How To Become An Overnight Success

Taylor Hicks, Evelyn Adams, William "Bud" Post, EldrickWell, you may have seen a small trend in the
Woods, Suzanne Mullins, and Joanne "Jo" Rowling allmini-biographies of Taylor Hicks and J. K. Rowling.
have something in common. For at least one time inAlthough they fit into the category, even a cursory
each of their lives, they were an overnight success.scanning of their lives shows they paid their dues for
Many Americans, at least, will recognize Taylor Hickssome time before success found them. In fact, the
as a 2006 winner of the popular TV show, "Americanovernight success they experienced came about after
Idol". British subjects have cause to be proud ofyears of disappointment, standing on the bottom rung
Joanne "Jo" Rowling who is more easily recognized byof the ladder, and in some cases, not even being near
her pen name, J. K. Rowling. Those who still don'tthe ladder.
recognize her have almost certainly heard of the boyTiger Woods has been called by some a "golfing
wizard she created who goes by the simple name ofprodigy", and that is not an unrealistic assessment.
Harry Potter. Harry's a bit of an overnight successHowever, even a Tiger Woods does not get to where
himself, and he has taken J. K. Rowling along on ahe is today by strapping on a set of cleats and
magical ride. Who's Eldrick Woods? Oh, if I had justwandering out onto a golf course with a nine iron and
said Tiger Woods, you would have picked up on it righta dream. He learns, practices, fails, assesses, moves
away, and where's the fun in that?forward, falls down, gets up, and starts all over again.
Who are Evelyn Adams, William Post, and SuzanneIn other words, an overnight success very seldom
Mullins? We'll get to that in a moment.happens overnight. The success comes after a lot of
There are essentially two ways to become aneffort on the part of the successful person.
overnight success. Taylor Hicks, J. K. Rowling, andAfter a memorable performance, a great pianist was
Tiger Woods exemplify the first way.approached by one of the audience. The fan spoke
Taylor Hicks became an overnight success in theglowingly about the performance and finished with the
middle of 2006 when he won top spot on theremark that she wished that she could play as well.
"American Idol" TV show. That much many "AmericanPerhaps with more truth than tact, the pianist replied to
Idol" fans and music buffs around the world now know.the effect that she was wrong. She could NOT
What many don't know, or even think about, is thatgenuinely wish to play as well as he. Otherwise, she
Taylor Hicks spent a decade as an independent artistwould practice for hours a day year after year as he
before his overnight success. Had you been at thedid, rather than simply "wishing" she could play as well.
Playboy Mansion, the Talledega Motor Speedway, or inOvernight success is so named from its apparently
Auburn, Alabama on the right night, you might havesudden appearance on one's doorstep. However,
gotten to hear him perform. Over the years, he did getsuccess is not too good at finding people unless they
to perform with such legendary names as Jameshave built a pathway for it to follow, and perhaps lit a
Brown, Tom Petty, and Jackson Browne. However, upbeacon as well.
until the night he won the "American Idol" competition,I mentioned that there are essentially two ways to
HIS name was not exactly a household item.become an overnight success, and I have
Joanne Rowling was turned down by Oxford Collegeconcentrated on the first group for a reason. If you
in her younger days and worked variously as awish to join that group, YOU are the one in control of
researcher and secretary and also in Portugal as athe situation. If you seriously want to be in the first
teacher of English. In the early 90's, she got the initialgroup, you now have an idea of what you might need
idea for the young wizard who eventually becameto do.
Harry Potter, and began writing. She completed herSo, who are Evelyn Adams, William "Bud" Post, and
first novel while she was unemployed. She was livingSuzanne Mullins? They too were overnight successes.
at the time on what we in America would callThey each won a lottery.
"welfare". When she first tried to market "Harry PotterEvelyn Adams actually was an overnight success
and the Philosopher's Stone", a close friend, who wastwice. She won the New Jersey lottery in 1985 and
on her side, advised her to "get a day job" because he1986. She won a total of 5.4 million dollars. She lost it all,
didn't feel she had a chance to make much money indonating part of it to some needy Atlantic City slot
children's books. The first printing run wasmachines. "Bud" Post won 16.2 million dollars in
one-thousand books and half of those were sent toPennsylvania but eventually wound up living on his
libraries. Today, those first one-thousand books aresocial security. Suzanne Mullins won 4.2 million dollars in
each one a collector's item in itself. While this1993. She lost all of it and went even deeper in debt
ex-secretary and English teacher must surely bethrough poor decisions on its use.
pleased by the fantastic income she has made fromThere's another term sometimes used for an overnight
the Harry Potter books and movies, she is possiblysuccess. That term is "flash in the pan". Many people
even more pleased by the fact that in 2006, in a pollwho are seeking what they see as success will often
by "The Book Magazine", J. K. Rowling was selectedwind up as just a flash in the pan at best unless they
as "the greatest living British writer."are willing to get out the necessary tools and prepare
Okay, so how did Tiger Woods get in a list ofthe pathway so that success can find them.
overnight successes?