“Don’t quit until everyone in the room tells you ‘no.’ Success doesn’t have to be hard. But it always requires persistence.”
– Blake Snow, Founder www.blakesnow.com
Blake Snow, an acclaimed journalist and writer who writes, attributes his foray into writing to the emergence of blogging. Thanks to his innate talent for words, he tasted success as a contributor, feature writer, and critic for top publications and some of the biggest companies in the world. However, it was not an overnight success; he had to endure numerous rejections before he finally established himself as a successful writer.
The Power of Perseverance
Blake started his journey as a content contractor from his one-bedroom apartment. As he tried to gain a foothold in this highly competitive field, he faced thousands of rejections. There were approvals, though few and far in between. “After a decade of self-employment, I’ve been told ‘no’ several thousand times. I have records. For the same period, I’ve been told ‘yes’ a few dozen times. Fewer than a hundred. I have records of that, too,” he quips. Undeterred and fiercely determined, Blake did not let such rejections cower him, and now he tells his audience the same thing—the power of perseverance in the face of adversity.
Blake’s bumpy journey opened his eyes, enabling him to look at the bigger picture. He saw his perspective market as a room, only to realize that there are actually several rooms, extending far beyond his initial vision. “I reasoned that if I do not succeed in one room, I can move on to another room with new people. Not only this, but by the time I am done in the second room, the first room is likely to be inhabited by new people.” This metaphorical interpretation of his target market helped Blake in keeping his motivation high.
Blake says, “In my experience, the more unyielding you are, the more time you get to refine your talents and ultimately find someone who says the most exhilarating word in the world: Yes!”
Finding the Balance
Blake’s persistence led to his ultimate success. While a strong advocate of hard work, he is also a big proponent of work-life balance. Apart from his professional writing commitments, he also spares some time to indulge in his passion to update his blog and his weekly travel column.
Blake likes to share the nuggets of wisdom he has acquired through his decade-long entrepreneurial journey. He has written a book called Log Off: How to Stay Connected after Disconnected. He also takes up speaking engagements to encourage other people to find balance in their lives.
