Three feet from gold…
You’ve probably heard the story before. It’s been told many times. Today, you will hear my version of the story.
The name of the story is “three feet from gold: a valuable lesson for network marketers.” It’s about the gold miner who quit when he was just three feet from hitting the world’s biggest gold vein, the mother load.
He had been mining for months and months without luck. He had invested time, money and tons of hard work mining his one gold mine. After 7 months and 23 days of hard work he woke up one morning and decided to call it quits. He threw in the towel. Mentally, he was done. As a result,he sold his claim to a prospector, and then moved back home with his parents.
The new owner continued to mine. He thought the claim offered huge potential when he bought it, just like the first owner originally did. Within a few short days the new claim owner struck it big. He hit the gold vein and became a millionaire overnight. Within 60-days there was so much gold found in the mine that he became the richest man in the state of California.
He discovered the previous claim owner was just three feet from striking it big. Had he mined the claim for just three more days he would have become a millionaire.
There’s a valuable lesson in this story.
Many of us quit right before we strike it big in life.
We get excited about something, get to work, and then things don’t go exactly as planned. We struggle and fail. We take two steps forward and three steps back. We get frustrated. We are disappointed. Eventually, we tuck our tail between our legs and call it quits. We look at our experience as a failure.
What most people don’t realize is that they quit RIGHT BEFORE they would have made it big. They quit three feet from gold.
You see, no matter what you want to accomplish in life, you must pay a price to achieve it. Success never goes on sale. You must pay the full price. You will be tested. These tests are designed to test your commitment and develop you into the person you need to become.
Most of us don’t see it that way. Instead, we think of these hardships as proof that what we are doing isn’t working. So we quit. Had we stuck it out just a little bit longer, we would have made it big and accomplished our goals.
Now, I can’t speak for you, but I’ve been guilty of this numerous times during my life. Generally speaking, I’m not a quitter, but I have quit things in the past that I do regret.
I have also learned that anything worth accomplishing in life takes time, effort, and lots of hard work, normally more time, more effort, and more work than we expect.
- Patience is a virtue.
- Persistence is a virtue.
- Hard work is a virtue.
- Focus is a virtue.
- Vision is a virtue.
We must keep our vision in front of us at all times and realize that we will be tested. It won’t be a one time test either. We will face MULTIPLE tests to determine how bad we really want something.
Most people will fail this test. They will give up when things aren’t going their way. That’s human nature. Most people are quitters.
That’s why so many people give up on marriages, diets, New Year’s resolutions, and just about everything else that they start. The world is filled with starters. What we need are more finishers.
It’s easy to quit. At the moment, it feels like the right thing to do. And while there are times when quitting might be a good option, most of the time it’s not! Most of us end up quitting three feet from gold.
Three Feet from Gold in Network Marketing
As a network marketer, I see this daily.
People have been working their network marketing business for one to six months and they aren’t getting the big results they think should be getting. So they quit. They call it a scam. They tuck their tail between their legs and return to their comfort zone and give up on their dreams or residual income for good.
It happens on my own team all the time. I’m sure it happens to people on your team as well. Most people don’t even make it 30-days before they quit mentally.
We are a funny industry. I can’t think of any other business model where a new business owner expects to make money right out the gate, especially when they haven’t invested a significant amount of time or money. Most entrepreneurs don’t expect to be profitable for a few years.
Successful network marketers think differently than the average rep.
It takes a special person to press on and continue working, even when things aren’t going their way.
These are the people who eventually get recognized on stage at your company’s convention. These are the folks who become the success stories in your company.
Once again, no matter what you are pursuing in life, there will be a test. The bigger the goal you are trying to achieve the bigger the test will be. You must be mentally tough and keep your vision in front of you at all times if you want to pass this test.
Most people fail, because they quit. Don’t let that happen to you. Don’t quit three feet from gold. Stick with ONE THING UNTIL SUCCESSFUL.
Final Thoughts
This is my own version of the “three feet from gold” story. I’ve modified it a little bit, but hopefully the point still hits home. As a disclaimer, this is a FICTIONAL story to make a point.
No matter what you are trying to accomplish in life, especially something big, you will be tested. You will experience hardships, setbacks, and temporary defeat. These things are designed to test your character and moral fiber to see how bad you really want to accomplish what you are pursuing.
Don’t quit three feet from gold. Keep the main thing the main thing and continue UNTIL you hit your goals. It’s worth it. You’ll be glad that you did!
What are your thoughts? Can you share a personal story about being “three feet from gold?” If so, leave a comment below. I would love to hear it. Have a great day.
Other Posts You Might Enjoy:
- Top 40 Reasons People Quit
- What to Do When Team Member Quits
- Dealing with Attrition
- Top 48 Selling Tips of All Time
Check out the book you see below (by clicking on the image). It’s a must read. Not only will it help you with your mindset, but it’s a good book to share with your team members and prospects.
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
P.S. Learn how to grow a successful network marketing business. Secret tips, training, and practical ideas. Free training delivered by email.
While I have quit some things in the past that would have been more beneficial for me in the future, I try not to dwell on them. I do wish I would have went further in my education, but all-in-all, I am happy with life.
There is one thing I do want to add to this great inspirational post…It always seems that when times get the hardest is when we are closest to that gold. So if it seems to get super hard and you feel like throwing in the towel, I always suggest to keep moving forward and give it some time before quitting.
Many marriages are saved that way, and many careers are saved that way. Just battle through the tuff stuff and there will be a shiny light at the end.
Usually your best moment is right after your darkest hour.
oh, I’m bummed out. I thought the gold story was real, but I’m sure it is real somewhere. So many people do quit. It’s even worse today than ever. So many flashy opportunities out there promising “no inventory. No money. Only one hour of work for $5467!”
Network marketing is the microscope and it uncovers every little fear that people have. It’s a hard industry even though the techniques are simple. Thanks for this, Chuck!
There is no legitimate business that is fast, free or easy. Everything worthwhile takes time.