“Nothing in this world can take the place of good old persistence. Talent won’t. Nothing’s more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius won’t. Unrecognized genius is practically a cliche. Education won’t. Why the world is full of educated fools. Persistence and determination alone are all powerful.”
– Ray Krok (The Founder)
There is no denying that Ray Krok is one of the most influential characters in the history of business. His methods were nasty, but he accomplished what he set out to accomplish, and then some. What he did to the McDonald brothers was nasty. Fowl even. I don’t deny that it made me feel bad for them, but there is no denying that he did what it took to be successful in something that he wanted to be successful in.
The Founder is a sort of off-brand motivation for me. I love that Ray Kroc saw something he wanted and was downright tenacious in turning his vision into a reality. I don’t applaud the way he went about doing it, but perhaps that is why I am not running a 9-10 figure fast-food empire. The quote above is my favorite, but it is not the quote from the movie that seemed to define Mr. Kroc and his attitude toward being successful.
“If my competitor were drowning I’d walk over and I’d put a hose right in his mouth” is the quote that really says it all. I am not inspired or motivated to be that callous or nasty, but if you really want to do or be something with every fiber of your being, can you really afford to be any less devoted to your dream?
All nastiness aside, The Founder had its entertaining and educational moments as well. It was full of hardships, failures, and a lot of educational moments that remind you to learn effective communication, salesmanship, attention to details, no matter how small, and to keep fighting tooth and nail until you see your dream materialize into reality.
Journeyman's Legacy 