How I Measure Success
Posted by John Draper | Filed under In the News
Good day good folks. I have good news. This week Til Debt Do Us Part was nominated for a Gemini — our second nomination. We won the first time. This is Canada’s version of the Emmys. And while they are much maligned for various silly reasons, no one ever turns one down. It funny how at once we want to pretend it doesn’t matter much, but then we want to WIN! Even getting a nomination means you have one of the best shows going.
I browsed around the Gemini website after the nomination was announced to see who else had been nominated. One of the other shows nominated, At the End of my Leash, is produced by the cute chick who recruited me for Frantic (my producer) and then moved on. She’s a smart girl and deserves the recognition.
I call the show “Til Dogs Do Us Part” because the show so closely follows our format: something is wrong big-time (in their case, it’s the dogs; in our case, it’s the money), there are challenges, and there’s a resolution. There are several other shows that have picked up our format; some are better at it than others. As they say, “Imitation is the highest form of flattery.”
When we won a couple years ago, I had passed on the invitation to the party. I’m not a big party-girl. I would much rather sleep, which is what I was doing when the call came that we had won. My daughter answered the phone and said, “Sorry, we never wake a sleeping Mommy.” Ha! Ken told me at midnight when I got up to pee. I went back to sleep with a very big grin on my face.
I’ve been invited to go again this year. If I’m already in town shooting, then I’ll go. If not, I’ll wait to hear who won. It doesn’t really matter since it doesn’t much change anything for me. Here’s what does:
Yesterday when I got home from work there was a parcel on my desk. It came with a quote and a letter. The quote was from Maya Angelou, whom I admire greatly.
“People will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
The gift was a teapot shaped like a hippo. (No rush of hippos, please.) Alex, who sent the gift, really hit home with that because I’ve been collecting hippos for years, but this is the first one I’ve ever received this way.
The letter was my favorite part. I was very flattered by what Alex wrote, but I was most satisfied by her final line: “I have my peace of mind and life back. Thank you.”
You’re very welcome Alex. I am so glad you have been able to put my tips to good use. But you are to be congratulated on doing so. It’s very easy to “say”; to “do” is the tough part. And YOU did. I am so proud of what you’ve accomplished, and to have been able to help.
I often hear from people why they CAN’T. They can’t make more money because they already work so hard. They can’t pay off their credit cards because they don’t have the money. They can’t save… for a million reasons.
Alex could. Like the little engine, she made it up the hill. So she, and all of the people who DO, should be very proud of themselves. (Take a Gail Hug here.)
Attitude is half the battle. Knowing you can do it is a big part of success. The other half is plain old hard work. Some people just don’t have what it takes.
Whether we win a Gemini is of very little importance when put beside Alex — and all the Alexes — who have taken the work we have done and used it to make a positive difference in their lives. I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished on this show. And I’m so proud of all of you who have take the tools and made a change. Here’s to you!
August 28, 2008 at 10:14 am
Congrats on your nomination Gail. It’s well deserved. The viewers (and readers of this blog) are very lucky to benefit from all of your hard work.
August 28, 2008 at 11:30 am
TDDUP deserves any positive recognition that it gets! It is a terrifically done show with just the right mix of shocking details and truly helpful tips that anyone can apply.
(I find with too many shows about tough situations, they focus so much on the bad stuff, there is no real time to show how to help, and that’s a shame. TDDUP manages to rise above that, and that is why I am a stolidly loyal fan…. lots of real examples of how it could be worse and how to REALISTICALLY make it better!!!!!)
Your no-nonsense, no-excuses aproach is exactly right for the show and a joy to learn from.
August 28, 2008 at 11:55 am
You are right Gail, success should be measured on lives touched and helped, not simply shiny awards (although it doesn’t hurt!).
Congratulations to all of you who managed to rise to the challenge and pay off of your debts, get on track financially and ignore the nasty gremlins that keep telling us we should buy, buy, buy!
A big congrats on the nomination and a thank you to you Gail for your work, passion and commitment!
August 28, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Congratulations to you and your team, Gail. TDDUP has remained a quality show through its entire run. I can’t say the same for some other Canadian how-to-live-right shows that were decent early on, became more polished, then lost their appeal after a season or two. If anything, your program has become more engaging and relevant as time has gone on.
August 28, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Congratulations!! It’s definitely well deserved
My families outlook on money has changed after watching your show. We have taken many of your tips and tricks and have applied them to our lives. I love your realistic, common sense approach. After “getting it” i am always so surprised when others don’t! Thanks for having your website and blog so accessible for us!
August 28, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Gail, you and your team earned that nomination with every episode! Well done.
That quote is so appropriate as some of us consumers start or continue to think about the upcoming festive season of gift giving. Give from the heart, not the pocketbook. Make a memory that will last a lifetime.
August 28, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Absolutely thrilled for you, Congratulations!
It is a fab show and I enjoy it (when it’s on our telly!) all the way over here in England!
August 28, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Well done Gail & team!
You all deserve the recognition. You help so many more people than just the persons on the show.
Here’s to many many more seasons!
August 28, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Congratulations Gail and crew on your Gemini nomination! My husband and I enjoy your show and your approach to family life, relationships, and finances. Cheers on a job well done and looking forward to many more seasons of TDDUP.
August 28, 2008 at 8:53 pm
That is fantastic news – CONGRATULATIONS!! I can’t think of a show more deserving.
Can’t wait for the new season to start.
August 29, 2008 at 9:24 am
Gail, congratulations. Can’t think of a Canadian show I enjoy more.
I would like you to consider doing a show on a young(ish) couple who actually are living financially responsible lives, just to show everyone that it can actually be done as one-off special
August 29, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Well done, I recommend your show and blog to all my clients!
August 29, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Congratulations!
Your show is truly excellent, and has really really help keep me grounded.
August 30, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Congratulations on your nomination. Very well deserved. However just to make one correction. At the End of My Leash’s pilot (then called Stepping In It) was first produced prior to Til Debt being on the air and a full year before the ‘cute chick’ began her work on the show. In fact, we often call Til Debt, ‘At the End of My Debt’.
August 30, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Leasher, ha! Good to see that you, too, have a great sense of humour! Cheers and congrats to you too.
September 4, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Such a wonderful show, and such a bad time slot it’s been moved to now on SLICE TV – 6:30 p.m. I’ll have to leave work earlier, walk the dog faster, make dinner quicker, plan meals ahead of time, get the laundry going before work….yes, all wonderful things to help me get on the road to debt freedom by organizing my cluttered life – but I still wish the powers that be had left it alone at 7:30 p.m.! It was a perfect time to unwind for 30 minutes. What gives?
September 4, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I’ve just been informed that when the new episodes start airing in October, they’ll be on Monday night at 8:00. The network makes all decisions about when a show will air.
December 19, 2008 at 1:55 am
Thank you Gail! I remember a year and a half ago, we needed your help and I looked online to put in an application. I was dissapointed that you were nowhere near us geographically, and that $5000 looked so tempting. Since then and after implimenting so many of your tools (after procrastinating a little more and getting off track a few times). I am proud to be at least $20 000 out of dept and just shy of halfway there. It is so hard but I have you to thank! I check in everyday, and you keep us on track.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
September 10, 2009 at 8:57 am
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Cheers! Sandra. R.
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