On February 28, 2016 Leonardo DiCaprio won the Oscar. After years of being turned down, Leo kept on and did not lose hope. Actually, I can’t claim that he didn’t lose faith.

Nomination upon nomination he was rejected. We don’t know what he was experiencing on the inside. Perhaps it was frustrating and devastating to him to not win the Oscar. Despite these feelings he was then nominated again. And he won.

We have all been through trying times. As human beings we have been hurt, rejected, tossed to the side and even demeaned. I know I have been all of these things. Yet I kept persevering. Rejection email after rejection email I was convinced that I would never publish a book. Today I stand before you having published four books. Two of my books are on sale at Barnes & Noble.

I would never have dreamed of this seven years ago.

We have all been where Leonardo DiCaprio has been. We have all experienced rejection on a profound level. It is our duty as human beings to fall on our faces. Without being tossed aside, we would not appreciate success.

Success is something that is earned. You appreciate being able to achieve your goals when you have fallen in the proverbial mud one too many times.

I know I do.

It was a pleasure watching Leo take his Academy award with a big smile.

We are all Leonardo DiCaprio.
We are all humans who fail and pick ourselves back up and kick some ass.

So go out there and succeed.

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