We’ve all seen it. We’ve all heard it: “it was theirs to lose.” Children and adults expressing a desire to achieve something worthwhile: something they believe is, or may be, their destiny and passion. Yet the ultimate goal doesn’t come to pass.
We know life can interfere with plans and timelines, but when your passions don’t help you reach the top, and if they’re not a major source of growth and constant learning and improvement, that can mean your life isn’t in balance and harmony.
Over the years, I have witnessed many people who could have achieved something they said they wanted and were passionate about, but didn’t. I’ve also observed that there are very few differences between achieving the highest level in one area of life or another. If it’s that big an achievement, not everyone will do what is necessary to make it happen. Even when one is “in the game,” it still requires self-discipline and effort.
Here is some food for thought to help you achieve something beyond average and ordinary.
- Learn as much as possible about your craft, and practise it regularly – more than anyone else.
- Refuse to accept no or defeat; refuse to be bored.
- Recognize that difficulties, disappointments and plateaus will occur, but they won’t defeat you.
- Find a role model and/or mentor.
- Overnight success is a myth.
- Focus on learning and consistent effort, and remember that it takes time to form new ways of thinking, acting and speaking.
- Look and sound like you have arrived and are going places.
- Spend some time researching companies and people who are successful, those who could have given up at any time along the way, but didn’t.
There is a black-belt level of achievement in every field, even in personal life skills, and it is achieved by following similar patterns of thinking and effort. If you want it, it is yours for the taking and it is also yours to lose.
