The Pursuit of Happyness

Chris Gardner's first day at Bear Stearns:

"Chris, you've got a phone call, pick up."

Clueless as to who it is, since nobody knows I'm here, I pick up and ask, "Who is it?"

The receptionist tells me, "It's Ace Greenberg."

To myself I say, Ace Greenberg? Out loud to her, I say "Ace Greenberg?"

I don't know Ace Greenberg, but in unison everybody in the room with me says, "Take the call, take the call!"

The call is put through. "Hello?" I say, oblivious to the fact that Ace Greenberg is the senior partner and CEO of Bear Stearns, responsible for building the firm up to where it is at this point in time.

His call is to welcome me to Bear Starns, to which he adds, "We want you to know something, Chris Gardner. Bear Stearns was not built by people who have MBA's. Bears Stearns was built by people who have PSDs!

PSDs? I'm stumped.

But before I can ask, Ace Greenberg explains, "PSDs are people who are Poor, Smart with a deep Desire to become wealthy. We call them PSDs. Welcome to the firm Chris."

Then the phone goes click. I have died and gone to heaven! Poor, Smart, with a deep Desire to become wealthy. That's me, to a tee, PSD.

The phone call kicked it all off. It was on.