Rush Limbaugh, who on Aug. 1, 2013 celebrated the 25th anniversary of his top-rated nationally syndicated talk radio show, which first aired on Aug. 1, 1988. (AP Photo)

(CNSNews.com) - Rush Limbaugh today celebrated the 25th anniversary of his top-rated nationally syndicated radio talk show, which first aired on Aug. 1, 1988.

While discussing the anniversary, Limbaugh reflected on the challenges he’s faced over the years--including the pessimists who did not believe he could succeed in talk radio at all, let alone achieve the tremendous success that he has.

“I had a senior executive at ABC Radio tell me in 1972, ‘If you want to stay in this business, you had better go into sales, because you just don’t have the talent. You’re never going make it,’" said Limbaugh.

“But the point is, I never listened to the naysayers,” he said.

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“Love and passion for what you do” is the key to overcoming those who seek to bring you down, said Limbaugh.

“It’s easy to be seduced by failure. It’s much easier than you think,” he said.

Limbaugh said it was inevitable to slip up a few times on the way up--and to expect people to go after you when you get to the top.

“It’s perfectly fine to have a couple slips off the ladder. It’s perfectly fine to have a failure here or there. It’s perfectly fine,” he said.

“And when you’re on your way up, nobody’s gunning for you.

“But when you get to where you’re going and if others perceive where you are to be the pinnacle, then the whole focus changes and everybody’s after you,” Limbaugh said.

“That makes staying where you are harder than getting there ever was.”