Everyone has dreams and aspirations most often tied to wealth and prosperity. Surprisingly few (from my experience) have the will to pursue these ambitions and a shockingly large amount of people don’t feel that they either deserve to reach an end such as this or feel it’s within their reach.
I’m not going to be that guy that says “you can do it if you work hard” to every soul on the planet because let’s be realistic, I am very fortunate to have been born into a middle class suburb of Atlanta and have plenty of opportunities just three steps down the hall as long as I was willing to take a stroll.
I would, however, like to speak to those who have this opportunity because if you’re reading a web company’s blog on the “interwebs” you’re probably within this group of individuals.
The most important first step (of the three above) is expressing a genuine interest in something. If you like something, you’re already on your way there. The second step is determining if you could pursue it beyond just an interest. The third step is just being committed enough to walk through the door. Once you’re inside, explore your interest and develop your abilities.
You know, I am most fascinated when I see someone demonstrate a talent that has been truly developed in themselves. It’s probably the most attractive and interesting thing about a person I can think of and it doesn’t matter what the talent is. When you have a strongly-developed skill, I feel you’ve transcended mere existence and now live in the realm of “purpose.”
I have transcended. My purpose is to help and it’s a skill I’ve been developing since childhood. It was bred into me by my parents and I’ve fiercely devoted myself to being a “good helper.” In my more formative years I was very susceptible to over-committing my time and being over-eager to help at any cost. Rookie mistake.
It takes work. I don’t care what you do. I don’t care what your talent is (but I’m still amazed!). It takes a lot of time and a lot of work and I think this is the major difference between those who succeed at becoming great and those who don’t.
Think about it. When someone important pops-up in our culture do you ever think of how many years they spent trying to get there? How about what their first day on the job must have been like? I bet it was similar to most everyone else. They weren’t sure what was going on. They were nervous and they probably made a lot of mistakes. But the difference, in my opinion, is the willingness not to let set backs be set backs and remember that they chose to walk through that doorway for a reason.
If you have a talent, I think you’re amazing. Keep at it and let me know if you need help.