I think we have all been in this situation at one point in our lives. Sometimes it’s with minor things and other times you could be fighting for something great.

There is a business principle called the “212 Principle”. Simply stated at 211 degrees water is hot… at 212 it boils and with boiling water comes steam and with steam you can power a locomotive.

One degree is the difference between hot water and a power to transform industries, societies, and our world. Here’s a thought… what if the scientists had stopped at 211 degrees? What would our life be like? How would things be different in our world today?

In looking at history you see a number of people that pressed forward in the wake of failure obviously believing that there was something great, maybe only 1 degree away.

“Robert Sternberg received a C in his first college introductory-psychology class. His teacher commented that “there was a famous Sternberg in psychology and it was obvious there would not be another.” Three years later Sternberg graduated with honors from Stanford University with exceptional distinction in psychology, summa cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa. In 2002, he became President of the American Psychological Association.”

“Thomas Edison’s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.” As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. I just learned 1000 ways that the light bulb didn’t work.”

“R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York City caught on.”

“Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he succeeded. “

“Michael Jordon was cut from his High School Basketball team.”

“F. W. Woolworth was not allowed to wait on customers when he worked in a dry goods store because, his boss said, “he didn’t have enough sense.”

“Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.”

“Charles Schultz had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Oh, and Walt Disney wouldn’t hire him.”

“The first time Jerry Seinfeld walked on-stage at a comedy club as a professional comic, he looked out at the audience, froze, and forgot the English language. He stumbled through “a minute-and a half” of material and was jeered offstage. He returned the following night and closed his set to wild applause.”

“After Harrison Ford’s first performance as a hotel bellhop in the film Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round, the studio vice-president called him in to his office. “Sit down kid,” the studio head said, “I want to tell you a story. The first time Tony Curtis was ever in a movie he delivered a bag of groceries. We took one look at him and knew he was a movie star.” Ford replied, “I thought you were spossed to think that he was a grocery delivery boy.” The vice president dismissed Ford with “You ain’t got it kid , you ain’t got it … now get out of here.”

You may have faced failure lately, and dropped your Sword (so to speak) or are facing a situation where you feel like giving up. Do you believe there is something great just beyond what you can see? The bible calls this “FAITH”.

You just might be at the 211 point with just a little last push
needed to open up a dream realized.

We are to press through the 211 barrier to achieve the benefits of 212. We are to believe in our God and Father that has created us with value and has placed great things before us.

So if you’ve dropped your sword. I have a word for you that God gave me. “Pick it up again and move forward.”

There are things to accomplish and legacies to leave. Galatians 6:9 says, And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Blessings to you on your journey,

Lee