Quotes About Persistence

I was a writer before I was a wrestler when I was in the WWE.

I had two or three jobs at the same time just I could afford myself and pay rent and school. Then I had a tryout with WWE, and I got signed right away.

Prior to the Cruiserweight Classic, I had a tryout with WWE in 2013 and was told that I wasn't what they were looking for at the moment.

It took me 16 years to get to the WWE. And the reason for that is that I did it - I don't want to call it the responsible way, but I'm going to call it the responsible way. I went to school, I worked multiple jobs, and yeah, I chased my dream.

My WWE career has been amazing. It took a lot of time for me to get here, and you never stop paying your dues.

I'm still that indie kid at heart. I'm still that guy who wrestled in front of 15 people and never knew he'd make it to WWE. I'm still that person.

I've been doing this close to 19 years now, and I always dreamed of being in the WWE.

I kept doing tryouts, and finally, after five years I got signed by WWE.

I just want to get out there and see what else is going on, but I will be back; obviously, the goal is to get back to WWE.

I don't think I'd be in WWE, and I wouldn't be in NXT, if it wasn't for my time in EVOLVE and Dragon Gate USA and things like that.

I think it's just in my nature to irritate people and push things as far as I can. It's really benefited me in WWE.

I'm here to leave my mark in WWE history.

For many years prior to landing my big break with WWE, I learned a lot about uphill battles. I had to scratch and claw day after day for a really big dream that, at many times, seemed totally impossible.

For a long time, the women of WWE have been waiting for moments to break down barriers.

Jonathan and Joshua Fatu, they are pretty much well secured there in WWE. I taught my kids everything they need to know in the industry, but I think they have nothing else to prove in WWE.

I started training at the Monster Factory, the ROH dojo, CZW, and I trained there. And eventually, I had a tryout with WWE.

Even before I became a WWE Superstar, I was told I was never going to make it because I wasn't big enough. You know what I mean? I wasn't strong enough, I wasn't 6 foot 8.

I think that being able to do a WWE studios film gives you confidence to say that I was able to go out there and accomplish something.

But of course it's always gonna be Suicide, our fingerprints, ya know? You can't ever get rid of that.

I was working at Nordstrom Rack, Borders Books, and I was cleaning yachts on the weekends for private parties and being a busboy. I had to break down the tables and roll the forks up in napkins. And I was still doing standup.

In my view, it's irreverence, foolish confidence and naivety combined with persistence, open mindedness and a continual ability to learn that created Facebook, Google, Yahoo, eBay, Microsoft, Apple, Juniper, AOL, Sun Microsystems and others.

Being brave is what led to three rejections from Yale Law School before being accepted. It led to losing my 2010 race for U.S. Congress, and another failed bid for public office in 2013, this time for public advocate of New York City.

I headed off to Yale, and eventually Georgetown Law, but I never forgot where I came from. I came back to South Carolina to teach 9th grade social studies.

When I got out of Yale Drama School, I was completely broke.