THE RAZOR'S EDGE

You are only one inch ... one step

one idea ... away from turning

onto the boulevard of beauty

in your own life.

It has often been said the line which separates winning from losing is as fine as a razor's edge—and it is. I am talking about winning in a big way and in all areas of your life.

W. Somerset Maugham wrote an entire book entitled The Razor's Edge, and Daryl F. Zanuck spent four million dollars producing a movie which had the same title. Both of these great men—author and movie maker alike—knew there wasn't a big difference among people; there was only a big difference in the things they accomplished. (That was the theme of the movie as well as the book.)

One person 'just about" starts a project, the other person starts it. One individual "almost" completes a task, the other does complete it. One person sees an opportunity, the other acts on it. One student "nearly" passes the exam, the other does pass it—and although the difference in their marks may be only one percentage point out of a hundred, it's that one point that makes all the difference.

The annals of sport's history are rich with dramatic illustrations of the Razor's Edge concept. For example, at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, there were eight finalists competing in the one-hundred meter dash, but the runner who won the Olympic gold medal was only one-tenth of a second faster than the runner who finished in last place.

In 1947, ARMED —the first race horse in the history of United States' racing to win over one million dollars in prize money over the duration of his career— had earnings of $761,500. But the horse which finished second in earnings that same year—a horse which often lost races a mile long by only "a nose"—won only $75,000. Now, if one were to look at their winnings alone, it would appear that ARMED was thirteen times better than his closest competitor. However, when you compare "the times" that were actually registered by those two horses in their races, you discover he really wasn't even four percent superior!

Now, you may have grown up with the idea that some people have it and some people don't. or because some people are much better than others, they enjoy much more of the abundance of life. But I want you to understand, right here and now, this idea is absolutely false! For you are every bit as good, or as powerful, as anyone you see, know, or even hear about. Remember. Since the difference between them and you is only in the area of accomplishments, and since there is something you can do that will vastly improve the results you are achieving presently, you have the potential to become even more successful than they are. You may already know how to do what others are doing (if you don't, you can learn), and since your potential power is unlimited, you can do even greater things than they are now doing.

The "something" that you must do to become more successful may not be what you think it is. But whatever it may be, rest assured, you are quite capable of doing it. Always bear in mind, however, that because each person's world is just a little bit different, the something which you must do is not necessarily the same thing the person you live with or work with, must do. Nevertheless, there is no question that you will eventually find out what it is that you must do. So make up your mind—immediately--when you do figure out what that Razor's Edge is for you, you will do it.

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