Law of Success (21st Century Edition)

PROFITING BY FAILURE 859

to salaries, that would translate to Hill's annual income being the equi-

valent of $214,680.

That calculation, however, is based on al/ goods and services purch-

ased by urban households, and as we've seen during recessions, the fact

that consumers spend less freely doesn't mean salaries are suddenly

decreased accordingly. And nor do salaries increase to match the freer

spending in a particularly good economic climate.

Now, twenty years later, I thank the hand of Fate for this forced
change. But at that time I looked upon the change as nothing but
failure.
The rainbow's end had disappeared, and with it that proverbial
pot of gold. It was many years later that I learned the truth-that
this temporary defeat was probably the greatest single blessing that
ever came my way, because it forced me out of a business that in
no way helped me to develop knowledge of self or of others, and it
steered my efforts in a direction that brought me the rich experience
I needed.
For the first time, I began to ask myself if it were not possible for
one to find something of value other than money and power at the
rainbow's end. This temporary questioning did not amount to open
rebellion, mind you, nor did I follow it far enough to get the answer.
It came merely as a fleeting thought, as do so many other thoughts
to which we pay no attention, and then passed out of my mind.
Had I known as much then as I know now about the law of
compensation, and had I been able to interpret experiences as I can
now interpret them, I would have recognized that event as a gentle
nudge from the hand of Fate. But after putting up the hardest fight
of my life, up to that time, I accepted my temporary defeat as failure
and thus was ushered into my next and fourth turning point. It gave
me an opportunity to put into use the knowledge of law that I had
acquired.