It’s a new year. We all have a lot to do and 343 days left to do it. We all hope our efforts will make a real difference.
If the mountain looks steep, look instead at Stanley Rygor for inspiration. Rygor is quite possibly the Cal Ripken Jr. of advertising.
For those unfamiliar with Ripken, the Baltimore Orioles shortstop played in 2,632 consecutive Major League Baseball games, breaking Lou Gehrig’s record. Ripken was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. But maybe Cal Ripken Jr. is the Stanley Rygor of baseball. Let me explain.
After serving on a Navy battleship in World War II, Rygor got a job in the mailroom at Doremus, an ad agency in New York City. Stanley never took a sick day or was late to work for — are you ready? — 59 YEARS.
Twice during transit strikes Rygor walked from his home in Queens to Doremus’ downtown Manhattan office — and still arrived at work on time. (You may want to hide this from your boss.)
Stanley Rygor eventually became senior VP account supervisor before retiring at the age of 80 two years ago.
As another New Yorker, Woody Allen, once said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”
(Source: B to B, June 12, 2006)
Neil Sagebiel 