“Success” By Berton Braley

I have heard Willie Jolley recite this poem several times and I get fired up each time. During the last recitation, I asked him who wrote the poem and told him how much I loved it. I even asked my coach to ask Willie to recite it during our group coaching calls. I was thrilled to hear the rhythm and the cadence as only Willie Jolley or Les Brown could do it. May this poem inspire and excite you as it continues to inspire me.

” Success”

If you want a thing bad enough

To go out and fight for it,

Work day and night for it,

Give up your time and your peace and your sleep for it

 

If only desire of it

Makes you quite mad enough

Never to tire of it,

Makes you hold all other things tawdry and cheap for it

 

If life seems all empty and useless without it

And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,

 

If gladly you’ll sweat for it,

Fret for it,

Plan for it,

Lose all your terror of the opposition for it,

 

If you’ll simply go after that thing that you want.

With all your capacity,

Strength and sagacity,

Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,

 

If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,

Nor sickness nor pain

Of body or brain

Can turn you away from the thing that you want,

If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it,

With the help of God you will surely get it!

                         Published in: Things as they are, 1916

 

Willie Jolley’s Version of Berton Braley’s Poem