A
good friend of mine just told me his daughter passed her road test on the first
shot. She is the last of his four kids to get a driver’s license. He said his
other kids each took the test multiple times. I know the feeling. I recall showing up for six road
tests. Sometimes in life, you need to
fail in order to succeed. This is a true book narketing lesson.
Growing
up in Brooklyn, circa 1970s and 80’s, to parents who didn’t own a car or a
driver’s license, I was rarely in a car, unless you add up all of the times we
took a car service to go somewhere or when Grandpa Louis would occasionally
drive us somewhere. So when I was in high school and had the chance to take
driver’s ed and learn how to drive, I was excited and petrified.
Most
kids learned to drive with the help of a parent or relative who drove. Even if they went to driver’s ed they got to
practice with someone at home. I was shocked when I was given the chance to
drive on the streets of Brooklyn. I knew
nothing. Even the dashboard was an unfamiliar site. The steering wheel was in
front of me, but everything else, from the gas pedal, to the lights, to the
turning signal or even the radio knob, was foreign to me.
Each
time I went on the road, with three other kids and an instructor with a dual break,
I felt like I was on an adventure. Everything was so new and unfamiliar, and yet
it was fun to do something adults did, to do what my parents had never done.
I
passed the written test the first time. I took the classes and then the driving
lessons. But I really had very little
road time under my belt. I had no sense of the road, no sense of timing. Everything seemed to unfold before me but I
had no control, other than to break where needed. Every car door, every
vehicle, every pedestrian…all of them seemed like lurking dangers that I could
neither predict nor dictate.
Knowing
what I know now as an experienced, safe driver, I realize how unprepared for
the road I really was back then. Still, I took my road test, and failed.
I
failed again.
And
again.
too fast at a yield sign. Touching the curb when parking. It didn't take much to fail.
too fast at a yield sign. Touching the curb when parking. It didn't take much to fail.
I
think I then passed, but at age 17 or 16, I immaturely did not follow through. I had to actually put in some paperwork but
at escaped me. A little while later I
went to get my physical license but I was told it expired for failure to
process the papers.
I had to take the test yet again!
I
showed up with a car that failed. The windshield had a thin-line crack and the
DMV guy said I couldn’t take the test that day.
I
came back again -- and passed!
So I
showed up at least six times to take a test. I failed three times. My car failed once. And I passed twice.
So
what’s the lesson to all of this other than think twice about sharing the road
with me? Never give up. When it comes to
life, and book marketing in particular, do not give up. Stay after the prize,
even if you fail a few times. And even
when you succeed, you may fail again afterwards. No matter. Get back out there and try again.
There
are many tests in book marketing and even when you pass them one day, you need
to take them again tomorrow, and the next day.
My
first car was a used piece of shit that I bought for $400.It was an ’84
Plymouth Horizon with 60,000 miles and a history of headaches. I’ve learned over the years that used cars
purchased from individuals are usually lemons and that most American cars are
not very good. But that’s mother blog
post.
Family
and friends enjoyed ribbing me over how many times I took a road test but it
didn’t matter. I passed, had a license, and was equal to everyone on the road.
With time and practice, I felt capable and confident to drive. And with time and practice, you too will
succeed at book marketing.
Be
prepared to fail, but keep striving to succeed.
Never let a momentary setback stop
you.
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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions,
and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not
that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on
Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels
much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2019. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in
Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and
IBPA’s Independent. This was named one of the best book
marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and
recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also
named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a
panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.
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