The Don't Quit presentation is based on a famous poem which was written many years ago. The author of this poem is unknown. Sadly, in recent years a number of people have claimed ownership of the poem and some have even claimed to have written it themselves!
Here is the original poem in it's entirety:
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.- Author unknown
FYI -- If you didn't watch the video, there is a free "Dare to Dream" newsletter with articles, inspirational stories of perseverance and success, audio interviews with successful people, and motivational quotes. I've signed up to see what's there because you know how I love this kind of thing.
9 comments:
That's a good poem to keep in a number of places around my world so that I might "stumble" upon it when I most need it.
And I just wanted to tell you thank you for being a constant blogger friend to me as well. I love knowing that you've wandered through my posts. (I'm also glad to hear that you're feeling better!)
I can understand why so many would like to claim that as their own. I have heard it before, but had forgotten. It's been many years. Thank you.
I love the "rest if you must but don't quit" thought. Sometimes just taking a break can make a big difference.
What a wonderful poem! I've actually never come across this before. Thank you for sharing it...
Ladybug – I’m glad you think so. Thanks for the kind words of appreciation. I do enjoy visiting your blog. You always have such wonderful photos and uplifting posts! I’m relieved to be healthy again too and am trying to catch up on my blogging. Lots has fallen through the cracks. Hope you enjoyed your recent trip.
Eve – You’re welcome. Like most wonderful things, they tend to come back around periodically … and this may be one. It’s new to me however.
Moana – You’re so right! Pushing through things when we need rest is so foolish and always creates unwanted consequences, often causing illness and/or other kinds of challenges.
Sandy – It’s new to me as well … and I’m happy to pass it along. I’m so thrilled to know the loan issues have been resolved and I hope you’re back on track with everything. Seems like you’re moving very soon now. I’ll try to get over to Momisodes in a bit, but I did T-13 this morning and am trying to clear out my email box before I head to Weight Watchers this morning.
Hugs and blessings to all of you!
I've never read this before--very inspiring. I especially like the "Don't give up though the pace seems slow" line--I have to keep reminding myself of this. Since I don't have tons of time to devote to writing, I fear that I'm not moving quick enough--that somehow, the prize (whatever that may be), will forever be out of my reach.
Karen – I definitely know what you mean, yet I remind myself of “The Tortoise and the Hair” to calm myself … realizing that if I don’t quit, I can’t fail. Then I remind myself of writers who didn’t publish anything until they were in their 50s and 60s … and I take heart. I hope the fiction writing continues to go well for you.
Hugs and blessings,
A friend gave me a copy of this poem when I first got sober and I carried it around with me for a long time. Thanks for dialing up that memory for me!
Dream – I’m happy to do so. The piece is new to me, but timely as well for different reasons as I struggle with “clutter-related” issues while simplifying my life. Actually, the site it came from has many such motivational pieces on a wide variety of topics. I’m happy I subscribed to this fellow’s newsletter and added his blog to Google Reader where I can easily access his advice. Thanks for dropping by and commenting along the way. I know how busy you’ve been.
Hugs and blessings,
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