Inspiration from Urkel

 Of late I have been watching the re-runs of Family Matters a classic comedy which used to be a hit back in the day.  A scene from one of the episodes touched me. Family Matters centers around an African American family the Winslows and their nerdy next door neighbor Steve Urkel who is crazy about the eldest daughter of the family Laura. Steve is nuts about Laura and will do anything for her. So in this episode Laura is with one of her friends, the scene is something like this:

‘Laura can you go to the home coming dance with me’ said Steve.

‘No, thanks’she responds.

Then Steve starts celebrating and Laura’s friend is confused and asks Steve why he is so happy when he has just been turned down and he answers:

‘Yesterday it was drop down nerdy boy and today it was a simple no thanks.That is progress’
Then he goes on to do his  weird dance saying to Laura,
'I'm wearing you down babe, I'm wearing you down.

I had an immediate flash back of a similar thing that happened awhile back to me. When I moved to South Africa for a long time my job search was very disheartening. I used to apply for loads and loads of jobs but I would not hear back from anyone– zero, just silence. I keep at it and then I started to get responses – regrets  but I was so happy to get them because I reasoned that I had made progress because now there was evidence my applications were being received and at least being looked at.

Persistence is a requirement for anyone who wants to make it in life. It is only those who persist who will get to the finish line. I have found that in the journey of persisting celebrating small victories helps. It might seem like a small thing but it’s a victory all the same and it’s a step closer to the final goal. Steve Urkel you rock, thanks for reminding me to acknowledge and celebrate all victories even the small ones because it means one step closer to where I want to go.