Success Is Never a Straight Line: Lessons From the Comeback Stories

Some days I feel old: decades in martial arts, decades in the martial arts business, and a long run since founding Mile High Karate. In my daily conversations with owners grossing anywhere from $6,000 a month to over $1,000,000 a year, I’m constantly reminded of one truth that every owner needs tattooed on their brain: success is never a straight line.

Nobody Climbs in a Straight Line

I’ve always devoured biographies of successful people, and the lesson is the same every time. Read about almost anyone — Howard Hughes, Walt Disney, Ray Kroc, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates — and you’ll find no one had an uninterrupted, straight-line path to the top. Remember that Steve Jobs was fired by Apple’s own board and reviled inside and outside the company. Then he came back to build Pixar, become Disney’s largest single shareholder, and lead the return of Apple with iTunes, the iPod, the Mac, and the iPhone. The line to the top is almost always tumultuous.

What I Tell Owners Who Are Struggling

During tough stretches, plenty of schools close their doors while others change their systems and grow dramatically despite the conditions. The owners who are struggling get the same speech from me every time:

• It’s not as bad as it looks.
• It’s not nearly as bad as it feels.
• Stay focused on your 2-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year objectives.
• Decide where you want to go — and start to work.

What I Tell Owners Who Are Winning

And the owners who are succeeding get a different message: now it’s time to expand your thinking to the next level. Decide how you want your life to unfold, and build your business to fully support that direction. I’ve watched an owner go from $30,000 net in a year to making that much in a quarter — sometimes in a single month. That’s a profound change in lifestyle, and it calls for an expansion of thinking to reach the next level of success.

Pick a “Success Study Project”

Here’s a concrete assignment: choose a success study project. Read biographies that reveal the success personality and the real, messy road these people traveled. A few worth your time: Pizza Tiger by Thomas Monaghan, McDonald’s: Behind the Arches by John F. Love, Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz, and Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler.

I’ll leave you with this: back in 1969, a young and not-yet-famous Bruce Lee wrote himself a one-page “definite chief aim” — a clear declaration that he would become the highest-paid Asian superstar in the United States, deliver performances of the highest quality, and ultimately live the way he pleased in inner harmony and peace. He wrote down exactly where he was going years before he got there. The line wasn’t straight — but the destination was crystal clear. Make yours just as clear.

Related Reading

• Powerful Commonalities in Our Differences: What the Top 5% Share
• Schools Just Like Yours Are Getting Amazing Results — Here’s How
• The 1% or the 99%?
• The Millionaire Mindset: Fixing Your Relationship With Money
• Case study: How the Sullivans built a $1.3M school from a $7.42 start

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does “success is never a straight line” matter for school owners?

Because setbacks are normal, not signs of failure. Nearly every highly successful person endured major reversals. Expecting the dips keeps you focused on long-term objectives instead of quitting during a rough stretch.

How should I respond to a downturn in my school?

Recognize it’s rarely as bad as it looks or feels, stay anchored to your multi-year goals, and change your systems rather than your ambition. Schools that adapt often grow fastest during hard times.

What is a “success study project”?

A focused reading project — usually biographies of highly successful people — that teaches you the mindset and the realistic, non-linear path to major success. It’s one of the simplest ways to expand your thinking.

Ready to Add 100 Students to Your School?

Get the proven plan to push through any plateau: claim your free copy of Six Simple Steps to Add 100 New Students to Your School at SimpleSteps.com.

And to strengthen the skill at the heart of every great school, study Extraordinary Teaching at ExtraordinaryTeaching.com.

Stephen Oliver, MBA, is a 10th Degree Black Belt, the founder of Mile High Karate and Martial Arts Wealth Mastery, and is known industry-wide as “The Millionaire Maker.”