|
Carolyn Smagalski
Decision
Founder - Editor - Host
"The answer is simple; if you want something very badly, you
can achieve it," said Margo Jones, the "Texas Tornado" who, in
1947, established the first modern, professional resident
theatre and the first professional theatre-in-the-round in
America. She was dubbed as a combination of Joan d' Arc, Gene
Autry and nitroglycerine.
In her book Margo-The Life and Theatre of Margo Jones,
Helen Sheehy says "she was an American from Texas, an outsider
from nowhere." Yet, she managed to begin a movement from
which Pulitzer Prize-winning material develops, and to which
Broadway turns in search of new plays each year.
"No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life
are made. Destiny is made known silently," wrote Agnes
DeMille. If you search the archives of the Most Notable
Americans or the Richest Folks in America throughout history,
you will be struck with the sudden realization that the list
is filled with college drop-outs, people who came from meager
circumstances, and those who started in fields of endeavor
that were amorphous, undeveloped fields at the time.
·
Andrew Carnegie - came to America in the steerage, and worked
as a labourer in the steel mills.
·
Thomas Edison - had only three months of schooling in his
entire life.
·
Henry Ford - had less than a sixth grade education.
·
Bill Gates and Paul Allen - Co-founders of Microsoft who both
dropped out of college.
·
Larry Ellison of Oracle fame - dropped out of college
·
Michael Dell - dropped out of college
·
James M. Cox of Media/Entertainment Cox Enterprises - High
School dropout
·
Eli Broad - one of the nation's biggest homebuilders - son of
Lithuanian immigrants
·
H Ty Warner of Beanie Babies fame - dropped out of college and
took a job selling stuffed toys - quit that to bum around
Italy - returned home and began designing his own stuffed
animals.
·
Dan Duncan - oil and gas entrepreneur - raised by his
grandmother from the age of 7 after his mother and only
sibling died - roughneck after high school. Started
Enterprise Products with 2 partners, 1 truck and $10,000. He
is now worth $4.2 billion. Cites his grandmother's motto, "Do
the best you can every day," as his business philosophy.
·
James Sorenson - grew up in dirt poor Yuba City California -
his father dug sewer trenches. Sorenson started as a salesman
for Upjohn, tinkered with and patented medical devices,
focused on innovation - now worth $3.7 billion.
·
Charles Schwab - of discount brokerage fame is dyslexic -
worth $2.8 billion.
·
...and scores of others!!!
"A knowledge of the path cannot be substituted for putting one
foot in front of the other," said M. C. Richards.
Content copyright © 2003-2008 by Carolyn
Smagalski. All rights reserved. This content was written
by Carolyn Smagalski. If you wish to use this content in any
manner, you need written permission.
Contact Carolyn Smagalski
Related Articles
Making Choices With
Results
A 'What the Hell'
Decision
Courageous Decision
Next
Return to
Decision Archive
|
