Still, it wasn't enough. After ten months, the local businessman wanted out, deciding
Domino's had no future. Since Domino's would probably be in liquidation soon, the
businessman agreed to take one of Tom's franchises and give Tom back his stock in
return. With Tom back in control of Domino's, he assured his creditors and vendors
that he'd pay everyone back if they gave him some time to get back on his feet.
Most agreed. His franchisees, however, weren't as sympathetic and filed a class-action
anti trust suit against Domino's. When Tom received the legal notice, he sat at
his desk and wept.
Over the next nine years, Tom slowly built back his business, paying off every last
creditor. For five years, he fought off a bitter, trademark-infringement lawsuit
brought by the makers of Domino Sugar. He struggled to survive against a wave of
competition within the burgeoning pizza industry.
But Tom did more than just survive. He built an unmatched reputation for Domino's
as a restaurant that could deliver a tasty piping-hot pizza, within thirty minutes
to the customer's door. This claim made Domino's the largest home delivery pizza
business in the world, and Tom became one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the
country, with 97 percent of the company's stock.
Tom reached that pinnacle of success despite a difficult childhood, the skimpiest
of financial resources, and little more than a high school education. Tom had every
reason to make excuses, to fail, to quit. But "quit" isn't in Tom Monaghan's vocabulary.
"Persistence" is.
"I feel all these setbacks were tools for me to learn from. I used them
as steppingstones and didn't see them as failures. A failure is when you stop trying,
and I never did that."
--Tom Monaghan
Action: Despite unending obstacles and misfortunes, Tom Monaghan remained focused
on his goal, and that focus enabled him to endure decades of tragedy, disappointment
and failures.
This month's action is to create a constant reminder of your goal.
It is important to keep your dream and the goals that support it at the forefront
of your mind. Sir Isaac Newton was asked how he discovered the law of gravity
and he replied, "By thinking about it all the time."
How can you creatively keep your goal and purpose in front of you throughout your
day? Write down three ways that you can you can surround yourself with your dream
to strengthen your commitment. For example: You could
• Record your purpose and goals on an audio cassette and play the tape as you're
driving, doing chores, resting, or meditating.
• List your goals on the screen saver of your computer.
• Write your purpose and goals on note cards or Post-its and strategically
place them throughout your house and office.
There are hundreds of ways to accomplish this goal. If you make the effort to remain
constantly focused on your goal, nothing can stop you.