We are pleased to feature a guest post by John Tassone author of the book, Go For It! I wasn’t sure what we would post today with all of the anniversary and remembrance events happening around the U.S. today. I had already scheduled John’s post for today before even reading it. Now that I have read it, I think it is one of the best things we could post today. Thank you, John for your post and may God continue to bless America.
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I’m just a regular straight-talking guy who worked hard, took risks, and built an insurance business from nothing into a huge success. It didn’t happen overnight and he came close to failure many times.
I achieved success by doing certain things I learned on the streets and I’d like to share a few of those ideas. Some of these little nuggets may hold the key to solving problems small and large all across the nation. Here are just some of the little gems I discovered along the way about the importance of overcoming setbacks, adversities, and tragedies.
In your life’s path you are going to have setbacks, adversities, and possibly some tragedies. Unfortunately this is all part of life’s struggle. If you are a leader, and I’m sure that you are, whether it be in your business field or at home, you will always have to stay strong, always keep your eye on what’s ahead, and get your family and your people through the disparaging times.
I have had many setbacks, as I will describe, but the worst tragedy of all was when my daughter passed away unexpectedly at the age of thirty-three. There is nothing in the world that is harder than losing your child, and I wish it on no one. It would have been the normal thing to do, and no one would have faulted me, if I had just given up and said, “To hell with it all.” But I couldn’t allow myself to buckle. For several months I was in a daze; I felt like giving up, but I
knew that many people were depending on me and were waiting for my cue. I had to be strong. I had to be the true leader so I could get my family through that terrible ordeal. I had to lead the way and help keep everyone’s spirits up.
My business and my employees were also depending on me to lead. My problems could affect other people’s lives, and I knew I couldn’t let that happen.
In the movie The Godfather, the singer Johnny Fontaine goes to the Godfather sobbing about a problem he is having. He cries to the Godfather, “What do I do? What do I do?” Don Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, slaps him across the face, grabs his shirt, shakes him, and shouts, “Be a man, be a man!” I remembered that line, and I knew I had to not only be a man, but had to
be “The man,” to help carry everyone else through that awful tragedy.
In your life, things will happen that you have no control over. You will have to be “The man” or “The woman,” and stay strong and lead, because people are depending on you. You can feel bad and you can feel discouraged, but you have to be careful how you handle it and how you show it, because everyone will be watching you and following your lead. You have to look positive, stay positive, and keep your mind focused. If you don’t, you will hurt everyone around
you, and you will eventually destroy yourself.
Remember, you don’t drown by falling in the water — you only drown by staying there.
About the Author
JOHN TASSONE is the author of the book Go For It! He was born and raised in Chicago. As a child, he had a newspaper route, shined shoes, and made deliveries for a meat market. Throughout high school he worked in his father’s hardware store. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Education at Chicago Teachers College (now Chicago State University), and then taught drafting in the Chicago public school system. He later became a draftsman for U.S. Steel.
While working there, John started selling life insurance part-time. After a year, he quit U.S. Steel and went to full-time insurance sales. He moved quickly through the insurance-company ranks, and became regional VP of the Chicago area. In 1976 he opened his own agency, Associated General Insurance Agency of Illinois. John and his wife, Catherine, live near Chicago. For more information visit www.JohnTassone.com.
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