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She has immense talent and is capable of becoming an actress, singer, songwriter, chef, or a radio jock. She has talent that surpasses true understanding and one may easily call her "a jack of all trades". Yet, in the midst of the talent she possesses, she is rendered immobile by her inability to see how to use her talents, which results in making excuses and finding every reason known to mankind as to why she cannot start on a particular project. In addition, she struggles with commitment and has a knack for starting something and at the first sign of resistance, she then quits while ahead.
This is the story of a woman who can become anything she wants, however, she allows her self-doubt and character weaknesses to rid her of an otherwise promising future. She looks at her life through the lens of doubt, excuses, and fear. I know her and see parts of myself in her, I know the battle of talent that goes unwatered, talent that goes unused and talent that can render one helpless and inactive.
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard,” as quoted by Tim Notke, a high school basketball coach. The quote has proven to be true when one looks at the lives of tremendously talented people who fall short of success due to a lack of hard work.
Hard work shows itself in three main ingredients, which are; discipline, consistency, and dedication. I am nowhere near successful, however, I have been in close to proximity to successful people, in who I see common denominators and the main ingredients that fuel their success.
3 Ingredients that you lack in your path to success
1. You lack discipline
We have all watched enough YouTube videos that speak on discipline and we have read enough quotes on Instagram that encourage discipline. Yet, even with this knowledge, the application of discipline remains the hardest part of our journey to our won individual journeys of success. How many times have you started something and quit? How many projects have you taken on and never finished? How many new years resolutions have you made that become long forgotten by the time it comes to mid-year?
I can think of at least 4 different projects I have started and never completed. These are in my fitness, entrepreneurship, and relationship journey. All of which fell to the wayside due to lack of discipline. An inability to stay committed to going to the gym at 5 am each morning, an inability to continue looking for business opportunities, and an inability to stay patient in my pursuit of love.
Discipline is in doing even when you do not feel like it. Attaining true control over your life means learning that your emotions do not dictate your outcome. Learning to stick to set out goals, will allow you to continually take active steps forward.
"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier
2. You lack consistency
When we set out to do something, the starting is exciting, however, the true reward is in the consistency. Every venture has a story, and that of success are found in the ability to continue and stay at it. Sometimes, the answer does not lie in the new project or new venture, but in the continuation of what you started.
Consistency is my biggest flaw, but it is in admitting it to be an area of flaw that I can reinforce it.
Becoming aware of your areas of weakness provides you an opportunity to ensure that you can curb the downfall. It is putting mitigating practices in place that manage the risk.
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” - Benjamin Franklin
Understanding the most important practices and your relationship to them, allows you to be able to manage them. It is one thing to have a goal in sight, it is another to plan your route to the said goal. In doing so, you have to foresee the risks and plan for them.
How will you manage the risk of being inconsistent in your day to day life in your journey to your goals?
3. You lack dedication
Inputting discipline and consistency into practice to ensure you live a well-rounded life that sets you up to achieving your goals, how does one manage the fatigue?
Fatigue is an inevitable part of the journey, and often times we quit when confronted with fatigue. This I find, is due to an inaccurate view of the fatigue. We often misrepresent fatigue as a sign to quit, when all it truly is, an indication for a need to rest.
Needing rest is not synonymous with quitting. Recognizing when you need a time out to refresh your creativity and regain strength to continue the uphill climb to your dreams is an important part of the journey.
However, there has to be a time when you get back onto the climb after resting, which is usually the place in which dedication comes to play. You must want it badly enough, to fuel your dedication to keep at it. There is no alluding to the fact that the journey can be exhausting mentally and physically, but with this understanding comes a personal responsibility to stay dedicated in your pursuit.
Rest, but do not give up. Your dedication determines your altitude.
"Rest if you must, but don't you quit." - John Greenleaf Whittier
We are on the uphill climb to becoming the best version of ourselves, which comes with the understanding that doing the internal work will set us up to be able to achieve our dreams. Discipline, consistency, and dedication are done on the inside, to build a resilient character that can weather the storm. The biggest battle is on the inside, and in mastering yourself, you master your destiny.
From one Powerhouse to another
Love Mavis
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