I’ve heard that this song was written in about 10 minutes straight by the bass player Andy Fraser after the group had come off the stage to the sound of their own footsteps after a performance in Durham. It went on to become their first hit song with vocals by Paul Rodgers who went on to join Bad Company and also played with The Firm and Queen.
To me, it’s a reminder of what can potentially be achieved when we dig deep, which is hard to do but sometimes you just know there is something more if you just continue.
Many famous people experienced numerous rejections before achieving success. These stories serve as powerful reminders that persistence and resilience are often key components of success. Here are a few notable examples:
1. J.K. Rowling
- Rejections: 12
- Story: The author of the “Harry Potter” series faced rejection from 12 different publishers before Bloomsbury accepted her manuscript. Today, she is one of the best-selling authors of all time.
2. Stephen King
- Rejections: 30
- Story: Stephen King’s first novel, “Carrie,” was rejected 30 times before it was published. King is now a prolific and highly successful author, known for his horror novels.
3. Walt Disney
- Rejections: Numerous
- Story: Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper job because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He faced multiple business failures and rejections before finally creating the iconic Disney empire.
4. The Beatles
- Rejections: Rejected by Decca Records
- Story: The Beatles were famously rejected by Decca Records, who said “guitar groups are on the way out.” They went on to become one of the most successful and influential bands in history.
5. Michael Jordan
- Rejections: Cut from high school basketball team
- Story: Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, a rejection that fueled his drive to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
6. Colonel Sanders (KFC)
- Rejections: Over 1,000
- Story: Harland Sanders, the founder of KFC, faced over 1,000 rejections for his chicken recipe before finding success. He began franchising KFC in his 60s.
7. Thomas Edison
- Failures: Over 1,000 unsuccessful attempts
- Story: Edison made over 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the lightbulb before finding success. He famously said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
8. Fred Astaire
- Rejections: Studio executive’s harsh feedback
- Story: During a screen test, a studio executive wrote, “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.” Fred Astaire went on to become a legendary dancer and actor.
9. James Dyson
- Rejections: Thousands
- Story: During an interview in 2007 by Fast Company Dyson highlighted the importance of failure in one’s life. “I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right. There were 5,126 failures.
These examples illustrate that persistence, resilience, and the ability to learn from rejection are crucial traits for achieving success. Each of these individuals faced significant setbacks but continued to pursue their goals, ultimately achieving extraordinary success in their respective fields.
On a completely different note, I am really looking forward to today, as I will be meeting a legend of the motoracing track as he will be competing in the GT Cup Championship at Oulton Park.
