|
Take
A Licking But Keep On Ticking
By Greg Hickman
“Determination that just won't quit — that's what
it takes.”
A. J. Foyt
Back in the 1950’s and 1960’s, a number of
entertaining advertisements and commercials touted the
durability of an amazing new watch — the Timex. In each
of the commercials, these resilient watches were put
through some of the most rigorous torture tests
imaginable.
Regardless of whether the watches were taped to the
propeller of an outboard motor, frozen in an ice cube
tray or submerged deep under water, these tough Timex
watches always came through. Their famous slogan, "it
takes a licking and keeps on ticking®," said it all.
No matter what they did to the watch, it just kept on
doing what it was designed to do — it kept on ticking.
“The most essential factor is persistence — the
determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm
to be dampened by the discouragement that must
inevitably come.”
James Whitcomb Riley
When you think about it, our lives are somewhat akin
to the watch commercials. After all, we often take quite
a licking as we weave our way through life. Yet our God
given capacity to weather even the roughest of storms
can allow us to take a licking and keep on ticking as
well.
Like it or not, we’re going to take our lumps on
occasion. And while we would all prefer that not to be
the case, we’re going to get whacked aroundmore than a
few times. Our ability to overcome life’s trials and
tribulations can allow us to keep going… and to keep on
ticking.
“Determination gives you the resolve to keep going
in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.”
Denis Waitley
Whenever life deals you a hard-hitting blow, you need
to pick yourself up and get back in the game. Dogged
determination, when coupled with a refuse to lose
attitude, can pave the way through even the biggest of
roadblocks and obstacles you will ever encounter.
Helen Keller said, “Although the world is full of
suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” And
overcome it you must if you truly want to enjoy the life
you’ve always dreamed of living.
“If you set goals and go after them with all the
determination you can muster, your gifts will take you
places that will amaze you.”
Les Brown
When you develop a take a licking and keep on ticking
mindset, temporary setbacks will never keep you down for
very long. As long time baseball manager Tommy Lasorda
once said, “The difference between the impossible and
the possible lies in a person's determination.”
Why not set big goals, exciting goals, goals that
make you come alive with super charged energy and
excitement? Only these types of super sized goals can
get you going and then keep you going. The moment you
decide that these goals will be yours and then
commit everything you’ve got to making them happen, you
will soon be living them rather than just dreaming them.
You need to go for these goals with every ounce of
determination and commitment you can generate — holding
absolutely nothing back or in reserve. After all, there
is absolutely no limit on how far you can go when you go
for it with everything you’ve got.
The Bottom Line: Whenever you take a licking,
just remember to keep on ticking.
|