DON'T STOP BELIEVING!

While it only made it to #9 on the 1981 Billboard chart, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” has become a power anthem at sporting events, a karaoke staple and been featured in The Sopranos, Glee and this great Jimmy Fallon skit. In this WSJ interview, the keyboardist Jonathan Cain talks about the history of the song and his inspiration:

“Everything was caving in on me in 1977. I had my own band in Los Angeles, but our record deal fell through. I also couldn’t get to first base as a singer-songwriter, my dog got hit by a car and needed surgery, and my girlfriend, who lived with me and split the rent, left. I called my dad for a loan. On the phone, I told him nothing was working out and that maybe I should just give up on music. He wouldn’t hear of it. He said, “Your blessing is right around the corner. Sit tight. Don’t be discouraged. And don’t come home to Chicago. Don’t stop believing.” He also said he’d send me the money.”

Just like in music, setbacks and disappointments in business are unavoidable. But what really makes the difference is not whether you encounter failures, it is how you respond and learn from those failures.

JUST A SMALL TOWN GIRL, JUST A CITY BOY

Regardless of your upbringing, your education and even your luck, you will not be successful in every venture you start whether that is buying your first practice, hiring your 20th hygienist or smoking that perfect brisket. The key to being more successful is to not give up and learn from the errors made on past attempts.

WORKIN’ HARD TO GET MY FILL

While hard work and success are often highly correlated, hard work does not guarantee success and some times success comes with very little work at all. To ensure your chances for success are higher, find ways to work smarter not just harder.

SOME WILL WIN, SOME WILL LOSE

While it may seem that life is just a roll of the dice occasionally, don’t entrust your success to luck. Turn your passion into successful by having a plan that is developed and reasoned.

DON’T STOP BELIVIN’, HOLD ON TO THAT FEELIN’

And whatever you do, never stop believing in your dreams (even if your dad won’t send you money).