Today marks the 15th anniversary of Primerica’s IPO—a day that will forever be etched in my memory. April 1, 2010, was not just a milestone for the company but a testament to resilience, perseverance, and the power of pushing through fear. It’s incredible to think back on the journey that led us to that triumphant moment on Wall Street, especially when I remember how close we came to giving up.
As I reflect on that day and the hard-fought battle to get there, I’m reminded of a lesson that has shaped my life and leadership: Fear and failure are not the end—they are the beginning of something greater when viewed through the right lens. This is one of the core principles I explore in my new book, Turn Your Fear Into Fuel.
In honor of this special anniversary, I want to share an excerpt from the book that takes you behind the scenes of those challenging days leading up to Primerica’s IPO. It’s a story about failure, fear, and ultimately finding the strength to try again.
Knowing what does not work is often as valuable as knowing what does. If you have experienced a failure in life, a loss, or a challenge that didn’t go your way, when viewed through the proper lens you’ll see you now have something extremely valuable: information. Information is the foundation for future choices and actions; it helps inform how we move in the world. What could be more valuable than that?
When we set aside the emotionality of a loss or failure, we can see that losses, trials, challenges, and failures are what give us the opportunity to be great. Without them, we would just float around living a life that is only partially informed about what it takes to succeed. I don’t know about you, but a win after a setback—when I’ve been able to adjust and re-aim—is so much sweeter than win after win after win.
When Rick Williams and I were in the middle of negotiating Primerica’s exit from Citigroup, there was a time when everything came crashing down. All the countless hours of hard work went entirely down the tubes. It was as though the life was sucked right out of us. We had been defeated, punched in the gut, and were struggling to see the silver lining. I was so down and out, I wasn’t sure there was any blue in the sky behind all of the clouds.
I was afraid. I thought, Even if we do get the opportunity to go through all this hard work again, what if it still doesn’t amount to anything? Is it worth it? Honestly, I wanted to give up. I seriously considered giving up.
Then I remembered why I was doing what I was doing. I envisioned the faces of all the people who helped make Primerica the successful company that it was. I pictured the families attached to each one of those faces, the children, the elders, the people who directly supported those people, and then I recommitted, and I dug in to try again. Rick and I had discovered what didn’t work, so this time, we would try again and investigate a different avenue. In the end, we wouldn’t have succeeded in the way we did without that initial failure. With my twenty-twenty hindsight, I wondered, Was it actually a failure? Or a success in the making?
There are few days as memorable as that day on Wall Street when Primerica went public and the cheers erupted. There were smiles for miles as we celebrated our shares going up and up. And that’s what they did for the rest of the day—they went up and up and up!
At one point, right after we were on television to celebrate the announcement of the IPO, I looked at Rick and this thought flashed through my mind: I almost gave all of this up because I was afraid to try again. I had almost let fear win. We had almost lost the fight. I had almost walked away. Can you believe that? I shudder to think of the damage that might have ensued had I chosen to give up at that point in time. I almost let fear stop me from reaching my destiny, and—for that matter, helping Primerica realize its own destiny.
A swelling of gratitude entered my heart, not only for the success of the company, but also for what that success would mean for all of the people who fought alongside us. Once again, I thought about all of the loved ones who depend on and support our Primerica family—and while I was already on cloud nine, I could not wait to celebrate our collective success together. Let me tell you, a shared achievement is infinitely more rewarding and fulfilling than an individual one.
That win was so sweet because of the trials we endured as a team to get to it. If it had been easy, would it have felt as worthwhile? After all, it’s the struggles that make you strong. When you learn to be grateful for the struggles, you know you are making great headway as a leader.
Sit with that for a minute: The struggles are what make you strong.
No one said this was easy, but it sure is worth it to take a minute and reevaluate how you approach your life’s circumstances in your mind.
The win might have been worth it for everyone else; and yes, that would have been more than enough. But what it did for me, for my faith in God and my faith in my ability to keep going even when I thought I couldn’t possibly take one more step, that experience forged a new paradigm at my core. It solidified my understanding that, even in the worst of times, I must always be grateful for the learning, shaping, and struggles that are taking place.
Fifteen years later, this lesson remains more relevant than ever: The struggles are what make you strong. Fear will always be part of life—it’s how you respond to it that defines your journey forward. If you’re facing challenges today or questioning whether you can keep going, let this be your reminder: Fear can be your greatest ally if you let it fuel your growth instead of stopping you in your tracks.
If this resonates with you or if you’re looking for more actionable strategies to turn your setbacks into comebacks, I invite you to order a copy of Turn Your Fear Into Fuel for yourself. It’s packed with lessons from my journey and tools to help you transform fear into a driving force for success.
Here’s to embracing fear—and turning it into fuel!
P.S. If you do pick up a copy of Turn Your Fear Into Fuel, be sure to let me know what you think! I’d love to hear from you, and your review on Amazon will help ensure the book is visible to others who may benefit from it.
FOMO (short for Fear of Missing Out) is that restless little itch that creeps up and tells you everybody else is out there doing something better, more exciting, or more meaningful than you are. It’s that gnawing feeling that life is happening somewhere else…and you...
Fear has a funny way of making the world feel small. Your heart pounds, your knees shake, and the idea of forward momentum feels almost laughable. But just when it seems like you’re stuck in place, you feel a hand on your shoulder. You look up and see that you’re not...
If you’re human, you’ve been afraid. Heck, you’ve probably even experienced the fear of something irrational, like the boogeyman or a monster under the bed. Those things aren’t real, but we experience them as though they are. I’m willing to bet that if you’re reading...
I’ve been talking about fear for more than twenty-five years—on stages, in boardrooms, and across kitchen tables with people who were searching for a way forward. The phrase “turn your fear into fuel” has been in my vocabulary for decades. But for one reason or...
“The scarcest resource in the world is not oil, it’s leadership.”
As Co-CEO of the largest independent financal services company in North America, John Addison’s skill as a leader was tested and honed daily. He retired in 2015 after taking the company and it’s people to massive heights. He’s just not done helping people get to the top. Today, he’s at the helm of Addison Leadership Group, INC working daily to mentor and educate new leaders.
Great Story! Thanks for sharing John. You will always be “family” and a great leader!
To lay it all on the line (physically and emotionally) you are truly a hero.
Thank you, Joe! I’d say it’s like reliving the glory days, but I feel like I’m still in them! In all seriousness, thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I did lay it all on the line, but, boy, was it worth it.
One of the best leaders
Simon, I am so flattered by your very generous comment. I have made a lifetime out of my personal leadership journey. Folks like you have made it worth all the while!