures　he　had　written　on　a　
sheet　of　paper。　He　then　pointed　out　to　me：　there　were　actually　
individual　salespeople；　in　his　company；　who　were　earning　
more　money　themselves；　than　the　combined　incomes　of　the　
thirty　or　forty　people　who　constitute　〃a　district　sales　
operation。〃　

Do　you　think　these　individuals　were　really　thirty　or　forty　
times　better　than　their　colleagues？　…　of　course　not！　For　like　the　
race　horse　ARMED；　they　were　probably　only　three　or　four　
percent　more　effective。　But　in　terms　of　annual　income；　there　
was　absolutely　no　comparison。　What　made　the　difference　for　
them？　Perhaps　they　planned　their　day；　while　others　didn't；　or　
maybe　they　practised　for　that　one　hour；　while　the　others　did　
not。　Nevertheless；　whatever　it　was　that　they　did；　you　can　be　
sure　the　difference　was　as　fine　as　a　Razor's　Edge！　

Now　stop　reading；　sit　back；　relax；　and　think；　really　think…
what　is　it　in　your　life　that　will　make　the　Razor's　Edge　
difference　for　you？　You　know　what　it　is？　Good…then　do　it　now！　


Don't　Think　In　Reverse　

〃Let　us　not　look　back　in　anger　
nor　forward　in　fear　
but　around　us　in　awareness。〃　
…　Leland　Val　Van　De　Wall　

You　will　never　obtain　any　substantial　measure　of　
material　wealth　if　you　insist　upon　living　your　life　as　if　you　were　
looking　back　through　the　rearview　mirror　of　your　automobile。　
Nevertheless；　this　seems　to　be　a　very　common　error　which　
many　people　have　turned　into　a　pernicious　habit。　That　is　to　
say；　many　of　us　spend　most　of　our　present　moments；　
〃floundering　mentally；〃　in　the　time　zone　of　the　dead　and　
should…be…forgotten　past。　

Let　The　Dead　Bury　The　Dead　

Remember　the　old　adage　which　says；　〃Let　the　dead　bury　
the　dead。〃　In　other　words；　what　you　want　to　do　is　to　stop　
looking　back　in　your　life　and　worrying　about　things　which　
have　already　occurred　and　which　you　can　no　longer　alter。　For　
pursuing　that　kind　of　mental　activity　will　never　lead　to　any　
worthwhile　accomplishments　in　your　life。　You　should　
understand；　moreover；　that　all　of　the　great　achievers　of　the　
past　have　been　visionary　figures；　they　were　men　and　women　
who　projected　into　the　future　and　did　not　belabor　over　things　
which　had　already　past。　They　thought　of　what　could　be；　rather　
than　what　already　was；　and　then　they　moved　themselves　into　
action　to　bring　these　things　into　fruition。　

Think　of　the　magnificent　legacy　which　these　forward…
thinking　individuals　have　left　for　us　living　today。　Due　to　their　
formidable　efforts；　we　are　now　able　to　enjoy　breakfast　in　Paris；　
lunch　in　New　York　and　dinner　in　Toronto。　We　are　now　able　to　
live　our　lives　in　brightness　and　light　（twenty…four　hours　a　day　
if　we　so　desire）。　We　can　hear　the　voice　of　a　loved　one　on　the　
other　side　of　the　ocean；　merely　by　pressing　some　buttons　on　a　
telephone。　All　of　these　miraculous　possibilities；　and　so　much　
more；　are　available　to　us；　simply　because　ordinary　human　


beings…like　you　and　me…have　built　extraordinary　images　on　the　
screen　of　their　minds；　of　things　which　had　never　been　before。　

The　pioneering　spirit　of　men　and　women　of　all　faiths；　
creeds；　and　color　has　been　put　to　great　use。　Those　
praiseworthy　individuals　were　able　to　look　into　the　future；　to　
see　what　could　be　rather　than　what　already　was；　and　then　
they　ignored　those　who　scoffed　and　said；　〃It　couldn't　be　done。〃　
Also　understand　that　all　great　achievers　always　expect　to　do　
great　things　and　then　they　turn　around　and　do　them！　Do　not　
be　misled　by　your　sensory　factors…we　are　endowed　with　the　
same；　basic　mental　tools　which　the　Wright's；　the　Edison's　and　
the　Bell's　possessed；　and　we　all　have　th