By bestselling author Thomas C. Corley
In 2008, I embarked on the journey to write my debut book, Rich Habits, which encapsulates the insights from my extensive five-year research examining the daily practices of those who are wealthy compared to those who are not. This recounts my experience with the many setbacks I faced on my path to success, and how—despite numerous hurdles—I persisted.
144 Rejections: Upon finalizing my manuscript, I dispatched 144 query letters to literary agents in search of a publisher. Out of them, thirty replied—but all thirty declined. Nonetheless, I did not give up.
136 Rejections: I then dedicated six months to approaching publishers myself. Many did not respond at all, while the ones that replied turned me down. Eventually, I received an acceptance from one, but a few months later, my publisher announced they were going bankrupt. Yet, I still forged ahead and opted to self-publish my work.
1,000 Attempts: Following that, I sent 1,000 copies of my book to book reviewers and made sure to follow up with each one. Unfortunately, my calls and emails went unanswered. I even took the time to personally deliver my book to The Asbury Park Press, my local newspaper, but after several follow-ups, I was met with complete silence. I kept on pushing forward.
1,900 Attempts: Over a span of 18 months, I spoke to over 2,000 individuals at high schools, colleges, libraries, and business groups. I managed to sell just 100 books, devoid of any buzz.
1,850 Attempts: I committed two years to reaching out to 2,000 radio stations across the U.S., resulting in 150 interviews, from which I sold 700 copies—500 of those came from a single radio show.
2,499 Attempts: I emailed 2,500 newspaper editors in the United States, proposing features about my book. Only one editor from The New Jersey Star Ledger decided to interview me, leading to the sale of 173 books from that feature.
2,000 Attempts: I initiated a scholarship program, financed through my royalties, aimed at promoting Rich Habits. After sending out and following up on 2,000 applications, I received just two incomplete applications. Yet, I persevered.
Eventually, Lauri Flaquer interviewed me for her internet television show, Focus Forward. She expressed her admiration for my book and the interview, offering to act as my publicist. How could I turn down the first person who believed in me? I took her guidance—resuming my blog writing and tweeting articles she suggested could interest the media. Before long, an email arrived that would change everything.
The email came from Farnoosh Torabi, the host of the well-known Yahoo internet show Financially Fit. She responded to one of my 16,000 Twitter pitches and agreed to have me on her show, resulting in a viral sensation with 2.2 million views. One of those views belonged to Dave Ramsey, the third-largest radio host in the U.S., who praised my research on his program. This led to a 30-minute interview with Dave the following day.
I sold 12,000 copies. Rich Habits climbed to No. 7 on Amazon, earning me the coveted “Best Seller” label from the platform.
Bob Dumas, a producer from CBS, reached out for an interview, marking my first appearance on national television, which aired across seven CBS affiliate networks. I sold another 2,000 copies.
Then, Gerri Detweiler, a writer for Credit.com and director of consumer education, contacted me for an interview that was featured on MSN Money, resulting in an additional 2,000 book sales.
Susan Kane, editor-in-chief at SUCCESS magazine, emailed me to contribute a piece for their November 2014 issue, with a remarkable five pages dedicated to my book’s insights. Additionally, the publisher, Darren Hardy, interviewed me for the SUCCESS audio CD—a significant opportunity akin to striking gold.
As I pen this, I remain uncertain whether I will sell 1,000 or even 100,000 copies. I cannot predict the subsequent ramifications either. However, one thing is clear: None of this would have come to fruition if I had chosen to quit. Quitting is, without a doubt, the only true failure.
To anyone on the verge of abandoning their dream, remember my journey, despite the 9,529 setbacks I faced. Success seeks to determine whether you possess the resilience to navigate through the trials it presents. It wants to observe how you respond to errors and setbacks.
Most importantly, it wants to assess whether you are deserving of success.
