The Midnight Rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes

On April 18, 1775 a stable boy overheard one British officer say to another something about “hell to pay tomorrow”.  This bit of conversation along with other evidence convinced revolutionaries in Boston that the British were finally about to make their long anticipated move.  It was believed that the British were planning to march on Lexington to arrest John Hancock and Sam Adams and then move on Concord to seize the store of arms that had been collected there by local revolutionaries.

The midnight ride of Paul Revere has become a part of the lexicon of American History.  The British expected little resistance and a swift victory.  Instead, they encountered a strong and organized defense and were soundly defeated.  Although this is an amazing story, it is not a complete one.

That night in 1775, Paul Revere did not set out alone.  He an one other, a local Tanner named William Dawes, set out with the exact same mission and message.  Revere was to take an easterly path north to Lexington and Dawes a westerly path north to Lexington.  They both arrived in Lexington, having delivered their messages but history does not remember William Dawes. He failed.  Despite having delivered the same message as Paul Revere, Dawes was unable to do so in a manner that spread the message in the way Paul Revere had done.  In the wake of Paul Reveres sales blitz from Boston to Lexington, his message spread out behind him like a virus, reaching thousands of people.  Dawes was so unsuccessful that some the towns he visited were later accused of being full of British sympathizers because they did not respond to the defense of Lexington and Concord.

Historians still argue over the reasons for Dawes failure but I believe the answer lies in the difference between the men themselves. I see it as a very simple matter.  I believe that Paul Revere was simply a more energetic, passionate and ultimately, effective salesman.  When you look back at the story of the midnight ride of Paul Revere in this way, it beautifully illustrates that messaging alone does not sell.  If it did, William Dawes would be as famous as Paul Revere, but clearly he is not.

Every day hundreds of thousands of sales reps leave their homes carrying a message.  If you are one of them, I challenge you to ask yourself every morning whether or not you are going to be forgotten like William Dawes or remembered like Paul Revere.  Will you do just enough to get through to the end of the day or will you execute your mission with passion and energy?  The choice, as it always is, is yours alone.

Choose well, be inspired and have a great day.