The image of Colonel Sanders is closely associated with the KFC restaurant chain he founded in the 1950s.

But most people aren't aware of the incredible amount of effort and dedicated salesmanship the Colonel summoned to build his business.

While operating an automobile service station, the Colonel decided to grow his business by opening a restaurant at his station for travelers to have a bite to eat when they stopped. One of his specialties was fried chicken made with a special blend of herbs and spices. But customers were in a hurry and the preparation time for the chicken was too long.

Colonel Sanders heard of a new invention called the pressure cooker and began to experiment with it for chicken preparation. He found it substantially reduced cooking time and caused his herbs and spices to become deeply embedded inside the chicken. His business flourished. But a major life challenge confronted him.

When he was 65, a new interstate highway bypassed his business and forced him to sell his operation to pay off bills. Instead of retiring and living off government retirement benefits, the Colonel decided to kick his life up a notch. Knowing he had a wonderful chicken recipe, he began traveling across the United States, attempting to sign up franchisees from which he would receive a portion of the money received from each chicken sold.

The Colonel was tireless. Some stories say he was told “no” 1009 times even before his first sale. But by 1964, the Colonel had signed up more than 600 franchisees, and sold his business for a great amount of money. He continued on as a spokesman for the restaurant chain until his death in 1980.

Several lessons can be learned from the story of Colonel Sanders:

Colonel Sanders looked for new ways to do things. By taking advantage of new technology, the Colonel substantially reduced cooking time, which was key to growing his business.

Colonel Sanders would not be defeated. A new highway bypassed his business—an event beyond his control. But the Colonel used that setback to achieve even greater things.

Colonel Sanders was persistent as a salesman. Receiving a tremendous number of rejections did not deter him. He kept selling. He believed passionately in his product and in his ability to sell it.

Colonel Sanders did not use age as an excuse. At age 65, most people think of retirement. They feel like they have done their life’s work and contemplate a life of relaxation and leisure. Many think they are too old to begin an exciting and productive new chapter of their lives and are intimidated with starting challenging pursuits. Not the Colonel.

The next time you face a challenge in your life, remember the story of Colonel Sanders.

This story was submitted by Scott Fite, who specializes in Peak Performance Coaching. Stop by his website at www.lifedesigncenter.com for more peak performance information and to sign up for a free newsletter.