Wan He Yi Fu - Inspirational Lessons from Going from Zero to Billions and Bankruptcy

Author: Tang Jian / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Roger Rodman, the first African American governor in New York history, was born in the notorious slums of the Great Sand Dunes in New York. For children born in this place, few could achieve a respectable career when they grew up. However, Roger Rodman was an exception—he not only entered college but also became a governor. During his press conference after taking office, Rodman never mentioned his own struggles. Instead, he mentioned a very unfamiliar name—Pieter Paul. Later, people learned that Pieter Paul was his elementary school principal. Pieter Paul was hired as the board member and principal of Noble Street Elementary School in 1961, during the era of American hippies. When he entered the campus of Noble Street Elementary School in the Great Sand Dunes, he found that the poor children were even more aimless than the "Beat Generation." They skipped classes, fought, and even broke the blackboards in the classroom. When Rodman jumped from the windowsill and stretched his small hand toward the podium, Pieter Paul said, "I can tell from your slender little thumb that you will definitely become the governor of New York State." At that time, Rodman was greatly surprised by his teacher's words, because since he was a child, only his grandmother had ever inspired him once, telling him that he could become the captain of a 5-ton ship. This time, Pieter Paul said he could become the governor of New York State, which truly exceeded his expectations. He wrote down these words and believed them. From that day on, the image of the governor became like a banner for him. His clothes were no longer covered in dust, and whenever he spoke, he no longer interjected with vulgar language. He began to walk straighter, and thus, he became the class president. In the more than 40 years that followed, he never failed to hold himself to the standards of a governor. At the age of 51, he truly became the governor. During one of his inaugural speeches, he said, "In this world, belief is something that anyone can obtain for free. All successful people initially start with a small belief. Belief is the driving force behind success, and it determines the success or failure of a person's life." Belief is the continuation of confidence in doing something and the destination of confidence. Confidence is the prelude to belief. Without confidence, belief cannot be generated. Only confidence alone is not sustainable. Only by persisting in confidence can it be transformed into belief. P7