founder of naked leader
“You will never succeed in business…”
Time to Read: The time to down a pintCan you put Never on success door?
“You will never succeed in business…”
Said his teacher directly to Tim Martin’s face as he sat in his New Zealand school classroom, thinking that he was actually there to be educated, encouraged and inspired.
Indeed, he had heard this message – ‘you are useless and will achieve nothing in your life’ – many times. This time, those six words, proved to be the proverbial straw.
In his childhood he was educated at eleven different schools, which culminated in some school-time in New Zealand, where one teacher was silly, or clever, enough to tell him that he would never succeed in business.
That was when Tim made a true decision – he was going to succeed!
In 1979 he opened a pub.
And the teacher’s name?
Why, Wetherspoon, of course!
Which demonstrates that while positive encouragement is of course preferable, constant messages that “you can’t” bring with them a powerful choice – believe, or prove the opposite.
Nearly 1,000 outlets and 17 hotels later, Tim clearly prefers “the more you tell me I can’t, the more I will” school of action.
So, in case that works for you…
No matter who you are, where you are and how old you are, know this – you will never achieve that dream – never, no chance, so forget it.
Now, go do a Tim (and remember to tell us about it below!)
With my love and best wishes
David X
My careers advisor didn’t even look up at me when I told her I wanted to go to college to explore options within art and English. She simply said ‘there’s a chambermaid role at the Lord Leicester Hotel, go and see Mrs X, I’ve told her you’ll be coming’. I ignored her the way she ignored me and went to college to explore and I’m still exploring now!
Great story. Everybody CAN do, they just have to do it.
Was it not Vinnie Jones who was told he would never be a footballer?
And others like him.
They probably told him he would never be a film star either.
How wrong can you be?
Many a time I have been told I can’t achieve and yet I am constantly evolving as a person and ticking off my successes on a chart. Set goals. Make sure you scoop up those achievements.
Love the wetherspoons story, great stuff.
Great example of a business that went well from nothing.
Truly inspirational.
We can all achieve what we want, think we never can fail and make ourselves succeed.
Some people are born to succeed. He is one of those people.