Blue Helm

A few months ago I read the short, but poignant, book 212 Degrees. The purpose of the book is to demonstrate what a difference one degree of temperature, effort, thought or compassion makes. Water at 211 degrees is hot, but increase the temperature by one degree and the water boils. A one degree change in a flight plan can take you hundreds of miles from your destination. An extra degree of effort to be kind to your friends and family can take your relationships to a whole new level. An extra degree of thought in a press release can garner much more media coverage. One degree makes all the difference.

So what is the extra degree needed to take your Facebook page to the next level? What is the extra degree needed to make your YouTube video the next viral sensation? What is the extra degree that will turn your social media efforts into a strong source of revenue?

Take a little extra time to think through your social media strategy. You may already be doing a lot. Just remember, you could be one degree away from real success.

I’ve been thinking a lot this morning about persistence–pushing through the hard times with determination and optimism and faith. Persistence is not just a wonderful business or professional quality, but an essential life attribute. I decided to share today my favorite ten quotes about persistence (in no particular order), but please leave any other good quotes or ideas you have about the subject. This is a topic that never gets old.

“Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that so it goes on flying anyway.” — Mary Kay Ash

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” — Winston Churchill

“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” — Calvin Coolidge

“Some give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.” — Herodotus

“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.” — Louis Pasteur

“If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.” — Mary Pickford

“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” — Confucius

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people.” — Randy Paush

“Some guys they just give up living, others start dying little by little piece by piece, some guys come home from work and wash up, and go racing in the streets.” — Bruce Springsteen