There are a lot of similarities between sports and business. To be successful you have to work hard, maybe have a smidgen of luck, and definitely have a plan to succeed. But what about “Talent?” Do those born with special gifts (the ability to run fast for sports or communicate well in business) have a legitimate advantage over those “normal” people? I don’t think so.
The “thing” that levels the playing field is effort…usually effort OFF the field or AWAY from the office or business meeting. There are two quotes that bring home this concept…
- Bobby Knight – “Many have the will to win…few have the will to prepare to win.”
- Ed Foreman – “Successful people do the things unsuccessful people don’t like to do.”
Think of the greatest athletes of our generation: Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. They are famous and ultra-successful, not because of their talent (which they certainly have) but because of their over-the-top practice habits. Something a lot of pro athletes abhor…remember Allen Iverson’s famous rant…”We talking about practice!” In case you didn’t know…he had missed a team practice and couldn’t understand why everyone was upset.
The great ones have a “no exception policy.” They do those things that no one else wants to do without exception! It’s actually quite easy to stand out in your own “arena”…just do the little things that 99% of your peers don’t want to do, i.e. practice that proposal or research potential clients instead of watching TV; Go to the gym after work instead of happy hour. When you think of it…the ability to stand out over time is pretty simple. Those who were born with some type of advantage (talent) usually flame out because they don’t understand the effort it takes to overcome challenges. Make the effort to “prepare to win” and do the little things that create success, things most people don’t enjoy doing.
Effort beats Talent long-term every time!
Happy Selling!