talent’s overrated

Posted by on April 13, 2012 No comments

Talent is something that comes natural. Most people think they need to be “talented” to embark on their grand journey… or they don’t embark. The myth here is simple. Talent attracts success. Not true.

If anything, most people squander their talent simply because they don’t have to work as hard to gain great results. It brings me back to middle school. This one kid was so talented, it didn’t seem like he tried or gave a shit. He was just faster and had an extra lung stored away somewhere and when he wanted to be faster it was on. (I don’t even remember him looking winded after a race.) <— I doubt this is true but it’s the way I remember it!

Now towards my point.

The people at the top of their games look extraordinarily talented, sure but VERY VERY few people create anything of real substance just off their innate pure talent. What you’re actually seeing and thinking is talent is actually skill. Skill is something that takes YEARS to cultivate and develop. Skill isn’t found in DNA, it’s grown from blood, sweat, and tears.

The best part is, skill holds no prejudice. Skill doesn’t care who you are, where you grew up, or how much money you have.

There are few real instances where you actually couldn’t do what your ambitions and passion steer you towards. We all start somewhere. Don’t let your talent or lack of talent stop you from following your gut.

You may just find that years from now people will be admiring just how talented they think you are.

your path and some secret sauce

Posted by on April 11, 2012 No comments

Ira Glass tells it his way. (And for my money this is as beautiful an articulation as any I’ve heard)

People are going to sell you on their way or the best route to achieving success in your business endeavor. But this process is actually VERY easy to sum up, quickly. AND I’ll do it for free!

Your path is your path. You’re going to need to go through some shit before you get to where you want to go. No one can tell you what you’re going to experience nor can they tell you what you need to do to be successful. Things don’t work that way.

Somewhere along the way consumer-istic retardation crept in… turns out there’s a serious market with serious money and droves of unsuspecting glory seekers. These are the romantics that want all the great material things they’ve learned to worship from TV and they kinda want to do something about getting what they already feel is entitled to them.

Here’s some serious secret sauce:
1. Find what you enjoy, what you feel great about being involved in. (Work that “matters” to you)
2. Do LOTS OF IT. Then do LOTS MORE. (Keep doing more of it, for years 5-10-20-40 or more)
3. Find a process or create your own routine to keep you consistent. (A partner helps)

That’s it. There’s more of course. But none of it will make that much of a difference.

feelings and overwhelm

Posted by on April 9, 2012 No comments

We’ve all let overwhelm creep in and try to steal the show. Some times things just feel too heavy, exhaustion is winning and maybe it’s time to stop trying to win. I certainly feel this from time to time. I imagine everyone goes through this feeling.

What’s important to realize is that it’s a feeling. Not a definition of your reality. And like all feelings we experience, they are fleeting. I’ve always found it valuable to understand what I’m feeling, but to remember that this feeling doesn’t define who I am or what I’m capable of.

These feelings are very real. They can and will attempt to threaten your dreams. Do not give them your power.