When I was in grade school, I remember some of the crazy perceptions I had. One of these was that only people born with innate special talents in something were successful in it. For instance, if I played basketball and did not have some immediate success, I figured I was not meant for the game. Based on what I was taught, mistakes were not a good thing. They meant you were not good at something. They were a sign of failure.
This is just another form of the crap they used to teach us in school.
Mistakes are a great thing and everyone makes them. It is part of our nature. We are not perfect beings. We are beings capable of making decisions toward becoming perfect. This brings up the other major fallacy I had: the thought that people are born special. They are not. Don’t be upset. You, I, or the next person are not anymore special than anyone else. Some people are born with better abilities for certain things then others, but this is just a starting point. Think about it. Not every 7 foot tall person is a basketball star.
People are not special. Some of them just do special things.
Determination always triumphs talent. Think of the greatest athletes or out time. Would you say Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong or Tiger Woods were the most talented in their respective sports? Maybe. But I bet you would have no doubt that their ruthless determination to win is unmatched by any of their competitors.
When you see a Tiger Woods commercial, does it show how far he can hit the ball? Not the ones I have seen. However, I have seen one where Tiger practices every day no matter what, even in the rain. And plenty of ones where he triumphs through all sorts of distractions with his signature mental toughness.
The point is that these men may be very talented, but they do special things because of their determination. We all have different talents, but they are just that, talents. They are undeveloped. In order to take your talent to the next level, you must develop it. You must work hard, practice hard, research everything, and become a sponge of knowledge on your goal. You must do everything in your power to get there. I will repeat it again:
People are not special. Some of them just do special things.
Remember this the next time you think to yourself, ‘I can’t do this.’ What you are saying is that you can not do it as well as others, yet. But the key word is…YET. If you were determined enough, I bet you could do anything. Just look at the videos on this blog from previous Fridays if you have any doubt about the power of determination.
The greatest thing about being human is our ability to control our own destiny. Do not take it for granted. It is a power like nothing else on this earth. If we set our mind on something, anything, it is only a matter of time and effort before we achieve it. So, for the last time, please remember…
One Comment
Awesome post!
It’s amazing what you can do when you believe that you can. And have the courage to continue in the face of the most adversity.