The power of persistence
A short story on the value of persistence in small business and life.
This is another travel story. The other, real side that doesn’t make glossy Instagram posts.
After a beautiful vacation week in Ischia (highly recommended!), I set out for Salerno on the southern end of the Amalfi Coast.
It’s a trip that should have taken 4 hours door-to-door.
It didn’t.
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When it rains…
The summary is this:
1 taxi — 1 ferry — 1 local bus — 1 train — 1 local bus — 1 uphill walk
My very helpful Airbnb host in Ischia had arranged a taxi to take me to the port at 8:30 a.m. By the time we arrived, it had started to rain.
The ferry departed on time, but now it was pouring. We picked up other passengers at the main ferry port and set out for Naples.
It was now a raging thunderstorm — lightning and all — the staff was singing (what else can you do when the boat is rocking?).
After waiting in the harbor for 30 minutes, we were allowed to dock.
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On not packing an umbrella.
I should have packed my umbrella. I saw it in the closet and chose not to. Ditto a rain jacket.
It was pouring and I needed to get to the train station. The taxi line was long and extended beyond the awning. A lovely fellow passenger shared her small umbrella.
When she pointed someone else to the Metro which I had taken previously, I decided to go for it. After taking the long way to the downramp (vs. the stairs - #suitcasetoobig), I was now soaked.
When I finally reached the ticket counter, I was told the Garibaldi Metro station was “fermata.” Oh dear. I needed to take the bus, so I bought that ticket. Running into a French couple on the way, I spared them going through my experience as they had the same destination.
NOW, I finally purchased an over-priced umbrella from a sharp seller out on the street and managed to get on the bus and to the train station.
After a detour to the wrong line (another helpful soul carried my bag down the stairs as the escalator was closed), I purchased my ticket, stared up at the Departures board, and upon seeing my train number, boarded and sat in my assigned seat.
Where I sat for 2 hours before the train finally departed (a breakdown on the line) for the 30-minute journey.
At this point, I was actually drying out. And my Airbnb host was aware of the delay and would meet me at the apartment.
Fantastico.
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No taxis. No Uber.
I got off the train. I took the elevator down to the street level (amen for that). And I made my way to the taxi line.
But there was no taxi line. And there were no taxis. And I pulled up Uber. And there was no Uber.
There were other travelers from the U.S. also trying to get taxis to get to their Airbnbs and we shared ideas.
And I saw the taxi company phone number and website on one that apparently had been successfully booked. But nothing worked.
My Airbnb host told me to take the bus or the Metro and he would meet me at the stop to walk the rest of the way to the apartment.
It was still pouring to greater and lesser degrees from moment to moment.
And I wanted to give up. Really just stay there.
But I also knew where I wanted to go and fully intended to reach my destination.
So, I bought another bus ticket. Got wet again. Got on the bus. Managed to get to the front of the bus to ask the driver for my stop, which was the next one. And met my host.
Lovely guy. We walked the 10 minutes or so, most of it uphill. And he and I carried my bag up the (many) stairs.
Sono arrivato! At 4:00 p.m.
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So yes, this is about not giving up.
If you feel like maybe it’s just too much…
Start by checking in with yourself to make sure your destination is really, truly where you want to be going.
If it is, then keep at it.
Adjust your strategy and your tactics based on changing circumstances (the best-laid plans…). Learn your lessons. And just keep going.
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The importance of persistence for business success.
I recently had a conversation with Erika Rothenberger on her podcast Grit, Grace & Glitz.
We dove into the challenging yet rewarding journey of business success and the importance of persistence. That it is not a sprint, but a marathon.
We debunked the allure of instant results in favor of focusing on the virtues of patience and resilience.
And we explored the themes of authenticity, embracing imperfection, and the value of following one's curiosity.
You can listen to the 20-minute episode here.
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The New Year is around the corner. If you want to end the year strong and set yourself up for success in 2024, let’s talk.