Find a way to succeed
Chip Hutcheson
Sep 1, 2026
At this particular moment, what do you need most to lift spirits at your newspaper?
No matter what line of work a person is in, discouragement can rear its ugly head. In today’s world, wouldn’t it be nice if the words of an old song were true: “Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play, where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.”
You don’t need to look out your window and see a buffalo, and you can live with an overcast sky — but a discouraging word can wreak havoc!
Let’s face it — there are times in the newspaper business when you are tempted to throw up your hands and wave the yellow flag:
- Advertising revenue is down.
- You have searched high and low for a reporter who can handle the burden of competently writing a growing number of stories each week.
- Your website needs an upgrade, but you don’t know how to accomplish that.
If you have been in this business long enough, you’ve had situations similar to this. You want to give up!
But take heart. Hopefully, these anecdotes will serve as an encouragement for you to be re-energized in your work.
• In 1953, a struggling business called the Rocket Chemical Co. — with a staff of three people — tried to create a line of rust-prevention solvents and degreasers for use in the aerospace industry.
It took 40 attempts to perfect their formula. That original secret formula for WD-40, which stands for Water Displacement — 40th attempt — is still in use today.
That is a story of persistence.
• Find a way to succeed. Persistence and determination can result in great achievement.
In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with Brooklyn; however, bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.
Roebling could not ignore the vision, and after much discussion and persuasion, he managed to convince his son, Washington, an up-and-coming engineer, that the bridge could be built. Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how obstacles could be overcome.
With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but only a few months into it, a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with some brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk, talk or even move.
In spite of the mockery and his handicap, Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge. His mind was still as sharp as ever.
Suddenly, an idea hit him. He would not let his disability define him. All he could do was move one finger, so he decided to make the best use of it. He slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish — but the project was under way again.
For 13 years, Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm. Finally, the bridge was completed. Today, the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances.
It is also a tribute to the engineers, their teamwork and to their faith in a man who was considered crazy by half the world. It stands, too, as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife, who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.
It’s a great example of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.
Whatever handicap you face, find a way to overcome what others don’t think possible.
• Ludwig van Beethoven is recognized as a musical genius. But few realize the adversity he had to overcome to achieve greatness. In his 20s, Beethoven began to lose his hearing.
His hearing problems haunted him into the middle years of his life, but he kept it a guarded secret. By the time he reached his 50s, Beethoven was completely deaf.
But he refused to give up. He was once overheard shouting at the top of his voice, "I will take life by the throat!" Many of his biographers believe the only reason Beethoven remained productive for so long was this determination.
• Finally, in tough times, find someone you trust who you can talk with and find encouragement. Seek out someone you can be honest with about the situations and struggles you face. Ideally, that person will not only encourage you but help you maintain determination to prosper in spite of obstacles faced.
Don’t expect magic solutions, but have someone in your life who will be that voice to inspire you to not give up on your aspirations.
Chip Hutcheson is the retired publisher of The Times Leader in Princeton, Kentucky. He was NNA president in 2015. He currently serves as a content strategist for Kentucky Today, the online news website of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Email him at chiphutcheson@yahoo.com
