Anything Worth Doing is Worth Doing Poorly…

I recently watched a classic video of the great Zig Ziglar telling the story of priming the pump. This story teaches us about the power of persistence and not expecting results until you have put in the work.

For those of you who may not have experienced pumping water from a well, you have to vigorously pump the handle to get the water from deep in the well. In most cases, the well has to be primed by pouring some water in the top. Zig is especially entertaining as he pumps the handle on stage to demonstrate that if you stop pumping, the water will go back to the bottom and you will have to start over.

As a metaphor for life, sales and success of any kind, you have to put something in to get something out.

Zig states that many people stand before the stove of life and say, “give me some heat and then I will put some wood in.”

Sometimes people quit too easily or way too soon when success is just around the corner. Sometimes rejection or even the fear of rejection can be too much and cause people to quit.

If you are doing something that is worth doing, I encourage you to enthusiastically persist.

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you can learn to do it well ~ Zig Ziglar

My favorite part of the pump story is when the water begins to flow; you just have to steadily pump the handle to keep the water flowing. It is much easier to maintain the flow than to stop and start the entire process over.

Have a great week!

P.S. To see Zig tell this classic story, Click Here.