Let’s talk about talent for a moment. Some people look like they have it easy, don’t they? They pick up an instrument and almost instantly they are able to produce a tune. Or they start their own business and it takes off right away. In other words, they are an overnight success at what they set out to do. Or at least they seem to be.
Sometimes it’s pure talent. Sometimes it’s luck. But more often than not, it’s effort and consistency. Combined, these two trump talent any time. Because they may have a talent for playing the guitar. Or maybe they got lucky on their first enterprise. But with effort and consistency, you don’t have to rely on talent. That means you can reproduce your success again and again. And it means you can keep improving and keep getting better at what you do.
Even a lot of the overnight successes we see – particularly in the show and music business – are years, if not decades in the making. People put in the work day after day until one day it started to pay off big. Ready to make the same thing happen? The first thing you need to get right is your mindset. You want to develop a growth mindset. This means you don’t have to rely on natural born talent.
Instead, you can get good at anything you put your mind to with enough effort and consistency. When it comes to musical instruments that means daily practice. When it comes to your profession or business, it means continuing to learn and try new things. Show up every day. Do something to move you into the right direction. Put in the effort on a regular basis and you’ll be surprised how far you’ll go.
Once your mind is in the right place, it’s time to come up with a plan of action. Where are you right now? Where do you want to be? What can you do on a daily (or weekly) basis to move you in the right direction? Write that down and put it in a prominent place.
The next step is building new habits that encourage taking action. Thus the written note. It will serve as a reminder while you build these new habits. Along the way, stay motivated by focusing on your why. Why do you want to reach the big goal at the end of the road? Keep putting in the consistent effort and there’s no goal you can’t reach. Remember, talent is overrated.
