On Being Bold
The first and only person to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel (at the time) was a 62 year-old woman who did it for fame and fortune...
62! In a barrel!
This was 1901, the year of the Pan-American Exposition - which brought millions of people to the Buffalo/Niagara area in search of invention and wonder.
And Annie Edison Taylor was right in thinking the stunt would lead her to riches.
It did.
Boldness is often rewarded.
But when matched with uninspiring intent and limited skill, boldness can be wasted.
And its results, short-lived.
Annie lost all the money she gained as a result of her tumble into fame.
She even lost her barrel.
"Swindled by 'unscrupulous managers' during post-plunge publicity tours," they said.
Be bold.
We need you to be.
But be sure to sharpen those skills of success too.
It's better to keep the rewards of your risk-taking.
If you’d like to read more of Annie Edison Taylor’s story, here’s a fun article from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/obituaries/annie-edson-taylor-overlooked.html
