David Lange's memoirs
Out of the blue a number of years ago, David Lange rang Finlay to say he was ready to pen his memoir. "I had been talking to him intermittently for quite a while, suggesting he do it, only to be good-naturedly rebuffed each time." However, when Lange changed his mind, Finlay suddenly realised that after years in the "instant gratification/disappointment world of media", the long game did sometimes work out.
"Since then I've got better at waiting, trusting fate a little, not climbing the walls every five minutes when the phone doesn't ring. When it does work out, it's all the more rewarding and satisfying."
Good things take time
I certainly know myself the frustration of trying to get to "Yes". Back in 2006 I developed a personal development tool I felt Richard Bolles, author of the world's best-selling career guide What Color Is Your Parachute, might like to use in his latest edition. I spent forever crafting an email I felt hit the right note of introduction, then sent it off.
Not hearing anything back, I emailed him again a month later with no answer once more as the response.
Not to be put off, I respectfully emailed him another seven times (all with no answer), before finally receiving a call a year later explaining he really liked my system and would be very happy to include it in his next publication.
A true cliché
As Finlay says, "it's a bit of a cliché, but stay the distance if you can. We live and work in a ridiculous environment of instant deadlines and expectations, but your mother (or grandmother) was right when she told you that sometimes good things take time."
If you have had a blinding moment of insight (a light bulb moment), please email me (or share your story in the comment field below) as I would love to hear about it.
• Tom O'Neil is an award winning business speaker, international author of The 1 per cent Principle and Selling Yourself to Employers, and CEO of both AchievementExpert.com and CV.CO.NZ.
